Living wages a major demand in Africa

Following IndustriALL Global Union's Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Conference, affiliates from Mauritius, Madagascar, Lesotho, Ethiopia, South Africa and Nigeria met in Johannesburg on 17-18 October to discuss how to make progress on their living wage demands.

In each of the countries, the wage fixing mechanisms are different and affiliates recognized the need to understand them in order to make progress. Ethiopian affiliates are struggling to establish a minimum wage for the first time, while in many countries the minimum wage is far below the level of a living wage.

Participants recognized the drawbacks of relying solely on the minimum wage for increases when in some countries this is unilaterally declared by government with no consultation of the social partners. In other countries, consultation is cursory and ignored.

Unions from South Africa and Nigeria made compelling presentations of the strength of collective bargaining at industry level as the most effective means of delivering wage increases. For South African textile and clothing union SACTWU, the living wage campaign is at the core of its work and centralized bargaining is used to achieve the best outcome for workers.

The union works to bring employers into the national bargaining council, which covers over 100,000 workers, and the government can extend the agreements to other employers. Increases for 2014 were above the inflation rate at an average of 8 per cent.

Similarly in Nigeria, industry level collective bargaining is recognized by the National Union of Textile, Garment & Tailoring Workers (NUTGTW) as the most effective means of securing wage increases that benefit the largest number of workers.

The unions from Lesotho explained how they are working towards a merger to be finalized in February 2015 as a means of consolidating union strength. They are currently in joint negotiations with government and employers towards their own model of bargaining councils, based on the South Africa experience. The Lesotho unions’ living wage campaign is called 2020, referring to the target figure of M2,020.00 (US $184) per month.

In Mauritius, many workers in the garment sector are migrants, earning well below the poverty line of US $130 per month. The national minimum wage fixing mechanism does not function as increases are made at the discretion of the Minister and have not been updated for most industries for many years. Unions are campaigning for the minimum wage to be set at the level of a living wage.

In Ethiopia, massive growth is expected in the textile and garment sector where there is no minimum wage and wages are around US $35-50.

In Madagascar the minimum wage is US $53 whereas the living wage is estimated at US $400 and 80 per cent of the population live below the poverty line. Unions face a massive challenge in negotiating to raise wages when they lack resources and capacity.

The meeting ended with each of the unions developing action plans targeting a living wage through organizing, union building and increasing unity towards the goal of industry-level collective bargaining.

Global unions converge in Mongolia in campaign for Rio Tinto workers’ rights

The meeting, in the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator, will bring together IndustriALL affiliates from around the world. It follows a two-day conference in the city where unions, government officials and civil society groups gathered to discuss the labour agenda for socially sustainable mining in the global south.

The Network is focusing support in Mongolia, where Rio Tinto has invested billions and mine workers are particularly vulnerable.

The company has a US $6 billion investment in the vast Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine in the Gobi Desert. Workers there are represented by IndustriALL affiliate the Federation of Energy, Geology and Mining Workers’ Trade Unions of Mongolia (MEGM).

Last year, Rio Tinto was condemned by the Supreme Court in Mongolia for wage discrimination against Mongolian nationals and unfair dismissal. The company also faced international criticism for sacking thousands of workers in the country without adequate consultation.

Rio Tinto’s blind pursuit of profit at any cost in Mongolia has caused disputes with unions as well as environmental, community and indigenous groups.

Together with its mining trade union affiliates, IndustriALL Global Union has an ongoing campaign calling for an end to bad corporate behaviour at the expense of workers at Rio Tinto operations around the world.

IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan says that with the campaign, IndustriALL Global Union aims to build union power at Rio Tinto plants around the world, uniting workers in the struggle for decent work:

“Rio Tinto has extensive experience in causing one conflict after another with trade unions, indigenous organizations, environmental groups and other key community stakeholders. Unions and civil society are coming together in an unprecedented way to push back against Rio Tinto for the benefit of workers, the environment and communities.”

“For far too long, Rio Tinto has systematically put profits before people, sometimes with fatal consequences like the recent deaths at the Grasberg mine in Papua New Guinea. Workers are saying enough is enough,” says Kemal Özkan.

The Network meeting follows a global day of protests on 7 October as as part of IndustriALL’s campaign to demand a new era at Rio Tinto.

