Swazi trade unionist Wonder Mkhonza released on bail

After a month in prison on charges of sedition based on allegations of being in possession of political pamphlets, Mkhonza was granted bail of about USD1,750 and warned not to disrupt the elections when he was released.

Wonder did not dwell on hardships he faced in prison, immediately seeking out positive aspects of the experience. “I was able to interact with the inmates in jail and understand their frustrations and their challenges. Some are there serving long sentences as they cannot pay even R250 (USD30) bail. When we achieve freedom in Swaziland, we must not forget to address their needs too, ensuring a humane new nation.”

What Mkhonza valued most of the experience was the opportunity to give solidarity to political prisoner Amos Mbedzi . “I was able to meet with Comrade Amos who serving an 85 years sentence in the maximum security prison on allegations of terrorism. Amos could have been living freely in South Africa but he chose to sacrifice his freedom because he understood that the freedom of South Africa is not complete if Swaziland is not free,” said Mkhonza. “We must not forget that he is in jail, his sacrifice must not be in vain and we must do everything to honour this sacrifice and ensure that there is democracy in Swaziland”

Mkhonza is Deputy General Secretary of the Swaziland Processing, Refining and Allied Workers Union (Sprawu) and the chairperson of the coordinating council of the manufacturing unions which are working towards a merger in Swaziland, a process supported by IndustriALL. IndustriALL joined efforts in Swaziland and internationally to draw attention to Mhkonza’s situation and secure his release.

South African affiliate, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa assisted Sprawu to make the bail. The international department of Numsa has been working closely with Wonder in support of the merger process.

“I appreciate the support that was given to SPRAWU, PUDEMO and to me and family personally” said Mkhonza. “Thank you also to our international allies who mobilised support for my release and their continued commitment to give solidarity to our struggle for democracy in Swaziland.”

Wonder is ready to get back to work building unity amongst workers and struggling for a free Swaziland.

USW launches a campaign against precarious work in Canada

"As a union representing 225,000 workers and their families, we have a dual responsibility to ensure Canadian wages and working conditions are not undermined by a permanent class of highly exploited and low-wage workers," said Ken Neumann, USW National Director. "We also demand that workers coming to our country are treated with dignity and respect."

A central objective of the campaign is to bring about much needed protections for temporary workers in Canada. These include:

· providing a clear and faster path to permanent residency and citizenship, especially for lower-skilled workers

· ensuring that temporary workers have the same rights as citizens

· stronger and stricter penalties for employers who violate temporary worker provisions.

Since 2008, the number of temporary foreign workers has increased by 24,000 or 60% in Toronto, 18,000 or 70% in Quebec, and 5,000 or 80% in the Atlantic provinces. The TFWP, established in 1973, allows employers to hire workers from other countries for temporary employment when Canadians or permanent residents are not readily available or when the entry of foreign workers is likely to have a positive impact on the Canadian labour market. However companies and employers have been abusing the program. As of 2012, this program accounted for nearly 340,000 temporary workers.

Under the TFWP, the right of temporary workers to stay and work in Canada is tied to a single employer, making them particularly vulnerable. There have been numerous and well-publicized abuses of foreign workers.

Information on the campaign can be found at www.everyoneschance.ca

Argentina Tyre Union SUTNA eliminates precarious work

Until 2006, outsourced workers in the tyre industry in Argentina were covered by a separate collective agreement and did not have the same wages and benefits as permanent workers with more seniority. At the April IndustriALL World Conference on Rubber Industries, Pedro Wasiejsko, general secretary of the SUTNA explained how these outsourced workers were progressively integrated as permanent employees in the Pirelli, Bridgestone and FATE factories in Argentina.

The solidarity of permanent workers was essential to achieve this result. In 2006, these workers agreed seek through collective bargaining settlement of the outsourcing issue rather than pursuing improvements to conditions for themselves. At the same time, SUTNA was pursuing a policy of organizing precarious workers who were reluctant to join the union, warned by their employment agency not deal with SUTNA. The trade union developed strategies to approach these outsourced workers.

