IndustriALL Indonesia ready for action in 2015

Twelve women and 18 men representing 11 national federations from the metal, mining, textile-garment, pharmacy, oil and gas sectors were joined by Suzanna Miller and Armelle Seby from IndustriALL Global Union’s head office in Geneva, as well as Vonny Diananto, from IndustriALL South East Asia’s Singapore Office, IndustriALL project coordinators, Aranya Phakaphat and Yoon Hyowon, and Ann-Helene Westrup from Unionen in Sweden.

At the meeting, the Indonesian unionists discussed the country’s labour situation, collective bargaining, organizing, precarious work and IndustriALL policy and activities in 2015 at global and regional levels. Ann-Helene Westrup from Unionen in Sweden made a presentation on Swedish trade union figures and the Swedish Model of collective agreements.

In 2014, IndustriALL Indonesian council’s women’s committee launched a national campaign on maternity protection for all women workers in Indonesia with the taglines “14 Weeks” and “Stop Check Menstruation Blood”. The campaign is demanding that collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) increase maternity leave to 14 weeks (it is now 12 weeks) and insisting that employers stop checking women for blood when they want to take menstruation leave. Women in Indonesia have a legal right to take one or two day’s leave during menstruation with a doctor’s note. However, employers do not have a right to carry out the humiliating process of checking women for physical signs of their period.

The women’s committee also urged the Indonesian government to ratify the International Labour Organization’s Convention 183 on maternity protection.

“This year we will continue to spread the campaign across the nation and develop the model CBA articles on maternity protection and disseminate them to unions at plant level. We will work together with the women committees of 11 federations,” said Lilis Mahmudah, chair of the Indonesian Women Committee.

The national unity meeting also highlighted the issue of precarious workers in Indonesia. “The situation of state-owned companies outsourcing workers is no better in the private sector. We established the campaign drive “GEBER BUMN” to urge the Indonesian government to change the employment status of outsourced workers into permanent staff, so now we need more effort and support from all affiliates to reach the goal,” said Judy Winarno and Riswan Lubis from Metal and Mining Federations.

The national unity meeting also opened a discussion around the controversial regulation on the Presidential Decree (No 63 of 2004) and the Ministry of Industry Decree (No 446 of 2014) on the so-called “National Vital Objects” on industry and energy mining sectors. The regulation will harm basic labour rights by “securing” police and military interference in industrial relations.

The Indonesian affiliates voiced their alarm over the new legislation: “We will closely monitor the use of the regulations and create a campaign team within the structure of the IndustriALL National Council to repeal the decrees.”

The Indonesian leaders took the opportunity of the unity meeting to make priorities for 2015 through activities such as better collective bargaining agreements, organizing, campaigning, national advocacy, protecting and organizing precarious workers, and having structural reform towards strong upper-level unions for the effective role of federations.

“Now, we have the 2015 calendar in which all the project and activities of IndustriALL are combined and integrated through the collective works of the affiliate leaders. I am convinced and optimistic that the IndustriALL Indonesia Council will play an important role in building solidarity and maintaining unity among IndustriALL affiliates in Indonesia,” said Sjaiful Patombong in his closing statements.

Myanmar – building a level playing field for labour

As of December 2014 IndustriALL has two affiliates in Myanmar; the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM) and the Mining Workers Federation of Myanmar (MWFM). Both trade unions are affiliated to the Confederation of Trade Unions of Myanmar (CTUM).

Trade unions have only been allowed in Myanmar since 2012, when the country started to take first steps from a military regime towards democracy. Leaders of IndustriALL affiliates in the country stress the enormous need for training and capacity building, as well as laws that better protect the workers.

Wages in industry and mining in Myanmar typically vary between USD 60 and USD 200 per month. The government is in the process of setting a minimum wage and hopes to have it ready this spring. Jyrki Raina stressed the importance of setting a minimum wage that is sufficient to live on.

“Workers must receive a salary on which they can live. They must have reasonable working hours, a healthy and safe workplace, as well as the right to join a union.

“As Myanmar is opening up to foreign investment, these fundamentals send an important message to the world, not least in the garment and fashion industry which is sensitive to questions of image.”

Foreign direct investment is rapidly increasing, with a number multinational companies looking to establish operations in Myanmar in the years to come.

“IndustriALL supports building functioning labour-management relations at factory level. This will require the training of both union and management representatives. Here technical support from the International Labour Organization (ILO) is welcome”, said Raina.

