Kimberly Clark Workers in Turkey End 43-day Strike with Gains

The settlement has been reached after two particularly major demands of the strikers were accepted by the local management. With the new collective agreement, notice periods have been substantially increased which Tümka-Is considers a remarkable step forward towards job security. The union members have also gained high wage increases. Particular regulations have been made for lower-wage earners which has brought more equality in wage scales.

Kimberly Clark management has also accepted to re-instate five dismissed workers whose employment contracts were terminated during the strike as they were claimed to insult strike-breakers via social media, particularly on Facebook. According to the deal, if the dismissed workers do not want to return back to their job, they are entitled to receive all their payments on the basis of the increases provided with the new agreement.

“We have had difficult days during this period, but always believed we would be successful to get our demands” said Ergun Tavşanoğlu, President of Tümka-İş.

My union and all strikers are thankful to IndustriALL Global Union and United Steelworkers for the support and solidarity in reaching this agreement.

IndustriALL Assistant General Secretary Kemal Özkan commented: “This is a real victory, the result of courageous, unrelenting and determined struggle done by Tümka-İş and its members”.

Unpaid garment workers on hunger strike

More than 1,600 workers at garment manufacturer Tuba Group have been on a hunger strike since 28 July because they have not been paid for three months. They are demanding payment of their salaries, three months worth of overtime, as well as their Eid festival bonuses.
 
The workers, who produced garments for the International Football Federation (Fifa), today announced that if outstanding payments are not made by 7 August, they would call on garment workers across the country to strike on 10 August.
 
Monika Kemperle, assistant general secretary of IndustriALL Global Union, calls for immediate payment of outstanding wages and bonuses.
“The women and men who toil in the garment industry in Bangladesh are our members and we will fight for them. They are the backbone of a very profitable industry which can’t afford to treat people like this.”
 
The managing director of the Tuba group, Delwar Hossain, had been in jail since February 2014 for his role in the Tazreen tragedy, a factory fire claiming 112 lives and injuring more than 200 people. However, in a move by the High Court he was released on bail on 5 August.
 
The workers on hunger strike have been camping out in one of the factories. To date nearly 100 have fallen ill as a result, and around 20 people have been admitted to hospital.
 
This morning, 6 August, they woke up to find the entrances locked. The workers were confined for six hours before the gates were opened by the police.
 
Police then entered the building and ousted labour leaders and activists who had joined the workers in a show of solidarity. At least 20 people were injured in the raid and ten were taken to the police station. All but one was later released.
 
Authorities have stopped the supply of food and saline to the workers who are continuing their fast, and police have restricted the movement of media inside the factory.
 
Monika Kemperle says:

The Tuba Group, the BGMEA and the brands must ensure that all outstanding payments are made immediately, before the human cost is too high.

Gaza: mark your commitment to peace on 7 August

Schools, hospitals and the only power station have been bombed, drawing heavy condemnation from the United Nations, several of whose personnel have also lost their lives. The targeting of civilians is against international law and the UN has called for accountability and justice.

The only solution is a permanent cease-fire with the intervention of the international community to force the parties to the table to conclude a negotiated settlement that ends the blockade of Gaza and the occupation of Palestine. The people of Israel and the people of Palestine will only be assured of a peaceful and secure future with a two-state solution, where all people can live in peace and security and build a future for themselves and their children.

What you can do:

Beginning on 7 August you can support the ITUC campaign by the following actions:

Lobby your government (via face-to-face visits, telephone calls and social media messages) to intervene and support a five point plan for peace including:

A permanent cease-fire;
Humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza;
The immediate suspension of all transfers of weapons, munitions and other military equipment and technology being used against civilians;
An end of the blockade of Gaza;
A negotiated settlement to bring about a two-state solution with the legitimacy of international law.

On Thursday 7 August, send a message on Twitter to the @UN and your national government to support peace.

We @ (Your union name) support peace & democracy everywhere. @UN (@your national government or politician) act now for #gaza.

If you are not on Twitter, you can post a message on your Facebook page.

The ITUC is calling on affiliates and trade union members to make a commitment to peace and send a postcard to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to show that he has our support to deliver peace.

To take part in the ITUC postcard campaign, go to the website www.bypost.com/peacelikemine and use a PC or mobile device to send a real postcard which will be delivered to the UN Secretary-General in New York with your personal message and photo.  

The photo can show your personal experience of peace, and you can send a message about what you want for the people of Palestine and Israel and call on the UN Secretary-General to protect the people of Gaza and deliver a permanent peace. This website www.bypost.com/peacelikemine will go live Thursday August 7th.

Make urgent financial contributions to the International Transport Workers’ Federation’s (ITF) humanitarian relief initiative for Gaza, at www.itfgazafund.org

Hankook continues to violate union rights in Hungary

The firing of the local union president became the last violation in a series of totally unusual and extraordinary examples of the bad industrial relations practice for years exercised by the Hankook Tire Hungary Ltd. management.