Since 2006, the Union has succeeded in limiting precarious work in the entire sector through collective bargaining at company and sectoral levels. In Bridgestone for example, the maintenance and tyre storage sectors were the most affected by the outsourcing. In the collective agreement in force since 2011, a clause was negotiated in which the company agreed that only permanent workers would work in these sectors. Therefore, it was agreed that the number of outsourced staff would be progressively reduced by incorporating them into the permanent workforce and that this process would be finalised before the end of the validity of the collective agreement.

A similar clause was also negotiated in 2011 with Pirelli, which accepted that all outsourced workers in the scrap tyre recycling sector would become direct company employees, maintaining their seniority level in the incorporation process.

SUTNA now plans to negotiate on behalf of cleaning and security workers.

Justice for workers after May Day clashes in Turkey

IndustriALL sent a letter to the Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan demanding the urgent and proper investigation into the facts of inacceptable and unjustifiable violence against peaceful demonstrations during the recent celebration of May Day 2013.

The new attack on freedoms of expression when a peaceful celebration of May Day has been transformed on the orders of the government into a bloodshed with police and security forces attacking the demonstrators with tear gas resulting in more than 200 injuries become another example of the irresponsible wrong doing of the decision making bodies of the country.

40,000 riot police forces were deployed in the city, many were specially brought from remote parts of the country. Main roads and streets were cordoned off by government barriers with tanks, armored trucks and police literally blocking every possibility of free circulation to the symbol of freedom Taksim Square in the city with the only aim to stop workers from celebrating their Day. Shocking and shameful for a country calling itself a democracy.

The facts of a recently increasing pressure on Turkish workers and their freedoms become increasingly alarming for international community. IndustriALL receives increasing number of reports where workers have to fight for their rights that should be by default granted by the Turkish Government.

In fact less than a year ago in August 2012 IndustriALL had to lodge a formal complaint against the government of Turkey for violation of the ILO Convention on the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining, 1949 (No. 98) over de facto suspension of the Right of Collective Bargaining in the country. Since the beginning of 2012 workers by administrative measures are precluded from their right of bargain collectively. IndustriALL is committed to work closely with the affiliates in Turkey and across the globe to put pressure on the authorities of Turkey and force them to comply with the international obligations of the country.

We made it! – Global Breakthrough as Retail Brands sign up to Bangladesh Factory Safety Deal

IndustriALL Global Union and UNI Global Union in a powerful alliance with leading NGOs, Clean Clothes Campaign and Workers Rights Consortium have changed the rules of the game for workers in Bangladesh. We welcome the decision of the companies who have signed up to the Accord for acting responsibly in the light of the Rana Plaza tragedy. Forty-eight hours ago H&M started the ball rolling and we now have the major global household brands on board.

The following companies have signed up: H&M, Inditex, C&A, PVH, Tchibo, Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Primark, El Corte Inglés, jbc, Mango, Carrefour, KiK, Helly Hansen, G-Star, Aldi, New Look, Mothercare, Loblaws, Sainsbury’s, Benetton, N Brown Group, Stockmann, WE Europe, Esprit, Rewe, Next, Lidl, Hess Natur, Switcher, Abercrombie & Fitch, Bonmarche, John Lewis, Charles Vögele, V&D, Otto Group, s.Oliver, HEMA, Comtex, Fat Face, Ernsting's family, Newtop.

IndustriALL Global Union General Secretary, Jyrki Raina said,

The companies who signed up are to be applauded. H&M showed the way by being the first to sign this week. We will not close the door on brands who want to join the Accord after the deadline but we will be forging ahead with the implementation plan from today. Those who want to join later will not be in a position to influence decisions already made. The train moves on and these companies will drive the process – there can be no uncommitted passengers because the stakes are too high. We are talking about improving the working conditions and lives of some of the most exploited workers in the world, earning $38 a month in dangerous conditions.