In a coordinated day of defiance workers from Rio Tinto sites in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe and North America demanded safer workplaces, secure jobs and respect for workers’ rights. Events included rallies, stop work meetings and other worksite actions.

The 7 October action against Rio Tinto coincided with the World Day for Decent Work, when unions mobilize against precarious work – jobs that are temporary, casual, contracted-out and often low-wage, low-benefit, unsafe and insecure.

Learn more about Rio Tinto’s history of conflict at http://www.industriall-union.org/riotinto

Victory for workers at Schneider Electric ends strike

More than 300 IAM members of Local 2069 took part in the industrial action at Schneider’s Square D facility in Peru, Indiana, which finished on 19 October.

“Our members stood strong and won improvements that they can be proud of,” said IAM Director of Collective Bargaining Tom O’Heron. “Schneider Electric is an extremely profitable company and our members, who make those profits possible, fought for their rightful share of the company’s success.”

Local 2069 members won improvements in key areas of the new three-year contract. In addition to a signing bonus of $1,600, there are general wage increases of 3 percent in year one, 2 percent in year two and 2 percent in year three. IAM negotiators also addressed members’ concerns that the gap between lower and higher-paid workers was growing too wide.

Although the new pact freezes the traditional Defined Benefit Pension as of December 31, 2015, IAM negotiators achieved company contributions in the transition to a Defined Contribution plan that are higher than the company originally proposed.

“Both local businesses and other local area unions gave our members tremendous support,” said O’Heron. “Local 2069’s Bargaining Committee also did a great job keeping our members and the community informed throughout the entire process. Together, it made a big difference and we are grateful that it helped lead to an agreement.”

European multinational, Schneider Electric, employs 130,000 people in over 100 countries.

IndustriALL Global Union’s general secretary, Jyrki Raina, said:

“This is a considerable victory for IAM after well-supported industrial action by union members. Schneider was ultimately forced to return to the bargaining table after significant pressure from IAM and the Local.”

The IAM is one of North America’s largest industrial trade unions representing nearly 600,000 active and retired members.

Swaziland bans trade unions

Federations were called upon to submit reports of their operations to date, including their prepared audited financial statements to the Commissioner of Labour. This decision affects not only TUCOSWA and ATUSWA, affiliating IndustriALL members SATU, SESMAWU and SMAWU, but also the Federation of Swaziland Employers and Chamber of Commerce, and the Federation of the Swazi Business Community.

Tripartite bodies such as the Wages Council, Labour Advisory Board, Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration Commission, Swaziland National Provident Fund, Training and Localization Committee and the Social Dialogue Committee will stop functioning as a result.

Article 5 of ILO Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize recognizes the right of workers’ organizations to establish or to join federations and confederations of their own choosing.

In response to the complaint filed by TUCOSWA and the ITUC on 23 May 2012 (Case No 2949), the Committee on Freedom of Association recommended that pending legislative reforms TUCOSWA is able to effectively exercise all its trade union rights without interference or reprisal. An ILO High-Level Fact Finding Mission that visited the country in January 2014 recommended the registration of the worker and employer federations by end of April 2014.

The Swazi government has ignored the recommendations and repeated calls from the international trade union movement to respect rights guaranteed under international conventions ratified by Swaziland. Instead they have suspended workers’ right to freely associate and to carry out trade union activities completely.

IndustriALL Global Union general secretary Jyrki Raina says:

“This decision also goes against the decision of the Industrial Court, which recognized that TUCOSWA could operate in terms of its own constitution.

“We urge you to revoke the decision to dissolve TUCOSWA and ATUSWA and to start engaging in a genuine dialogue with unions about legislative reforms that will ensure that workers’ rights are respected in line with Swaziland’s international obligations without any further delay.”

Mexican electrical workers: five years of struggle – still standing, looking to the future and resisting

The Mexican Electrical Workers’ Union (SME) decided to undertake a legal and peaceful fight back through the courts. At a mass meeting held a few days later, the union’s most important decision-making body rejected the government’s meagre and erroneously calculated offer of redundancy pay. Instead, workers chose the path of RESISTANCE.

The union has since done everything possible to fight back – organising marches, meetings, hunger strikes, campaigns for the release of political prisoners, negotiations and forums.

