Worker action succeeds at Mauritius Stationery Manufacturers

“Following a 24 hour occupation, the big bosses were forced to convene a meeting and find a solution to the problem,” said Reeaz Chuttoo of IndustriALL affiliate CMCTEU (the Chemical, Manufacturing, and Connected Trades Employees’ Union of Mauritius). “It was very hard but with the solidarity of one and all, we finally succeeded.”

Over 500 dismissed workers were given retrenchment packages when MSM restructured and downsized in 2013 but the job security of the remaining 178 workers had been tenuous ever since, especially after the company was put under administration at the end of last year. Liquidation then provided a loophole so the company did not have to provide redundancy packages for employees.

However, MSM is predominantly owned by GML, a major group of companies in the Indian Ocean region which has an annual turnover of around US$ 1 billion and last year made profits of US$ 60 million.

After tough talks between CMCTEU and MSM following the sit-in on 5 February, the union will now negotiate retrenchment packages for all of the workers.

CMCTEU’s Jane Ragoo, who is also substitute member of IndustriALL’s Executive Committee, argued; “The GML group should give to those who produced the wealth of the company. It is not normal that the GML group, which made ​​profits in the billions, let its workers go without a penny.”

Affiliates emphasise importance of a union voice in industrial development

The results of these consultations, together with information on the next steps planned by affiliates, are covered in an update that has just been released in six languages.

Download the update document on the right hand side of this webpage.

The next stage in IndustriALL’s Sustainable Industrial Policy initiative will be to work with relevant unions to develop action plans specific to each industrial sector. These plans will be developed over the course of the year by relevant affiliates in the course of each department’s sectoral activities.

A major event will be the IndustriALL Energy conference due to be held in Madrid in April 2014 where affiliates will debate approaches to sustainability in that sector which in turn will help inform IndustriALL’s perspective on energy policy.

All affiliates are encouraged to get involved in shaping IndustriALL’s Sustainable Industrial Policy work towards the next Congress in 2016 where there will be a substantive discussion on progress made.

In launching the update to affiliates, General Secretary Jyrki Raina said, ‘We cannot leave decisions about the future of our industries, our jobs and our planet to multinational companies and market forces. Through IndustriALL we can make the voice of industrial workers heard.’

Global union leader supports demands by Indonesian workers

Press Conference

Date:               Friday 14 February 2014

Place:              Hotel Mega Proklamasi, JL Proklamasi No. 40-42, Jakarta Pusat

Time:               10:00 – 11:30  Local Time

Attending:    

Jyrki Raina, General Secretary, IndustriALL Global Union

Said Iqbal, President of the Indonesian trade union confederation KSPI and metalworkers’ union FSPMI

International labour leader and General Secretary of IndustriALL Global Union, Jyrki Raina will be joined by Indonesian trade union hero Said Iqbal for a press conference on 14 February 2014.

The conference follows discussions with high-level government officials.

Raina backs the campaign of Indonesian trade unions for continued increases of minimum wages to secure a living wage, the social security reform and limiting outsourcing in favour of decent jobs.

He is also concerned that the universal health insurance, which was meant to apply all citizens from January, still leaves 10 million people lacking cover. It is important to secure the pension reform agreed to enter into force as of 1 July 2015. Employers’ attempts to draw back already adopted reforms are a threat to social peace and Indonesia’s path towards prosperity for all citizens.

During his visit to Indonesia from 11 to 15 February, Raina will attend mass rallies and other events with the Indonesian Metalworkers Federation (FSPMI) and the Indonesian Trade Union Confederation (KSPI), as well as take part in a meeting with the IndustriALL Indonesia Council of twelve affiliated unions.

Raina is the architect of IndustriALL’s groundbreaking Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety, which sets out to improve working conditions for garment workers following the Rana Plaza disaster that killed 1,129 people.

IndustriALL Global Union represents 50 million workers in 140 countries in the mining, energy and manufacturing sectors and is a new force in global solidarity taking up the fight for better working conditions and trade union rights around the world.