UNI Global Union General Secretary, Philip Jennings said,

We made it! This Accord is a turning point. We are putting in place rules that mark the end of the race to the bottom in the global supply chain.

Commenting on the no-shows Jennings said,

Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, is out of step. By not signing up, the Walmart brand sinks to a new low. We will make progress without them.

In agreeing to the binding programme of fire and building safety reforms based on independent inspections, worker-led health and safety committees and union access to factories, signatories commit to underwrite improvements in dangerous factories and properly confront fire safety and structural problems. Importantly the Accord grants workers the right to refuse dangerous work, in line with ILO Convention 155.

Contacts

Tom Grinter, IndustriALL, Mobile: +41 79 79 693 44 99, [email protected]

Richard Elliott, UNI Global Union, Mobile: +41 79 794 9709, [email protected]

Significant progress in electricity workers dispute

Last week, union leaders met federal government representatives to continue talks on resolving the dispute, including the proposal to give full retirement rights to 3,000 workers and provide health care for electricity workers.

Efforts are also being made to reach a political agreement with the country’s other electricity workers’ union, the Sindicato de Trabajadores de Electricidad de la República Mexicana (SUTERM), in order to come to an arrangement about the reinstatement of workers who refuse to accept their illegal dismissal.

A union member, Jorge Eulises Uribe Gaona, who is still in detention, is due to be released next week.

Martín Esparza Flores, SME general secretary and Humberto Montes de Oca Luna, SME external relations secretary, called on workers to remain united in the fight to win reinstatement.

A positive move forward for GM workers

GM management agreed to organize a future meeting of the Global Information Sharing Forum in 2014 and negotiations on a Global Framework Agreement (GFA) on social standards will move forward.

With the implementation of an annual Global Information Sharing Forum, GM management has provided an important signal that the employees at GM are the company’s most crucial assets.

Commenting on the meeting’s outcome, IndustriALL Director for the Auto and Rubber Industries Helmut Lense said, “Regular and constructive exchange between global management and worker representatives from all around the world enables creative conflict resolution on a local level and facilitates the exchange of best practices in labour relations.”

The GFA will guarantee GM workers’ freedom of association and collective bargaining rights throughout the world. Social dialogue between management, trade unions, and worker representatives will be characterized by mutual respect and understanding. Discrimination will not be tolerated. Fair wages, good working conditions, occupational health and safety, and appropriate training and education will be guaranteed worldwide.

GM workers and trade union representatives from all around the world welcome this approach and are looking forward to a fruitful collaboration with GM management.

Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety released

Ahead of the midnight deadline, at least 24 garment and retail brands sourcing from Bangladesh have agreed to sign on to the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh.

IndustriALL, UNI Global Union and their NGO partners are expecting further commitments from brands today.

IndustriALL General Secretary Jyrki Raina said:

We recognize the commitment that these companies are making towards ending the cycle of factory disasters in Bangladesh. We call on all other global brands sourcing from Bangladesh to join us in making sure that every garment worker in Bangladesh can work in safety.

The 24 companies currently confirmed are:

H&M

Inditex

C&A

PVH

Tchibo

Tesco

Marks & Spencer

Primark

El Corte Inglés

Mango

Carrefour

KiK

Helly Hansen

G-Star

Aldi South

Aldi North

New Look

Mothercare

Loblaws

Sainsbury’s

Benetton

N Brown Group

Stockmann

Long hours keep jobs segregated by gender

The study, Overwork and the Persistence of Gender Segregation in Occupations, published in the journal Gender and Society, found that “the norm of overwork in male-dominated workplaces and the gender beliefs operating in the family combine to reinforce gender segregation of the labor market.”