On 4 August 400 activists representing over 60 Hungarian trade unions joined together in front of the company premises in a major protest against outrageous action engaged by Hankook.

The IndustriALL Global Union's Hungarian affiliate Federation of the Chemical, Energy and General Workers’ Union (VDSZ) outraged by the injustice from Hankook Tire has called for a joint protest culminated with a spectacular demonstration of solidarity from different national unions in front of the gate entry of the company and messages of support from abroad.

In his letter to Hankook Tire Company Limited Director and CEO, IndustriALL general secretary Jyrki Raina, said:  “I urge you to use your influence over the local management of Hankook Tire Hungary Ltd. to put an end to violations of trade union rights, and most particularly to stop harassing and firing local union leaders. It is imperative that Hankook Tire Hungary Ltd. reinstate, without delay, the unlawfully fired local union president, and sit down with VDSZ to achieve a just agreement and restore fair labour relations in the company.”

The IndustriALL also conveyed a message of solidarity to the VDSZ President Tamas Szekely and union members, in which Jyrki Raina said that "IndustriALL Global Union stands firm in solidarity with VDSZ in their struggle to achieve a just solution to this flagrant violation of workers’ rights".

"IndustriALL Global Union is prepared to further assist you to ensure that the management at Hankook Tire Hungary Ltd. comes to the negotiating table and acts in full compliance with national labor law and international core labor standards," further added Raina.

Numsa settles engineering strike

The settlement provide a 10 per cent wage increase every year for lowest paid members in the sector and 8 per cent increase for the highest paid for the next three years. Other gains were time-off for shop stewards to attend to union and industry matters; the establishment of an industry short-time fund which will be used to compensate workers when they are on short time and training opportunities for workers.

It was also agreed that workers employed by labour brokers shall be entitled to all the terms and conditions of employment as contained in the Main Agreement. The bargaining council has undertaken to employ labour broker compliance officers who will act on complaints of abuse and non-compliance. All parties to the agreement also committed to discourage and minimize the use of temporary employment services in the industry.

 “NUMSA wishes to thank all our allies and friends across the world for supporting us during this long month. The union is more united and growing,” said Numsa International Officer, Skhumbuzo Phakathi.

Chirico ends hunger strike but the fight goes on

Jorge Almeida, IndustriALL Global Union Regional Secretary, made an urgent trip to Paraguay on 1-2 August to express solidarity with Hugo González Chirico, who had been on hunger strike for 80 days. Almeida urged Chirico to not endanger his health further and to use other forms of struggle. He noted the deterioration in Chirico’s health and persuaded him to work together in other ways to find solutions to union demands. In those last few hours, Chirico reflected on the option of ending his hunger strike, in the knowledge he would have the continuing support of IndustriALL Global Union and the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA). Víctor Báez, TUCA general secretary also visited the union office in front of the company’s offices in the town of Villa Hayes to convey  his support and to try and convince Chirico to end his hunger strike.

The TUCA and IndustriALL are united in their support for the struggle of the ACEPAR workers and have decided to internationalize the struggle in their efforts to persuade the company to return the 33% of shares that belong to the workers and reinstate the workers dismissed in 2010, all members of SITRAC, the union of workers at ACEPAR and affiliated to FETRAMPAR,  a union federation affiliated to IndustriALL.

Chirico began his hunger strike on 22 May in defence of the rights of ACEPAR workers and in repudiation of the government, which was supporting the company’s violation of human and labour rights.

Unions’ determination brought step back over Eni's plans to reduce production in Italy

On 31 July, following a series of meetings both with the company and the Government, an agreement has been reached with Eni regarding Gela and Porto Marghera refineries, which would suffer the most should the drastic plans of the company be implemented.

According to the unions, the parties have shared a written agreement committing the company to restart the preliminary operations, particularly Line 1 of the refinery of Gela, including through the involvement of the outsourced workers, with the view to provide investment in the second phase of the conversion project "green refinery" in Porto Marghera accoring to the schedule and time stipulated in the agreements signed in July 2013 and February 2014.

Over ninety per cent of workers supported the national strike action announced on 29 July by the unions. Hundreds came in front of the Montecitorio Palace in Rome, the seat of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, in order to protest against the plans that could have been devastating for Eni workers in Italy.

Despite the earlier proclaimed strategy and investment plan a few weeks ago Eni had announced a change in its plans regarding the Gela site, including reconversion of the site into the most technologically advanced refinery. According to the new plans the Gela refinery had to be dismantled, and a new "green-refinery" would be built. Unlike the previous one this new plan however brought at serious risk the jobs and conditions of at least 2,500 directly and indirectly employed workers and their families in the Gela region, not to mention that it could cost some 7 per cent loss of GDP to economically poor Sicily.

