Facing up to the climate change

On 15 – 16 September, global trade union leaders met with French foreign minister Laurent Fabius, who will preside over COP21. They also discussed their demands at the Trade Union Climate Summit, organized by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

Three essential demands were identified:

raise ambition and realise job potential of climate action;
deliver on climate finance and support the most vulnerable;
commit to securing a Just Transition for workers and their communities.

Brian Kohler, IndustriALL Global Union director of sustainability, said:

A global industrial transformation is coming and it will come whether a deal is reached at COP21, or whether we fail once again to take effective action. The casino economy has no answers to these questions. We must lead – no-one else will do so – in planning a hopeful future for all workers, including those in industries that may be impacted by efforts to limit greenhouse gases. It is simple social justice.

Just Transition is simple. Workers, their families, their communities and their unions should be kept whole in terms of incomes, social benefits, and opportunities. The entire cost of changes to protect the environment should not be borne by working people and the world’s most vulnerable; but in the absence of a Just Transition program, that is exactly who will pay the price.

In the industrial transformation ahead, the public policy question who pays for, and who benefits from, a transition to sustainability. And the social outcomes will depend on the social and industrial policies adopted.

The science is unequivocal. The need for action is clear, and urgent.

Kohler continues:

We can’t bargain with the laws of physics and we are out of time. Climate change threatens everything the labour movement stands for: fairness; social justice; decent work. Any agreement coming out of COP21 will not be the final word but only the start of a journey.

However a climate deal that supports sustainable industrial policies and comprehensive Just Transition programmes could become one of the greatest opportunities the labour movement has ever had.

A pessimistic future is not a just future.

There must be a future that sounds good; a future that is attractive to today’s workers as well as optimistic for future workers, and we will do what is necessary to achieve it

concludes Kohler.

Finland – demonstrations to counter government attack on collective bargaining

If the government proposals are approved, Finnish workers could be deprived of a number of rights, including rights laid down in collective agreements.

The Finnish government is using the pretext of boosting competitiveness in order to:

Eliminate pay for two bank holidays;
Make the first day of a worker’s sick leave unpaid and reduce the benefits for days two to nine;
Reduce compensation for overtime;
Reduce the level of extra pay given to workers for working on Sundays;
Cut holidays in the public sector.

IndustriALL Global Union general secretary Jyrki Raina underlines the full support for Finnish trade unions' demands that the government withdraw these legislative proposals:

We urge the government to sit down with the unions that represent a big majority of the Finnish workforce, and hold discussions with them in good faith to find solutions that the Finnish people can accept, whilst respecting the social partners in the country and their right to conduct collective bargaining freely.

Ukraine: Law reform threatens workers and trade union rights

In July 2015, the Ukrainian parliament approved at a first hearing Draft Law № 2983 “On State Registration of Legal Entities, Individual Entrepreneurs and Community Groups”.

Instead of the current notification system on the trade union creation, the draft law introduces a strict procedure for registration of trade unions and their associations by public authorities. This is a clear violation of Article 2 of the ILO Convention 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, which defines that “workers shall have the right to establish and, subject only to the rules of the organisation concerned, to join organisations of their own choosing without previous authorisation.”

If adopted, this draft law would amend the law "On Trade Unions, Their Rights and Guarantees of Activity” and weaken trade unions’ autonomy and depriving them of the protection from

external interference, including that from public authorities. IndustriALL Global Union shares the concerns of its Ukrainian affiliates that this could result in state control over trade union activity.

In a letter sent to the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman, IndustriALL is calling on the Ukrainian parliament to withdraw the draft law that contradicts international labour conventions ratified by Ukraine and violates basic workers and trade union rights, such as freedom of association. Efforts should instead be made to ensure that a new revision of this draft law respects trade union rights and abides by international laws.

Unions from South East Europe join global campaign against precarious work

The countries of Bosnia & Herzegovina, Macedonia and Montenegro are experiencing restructuring and privatization, with industry jobs expected to be lost as a result. High unemployment rates have led to massive violation of workers’ rights and there are no real sanctions against employers that abuse the laws. Wages are often not paid, sometimes for months.

Precarious work, membership development and unity building were key issues on the agenda of a workshop held on 8-9 September 2015 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Participants at the workshop firmly denounced the complicity between employers and the political elite, and the lack of genuine social dialogue at all levels.

Under pressure from international financial institutions of Bosnia-Herzegovina recently adopted a new Labour Act, extending the time during which a worker can be hired on a fixed-term contract from two to three years. Debates are going on in the Serb Republic of Bosnia and new legislation is expected soon. Temporary contracts may be renewed up to five years in Macedonia and two years in Montenegro.

Kata Iveljić, president of the Trade Union of Chemistry and Non Metal Workers of Bosnia & Herzegovina said:

In the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina we have a new Labour Law which weakens workers’ rights. Our union has to renegotiate and align the general and branch collective agreements with the new provisions in the Law. We will seek to ensure that the rights enjoyed by workers are being maintained in the new agreements. We will also challenge the new legislation that was adopted without union consultation.