A number of factories have been rocked by conflicts recently, with workers demanding higher pay. Raina commended the labour ministry for its efforts to help solve the conflicts, and said:

“These conflicts highlight the challenges ahead when building functioning collective bargaining mechanisms.”

CTM goons viciously assault Mexican miners’ organizer

On 7 March while he was distributing union leaflets Jesus Antonio Campos Valle, leader of the SNTMMSRM organizing campaign at the Gunderson railcar plant was viciously attacked by several thugs, two of whom were identified as Hermilo Falcón López and “El Grande” Lumbreras Piña, members of the non-independent Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM), which holds a protection contract at the company and prevents other unions from democratic representation of workers’ interests.

The SNTMMSRM denounced this attack as well as other acts of intimidation and harassment by the local leaders of the CTM, Jorge Carlos Mata and Mario Dante Galindo, directed at workers from Gunderson, Teksid and Pytco.

Workers at these three plants launched strikes in April 2014 to protest the lack of democratic representation by the CTM, a “protection union” that colludes with the employers and does not allow the workers to see their collective bargaining agreements. To resolve the strikes, the three companies agreed to recognize SNTMMSRM, but later backtracked and fired union leaders, including Campos.

Campos won a lawsuit ordering his reinstatement for unjust dismissal, but the company has appealed.

SNTMMSRM is now fighting a protracted legal battle against the companies and the CTM, who are supported by Alonso Ancira, the head of the AHMSA steel company, which is the largest employer in Monclova.

“They beat and kicked me in my face, head, chest, ribs and shoulders, all the time threatening me and saying they were from the CTM and they knew me and my family,” Campos stated. After receiving medical treatment, Campos filed a criminal complaint against the CTM leaders.

Jyrki Raina, IndustriALL general secretary addressed to the President of Mexico and denounced this violent act of aggression as “part of systematic attacks organized by the company in collusion with CTM intended to undermine workers’ right to elect democratically their own representative to collective bargaining. This is an inalienable right of workers envisaged in the ILO Convention 87”.

An online petition in protest to this vicious attack can be sent from this page. Your messages of protest will be delivered to Enrique Peña Nieto, President of Mexico; Ruben Moreira, Governor of Coahuila; and William Furman, CEO of the Greenbrier Companies.

IndustriALL in solidarity with striking USW workers

The current conflict between multinational oil companies and the United Steelworkers is about health and safety conditions, and it is not just an issue in the USA. The relentless race-to-the-bottom mentality is being felt by oil and chemical workers worldwide.

This hazardous industry thinks only of short-term profits, and wants to make those profits with fewer workers, fewer direct employees, weaker benefits and wages, inhuman work schedules and dangerous working conditions.

Employers don't consider it important that workers get proper rest and a chance to connect with family and friends, they don't see that as a health and safety issue. They cut corners on engineering, they cut corners on maintenance, and do everything on lowest bid.

"IndustriALL stands shoulder to shoulder with its affiliate the USW on these issues. We demand that these multinational oil companies accept their responsibilities," said Brian Kohler, IndustriALL’s director of health, safety and sustainability in a solidarity visit to USW Local 7-1 picketers at the BP oil refinery, in Whiting, Indiana.

“We demand that workers be accepted as full partners in the design and implementation of health and safety policies, programs, and procedures. We want health and safety done WITH us, not TO us. The only people with the moral authority to assess a risk, are those who must accept it," said Kohler.

"That is what this fight is ultimately about: the safety and dignity of millions of workers worldwide!”

Woman worker raped at South African mine

The man allegedly entered the female changing rooms at the mine holding a screwdriver, then forcefully ordered the woman to undress and threatened to kill her if she resisted.

The attacker, who is not thought to be an employee of the company, also threatened a second female worker.

IndustriALL Global Union’s South African affiliate, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), is demanding an explanation from the mine’s owners, Anglo-American Platinum, on how the suspect gained access to the mine’s premises.

The company has acknowledged that a ‘violent criminal act’ had taken place at the mine.

Frans Baleni, NUM general secretary and IndustriALL vice-president, said:

“As the NUM, we abhor violence and call on the law enforcement agencies to act without fear or favour. It is regrettable that the escalating violence against women, in particular, seeks to reverse the gains the country made in relation to the employment of women in the mines.”

In 2012, female mineworker, Pinky Mosiane, was brutally raped and murdered while working at Anglo-American’s Khomanani Mine, also in Rustenburg.

Most acts of sexual assault and violence against women in South African mines go unreported, as the women workers are afraid of losing their jobs.

