Indonesian textile workers reach agreement with Adidas

The company and the union agreed not to disclose the details of the deal, however according to the preliminary reports the company agreed on severance pay for 2,700 workers who remain without jobs following the closure of PT Kizone apparel factory in April 2011.
 
The factory faced economic problems late in 2010 and failed to fulfill its obligations towards its workers regarding severance payments and compensation to families of the deceased workers. Later on the owner did not pay wages earned by workers till December 2010 and in January 2011 fled the country without any notice. Despite some efforts of Green Textile, the main buyer from the factory who took over the factory from February to March, in April 2011 the factory was closed and proclaimed bankrupt.
 
Since then workers of PT Kizone have been trying to get justice in their plight. The total amount of debt to the workers was almost US$3.4 million. Other buyers from the factory covered almost half of the debt by paying US$1.6 million to redundancy fund, Adidas till so far has been refusing to contribute.
 
It took 2 years of campaigning organized by a broad coalition of unions and NGOs including workers of PT Kizone, United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS), the Workers’ Rights Consortium (WRC) and the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) before the company agreed to resolve the dispute.
 
The case sets another precedent in making brands accountable for all terms and conditions of employment in their supply chains, obliging them to support decent wages and permanent employment through granting stable orders at fair prices to factories they are sourcing from.

Hundreds of Bangladeshi garment workers die

“Cut off my hand, save my life!” screams a woman trapped under the collapsed eight-story Rana Plaza building in Savar, 30 kilometres outside Dhaka. The same request is shouted by trapped Aftab, while other screams in the rubble demand oxygen. 200,000 local people have assembled in Savar offering to donate blood to the rescue effort, as hospitals are gravely under supplied.

The mass industrial manslaughter occurred at 9am, 24 April. The collapsed building, illegally constructed, contained five garment factories with 2,500 workers. Those five factories are Ether Tex, New Wave Bottoms, New Wave Style, Phantom Apparels and Phantom-TAC. These factories are believed to have produced for several well-known western brands including Mango, Primark, C&A, KIK, Wal-Mart, Children’s Place, Cato Fashions, Benetton, Matalan and Bon Marché.

On 23 April, the day before the collapse, large structural cracks appeared in the supporting pillars of Rana Plaza, but local authorities were ignored by the building owner Sohel Rana and the garment factory owners when they gave the order to evacuate, while the three shops and bank on the building’s ground floor heeded the warning and evacuated. A Rana Plaza garment worker had to work three days unpaid for every one work day missed, so workers were reluctant to stay safe at home on 24 April.

Now over 2,000 workers are injured in hospital, many critically, 254 are dead and many more continue screaming from under the rubble. The IndustriALL Global Union affiliated textile and garment trade unions in Bangladesh are present and supporting the rescue efforts. Affiliates work jointly through the IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC) which yesterday used a joint press conference to put forward joint demands and a programme of action, calling for justice and action from authorities and brands. The IBC will mobilize all affiliates in a mass demonstration on 26 April in front of the Dhaka Press Club.

20,000 furious garment workers from neighbouring factories this morning brought five major highways to a halt, and several local skirmishes saw angry protestors target garment factories that were not respecting the national day of mourning, forcing them to close and show respect to the dead. Protestors also targetted the building of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGMEA).

The systemic problems must be tackled immediately in Bangladesh’s garment industry and much responsibility must fall on the western clothing brands making enormous profits from items made in deadly conditions on poverty wages. While brands continue refusing to pay a sufficient price for safe production of their clothes, their calls for improved safety are not sincere.

Much needed improvements to the national labour law have been debated through Bangladesh’s legislative process, with the government cabinet approving revisions on 22 April. However this process has been lobbied by the global garment industry buyers who have demanded a scaling back of workers’ rights initially proposed in the reform.

IndustriALL Global Union believes that Bangladeshi garment workers deserve the right to work in safety, with full access to organize and bargain collectively in trade unions, and a substantial rise of the current US$38 monthly minimum wage.