IndustriALL Global Union’s affiliates reported that fixed-term employment contracts have become common practice, particularly in the case of greenfield investment. In Macedonia, all new jobs created in the industrial development zones are temporary. Besides lax labour legislation, the government offers various incentives to multinational companies that set up plants in these zones, so allowing them to garner huge benefits at the expense of workers.

Auto parts manufacturers in particular are employing thousands of people on fixed-term contracts and with poor wages (€150-160 per month). These developments are slowly impacting on working conditions in other companies.

Lively discussions were held on the issue of organising and union building. Employers claim publicly that they respect legislation and the right to organise, but in reality they resort to various tactics and covert means of pressure to prevent workers from doing so.

Pavel Trendnafilov, president of the Trade Union of Civil Engineering, Industry and Planning of Macedonia stated:

Macedonia has not been immune from the global trend towards precarious work. It is a major obstacle to organizing since workers on temporary employment contracts are scared that their contacts will not be renewed if they join a union

Union leaders at the workshop stressed the importance of networking at regional and global level to better advance their rights and assist one another in organising and collective bargaining campaigns.

IndustriALL Global Union and its European sister organisation will continue to work with affiliates in the region and support their struggle for decent working conditions and sustainable livelihood.

Workers killed making clothes for Primark, TOPMAN, Burton, New Look, River Island

Jeans Company Private Limited was registered in 2010 and was producing jeans, shirts and caps for the well-known brands. Around 1,150 workers were employed in the factory but because it was a Friday, most of them had left their workstation to attend Friday prayers. Only 40 workers were present when the roof of the factory caved, otherwise there would be more casualties.

IndustriALL Global Union general secretary Jyrki Raina said:

Garment factories are still dangerous in Pakistan and in Bangladesh garment companies are making much too slow progress in improving factory safety. There is still too much complacency among global brands: how many more dead bodies do we need before brands take responsibility to ensure safe working conditions for all the workers who contribute to their multibillion dollar profits?

The roof of the factory was in a poor condition, built with canes and mud. Recently, on the rooftop a number of chemical-filled drums had been stored by the management, which could be a reason for the collapse. Six persons including the factory manager were arrested after the accident.

IndustriALL affiliates in Pakistan condemn the incident and have raised their concerns over health and safety issues in the garment sector. Niaz Khan, General Secretary of the Ittehad Labour Union for Carpet Industries demanded that the Government restore and activate factory labour inspection and ensure the safety of workers at the workplace. Under pressure from several sides, the Chief Minister of Punjab announced compensation of Rs. 500,000 (US$ 4,800) for deceased workers and Rs. 100,000 for injured workers.

In addition, Pakistani trade unions are also ensuring that deceased workers’ families will receive Rs. 400,000 of their insurance claim. Nadeem Parwaz from the Pakistan Textile, Garments and Leather Workers' Federation said that they are in the process of establishing relations with the families and kin of the deceased workers, so that support could be provided to them.

The incident is likely to raise questions about the country’s industrial safety policy since many factories are running in poorly built buildings and in a shabby condition, causing a major threat to workers’ lives.

The third anniversary of Pakistan’s worst industrial accident in the garment industry, Ali Enterprises, 11 September, is being marked by loud calls on German retailer KiK to pay compensation to the victims who were killed whilst making KiK clothes.

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Join global action for justice at Mulberry’s supplier in Turkey

Join the action online (#Justice4MulberryWorkers) or at your local Mulberry store and demand that the luxury handbag and clothing brand lives up to its own 'Global Sourcing Principles'.

SF Leather reacted to its workers organizing into IndustriALL Global Union’s affiliate Deriteks by sacking 14 key union supporters on 26 March. When Deriteks rejected the company’s offer in April to reinstate 11 of the 14 on the condition they forget the union, SF Leather aggressively campaigned to crush the organizing drive completely.

Around 90 per cent of the leather purses made by the 190 workers at SF Leather go to Mulberry. Mulberry’s only action has been to hire independent auditing firm, Re-Assurance to conduct an investigation. The auditors have not spoken to the affected workers.

Instead of taking steps to solve the conflict, SF Leather has brought charges against Deriteks. The president of the union’s Izmir Branch, Makum Alagöz, now stands trial for non-compliance with the 26 May impounding of a union banner; the 3 June instruction to stop distributing campaign material online; and using Mulberry’s name in the campaign.

The three demands to Mulberry are:

1) Require that SF Leather immediately drop all court cases against Deriteks Sendika and the SF Leather workers.

2) Require that SF Leather hire back the 14 illegally dismissed workers

3) Require SF Leather to immediately stop all illegal union-busting activities

The IndustriALL-LabourStart campaign has already directed over 10,000 messages to Mulberry in support of the workers’ right to join Deriteks at SF Leather in Izmir.

IndustriALL Global Union Assistant General Secretary Kemal Özkan states:

“Deriteks’ global trade union supports wholeheartedly the 16 September action and its key demands. Mulberry’s inaction is unacceptable. The company sells high-end purses from SF Leather under the pretext that it respects the workers who made them. Lies.”

