Dow unions strengthen unity and solidarity in North America

The Dow North American Labor Council, DNALC, is made up of local unions of various Internationals, such as the United Steelworkers (USW); International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE); United Association of Pipefitters (UA); International Association of Machinists (IAM); and the International Chemical Workers’ Council-UCFW.

The DNALC is for the mutual defense and advancement of labour; to provide a communications link between each local union, to advocate the assets of Dow and employees and to pursue, whenever possible, a cooperative relationship between labor and the Corporations for the common good of the members, the company and the community.

This year’s Council event was held in Louisville, Kentucky from 9 to 11 September, and the participating unions shared and discussed collective bargaining data, and identified issues of common concern and potential solutions.

Establishing a collaborative effort with the employer to improve worker safety and workplace fatigue in both Dow Chemical and Dow Corning was one of the key issues discussed. Also included in this conference was the exchange of information and messages of solidarity from other Dow Chemical unionized sites from around the globe such as the United Kingdom, Brazil, Germany and Japan.

In fact, since 2005, the DNALC has reached out on a global basis, communicating and interacting with various unions representing Dow Chemical sites in Brazil, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan along with the global union IndustriALL.

Kemal Özkan, Assistant General Secretary of IndustriALL Glabal Union participated, presenting data on the state of global chemical manufacturing, as well as discussing aspects and importance of global networking.

“It’s very encouraging and promising that the DNALC shows willingness for international solidarity matters,” says Kemal Özkan.

The DNALC will forward the concerns, causes, observations and recommendations discussed to the companies.

For further communication about the DNALC, please pass your messages to Kent Holsing ([email protected]), coordinator of the Council and President of USW Local 12075.

Peruvian miners’ federation holds two-day strike

Unions in the Peruvian Miners’ Federation (Federación Minera de Perú, FNTMMSP), which is affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, went on strike for the first time since October 2009, in support of demands for the repeal of a government decree that will reduce payments from a supplementary pension scheme by extending benefits to sectors that have not contributed to the fund.

The FNTMMSP added that the decree made a further change by stipulating that workers will be paid annually rather than monthly. 

The Peruvian government introduced the supplementary pension scheme in 2012. Mining companies contribute 0.5 per cent of their income and workers contribute 0.5% of their gross wages.

Unions at Southern Copper’s Toquepala mine and at mines owned by Buenaventura and Shougang participated in the strike. 

Somali unions face intimidation, death threats and bombs

FETSU’s ten affiliated trade unions participated at the meeting on 28 September, which was held at the federation’s head office in Mogadishu. The meeting had been called to exchange views and consult about the increasing number of threats and attempts to destabilize the federation. Politically motivated, the attacks, including specific death threats, appear to be intended to intimidate and threaten FESTU and its elected leadership.

The very real threat under which trade unions in Somalia operate was made blatantly clear with the discovery of a bomb planted outside the headquarters. The bomb was subsequently removed without any damage and handed over to the police.

Despite the bomb, the meeting went ahead and the unions unanimously agreed to a declaration. Protests have been lodged with the Federal Police Commissioner, the Prime Minister of Somalia and the Minister of Interior & National Security.

At present, IndustriALL Global Union has no affiliated trade unions in Somalia, but is in detailed discussions with FETSU over the creation of a new oil and gas workers union. FESTU is the first independent and democratic trade union centre in the country, and the current situation highlights the importance to assist them in their struggles.

IndustriALL Global Union join the call of FESTU and its member unions, that all people unite against the elements behind these attacks, as well as on the government to take decisive action to protect the people. The unions have pledged to campaign to the last ounce of their energies against on-going intimidation and harassment of labour leaders and members.  IndustriALL Global Union strongly commends and salutes their determination to continue to fight for workers rights and a living wage for the workers of Somalia.

