Bangladesh action in full swing

Since September 2013, IndustriALL Global Union was involved in negotiations chaired by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) with Bangladeshi partners, global clothing brands and the Clean Clothes Campaign to come up with a comprehensive compensation plan for the families of 1,100 dead and 2,500 injured workers after the Rana Plaza industrial homicide on 24 April 2013.

Finally on 18 March, the Coordination Committee of the so-called Rana Plaza Arrangement could confirm that the compensation payments from a centralized Trust Fund, administered by the ILO, will start as of 24 March.

An advance payment of 50,000 BDT (650 USD) will be made to each of the 3,600 beneficiaries before the one-year anniversary of the industrial homicide on 24 April. These payments will total 2 million USD.

The final compensation will be based on the life expectancy of the dead workers and the degree of handicap of the injured workers. The estimated total required funds are USD 40 million, following ILO Convention 121 and good country practices.

IndustriALL and CCC will now campaign to get all the 28 clothing brands and retailers that were sourcing from Rana Plaza, to pay into the Trust Fund by 24 April. Some companies have already assume their responsibilities, but all need to follow suit to provide the suffering families their long-awaited compensation.

At the same time, the Accord on Fire and Building Safety has become a living reality. 250 inspections are carried out every month by the Accord’s specially hired expert team. By the end of September 2014, more than 1500 factories will have been inspected with recommendations on corrective action.

A key element in the legally binding Accord which covers over 2 million workers is that the clothing brands will need to negotiate with factory owners on how to secure funding for the repairs of dangerous facilities. This could happen through pricing, joint investments, loans, external support or direct payments.

Difficult situations however lie ahead, as recent news about a couple of imminent danger situations and subsequent temporary closures show.

As a next step, we are focusing on building a comprehensive union presence in the Bangladeshi garment factories through a major multiyear organizing project together with our partners.

The reality has already started to change, after the government last year agreed to facilitate the registration of new local unions. During the past 12 months, IndustriALL affiliates have organized more than 100 factories and 40,000 workers. Our ambition is to beat those figures in 2014.

After that the new local unionists will need a lot of training to build their capacity for collective bargaining, health and safety, and for solving problems. I invite our affiliates in other countries to participate in this major union building effort.

The long march towards a safe and sustainable garment industry in Bangladesh is gaining pace.

Jyrki Raina
General Secretary

Analysis of labour conflicts and protests in Russia

The monitoring, which had for a goal the study of the level of conflicts in the sphere of social and labour relations in Russia proves that the biggest number of protests actions happened at the end of 2013. This indicator is higher than the previous record from 2009. The situation in 2009 is explained by the fact of crisis in the economy resulted in a triple increase of protest actions comparing to 2008.

According to the research many experts considered the situation in the second half of 2013 as an inevitable precursor to an economic crisis. The level of production did not grow, the strength of the currency was weakening and many discussed potential increase of unemployment. The research says the most important reasons for the protests were the “policy of business leaders” and “refusal of the management to negotiate”.

The research is based on a daily monitoring of mass media resources including specialised web-based labour resources as well as central and regional information agencies. The study argues that the results of the research could potentially allow seeing the increase of conflict situations and preventing the more difficult social disturbances, which can evolve from labour protests. Information coming from more than 80 resources was considered in 2013.

The research explains that by the end of 2013 Russian workers chose the three main ways to declare about their discontent. Most often they put forward their demands, conducted meetings of protest and held strikes. The study also concludes that these methods have nothing in common with the procedure on settling collective labour disputes set forth in the Russian Labour Code.

Under the present conditions the chosen methods are the only way to obtain some results in the current economic and political situation. Given the number of conflicts that led to a strike, the study comes to a conclusion that Russian workers usually prefer to solve conflicts in a peaceful way, as they believe the extreme protests will only aggravate the situation at their enterprises and will neither solve workers’ problems nor improve their situation. Therefore, the study concludes, “The current labour protests (in Russia) are an insistent invitation to dialogue. However, many employers do not understand it.”

Center for Social and Labor Rights (CSLR) is a Russian non-profit and non-governmental organization focused on promotion, compliance and protection of social and labour rights.