Find Mulberry online here:

Twitter: @Mulberry_Editor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mulberry?fref=ts

Mexico remains under ILO’s spotlight

Labour rights in Mexico will again be under discussion in the next ILO Committee on the Application of Standards, during the June 2016 International Labour Conference.

IndustriALL affiliates and a coalition of allied unions in Mexico have compiled a list of cases for examination by the Committee of Experts on Applications and Recommendations Meeting in November 2015, documenting the systematic practice of employer protection contracts at all levels of the economy, as well as the brutal repression and criminalization of workers trying to organize their own unions.

The diversity of the cases gathered by the workers and unions to present to the ILO confirms the extent of the phenomenon, with examples of the struggles and resistance in the mining sector including in Cananea; in the automotive sector where the workers of Honda in Jalisco have been fighting for over four years for a union election; the publicly celebrated employer protection contract signed by BMW in 2014 in San Luis Potosi five years before the plant is built, the exploitation and intimidation of farm workers from San Quintin by the official charro unions, (CTM and CROC in this case); the institutional violence against workers in the auto parts industry in Ciudad Acuña-PKC, Monclova; the denial of PEMEX and the Labour Courts to allow the registered union UNTyPP to organize and negotiate on behalf of the white collar workers in the petrol industry, the intimidation of SANDAK/BATA workers from the Leather and Shoe industry, and the list goes on.

As the Mexican unions denounce in their Report to the ILO, the unions from the public sector in Mexico City are not better off in relation to protection contracts and harassment of democratic unions. Cases cited include in the education sector, technological institutes, Universities and civil servant unions.

Moreover as Conventions 150 and 155 related to the mining sector also fall under this current reporting cycle, a report addressing the intolerable number of incidents, the lack of fair compensation for workers and their families and the failure of the Government of Mexico to comply with the labour inspections and Health and Safety standards, has been submitted to the Committee of Experts.

Critical measures to address the problem of protection contracts and to deal with the corruption in the Labour Boards are outlined in the Comments presented by IndustriALL.

IndustriALL Global Union assistant general secretary Fernando Lopes said:

Despite the many promises and public declarations made by the Government officials after the last ILC, to “eradicate protection contracts”, IndustriALL demands the agreement of a roadmap with all social partners, including ILO technical support, to take concrete actions and measures to bring the Labour legislation in line with the ILO supervisory mechanisms.

IG Metall Coastal Region demands that Germany’s federal government ratify the Hong Kong Convention

IG Metall’s regional secretary for the German coast, Meinhard Geiken, handed over demands on a large placard to Parliamentary State Secretary Uwe Beckmeyer in Hamburg, flanked by shipyard workers.

Geiken said:

It is shameful that Germany still has not ratified the Hong Kong Convention for the safe and environmentally sound dismantling of ships. Shipbreaking represents not only an enormous threat to the health and safety of the workers concerned but also for the surrounding marine environment. Toxins like oil, asbestos and PCBs need appropriate control measures or protective equipment, not only for the health of employees but also the surrounding environment and ecosystems.

The Maritime Coordinator of the Federal Government, Uwe Beckmeyer, said: "I think that the contents of the Hong Kong Convention are of high importance. I am committed that the EU regulation on ship recycling is implemented promptly and in Germany."

Vietnam raises minimum wage 12.4%

At today’s exchange rate, the new monthly minimum wage will be VND 3.5 million (Vietnamese Dong) or US$ 155 in the most developed areas of Vietnam.

An inclusive tripartite consultation process, informed by research, through the National Wage Council already resulted in a 15 per cent increase from the beginning of 2015.

That 2015 increase meant the minimum wage has already increased 17-fold in 15 years.

Four different rates exist so that workers in the most developed areas currently earn a minimum monthly rate of VND 3.1 million, and workers in the least developed Region Four earning VND 2.15 million. These rates will now all go up by 12.4 per cent.

The Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), to which all three IndustriALL affiliates are members, argues that overall the minimum wage still falls short of workers’ basic needs. The VGCL had initially proposed a rise of 16.8 per cent this time. At the first stage of consultations the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) insisted on the raise being no more than 10 per cent.

The plan will now move to central government for approval.

IndustriALL Global Union general secretary Jyrki Raina marked the positive development:

“Every working person has the right to a living wage, from the garment worker in Vietnam to the miner in Namibia. We believe in building union power and bargaining for better wages. Campaigning for increased minimum wages is a central mission of IndustriALL.
In our meeting earlier this year in Vietnam I praised the Vietnamese government for setting a good example to other countries in the region. Raised minimum wages means boosted purchasing power, economic growth and creation of new jobs.
Now it is time for the government to ratify ILO Conventions 87, 98 and 105 and properly enshrine worker protections in the law.

At today’s exchange rates here are some key minimum wage figures from South and South East Asia, in US Dollars:

Bangladesh	68 (Garment sector)
Myanmar	85 (108,000 Myanmar Kyats)
Cambodia	128
Vietnam	155 (as of 1 January 2016)
China	314 (Shenzhen and Shanghai)