Workers denounce illegal lockout at Kronos in Canada

The locked-out workers are represented by the IndustriALL Canadian affiliate Fédération de l’Industrie Manufacturière de la Confédération des Syndicats Nationaux – FIM-CSN. Despite the union’s readiness to discuss controversial issues the employer remains stubbornly resistant on many of its initial positions including the massive use of a subcontracted workforce, elimination  of 30 per cent of the jobs, serious  changes in the work schedule, overtime work and restructuring of the workforce, destruction of the pension system, and the weakening of trade union freedoms.

Brian Kohler, IndustriALL Global Union’s Contact for North America region addressed the gathering with a speech of support and admiration for the courageous struggle of Kronos workers and their families. The message of support from IndustriALL was especially appreciated in the light of the  slow pace of negotiations with the Kronos management despite facilitation by a conciliator since the beginning of the lockout.

"We fully support your struggle”, said Brian Kohler. “IndustriALL’s large family says ‘no’ to the attacks of Kronos against the living standards of workers in Quebec. Shame on Kronos for laughing in your face, mocking your families, your community and your history. As an organization, we are ready to provide you with all possible support in this conflict."

Welcoming the international support, Alain Lampron, President of FIM-CSN said, "The battle for the locked-out Kronos workers today takes another form, our struggle is extending to the international level. Union members in other countries understand the importance of the issues at stake and their impacts on other sectors, no matter in what corner of the world they are."

Despite the lockout, Kronos Canada still continues production by resorting to the work of managers, routinely accompanied by security guards. The locked-out workers are bound by various injunctions, including a limitation of the number of pickets near the factory.

Kronos Canada, Inc., is a subsidiary of Kronos Worldwide, Inc. engaged in the production and marketing of titanium dioxide pigments (TiO2) primarily in Europe and North America.

USW Local 8565 receives international support in face of Rotek

Rotek Incorporated is the North American leading manufacturer of slewing bearings and a market leader for seamless forged steel and non-ferrous metal rings.

On September 21, 2013, the 100 plus members of United Steelworkers Local 8565, on an unfair labor practice strike at Rotek, were joined in Solidarity by Steelworker locals and others in the community. An estimated crowd of 300 braved a constant downpour.

The crowd was addressed by USW local members, USW District Director Dave McCall, Ohio State AFL-CIO President Tim Burga and US Congressman Tim Ryan among others. 



In addition, a staggering list of international support letters were acknowledged and read to the crowd. The members of Local 8565 also participated in a local parade that morning. The route of the parade went through downtown Ravenna that had over 20 local businesses showing their support for the workers at Rotek in their fight for fairness and justice.

IndustriALL Global Union general secretary Jyrki Raina sent solidarity and support to Local 8565 on behalf of the international:

We strongly deplore the company’s failure to resume negotiations with the union and meet the legitimate demands of the workers. Furthermore, we condemn the company’s attempt to resume production by hiring temporary replacement workers.

Concessions are being demanded of employees more and more frequently. Employees are repeatedly asked to pay the price for the difficult economic situation. These circumstances are unacceptable. It must be understood that the employees are not at fault – on the contrary, business success is impossible without them.

We demand that ThyssenKrupp’s Rotek subsidiary immediately resumes negotiations to find a mutually agreeable resolution of the labor dispute.

We stand firm in solidarity with you on your industrial action to achieve a fair and equitable contract.

Trade unionism: it’s about more than administering a collective agreement!

21 participants from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua y the Dominican Republic participated in a workshop held in Mexico City on 23 and 24 September 2013.

The workshop, organized by IndustriALL Global Union with the support of the FES, examined organizing methods and principles. Facilitated by Jeff Hermanson, the seminar looked at ways of winning majority support in an anti-union environment. Through exchanges of concrete experiences, the participants delved into challenges faced, campaigns won and lessons learned in their different countries and different sectors.

The workshop, which is part of a series of FES workshops carried out in different continents, is in line with one of the major planks of IndustriALL’s action plan regarding strengthening union power through membership growth and the development of strong, independent, representative and sustainable trade unions.