IndustriALL Global Union General Secretary Jyrki Raina said:

This terrible tragedy highlights the urgency of putting a stop to the race to the bottom in supplying cheap means of production to international brands, a race in which hundreds of workers have lost their lives. Global clothing brands and retailers have a responsibility for their full production chains. Now it is time for them, suppliers and the Bangladeshi government to sit down with IndustriALL and its affiliates to agree on a safety program that will ensure this will never happen again.

IMF a threat to collective bargaining

In a recent report, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) caution that IMF labour market advice, as part of the Troika, undermines democracy and risks economic dictatorship across Europe and beyond, and will create more divisions and social unrest, without producing any economic benefits.

The ITUC Frontlines 2013 report, "Ideology without economic evidence: IMF attacks on collective bargaining", was released in April and analyses the actions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that have weakened collective bargaining.

“The attacks on collective bargaining and unions also contravene international law. The ILO’s Committee on Freedom of Association reconfirmed that reforms of this nature in Greece infringe on core ILO Conventions concerning collective bargaining and freedom of association,” the report says.

Meanwhile, 2 Harvard economists acknowledged their study used by the IMF to justify austerity policies contained an important mathematical error. In recalculating the data, 3 other economists from the University of Massachusetts showed that data from certain years and certain countries were excluded from the average. When the complete data set is included, it shows that the average growth rate of countries with 90 per cent debt loads is 2.2 per cent — a significant difference from the 0.1 per cent decline posited earlier.

The ITUC, Global Unions and IndustriALL Global Union argue that sustainable growth, decent jobs for all, economic efficiency and greater equity are common ambitions which require comprehensive collective bargaining systems and strong labour market institutions in all countries.

“There is no economic justification for these labour reforms. Countries with little or no collective bargaining do not achieve faster growth, lower unemployment or better export performance than other countries. They do have greater wage inequality. The economic strategy being pursued by the IMF, and in crisis countries with its Troika partners, is deeply flawed,” said Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary.

ITUC Frontlines Report April 2013

ITUC Frontlines Report Summary April 2013

Rio Tinto anti-union bias confirmed at AGM

The protests were held under the banner; “stories of resistance” and were organized and coordinated by the London Mining Network. The “stories of resistance” were echoed by:

These stories of resistance, of Indigenous rights, workers’ rights, human rights in general, and the health of the environment, struggled to be heard inside the halls of the annual general meeting as they were drowned by both board members and individual shareholders’ concerns for a return on shareholder investments on profit.

One shareholder, though, raised a concern as to why last year’s Greenwash Gold Campaign, which was voted by the public and which was won by Rio Tinto did not appear in the company’s report. The chairman of Rio Tinto, Jan du Plessis, replied that he had no intention of publicizing the Greenwash Gold Campaign in the company’s report.

Glen Mpufane of IndustriALL Global Union asked about the company’s conflictive relations with trade unions, noting particularly the lockout of workers at the Alma smelter in Quebec, Canada, in 2012, and if the company was concerned about its anti-union image.

Sam Walsh replied that the Alma smelter dispute that went on during the first half of 2012 was about remuneration and how to do business, how to improve productivity and the viability of the smelter. He said that the company is not anti-union, that it respects the right of workers to join or not to join unions, {but} that that its overriding concern was to maintain direct contact with its employees.

Subcontracting in Chilean industry

One of the most common strategies used by Chilean companies to maintain their competitive position, internally and externally, has been labour flexibility and subcontracting. This statement is taken from a report prepared by the the labour team at the CENDA Foundation and commissioned by IndustriAll.

“Subcontración en sectores industriales chilenos” [Subcontracting in Chilean Industry] was prepared in response to concerns about the extent of subcontracting and the situation of workers in sectors in which IndustriAll has a presence. 

The report maps subcontracting in the mining, oil, forestry, cellulose and paper, chemical, metalworking and mechanical engineering and textile sectors in the country, using publicly available information and data supplied by trade unions.