Arrested striking miners released but the struggle continues

Last week we informed you of the strike and the arrests as well as sharing with you the protests we have made to the Iranian President. At the time 20 strikers had been arrested but over the following three days eight additional workers were arrested despite the authorities claiming that nobody would be arrested because of “issues related to their wages.”  According to the Chadormalu workers union, the security police of the Ardakan district were directly responsible for the arrests of the workers. Since the first arrests, Hossein Jenayi, the head of the workers union of Toos Asphalt company (the contractor that provided the workers for the Chadormalu mines) and Bahram Hassaninejad, the secretary of the workers union of the mining company were both arrested. The latter was dismissed from his job during earlier protests in November 2013 and on January 26; the Ardakan Labor Office Determination Committee confirmed Hassaninejad’s dismissal orders, sparking new protests among the mineworkers.

All have now been released although Bahram Hassaninejad was released on bail and appears to have been charged on an employer complaint of “acting against national security. Ominously news reports quote Mohseni Ejei, speaker of the Iranian regime’s judiciary branch, as warned protesters that there would be consequences for “upsetting public order and national security.”

The iron ore mines of Chadormalu in Iran’s central desert, about 180 kilometers north east of the city of Yazd and about 300 kilometers south of Toos provide raw material for various steel production plants in Iran, thus playing an important role in the economy and industrial production of Iran

IndustriALL Global Union continues to follow developments in Iran and develops contacts with various union organizations operating in the country.

Unilever alienating workers in South Africa and UK

Unite the Union members at Unilever’s factory in Purfleet, Essex, have been “offered” a pay cut of up to 30%. Purfleet management has refused to consider all proposals from the union negotiators, instead offering a deal which will slash pensions, bonuses, salaries, replace full time workers with individual contract employees outside the bargaining unit, reclassify jobs, and establish a new shift schedule with much reduced time off.

Purfleet workers have been threatened that the cuts are necessary to maintain the viability of the site, the largest margarine factory in the world. The factory produces millions of tubs of well-known brands Flora and Stork every day.

Unilever espouses at every opportunity the company’s commitment to ethical corporate behaviour, in line with the early history of the company. The workers who make Unilever products around the world want to see clear indications of these high ethics.

Unilever is a giant global conglomerate of consumer products, whose profits continue to rise. The company boasts that every day two billion people use a Unilever product. 

However trade unions throughout the world are being targeted with increased pressure from the employer, in a concerning global trend. International trade union networking of Unilever workers is acting to respond to this new aggression. 

The international trade union for food, farm and hotel workers, the IUF’s South African affiliated trade union the Food and Allied Workers’ Union (FAWU) is leading 220 members on strike at Unilever’s tea and food factory in Pietermaritzburg. The strike is on-going since 17 January.

IUF reports:

"The strike action revolves around the actual wage increment that workers want at 9%," FAWU general secretary Masemola said. The strike was also to demand "the reversal of a youth wage subsidy-type model where grades are lowered in terms of remuneration rates to employ young workers at lower rates while the content of the grades, or jobs, remains the same".

British Unilever workers at the Port Sunlight factory near Liverpool rallied at the plant gates on 3 February in support of the FAWU strikers.

Workers and their communities have been brutally left out of the company's “sustainable living” plan. Unilever has built a record of hurting its employees in Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, Thailand, the UK, and elsewhere.

This alarming trend of pressuring workplaces and Unilever workers’ trade unions moved the global network to strengthen mutual solidarity and support.

Said the network statement in March 2013:

“We insist on sustainable workplaces, sustainable employment and guarantees of rights for current and future Unilever workers. So that workers may share in the benefits of the company’s growth, rather than paying for it with the loss of our jobs, our health and our rights.”

Kemal Özkan Assistant General Secretary of IndustriALL Global Union said:

“Our efforts to unify Unilever workers worldwide with our sister International IUF continue with determination.”

You can send a solidarity message to FAWU by emailing FAWU general secretary Katishi Masemola at this address: [email protected]

Support Hungarian chemical workers striking for rights

The 100 employees of the United Chemical Works Company Ltd (EVM), in Hungarian capital city Budapest, took strike action from 3 February to demand payment of wages owed in arrears.

The employer has been unreachable, communicating with the workers only through lawyers and refusing attempts from the union for dialogue. This untenable situation created the concern amongst employees that EVM would relocate away from the site completely, without paying outstanding salaries.

For this reason the VDSZ members have conducted a permanent picket at the site in Budapest, to stop EVM removing valuable machinery from the plant. These workers need international support in their fight for the jobs and back pay.