The participants also took the opportunity of their stay in Mexico City to express their solidarity with striking teachers. Addressing the teachers at their encampment at the Plaza de la Revolución, Assistant General Secretary Fernando Lopes told them their struggle against reforms was fair and important.

Unity and solidarity lead to USO victory in Colombia

After almost 2 months of negotiations between the North American multinational CB&I (Chicago Bridge and Iron) and the Union Sindical Obrera (USO), involving lengthy rounds of negotiations and mobilisations, union leaders persuaded the company to increase its offer from $92 million to $104.5 million to cover a pay increase for the two year period in which the collective agreement will be in force.

The agreement covers financial, trade union and political issues and includes substantial improvements in pay and benefits for employees. The agreement will also improve relations between the USO and CB&I Colombia.

CB&I is the main contractor at the Cartagena refinery expansion project, the most ambitious infrastructure initiative that Colombia has seen in recent years, with an investment of $3,892 million. The project includes 12 new plants, which will increase capacity and make the refinery the most competitive in the Caribbean basin.

The CB&I and Ecopetrol S.A. also agreed to pay the workers for the strike period, introduce a 45 minute meal break, provide Sodexo meal vouchers worth $200,000, pay a maximum of one hour per week overtime, extend benefits to employees of contractors and subcontractors and establish a formal relationship between the union and the project.

The USO explained that a commission will be set up to review the dismissals that occurred during the dispute, with a view to reinstating the dismissed workers.

The union stressed that the strike was peaceful and that workers followed union orientations at all times. IndustriALL thanks the national and international trade union movement for the support it has given to USO and congratulates the union for the unity and solidarity displayed during this dispute, which culminated in a victory for the workers.

“IndustriALL Global Union salutes this victory, which will certainly strengthen not only the USO but also the initiative to create a strong union in the mining and energy sector, with the merger of USO, SINTRAELERCOL and SINTRACARBON”, said Jorge Almeida, Regional Secretary for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Solidarity mission in the wake of disaster at Freeport-McMoran’s Grasberg copper mine

In May 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. The accident, which can only be described as industrial homicide, killed 28 mineworkers, all members of CEMWU FSPKEP-SPSI. On 15-18 September, Andrew Vickers, chairperson of the mining sector at IndustriALL Global Union and General Secretary of CFMEU in Australia, led a high-level global solidarity mission to Indonesia to lend international support to CEMWU FSPKEP-SPSI.

The mission included delegates from the United Steelworkers of America and the National Union of Mineworkers in South Africa, and was accompanied by IndustriALL Global Union’s Director of Mining, Glen Mpufane. During the three days, the mission delegates met with the management of PT Freeport Indonesia, as well as government representatives from the Ministry of Energy, Natural Resources and Minerals, and the Ministry Manpower and Transmigration.

An investigation into the accident has been held, and from which CEMWU (FSPKEP-SPSI) was barred from active participation. The findings of the investigation could not be made public even though the report was not classified. This has led to a lawsuit being filed against the company by a human rights lawyer in Indonesia, although compensation has been paid to the families of the victims.

 “We learned with horror that the cause of the accident was that the roof collapsed due to faulty lines along the rooftop and deterioration of ground support bolts, and as such no one could be held accountable,” Andrew Vickers says.

The mission’s conclusion, supported by the CEMWU FSPKEP-SPSI, was that the cause of the accident was management negligence. No evidence of inspections or risk assessment performed before the accident could be provided.

“The mission also concluded that the accident clearly illustrates the urgent need for the ratification of ILO Convention 176 in Indonesia. IndustriALL Global Union is committed to lend our support to speed up this process,” says Glen Mpufane.

Turkish unions discuss social dialogue and EU integration

More than 30 participants from Turkish union confederations TURK-IS, DISK and HAK-IS representing workers in different gathered together in Ankara for the fourth regional workshop within the project “Decent work for workers in industriAll sectors” was dedicated to the Turkish trade unions and was organized in cooperation with IndustriALL Global Union.