The study claims that even women who make more money than their spouses spend more time with their children. Yet male-dominated jobs, and they are still better paid than those where women work, demand long hours of workers. Lawyers or doctors are expected to show total commitment, and even blue-collar jobs are demanding in terms of overtime. Women who are expected to put in more hours and still take care of the family are less likely to stay in these male-dominated fields.

In addition the study finds that women who work in jobs dominated by men have less social support on the job. The study determined that the longest hours were worked in those jobs where women made up less than 10 percent of the workforce. On the other hand those jobs where women made up 70 percent or more of the employees averaged about 35 hours a week. About 20 percent of men worked 50 hours a week or more, compared to 13 percent of women, and 14 percent of women worked part-time, compared to 6 percent of men.

Fully integrated workplaces would mean that 40 percent of men and women would have to change jobs. Then perhaps women’s experiences and aspirations would be reflected better in policies and practices.

Final Countdown for companies to sign Bangladesh Fire and Safety Accord before 15 May midnight deadline

IndustriALL Global Union General Secretary, Jyrki Raina said,

May 13 was an important day in the fight for justice for the 1,127 Rana Plaza victims and hundreds of other garment workers injured and killed in Bangladesh, as industry-leading clothing brands retailers committed to work with us, to stay in the country and get rid of their unsustainable business model of extreme exploitation. A bloody t-shirt is not much cheaper than a clean one.

UNI Global Union General Secretary, Philip Jennings said, “The clock is ticking for companies such as Gap and Carrefour to show they care about their Bangladeshi supplier workforce. Their corporate reputations may be on the line but more importantly, so are the lives and livelihoods of these vulnerable factory workers in Bangladesh. Sign up before it’s too late, save lives and show you are a responsible employer. We are building a momentum for change and it won’t stop here.”

In acceding to the binding program of fire safety reforms based on independent inspections, worker-led health and safety committees and union access to factories, signatories commit to underwrite improvements in dangerous factories and properly confront fire safety and structural problems. Importantly the Accord grants workers the right to refuse dangerous work, in line with ILO Convention 155.

Yesterday, 13 May, the Bangladesh government of Prime Minister Sheikh Masina agreed to enact positive changes in the labour legislation to allow factory-level trade unions to form without the permission of employers.

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is leading the push for reform of the labour law in Bangladesh. ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow wrote to Bangladesh’s Minister of Labour Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju on 9 May:

“I am deeply concerned to learn that the proposed amendments, which were recently passed by the cabinet, do not address the majority of concerns raised by the ILO Committee of Experts with regard to Conventions 87 and 98 nor address the priority amendments put forward by the trade unions. This is unacceptable.”

The ILO equally is pressuring the Bangladeshi government to adopt and enforce proper labour law reform in June. The high-level ILO mission to Dhaka in the wake of the Rana Plaza disaster issued clear and strong recommendations including commitments on an ILO-compliant labour law reform by June focusing on freedom of association and collective bargaining, guarantees hundreds of new inspectors and extensive training programs.

The third priority change targeted to build a sustainable garment industry in Bangladesh is the campaign for a living wage. The minimum monthly wage of US$38 is a poverty wage. The IndustriALL Bangladesh Council’s unified demand on wages is for an immediate increase from 3000 taka per month to 5000, to be followed by incremental increases each year to arrive at a living wage in the year 2015, in a process similar to that seen in Vietnam currently.

The IBC is working on the ground at the Rana Plaza site in Savar, Dhaka. Very immediate challenges there include supplying food to the family members still waiting in hope of their loved one being pulled alive from the rubble after 17 days. Their wait is now more for the chance to recover the body and arrange the funeral for their sister, mother, or wife. Attention will also now turn to negotiating compensation for families of the murdered and injured.

The strong expectation for today is that other clothing retailers sign on to the Accord, not least the well-known US brands such as GAP. Presently PVH, owner of Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein is the only US brand signed up. Companies targeted in Europe include Kik, Carrefour, Marks & Spencer and Next.