Jyrki Raina, IndustriALL’s general secretary wrote to VDSZ President Tamás Székely, substitute member of the IndustriALL Executive Committee:

“We urge the management of EVM to pay in full the workers’ back wages and to sit down with you to negotiate a fair solution to the conflict… IndustriALL Global Union is prepared to further assist you to ensure that the management at EVM comes to the negotiating table rather than cowardly hide from you.”

VDSZ will organise a demonstration in Budapest tomorrow, 12 February, galvanising local support for the EVM workers. Join the international supporters by writing directly to VDSZ using the tool opposite.

Use the message sending mechanism on this page to write to the 100 striking chemical workers and express your support at this time of conflict for basic rights.

IndustriALL calls on Egyptian government to respond to strikers’ demands

Strikers at the Spinning and Weaving Company in Mahalla are demanding the payment of promised bonuses from 2013; the implementation of the EGP 1200 (USD 172) minimum wage; and the dismissal of Fouad Abdel-Alim, head of the Holding Company which oversees all public sector textile firms.

“We urge the government to respond to workers’ legitimate demands in a timely manner and make sure their voice is heard at the decision-making level, especially when dealing with issues that directly affect workers and their families,” said Kemal Özkan, Assistant General Secretary at IndustriALL Global Union.

Mohamed Assad, Media Secretary of the Free Trade Union at the Mahalla Spinning and Weaving Company, and a young leader of the strike said:

“We have postponed this strike a few times based on unfulfilled promises from the government on bonus payments, and to make sure our strike wasn’t used for political purposes. All of the workers are now insisting that the minimum wage be implemented and Fouad Abdel-Alem is dismissed.”

On Monday, the Economic Ministerial Committee approved the payment of EGP 157 million (USD 22.5 million) of delayed bonuses but workers are continuing to strike until the rest of their demands are met, in particular the dismissal of Fouad Abdel-Alim.

Prior to becoming head of the Holding Company, Abdel-Alim was chairperson of Mahalla Spinning and Weaving Company until he was removed after a workers’ strike in 2007 demanding his dismissal.

While workers say they can wait for the minimum wage until there are further discussions on how to implement it within the company, they will not tolerate Fouad Abdel-Alim in his position.

Around 5,000 women, who make up 25% of the company’s workforce, are participating in the strike, which is also being supported by approximately 12,000 workers from five public sector companies striking for the same demands. 

The Mahalla workers were a major force in the tumbling of the Hosni Mubarak regime on 25 January 2011. Ever since 2006, they have led the biggest wave of strikes in Egypt in 60 years, protesting against deteriorating working and living conditions and leading the challenge against the Mubarak regime.

Stop the persecution of trade unionists at Honda Mexico!

The union leaders were arrested while leafleting outside the plant on the afternoon of 5 February to inform workers about the recent court ruling in the union’s favour. The detainees were union members Raúl Celestino Pallares, Esteban Acero and Raúl Rojas and an activist accompanying them.

The police said they had detained the men for a breach of the peace. Two of them were released after paying a fine. The other two leaders were transferred to the public prosecutor’s office and charged with attempting to cause injury to a police officer.

José Luis Solorio, STUHM general secretary, said he received a phone call from one of the leaders just as one of the police officers struck him. This is yet another act of repression against the union. The leaders were assaulted as they were being transferred in a police van. While under detention, they were subjected to psychological torture, were held at gunpoint all the time and the police burned their skin with lighted cigarettes.

STUHM confirmed that the police threatened to continue the detention of two union members by “making serious charges that were ridiculous and disproportionate, with the purpose of hindering STUHM’s activities”.

The union members were released thanks to pressure from other trade unions and civil society organizations. However, Solorio demanded an immediate halt to repression and intimidation of STUHM. He also warned that: “These barbaric acts will not discourage or frighten our members. The labour authorities MUST convene workplace elections so that workers can vote on which union they want to represent them for collective bargaining purposes.”

STUHM calls on all trade unions, civil society organizations and the general public to follow the situation closely and show their solidarity with STUHM, “because we will not give in the fight”.

IndustriALL Global Union condemns the occurrence of this kind of intimidation so soon after the court ruling in favour of STUHM, http://www.industriall-union.org/legal-victory-for-honda-workers-independent-union-in-mexico and again calls on the authorities and the company to respect the workers' right to join a trade union of their own choice.