The Turkish economy is vitally important both inside and outside European market, which is why the cooperation between the IndustriALL Global Union and industriAll European Trade Union is crucial.

The speakers included representatives from the International Labour Organization (ILO), Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the EU Delegation to Turkey and the Ministry of EU Integration. Jeff Bridgfort (ETUC special advisor) introduced the models and achievements of industrial relations in the EU to bridge to the presentation on social dialogue and industrial relations in Turkey. A core issue was decent work conditions and the compliance with ILO labour standards in Turkey.

Luc Triangle, Deputy General Secretary of industriAll European Trade Union, emphasized that the social and labour standards in Turkey are the highest priority on the way to country’s accession to the EU. “We will continue stressing the fact of day-to-day violations against ILO core standards, especially with regards to the freedom of association and collective bargaining, towards the EU institutions and towards the multinational companies who are investing in Turkey. This factor needs to gain equal recognition also at EU level next to the political demands in the integration discussions”, Triangle said.

The participants looked at Turkish labour law and social dialogue concept within the context of different models existing in Europe. The IndustriAll Europian Trade Union believes that “in connection to the negotiations for Turkey to join the EU, for European trade unions the focus must be on chapter 19 in the social negotiations. This is by far the only criterion that Turkey must meet in order to join the EU”.

A meeting, attended by five unions Petrol-Is, Teksif, Deri-Is, Oziplik-Is and Celik-Is, intended to set up a women's Network of IndustriAll unions in Turkey preceded the workshop. The participants decided to start working on the issues of maternity protection and violence. TEKSIF will be the first to lead the network.

Carol Bruce, director of the Women’s network of IndustriALL Global Union, emphasized the importance of focusing the trade union’s work in Turkey on gender equality to encourage women to join trade unions. “The issue of gender equality is important not only for Turkish trade unions, but has to be stronger integrated in the structures and agendas of all European trade unions,” Bruce said.

Bangladeshi garment workers rally for a decent wage

IndustriALL Global Union has long supported the calls of its Bangladeshi affiliates for a rise in the minimum wage for the sector in line with a living wage. The IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC) is united in its demand for an urgent increase in the minimum wage to well over US$100 per month.

Recent attention has focused on discussions inside the wage board created by the government to recommend an increased sector-wide minimum wage. IndustriALL has criticised the absence of a trade union representative on the wage board. One spark that ignited the mass worker demonstrations over the weekend however was the inadequate submitted proposal to this wage board from the BGMEA and BKMEA employers associations of 3,600 Taka per month, a raise of less than 20 per cent.  

IBC general secretary Roy Ramesh stated:

The IBC has proposed to fix the minimum wages based on the Millennium Development Goals and the cost of living which is equal to around US$120 per month.

Workers in the sector saw a prominent government cabinet minister this weekend supporting a raise to 8,000 Taka per month and directed their mobilisations’ anger in the industrial areas of Gazipur, Savar, Tejgaon, Ashulia, Mirpur, Uttara, Badda, Dhaka at the influential BGMEA and BKMEA as those blocking a significant increase.

IndustriALL Global Union regional secretary Sudhershan Rao stated:

There is a consensus among all sections of Bangladeshi society that wages are low and work place safety is negligible, wages need to be enhanced and there must be improvement in workplace safety. Now it is to be seen whether the employers and the government come with a proposal that meets the aspirations of the agitating workers.

The work for an increased minimum wage continues in parallel with other priorities including a new labour law in line with ILO minimum standards and the implementation of the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. IndustriALL general secretary Jyrki Raina welcomed important newcomers to the Accord:

Arcadia Group, River Island, Uniqlo and others have taken our broad alliance with IndustriALL and UNI to 90 company signatories. The Accord will soon begin its important work on the ground to make the Bangladeshi garment industry safe and sustainable. We will continue to push for change across each of our priorities in Bangladesh. Those workers both need and deserve change.