At a forum organised by the SME to commemorate five years of struggle, representatives of many organisations reiterated their support for the union and later joined a march to the main square of Mexico City. During the march, the General Secretary, Martín Esparza Flores, joined other members of the national executive in carrying a banner with the slogan "They did not see us born, THEY WILL NEVER SEE US DIE". At the forum, a letter of support from Jyrki Raina was read out and IndustriALL placards with the slogan AGAINST PRECARIOUS WORK were displayed.

At the forum Flores added that, five years after the illegal decree, “we are still standing, looking to the future and resisting”. The 15,000 workers who remain in the fight are hoping for agreement on a proposal to find jobs for the former LyFC employees at companies in the electricity supply sector.

As part of the commemoration of five years of struggle, Martín Esparza said: “We will continue the fight to re-establish the rule of law, which has been trampled on by multinational companies and fascist governments”.

The fight continues for the electrical workers, who held a march on 15 October to demand re-employment after five years intense social and legal battles, recognition of their labour and human rights and implementation of agreements reached with the federal government.

SPAIN

As part of the World Day for Decent Work (WDDW) on 7 October, IndustriALL affiliate, the UGT staged some 40 demonstrations throughout Spain under the banner "Employment, social protection and rights for a decent job".

The demonstrations exposed the fact that the economic recovery widely publicized by the government and business organizations, fails to reach the people. In Spain unemployment is an issue, 6 out of 10 workers are long-term unemployed. The newly created jobs are temporary, precarious and part-time, and the decrease of wages and incomes persists. Some 27.3 per cent of the population is at risk of poverty, a percentage that rises to almost 40 per cent amongst the unemployed.

The unions have taken advantage of this day to demand that the government launch a special plan for the long-term unemployed who receive no benefits, as pledged in an agreement with the social partners signed on 29 July.

Australian unions rally at Ansell AGM

AMWU, CFMEU and TCFUA members demanded that Ansell reinstate sacked workers, raise wages and negotiate with the Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union (FTZGSEU) in Sri Lanka. They were joined by unions representing nurses, teachers and the Victorian Trades Hall Council.

The shareholders of Ansell, whose primary product in Australia is condoms, were greeted with chants and signs that read “Ansell, there’s a hole in your story” and “What about protection for your workers in Sri Lanka.”

Ansell has thus far resisted all attempts to meet and negotiate with IndustriALL affiliate FTZGSEU to resolve a strike caused by Ansell firing nearly 300 workers who struck in defense of 11 sacked colleagues.

“Ansell has refused all attempts by the union to negotiate for fair working conditions for the workers,” said Michele O’Neil, National Secretary of the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia.

“Currently Ansell workers are paid poverty wages in terrible working conditions.”

“Conditions in the Sri Lankan factories are so bad that workers are forced to urinate at their workstations because they otherwise won’t meet the outrageous production targets,” said AMWU National President Andrew Dettmer.

Members of FTZGSEU continue to fight for their rights at Ansell. They held a rally on 11 October attended by more than 200 workers and their children to mark the one-year anniversary of the strike.

Lisa Fitzpatrick, Secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch), said at the rally that her union is working to ensure that alternate products to Ansell are sourced at Victorian hospitals while Ansell’s abuse of workers in Sri Lanka continues.

IndustriALL’s general secretary, Jyrki Raina, said:

FTZGSEU is running a strong campaign in Sri Lanka, backed by an increasing number of allies around the world. IndustriALL will continue to support the call for a fair resolution to see the nearly 300 workers reinstated.

SLOVAKIA

On 07 October 2014 IndustriALL Slovakian affiliate OZ KOVO offered free legal advice on labour law application to the general public in Zilina, Slovakia. One week before the event the union built the public interest by distributing the information in local media resulting in many workers coming for consultation from the union lawyers.

Later in the day the union members from different companies and parts of the country organized a rally through the city of Zilina. At the end of the rally the President of the national confederation KOZ SR, Mr. Jozef Kolar, President of OZ KOVO, Emil Machyna and the leader of young OZ KOVO members, Michal Nirka addressed the gathering and spoke about the precarious work.

During the whole activity young workers distributed ‘STOP precarious work’ leaflets in Slovak language to the public and provided relevant explanations.

Rio Tinto workers protest in 13 countries

The global call for action was made by the Rio Tinto Global Union Network as part of an ongoing campaign coordinated by IndustriALL Global Union.