The full text of the study is available on CSLR website. http://trudprava.ru/expert/analytics/protestanalyt/1047

3,600 oil workers in Jordan prepare to strike

Two years ago, IndustriALL Global Union affiliate the General Union of Petroleum & Chemical Workers signed a collective agreement with the management on improving working conditions and increasing wages. However, management has failed to properly implement the agreement and has ignored the negotiations with the workers’ representatives.

Members of the Jordanian parliament recently intervened and urged the government as well as the management of the refinery to negotiate with the workers. The first round of the discussions managed to bring parties to an agreement on guidelines on wage increases and improving work conditions. However, a final agreement proves difficult to reach as the management fails to respond to workers demands.

Khaled Elzyood, president of General Union of Petroleum & Chemical Workers, says:

"We have announced our strike after receiving no response to our fair demands regarding improving economic, social, health and environmental conditions of our members. Our workers suffer hazardous working conditions and injustice. We will continue our strike until our demands are met. We also hold the government responsible for any negative consequences of the strike that may harm the country economic interests and Jordanian peoples living."

Kemal Özkan, assistant general secretary IndustriALL Global Union, is clear on the global union’s strong support of the Jordan workers’ demands:

We welcome the parliament’s intervention and the government’s initiative to dialogue at this delicate stage. We strongly urge the government to conduct serious negotiations that will lead to an enforceable agreement.

Italian unions mobilize against dismissals at Micron Semiconductor

On 20 January, upon request of the unions a meeting was held at the Ministry of Economic Development between the national trade unions, the company's union representatives and the Management of Micron Italia. At the meeting the company announced the programmed cuts – involving all sites – and initiated immediately as of 21 January, the consultation procedure established by the law regarding employment reduction, which is due to end next 7 April.

Since April 2013 the multinational group has done a major reduction of its workforce from 3,200 to 1,028 employees by January 2014. Also in 2013 the company has announced another restructuring plan foreseeing 5 per cent cut of workforce, with the most severe redundancies in Italy going as far as 40 per cent reduction of workforce.

The announced plan, which puts in risk further presence of group in Italy was not initially negotiated with the representative unions. The company plans will have a dramatic impact on employment and downsizing of industrial sector in Italy. The move is especially painful in the high technology company such as Micron, where almost exclusively university and higher education graduates are employed, most of them under their 50-ies.

The unions organized a series of protests actions and strikes across the country while searching for an urgent meeting with senior officials of the parent company U.S. based multinational Micron Technology, Inc. So far the company has refused to meet the union representatives.

In a joint statement National Secretaries of FIM, FIOM and UILM declared,

“Micron cannot shirk its responsibility and must submit a recovery plan for its Italian plants, as well as a social plan to deal with the reorganisation and the maintenance of employment levels.”

The statement further reads, “We want to solicit public opinion and government agencies so that attention is paid to these sectors of technological and professional excellence, and that all necessary measures are taken to encourage investment and safeguard the industrial future of our country,”

In the solidarity message sent to its Italian affiliates FIM, FIOM and UILM IndustriALL Global Union expressed full support of the struggle by the unions at manufacturing and research sites of Micron Semiconductor Italia to safeguard employment and preserve the industrial role of Micron Italia.

Crown once again tramples labour rights

Along with consistent union busting and derecognition in Turkey, Crown dismissed four workers Haluk Efe, Mehmet Akbay, Mustafa Bayram and Ahmet Bal who are members of the local union organizing committee of IndustriALL affiliate Birlesik-Is. In the beginning of March the employer summoned the workers demanding them to write an explanatory note, called a defence document, to the accusations put forward by the management.

The dismissed union leaders were accused of encouraging other workers not to work overtime along with disturbing the peace of the working environment, even though there recently was no overtime work announced inside the workplace. The real reason was the fact that the workers tried to exercise their fundamental right to organize provided by the Turkish Constitution.

All four workers were kept outside the factory while management imposed that they take leave. After the announced period of leave came to an end the management arbitrarily dismissed the workers.