Georgian miners to go on strike

After announcement of the strike at both enterprises from 29-30 January 2014 some 140 employees were fired as part of the announced reorganization, including 15 union activists who had participated in negotiations with the management. In opinion of the Trade Union of Metallurgy, Mining and Chemical Industry Workers of Georgia (TUMMCIWG), an affiliate of IndustriALL, by these actions the companies are trying to undermine the strike, intimidate the workers and block collective bargaining. In the same time the company questions the representation rights of the local union refusing to negotiate and trying to discredit it.

On 24 January 2014, the next day after the meeting of workers and the management, which only resulted in further aggravation of the labor conflict, the workers sent a letter to the management of RMG Gold and RMG Copper informing them about starting strike procedures. A copy of this letter was sent to the Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia. According to the Georgian labour law a strike may start 21 days after the date such letter was received.

The miners demand:

Earlier on 19 November 2013 around 700 miners of RMG Gold and RMG Copper, mining enterprises in Georgia, both belonging to Rich Metals Group, went on strike demanding better working conditions and a salary increase which had been promised by the management previously. As a result an agreement was signed between the parties on 23 November 2013.

Over the past two months numerous meetings and negotiations took place and the workers thoroughly fulfilled their obligations according to the agreement. Despite promises from the side of the management the main issues concerning the salary increase, better working conditions and health insurance are still pending regardless of the fact that they were a priority part of the agreement.

In support of the demands of Georgian miners IndustriALL Global Union sent a letter to the leadership of RMG Gold and RMG Copper demanding to start negotiations with the Trade Union of Metallurgy, Mining and Chemical Industry Workers of Georgia trade union (TUMMCIWG). In case the companies refuse to start negotiations IndustriALL will start a campaign with participation of wide international community.

Ukrainian protests put pressure on IndustriALL affiliates

“We have a political crisis in Ukraine which could cause an economic crisis and a further decrease in living standards for workers,” warns Grigory Olkhovets, IndustriALL Global Union Coordinator in Ukraine and the President of Radio Electronics and Mechanical Engineering Workers' Trade Union of Ukraine (REMEWU). 

Demonstrations in Ukraine became wide-scale after the violent dispersal of the protesters in Independence Square in the centre of Kiev on 30 November 2013. The House of Unions building, where the REMEWU offices are located, is situated right on Independence Square and it was the first to be occupied by protesters on 1 December 2013.

"Protesters come inside to get warm. They use the bathrooms, the canteen and there is a first-aid station in the building,” reveals Olkhovets, adding that the unions have agreed to let out some office space to the protestors. “However, lately they have started to occupy some personal offices. At night they sleep on the floor in the corridors (but) relations are OK. We thought these inconveniences in the building wouldn't last long. But two months have passed. Now it is obvious that nobody is able to say how long it will go on.”

“Opinion on the protests is divided”, says Vasily Dudnik, a member of the IndustriALL Global Union Executive Committee and the President of Automobile and Agricultural Machinery Workers Union of Ukraine (AAMWU). “In the western regions, local unions support the events and participate in protests. In the eastern and southern regions, the unions support the right to protest, but they believe they shouldn’t result in violent clashes,” he continues.

"Local unions decide themselves what they think about the events and if they participate,” adds Dudnik. “Certainly, such division in the society has a negative affect on the unity of the union and we are doing our best to prevent a union split because this will ultimately have a bad effect on workers irrespective of their political opinions.”

“Accumulation of serious social problems is the deeper reason of the protests,” believes Dudnik. "Our union supports the EU integration of Ukraine and recognizes that the citizens of Ukraine have right to defend their demands in various protest actions. The duration of the ongoing confrontation will largely depend on the political will of both parties. The situation is getting worse because the protests which initially began as pro-European, turned into a race for power in Ukraine".

Mikhail Volynets, President of the Independent Trade Union of Coal Miners of Ukraine (NPGU) backs the demonstrations for other reasons: "NPGU and KVPU (Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Ukraine) actively participate in the peaceful protest actions making social and economic demands. NPGU and KVPU demand transparency in the issues of the coal industry and payment of social arrears. The workers of the Lviv Coal Concentration Plant, an affiliate of NPGU, have not yet received their salaries and social benefits for the entire quarter of the last year".

IndustriALL Global Union expresses solidarity with the workers of Ukraine in their struggle for social and economic interests and hopes for a quick and peaceful resolution of the political crisis in Ukraine.