The NUM is fighting hard for the women working in a male-dominated and sexist industry. The NUM reports that although large numbers of women are now working underground, nothing has been done to make mines a safer place for women. Sexual abuse and gender-based violence in mines are still pervasive, says the NUM.

“It is very disappointing that women workers while being subjected to the evils of capitalism, face yet another challenge, that of being invaded, raped, sexually abused and killed by co-workers who are supposed to be their protectors and comrades in arms,” said Baleni.

Thousands protest for equal pay in Bern

The demonstration march that started from Schützenmatte and continued to Parliament Square was spearheaded by Union Syndicale Suisse (USS) and Alliance F, uniting 48 organizations, including IndustriALL Global Union and its affiliate UNIA, towards a common goal for equal pay for women.

Under Swiss law enacted in 1981, men and women have the right to equal pay for work of equal value. Yet, 34 years have passed and still women earn 20 per cent less than men for doing the same job, for no other justifiable reason than because they are female.

According to UNIA, this inequality in pay not only affects women in Switzerland but also their families and the economy as well. Because of this injustice, each woman loses 677 Swiss Francs (US$ 680) a month, 8,000 Swiss Francs in a year (US$ 8,118) and 380,000 Swiss Francs (US$ 385,600) during her entire working life, which can be translated as outright gender discrimination.

Kathrin Bertschy, co-president of the Alliance F, said:

“Pay inequality persists throughout a lifetime; young women start their professional life with eight per cent lower salaries. But the pay inequality affects the entire economy when talented women leave the labour market because their skills are not remunerated fairly.”

Regula Bühlmann, USS National Secretary, added:

“When it comes to law enforcement, non-compulsory measures obviously aren’t working. We now need binding measures. We need pay equity for the paid and unpaid work, so that women once retired get a fair pension.”

International women’s day emerged at the beginning of the 20th century when the Socialist Party of America organized a strike demanding better pay and working conditions, as well as the right to vote, in New York City.

Filipino metalworkers to target multinational suppliers

A campaign to strike at unscrupulous suppliers was launched on 3 March by IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, the Philippine Metalworkers Alliance (PMA). PMA will work in partnership with the Alliance of Labourers and the Youth (ALAY), a student-led movement, to fight for the rights of workers at Katolec Philippines, Moriroku, Sohbi Kohgei and Young Shin Tronics.

Three of the suppliers – Katolec Philippines, Moriroku and Sohbi Kohgei are located in special economic zones known for their bad anti-union policies.

The campaign aims to highlight the rampant harassment and violations of labour laws by the companies.

Testimonies from union leaders stressed the culture of impunity amidst continued violation of workers’ rights: “It is as if these companies are shielded with a special blanket that even the decisions of labour court are being ignored,” said a PMA representative.

“Katolec Philippines refuses to recognize our union and to collectively negotiate for better terms and conditions, despite our convincing win in the certification election second time round. Instead, the company has dismissed me for leading the union,” said Katolec Philippines Trade Union (KAPLU) president, Fermin Galicia.

With tears in her eyes, a KAPLU female board member stressed that all workers want is to live with a better wage and improved working conditions: “I have been with the company for 12 years and during that time I have only ever received a meagre wage, which is nowhere near enough to have a decent living,” she lamented.

At Moriroku in the Philippines, harassment and intimidation of workers started as soon as the union was formed, and focussed particularly on union officers. “As far as we know, we have not committed any violations or illegal act, we just want to exercise our right to form a union,” said Moriroku Philippines Workers Union president Joseph Aplicador. But this assertion has fallen on management’s deaf ears as the union president and vice-president have both been dismissed.

“Young Shin Tronics, a supplier to Samsung, does not get the point. All the workers want is to have a union that will represent their interests,” said Aplicador. “Workers in the company are just beginning to realize that it is difficult for them to struggle individually, to fight for their rights and to have better benefits, which is why they decided to act collectively,” he added.

Filipino government in dialogue with cement unions

On 4 March, IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, the Philippine Cement Workers Council (PCWC), which was also representing other Filipino cement workers and their unions, met labour ministry officials in the presence of the Labour Secretary, Rosalinda Baldoz. During the meeting, held at the Department of Labour and Employment, the parties thrashed out the issues and concerns related to the merger process between Holcim and Lafarge. The governmental officials made a firm commitment to continue dialogue in order to gain assurance workers’ rights are taken into account during the merger process.

Baldoz emphasized that workers should be properly informed and consulted by the employers on the issues related to the merger that are not clear to them: “In these challenging times of global integration, industry partners must move hand-in-hand to compete while aiming at assuring secured jobs and better benefits for the workers,” said Baldoz.