IndustriALL Global Union has immediately reacted to the situation by sending a letter protest to Crown Holdings CEO.

IndustriALL Assistant General Secretary Kemal Özkan pledged support to the dismissed workers and said, ”Crown Holdings proved once again its ugly evil nature where the desire to get profits at any cost prevails. Crown went as far as to trample on national and international legislation not only in Turkey but also in other countries. All of our unions together will stand up and fight for these and other unjustly repressed workers until justice is restored”.

As the shareholders meeting of Crown Holdings is approaching the unions are organizing actions worldwide including reaching out to the customers of Crown revealing the real face of the company.

Japanese metalworkers secured the biggest pay rise since 1999

Over 50 unions representing workers of large companies in automotive, ICT electrical & electronics, machinery, steel and shipbuilding industries affiliated to Japan Council of Metalworkers' Unions – JCM made their input to a successful collective bargaining campaign resulted in the biggest pay rise for workers in the last 15 years when the Japanese economy has been suffering from deflation.

Among others JCM quotes the following achievements:

All trade unions managed to secure regular pay raises as part of the wage structure, which in practice means a hike of some 2 per cent or around 6,000 yen monthly.
In addition to maintaining the wage structure level 49 out of 52 unions succeeded to negotiate additional 1,737 yen increase which together with the regular pay rise will mean some 8,000 yen monthly increase.
88 percent of the unions managed to bargain an annual bonus equal to 5.1 months of salary, an increase over the previous year’s levels.
Some 19 unions managed to negotiate an additional monthly hike to the minimum wage at the company level.

In the statement regarding the achieved results during the Spring Labor Offensive 2014 JCM declared, “We would like to make the results of today’s responses known throughout Japan and promote activation of the economy by investing in people through higher monthly wages and better working conditions.”

Rana Plaza Trust Fund to launch worker payments as of 24 March

On 18 March the Coordination Committee of the Rana Plaza Trust Fund approved the inclusion of Primark as the eighth brand to publically pay into the fund. Primark will cover the cost of full reimbursement of the 581 workers at the New Wave Bottoms factory, one of five factories at Rana Plaza. All payments and support will be conducted under the auspices of the ILO-chaired Trust Fund.

The initial payment of US$650 will be made between 10 and 24 April. This process will include assistance to all claimants in setting up bank accounts. These payments will total US$2 million. The estimated total required funds are USD 40 million to make payments in line with ILO Convention 121. All stakeholders will continue work to communicate and outreach to all claimants to inform and to finalise a comprehensive database of all 3,600 survivors and families of the killed.

IndustriALL Global Union assistant general secretary Monika Kemperle will be relieved to see Rana Plaza workers finally receive their money:

Months of work under the expert stewardship of the ILO has brought us to this point. The Rana Plaza Trust Fund is a true international standard-setter in line with ILO Convention 121. The job is not finished though, many brands are still yet to contribute while further contributions will be expected from the eight brands that have already paid.
But the one-year anniversary of that terrible disaster will not pass with the 3,600 families still waiting.

The Rana Plaza brands that have not yet publically contributed to the fund are: Adler Modemärkte, Auchan, Ascena Retail, Benetton, C&A, Carrefour, Cato Fashions, Children's Place, Grabalok, Gueldenpfennig, Kids for Fashion, KiK, LPP, Manifattura Corona, Matalan, NKD, PWT, Walmart and Yes Zee.

The 3,600 families of dead workers and injured workers have already received 9 months’ salaries since the tragedy; totaling US$ 2 million that was paid out by Primark, Loblaw of Canada last year also paid three months’ salary to all 3,600 claimants.

Join the LabourStart campaign and write to these brands here

Roy Ramesh, general secretary of the IndustriALL Bangladesh Council underlined the importance of moving forward under a coordinated approach:

“Only by working through the ILO-chaired Trust Fund can all stakeholders ensure effective and transparent payments to the victims of Rana Plaza. The Bangladeshi government, unions and employers have all worked together with international unions and brands to lay the solid foundations of the ILO-led scheme. It is the only viable way forward.”