It includes general information on each sector, its economic importance, the particular nature of subcontracting and the trade union situation. The report also includes a general description of the country, information about subcontracting and a description of specific branches of production.

The report does not reach conclusions but makes observations on the situation in each sector. The aim is to make the situation better known, promote an exchange of views and opinions among IndustriAll affiliates and develop trade union strategies on this issue.

Bangladeshi garment workers crushed to death

The collapsed building contained six garment factories and hundreds of workers and was allegedly illegally built and had a large structural crack appear in its wall yesterday. When local authorities brought the crack to the attention of the garment factory owners ordering them to evacuate they were ignored, while the shop and bank on the building’s ground floor heeded the warning and evacuated.

Now 500 workers are injured, many critically, 102 are dead and many more can be heard from under the rubble screaming for help and screaming that they do not want to die while rescue teams attempt to reach them. The IndustriALL Global Union affiliated textile and garment trade unions in Bangladesh are present and supporting the rescue efforts. Affiliates work jointly through the IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC) which today used a joint press conference to put forward joint demands and programme of action, calling for justice and action from authorities and brands. The IBC will mobilize all affiliates in a mass demonstration on 26 April in front of the Dhaka Press Club.

Reports are strongly indicating that several well-known brands sourced from factories in the Rana Plaza building including Mango, British Primark, C&A, KIK and Wal-Mart. The systemic problems must be tackled immediately in Bangladesh’s garment industry and much responsibility must fall on the western clothing brands making enormous profits from items made in deadly conditions on poverty wages.

Much needed improvements to the national labour law have been debated through Bangladesh’s legislative process, with the government cabinet approving revisions on 22 April. However this process has been lobbied by the global garment industry buyers who have demanded a scaling back of workers’ rights initially proposed in the reform.

IndustriALL Global Union believes that Bangladeshi garment workers deserve the right to work in safety, with full access to organize and bargain collectively in trade unions, including a substantial raise of the current US$38 monthly minimum wage.

IndustriALL Global Union General Secretary Jyrki Raina said:

This terrible tragedy highlights the urgency of putting a stop to the race to the bottom in supplying cheap means of production to international brands, a race in which hundreds of workers have lost their lives. Global clothing brands and retailers have a responsibility for their full production chains. Now it is time for them, suppliers and the Bangladeshi government to sit down with IndustriALL and its affiliates to agree on a safety program that will ensure this will never happen again.

In response to today’s tragedy, the IBC is calling for:

Credit: Andrew Biraj/ REUTERS Caption: People rescue garment workers trapped under rubble at the Rana Plaza building after it collapsed, in Savar, 30 km (19 miles) outside Dhaka April 24, 2013. An eight-storey block housing garment factories and a shopping centre collapsed on the outskirts of the Bangladeshi capital on Wednesday, killing at least 25 people and injuring more than 500, the Ntv television news channel reported.  outskirts of the Bangladeshi capital on Wednesday, killing more than 70 people and injuring hundreds, a government official said. 

Strong mobilization of trade unions in Brazil against outsourcing

In recent years, more than 30 bills have been introduced to parliament on outsourcing which, so far, is not regulated in Brazil. The bill submitted by congressman Sandro Mabel, which benefits from the support of business representatives, is the most advanced in the parliamentary process in view of its approval by the Congress. If this text is adopted, it would worryingly weaken permanent and direct employment in Brazil by allowing outsourcing, including for jobs related to the permanent and normal activities of the user enterprise.

Mabel’s bill does not take into consideration the rights of workers and releases firms from their labour obligations, passing them to the outsourcing company. It does not include the obligation to inform the unions on the details of the service provision contract. Neither does it require the user undertaking to give contract workers access to the same services offered to its direct employees, such as a cafeteria or medical service.