Our message to Rio Tinto is that the trade union movement globally is here to stay and we will fight and campaign against Rio Tinto until the company shows respect and gives dignity to its workers, to the environment in which it operates and to the communities in which it operates

says Andrew Vickers, IndustriALL mining section chairman and CFMEU General Secretary.

Rio Tinto workers around the world made their voices heard in a resounding demand for safer workplaces, secure jobs and respect for workers’ rights.

From rallies in Canada and the USA to worksite actions in South Africa, Australia and France, the spotlight was put on Rio Tinto’s habit of putting profits before people.

Following recent fatalities at the Grasberg mine in Indonesia that is partially owned by Rio Tinto, IndustriALL affiliate the Chemical, Energy and Mines Workers Union (CEMWU) distributed flyers on the global day to members at the mine. Leadership of the union at the mine also wore campaign t-shirts with the IndustriALL logo and slogan "Rio Tinto, the Ugly Truth".

In South Africa, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) acting President Piet Matosa met with members at the Rio Tinto Richards Bay operation to explain why unions around the world were targeting the company.

A number of actions took place in Australia, and the day of action managed to get a great deal of media coverage. The Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union (CFMEU) launched a report into Rio Tinto's anti-union practices and National Vice President Andrew Vickers was interviewed on ABC Australia.

More actions took place in the following countries:

Workers and union officials from IndustriALL affiliate the Union Syndicale des Travailleurs de Guinée (USTG) had planned a series of protest actions to mark the global day, however as a result of the Ebola crisis they were sent home and no action could be organized.

The actions were held on 7 October to coincide with the World Day for Decent Work, when unions around the globe mobilize against precarious work. Unions at Rio Tinto have identified the increasing use of temporary, casual and contracted-out work by Rio Tinto as one of their key concerns.

Take a look at IndustriALL’s Rio Tinto page to see who took action and keep updated on the latest news on the Rio Tinto Campaign.

Women call for quotas at IndustriALL

IndustriALL’s general secretary Jyrki Raina told the conference: "Women and men take decisions better than men alone."

This quota must, however, only be seen as one measure on the way toward achieving gender parity. The conference adopted a resolution which in addition to the call for the 40 per cent quota, mentions health and safety, precarious work, maternity protection, women's leadership, and HIV and AIDS.

Despite a booming economy in Africa, women still face difficulties in the workplace. Closing the gender gap would reduce hunger and poverty. The conference took place against the backdrop of the Ebola epidemic – as always women are the most affected by the health scourges.

At the opening, the conference welcomed Senzeni Zokwana, ex-Vice-Pesident of IndustriALL who is now the Minister of Agriculture, Forests and Fisheries of South Africa. He stressed the need to create jobs in the face of climate change and fluctuating markets. Africa must process her own products instead of exporting everything, according to Lydia Nkopane from the National Union of Miners (NUM), who said, "We export raw materials and still live in poverty."

Participants had a presentation on the challenges facing women and unions in the region. Among them are violence against women, the informal economy, HIV and AIDS, and maternity protection.

In Sub-Saharan Africa the informal economy makes up 66 per cent of non-agricultural employment. Seventy-four per cent of women and 61 per cent of men are informally employed. This work is marked by extremely precarious working conditions, health and safety hazards and the involvement of families and children. Women's needs must be addressed in a particular way. Here again it is a question of organizing women around their concerns. One of the concerns in mining communities for example is HIV and AIDS.

In Sub-Saharan Africa women are infected by HIV at least five to seven years earlier than men; young women are twice as likely as young men to be living with HIV. As girls are beginning to protect themselves, the rate of new infections is declining. However, these gains are fragile and must be sustained.

It would help if more countries ratified ILO Convention 183 on maternity protection. Up to now it has only been ratified by Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali in the region. Collective agreements could make improvements to women's lives if unions negotiated on something other than wages. Unfortunately maternity and women's issues are usually the first to be compromised.

The NUM highlighted the safety hazards of women working underground. Unfortunately there is still a hostility towards women and their demands. In the past few years the worst form of gender-based violence was perpetrated underground, namely murder. The only thing the Department of Mineral Resource did was to issue an instruction that "no women must work alone underground " but that does not compensate any loss of life. The unions have to have this as a priority and regulate it and compensate it.

At the regional conference, held over the following two days, women made up 35 per cent of participants.