Grasberg – deadly accident in Rio Tinto mine could have been prevented

In May 2013 the roof on a non-operational underground tunnel collapsed during a training session at the Freeport-McMoran’s Grasberg copper mine in Indonesia killing 28 miners and injuring ten others. The accident, which can only be described as an industrial homicide, occurred during a safety course.

An investigation into the accident was held, from which IndustriALL Global Union affiliate CEMWU (FSPKEP-SPSI) was barred from active participation. Even though the report was not classified, the findings were not made public.

The Indonesian National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has now found that company could have prevented the cave in at Grasberg that killed 28 people last year.

“PT Freeport had the ability to prevent this from happening but didn’t. The lack of effort jeopardized the lives of others. The gravity of this case is serious,” Komnas HAM commissioner Natalius Pigai said on Friday as quoted by kompas.com.

He also found that human rights violations were committed and called on the government to follow up the commission’s report by thoroughly investigating the incident to uncover any indications of negligence.

In the wake of the industrial accident at the Freeport-McMoran’s Grasberg copper mine in Indonesia, trade union delegates, including representatives from IndustriALL, travelled to the region on a solidarity mission in September 2013. The mission concluded that the cause of the accident was management negligence. No evidence of inspections or risk assessment performed before the accident could be provided.

Kemal Özkan, IndustriALL Global Union assistant general secretary, says:

“Rio Tinto paints a pretty picture when it comes to health and safety, but the reality says otherwise. They control 40 per cent of the Grasberg mine but have yet to take an equal responsibility.”

In order to avoid more tragedies in mining Rio Tinto must put their money where their mouth is and take the health and safety of their workers seriously.

Support Amnesty International campaign for jailed Korean trade union leader

Kim Jungwoo is a former leader of the Ssangyong Motor branch of the Korean Metal Workers’ Union, an IndustriALL Global Union affiliate. He was arrested in June last year after protesting for the reinstatement of the workers dismissed by Ssangyoung Motor in June 2009, and in memory of the 24 workers and family members who either killed themselves or died of stress-related disorders during the campaign. He will have completed the sentence in April, but could be given a heavier sentence at the High Court after an appeal by the prosecution.

Jyrki Raina, general secretary of IndustriALL Global Union, says the situation is unacceptable:

IndustriALL strongly condemns the increasing restrictions that South Korean trade unions are facing. Kim Jungwoo was arrested while defending the rights of the dismissed workers at Ssangyong and must be released immediately.

Support Amnesty's campaign and demand the immediate release of trade union leader Kim Jungwoo!

IndustriALL spotlight on Malawi

Malawian unions organizing in IndustriALL sectors have challenges but they have huge potential to grow members and power if they can work together.

said Fabian Nkomo, Regional Secretary of IndustriALL Sub-Sahara Africa, after the factory visits and two-day workshop on 4-6 March 2014 in capital city Lilongwe.

	BCCEAWU	CIAWU	TGLSSEWU	CEMAWU	TOTAL
Paid membership	8,930	5,200	6,543	1,147	21,820
Paid membership IndustriALL sectors	1,242	750	959	1,147	4,098
Potential	35,000	20,000	37,000	35,000	127,000 (at least)
Potential in IndustriALL sectors	18,000	2,500	7,000	35,000	62,500
No. Staff	5	4	6	3	18
No. of CBAs	5	6	9	0	20
Location HQ	Blantyre	Blantyre	Blantyre	Lilongwe
Women structures	?	Yes	Yes	No

There is a large potential for organizing workers in IndustriALL’s sectors in Malawi. The three IndustriALL affiliated unions, with a fourth in the process of affiliation, have targeted priority organizing targets and already represent 21,820 members.

The potential organizing work for the unions was mapped out during the mission and possibilities for a joint programme were discussed in the presence of representatives from Finnish IndustriALL affiliate Metalli and Finnish solidarity support organisation SASK.

The mission was impressed with enthusiastic and committed trade union officials of each of the affiliates, all ready to work in unity, and was also impressed by the openness to organizing from workers and employers.

See the eye-opening photos attached to this article that offer a snapshot of working conditions for IndustriALL members in Malawi.