While there is a need to regulate outsourcing in Brazil, instead of bringing solution to workers, Mabel’s bill will worsen their situation. Today outsourced workers are around 10 million in Brazil and they represent 25 per cent of the workforce in the formal sector. According to a study realized by the CUT, outsourced workers have a longer working day and they earn on average 27 per cent less then permanent workers. According to the same source, 8 out of 10 work accidents affect outsourced workers.

IndustriALL affiliates are mobilizing against the adoption of the legislation. Some unions, through members of parliament (MPs), have proposed amendments to the parliamentary committee examining the bill and Brazilian national centre the CUT (Central Unica dos Trabalhadores) called on its members to protest on 18 April against outsourcing.

In recent years, many demonstrations have been organized across the country. A forum for the defence of outsourced workers gathering various sectors of civil society (academics, NGOs) and unions was created in 2011 and organizes regular events and meetings to raise awareness among workers and society at large. The forum met again on 19 April to establish a campaign strategy against the adoption of Mabel’s text. IndustriALL affiliates plan to send letters to MPs on this issue and to meet with members of the parliamentary committee responsible for preparing the final draft of the bill which will then be debated in Congress before approval.

IndustriALL supports its members in the fight against outsourcing in Brazil and for the protection of the rights of workers and unions, and calls for the adoption of a bill in favour of workers.

Call for the release of trade unionist Wonder Mkhonza charged with sedition in Swaziland

Mkhonza was arrested on 12 April during mass activities to protest the 40 year old state of emergency that bans political parties and that recently banned the only trade union centre in the country, the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland-TUCOSWA. Mkhonza is the chairperson of the coordinating council of the manufacturing unions which are working towards a merger in Swaziland, a process fully supported by IndustriALL.

Mkhonza is appearing at the high court on Wednesday 24 April. He has been denied visitation and has up to now not been allowed access to a lawyer. Our immediate concern is for Mkhonza’s safety and we are reminded of fellow Swazi trade unionist Sipho Jele who died under suspicious circumstances whilst in police custody in 2010.

IndustriALL has launched an international campaign to demand the immediate release of Wonder Mkhonza and that charges against him, which include sedition, be immediately dropped.  You can support the campaign here:

http://www.change.org/petitions/free-wonder-mkhonza

Actions by the Swazi government continue to be in contravention of ILO conventions and the African People’s Charter and the UN Human rights charters. We demand that the Swazi government stop the harassment of trade unionists. We also demand that the Swaziland government uphold internationally recognized right to freedom of association and recognize the legitimacy of the recently formed trade union federation in the country TUCOSWA

We further call upon the Swazi government to recognize the right to freedom of assembly and allow for citizens to engage in peaceful protest.  

We also call on all African governments to put pressure of the Swazi government end the 40 year state of emergency and embrace democracy.  

African trade union leaders received a report on the harassment of trade union leaders at a meeting of IndustriALL Global Union being held in Midrand, South Africa on 23 April. IndustriALL represents 50 million members in 140 countries. We represent workers globally across supply chains in the energy, mining, manufacturing and related sectors, including members of our Swazi affiliated unions.
 

PRESS CONTACTS:

For further information contact please contact IndustriALL Africa Regional Secretary Fabian Nkomo +27 (0)725157415.

April 28 – A Day of Mourning

April 28 ceremonies were first organized nationally by the Canadian Labour Congress in 1984, and were finally officially recognized by the Canadian government in 1991. From its Canadian origins, observance of April 28 spread globally, under various names: a Day of Mourning; International Day of Commemoration of Dead and Injured Workers; World Day for Safety and Health at Work; or Workers' Memorial Day.

The ILO estimates that globally, some 2.3 million workers die as a result of their work every year. Many millions more are injured or made ill due to occupational disease. IndustriALL considers these numbers, shocking as they are, to be grossly underestimated because of unreliable and often manipulated statistics.

From abrasives to zoonoses, there are thousands of ways your work can kill you. Of the millions of annual worker deaths, the vast majority – some 82 percent of the total – die of occupational diseases. Only about 18 percent die of sudden or violent accidents. They have this in common: workplace death is unnecessary, and preventable.