The refinery business in Italy and Europe and developed countries in general has been facing severe difficulties, resulting in plant closures and mass job losses. Possible consequences led the Italian workers in the whole industry to go on a two-hour strike in order to attract the attention of Eni, whose strategy according to the unions should be strongly re-focalized to face the present challenges and prevent further closures / redundancies in the refining and marketing business, as long as the Eni exploration and production business is currently generating profits.

The unions believe strongly that Eni has strong economic, technical and labour resources, and that the Italian government, as one of the Eni key shareholders, should play a positive role (within the limits of European Union rules) in order to maintain the fundamental presence of Eni in the industrial and energetic Italian context.

“IndustriALL Global Union salutes the determination and resistance shown by its Italian affiliates in getting this important result”, said Kemal Özkan, IndustriALL Assistant General Secretary.

Day of action against outsourcing in Colombia

The meeting was attended by 120 representatives of the trade union centres CUT and the CTC, the Colombian sections of the GUFs (IUF, UNI, BWI, ITF, EI, IndustriALL and PSI), the FNV Colombia Country Programme, the Mining and Energy Sector Trade Union Unity Committee (CUSME) and its member unions and a Swedish delegation led by the Mayor of Trollhättan. It analysed the broad lines of a draft bill to be presented to a group of senators for their consideration, and which could serve as a rallying point for a campaign to pass legislation against outsourcing, a practice that impoverishes workers and does not provide decent work.

The president of the CTC, Miguel Morantes, highlighted the significance of the date chosen for the day of action. It was on 28 July 1983, thirty-one years ago, that approximately 200 outsourced workers were buried in a tragic accident as they were engaged in the construction of an access tunnel for the country’s biggest hydro-electricity generating plant, in the municipality of Ubalá (Cundinamarca), in the region of Guavio. Although workers had warned that geological fault lines could cause such a tragedy, the engineers and their managers paid no heed to them. This kind of accident almost always happens precisely because of the complete lack of protection for this type of precarious worker. That is the significance of choosing this day as the day of action against outsourcing. The dam is now operated by the multinational company ENEL-ENDESA, whose employees are members of SINTRAELECOL, which is affiliated to IndustriALL and the CUT.

Fabio Arias, CUT general secretary, welcomed participants, expressed his wish for a successful event and welcomed the representatives of the Columbia sections of the GUFs, the Swedish delegation and the FNV’s Colombia Country Programme.

In a series of panels, representatives of trade unions and support centres presented their views on the central issue. Paul Akerlund’s speech deserves a special mention. He explained how the Swedish trade union movement had succeeded in controlling the harmful effects of outsourcing by actively working with outsourced workers to bring their wages and benefits up to the level enjoyed by directly-employed workers. Outsourcing only takes place on an occasional basis and workers are paid at a level that allows it to be classified as decent work.

The meeting approved a declaration, which will be distributed to the media in the next few days. It calls on the main sector unions to try to recruit outsourced workers and for the trade union movement to remain active in promoting formal employment in every possible way, whether through legislative means, collective agreements or direct industrial action.

Journalist and human rights lawyer in Swaziland receive two-year prison sentences

Their unfair conviction and sentencing can only be seen as sanctions on human rights activities in the country and proves judicial complicity in harassment

said Fernando Lopes, Assistant General Secretary of IndustriALL Global Union.

Maseko is a prominent human rights lawyer and a senior member of Lawyers for Human Rights Swaziland and has a close working relationship with the labour movement in Swaziland. Makhubu is a columnist and Editor-in-Chief of The Nation, considered as the sole independent newspaper of the country.

Background on the sentence: Convictions confound Swazi reform hopes

Rio Tinto's 'sustainable mining' claims exposed

Rio Tinto uses its sustainability reporting to bolster the argument that it is a responsible company and therefore entitled to a license to operate.

Rio Tinto subsidiary, Energy Resources of Australia (ERA), has threatened the Mirarr people that if it is not allowed to expand its Ranger uranium mining operations underground, it may be unable to fully fund rehabilitation of the open pit mine.

The Ranger mine is located in the traditional lands of the Mirarr, the world heritage-listed Kakadu national park in Australia's Northern Territory.

If ERA does not complete rehabilitation of the site, which suffered a radioactive spill last year, the water, air quality and soil in the area could be scarred with toxic radiation for generations.

'It's not our problem'

When a shareholder confronted Rio Tinto CEO Sam Walsh about this at the company's April annual meeting, Walsh flatly refused to commit to full rehabilitation or take responsibility for the mess.

Walsh said it is a problem for ERA, not Rio Tinto: "We are clearly shareholders [of ERA], but it's a matter for all shareholders and a matter for the ERA board."

What he did not mention is that Rio Tinto is the controlling shareholder of ERA, and that five out of six ERA board members are current or former Rio Tinto employees.

Read the full article on The Ecologist website.