Macario Noble, president of PCWC, maintained that the union would be on their guard until management of both companies Holcim and Lafarge guarantees that workers’ rights are respected. “We want to make sure that there will be no lay-offs and our existing collective agreements have to be respected,” said Noble.

At the conclusion of the discussions, the labour officials reiterated the need for a second meeting this month with the aim to form a tripartite cement industry council as a platform for a continuing dialogue towards a sustainable cement industry.

"Petrobras: Be accountable, continue as ours", demands union movement

As the country’s largest company, Petrobras’ problems have severe knock-on effects. But private and foreign capital, with the support of right-wing politicians, is attempting to use the company's current turmoil to their advantage and facilitate Petrobras’ sell-off at a very low share price. Petrobras is 64 per cent owned by the Brazilian state and has long been and is still one of the major pillars of the Brazilian economy.

The Oil Workers Federation, FUP-CUT and its umbrella organization CNQ-CUT, together with CNM-CUT, have led strong demonstrations under the banner “Petrobras É Nossa”. At a 24 February rally in Rio de Janeiro, IndustriALL general secretary Jyrki Raina stated:

Our Global Framework Agreement partner Petrobras belongs to the Brazilian people and workers. That makes misuse of the company’s finances even more disgraceful. However, to sell off this great asset for a cut price at this time of crisis would add insult to injury, and cannot be allowed.

Unions and social movements will mobilize a national day of action on 13 March in defence of Petrobras. However Business-oriented press in Brazil is strongly criticizing the government and voicing demands towards privatization. Furthermore, credit ratings agency Moody’s has downgraded Petrobras stocks to junk status.

Lucineide Varjão Soares, President of CNQ-CUT said in her statement:

We fought this same campaign in 1948: The oil is ours! We won then and stopped the transfer of this asset to foreign capital. Petrobras is under attack. Corruption cannot serve as a front for dismantling an entire oil and gas production chain built by workers. We will vigorously defend our national treasure and our jobs.

The scandal came to light when a prior director of Petrobras admitted to a vast kickback and bribery scheme as part of his own plea bargain after his arrest in March 2014 for money laundering. Petrobras executives are accused of illegally conspiring with a cartel of Brazil’s largest construction companies over ten years.

Brazil’s Prosecutor General yesterday sought permission from the Supreme Court to launch enquiries into 54 unnamed people, most of whom are Members of Congress.

Roche called on to end supplier violations in Turkey at AGM

The unions called on Roche to live up to its supply-chain and ethical commitments and insist that its corporate partner Deva recognizes and bargains with Petrol-Is. Workers at Deva’s large factories in Çerkezköy, Kartepe and the Topkapı area of Istanbul have been under vicious attack from management since 2010.

Read the full extent of Deva’s violations, and the inaction from pharmaceuticals giant Roche, here.

By aggressively flouting national and international labour laws to keep Deva workplaces non-union at all cost, Philipp Haas and his company management have earned a notorious reputation in Turkey. The union delegation at the Roche AGM in Basel, Switzerland, included Emel Şabanoğlu who was sacked by Deva for joining Petrol-Is, along with 31 others.

Emel wanted to tell Roche shareholders how her unfair dismissal has affected her family. Without her salary Emel could not continue to pay for her son’s education. She suspects that Deva has blacklisted her at other local employers and finding a new job is difficult.

I worked for ten years at Deva and I was sacked for taking part in union activities. We are here in Switzerland to explain what is really going on at Deva. We know that Roche is an important company for Deva because we were producing Roche drugs there. We know that if Roche puts pressure on Deva our union will be recognized.

After addressing the Roche shareholders’ meeting about the Deva case, IndustriALL Assistant General Secretary Kemal Özkan stated:

The Deva workers are treated without dignity, without respect, without enjoyment of their fundamental rights. We said the whole implementation, monitoring and compliance system of Roche, as far as the suppliers are concerned, is really under question. We clearly demanded from the company management, CEO and Chair, to take more concrete actions to help and restore the situation at Deva in Turkey.

Unia’s Elango Kanakasundaram from the action said:

“Unia stands in solidarity with these workers in Turkey. And we are against repression of trade unions in Switzerland and everywhere else.”

At the same time as the trade union action at the Roche AGM, Petrol-Is members picketed Roche’s headquarters in Turkey. The workers’ statement condemned Roche’s inaction while harassment and intimidation continues daily at the Deva workplaces.