IndustriALL Global Union knows how to put a stop to this carnage.

Governments cannot escape responsibility. IndustriALL aims for a global levelling up of standards, backed by strong and enforceable legislative and regulatory systems.

At the workplace level, employers have a responsibility to provide safe and healthy workplaces and prevent accidents and diseases. This means assigning priority and resources for effective systems to eliminate or control hazards that consider all of the daily interactions of materials, tools, equipment, working environment, job design, and people.

Workers have the right to know about the hazards of their work. They have the right to refuse, or shut down, unsafe work. They have the right to participate in the setting of health and safety policies, programmes and procedures, most effectively through joint union-management health and safety committees.

Far from complicated, it is really very simple. Good laws and standards need good enforcement. Workers have rights; but employers have responsibilities. Strong unions make these rights and responsibilities take meaning: strong unions make safer and healthier workplaces!

The past weeks have been a particularly difficult time for our colleagues in the USA. Our condolences go out to the family and friends of victims of the West Fertilizer plant explosion in Waco, Texas. And, although not an occupational accident, we also mourn with the families and friends of those killed and injured in the senseless Boston Marathon attack.

Impact of the crisis on women

These fears were the subject of an extensive discussion by the Women’s Committee of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) on 16 & 17 April, where Stephanie Seguino, from Vermont University and the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, gave a presentation called The Unholy Trinity: Crisis, Austerity and Gender Inequality.

The idea is the crisis is based on rising inequality, which was the situation before the real crisis broke out. The gap between workers and capital owners does not stop widening. Real wages are falling, and productivity is rising, which means a rise in profits to employers. The gap between men’s and women’s wages was closing, but that was only because men’s wages were dropping. There is a downward harmonization of jobs. Men’s jobs are becoming more like women’s, that is, without stability and benefits.

Single parents and ethnic minorities are the groups that already started the crisis with the greatest economic deficits – they were in the lowest paying jobs, they had few savings and assets, they were more ineligible for unemployment compensation, they were excluded from credit and then included too much in predatory loans. The first round effects of the crisis in general were a widespread destruction of jobs, drying up of credit, drop in tax revenues and rise in government spending. Nevertheless employment was badly distributed with single mothers and ethnic minorities more likely to be out of work. A new term arose, family responsibility discrimination, which describes how employers are reluctant to hire single parents.

The second round of the crisis was marked by a slowing of the hemorrhaging of jobs, an exhaustion of savings, assets and reserves, high rates of joblessness and homelessness, an increase in bankruptcy and poor credit rating. All of these factors meant that more services had to be produced at home with a rise in unpaid care labour. Public debt and deficits kept on rising.

The third round of the crisis is now austerity, the attempt to attack the debts and deficits. The austerity is leading to joblessness, mainly because the middle class is too weak to support the consumer spending that was always the backbone of the economy. Income and tax revenues are falling, and debt as a percentage of GDP is going up. The unemployment effects of austerity however must be considered differently. They are the lowest for white men, then white women, after that black men and the hardest hit are black women.

Austerity also has an impact on gender roles. Whoever loses jobs, women are expected to find ways to save money, to look after families and provide more care. Women’s care burdens rise as social spending is cut. Women are up against pressure to make a contribution to family income by working in paid jobs. Men lose their identity as breadwinners, and domestic violence rises. Men often leave the household. The costs of domestic violence are huge.

Austerity has long-term effects on social infrastructures and the economy. The sustainability of policies depends on the social infrastructure. The mistake is that there is too much focus on markets and none on the care sector. The excessive attention to financial markets drives the austerity fixation. We need to reverse the gender, racial and ethnic bias in decision-making. The alternative is investing in infrastructure, in education, childcare, health care, training, food and housing support, roads, transportation, the green economy. These investments more than pay for themselves because they raise productivity, income and ultimately tax revenues.