IndustriALL women’s committee meeting calls for inclusivity

In his opening address IndustriALL general secretary, Atle Høie, emphasized the importance of the implementation, training and understanding of IndustriALL’s policy on GBVH, misgogyny and sexism.

“Women play an important role in our fight for democracy and societal development. Your discussions here today should influence the direction of our organization. It’s not only important to make sure that we mitigate the negative impacts of any global developments, but also make sure it has a positive influence on our movement. My role here today is to listen to you and take your recommendations to the excutive committee meeting,”

said Atle Høie.

Christina Olivier, IndustriALL assistant general secretary, highlighted achievements for women, like IndustriALL’s first female president, countries ratifying ILO Convention 190, extended parental leave and new pay equity legislation.

“Despite this great progress, gender equality remains a challenge, women workers continue to face discrimination and unequal power relations and more needs to be done to address the persistent gender gaps,”

said Christina Olivier.

Amid a general agreement that the road ahead is long, women leaders from Australia and Brazil shared their success on trade union campaigns that address the gender pay gap.

Australia’s new legislation on extended Paid Parental Leave (PPL) for families means that parental leave will increase from 20 weeks to 26 weeks.

In Brazil, new legislation guaranteeing equal pay for men and women sets out measures to promote and implement diversity and inclusion programmes in the workplace. It also requires companies with 100 or more employees to provide transparent half-yearly reports on pay and remuneration criteria.

Discussions on AI revealed that fewer women, globally, worked in AI and that women are often not part of the workforce developing these systems. The women’s committee concluded that a gender transformative approach is necessary. Together with the gender equality task force, the women’s committee will develop policies and guidelines ensuring the inclusion of women.

“All policies must be gender transformative. When it comes to AI, IndustriALL and affiliates need to be part of debates and work on regulations and policies prohibiting abuse that will further disadvantage women. Trade unions should influence the development of AI and ensure that the technology is used to narrow gender equality gaps and other forms of discrimination,”

said Armelle Seby, IndustriALL gender director.

A way to address the gender pay gap is through collective bargaining. Maike Niggermann from IndustriALL European Trade Union shared details on a project called bargaining for equality. She presented examples on how unions include gender clauses in agreements to close gender gaps, ensuring that every agreement has at least one equality objective, high fines to employers who fail to act when it comes to sexual harassment and paid leave for GBVH victims.

Menopause has a significant impact on the world of work as women risk being excluded from the workforce due to their symptoms. Alison Spencer shared how Unite the Union focused on menapausal education for the workforce and how small adjustments can ensure women’s inclusion, like opening windows, flexibility in shifts, allowing women more breaks, and that existing health and safety legislation could assist with these adjustments, like breathable PPE.

In order for unions to stay relevant and grow it is essential that young women workers be included in these kinds of platforms. Youth representatives Maria Bange from Tanzania Union of Industrial and Commercial Workers (TUICO), Laya Borjal Ferrer from Associated Labour Unions (ALU-TUCP) in Philippeans, and Agnes Ama Agamasu from Ghana Mineworkers shared their experiences as young women workers and leaders in their unions, indicating that it is challenging but with the support of strong women mentors at IndustriALL they have been able to develop in their unions, participate in structures, and see changes.

“This women’s committee meeting was productive. It is important for us to discuss and strategize on issues that affect us women. We need these platforms to raise topics like menopause, AI and collective bargaining. If we don’t work on strategies we will be left behind, the struggle for gender equality and women rights never end. The fight must continue,”

said Ilvana Smajlovic IndustriALL women’s committee co-chair.

Sign for the right to strike

Since 2015, the ILO employers’ groups and certain governments have challenged ILO Convention 87 on Freedom of Association, which is ratified by 153 countries, and up-holds the right to strike. The right to strike is an essential part of freedom of association; withholding labour is a crucial negotiating tool during the bargaining process.

IndustriALL, together with the ITUC and other global unions, have strongly pushed back against the view from the employers’ group on the right to strike. Late last year the question was referred by the ILO Governing Body to the International Court of Justice.

The International Labour Conference, the annual meeting of ILO member states, starts early June. Together, let’s remind delegates of their duty to support the right to strike and democracy at work.

Sign and share the ITUC petition, which will be delivered to delegates in Geneva in June.

Says IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie:

“Striking is a last resort but sometimes the only tool workers have to protect themselves. IndustriALL will never silently watch that fundamental right be attacked. Our affiliates represent 50 million workers around the world – let’s raise our voices and push back.”

Photo: Ringo Chiu – People holding signs take part in a protest at the University of California Los Angeles campus Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022 in Los Angeles.

Solidarity and challenges in the nuclear sector amidst Ukraine’s invasion

“We extend our deepest gratitude to the participants of this meeting, including representatives from IndustriALL Global and all trade unions from around the world for your support and solidarity with Ukraine,”

said Valery Matov, IndustriALL co-chair for the nuclear Sector and vice president of Ukrainian union Atomprofspilka.

Ukrainian trade unions are grappling with the loss of territories, facilities and people due to the ongoing conflict.

“The UN Security Council has highlighted that the world is witnessing the most armed conflicts since WWII. Despite this, the UN has not expelled Russia from the Security Council, and the ILO continues to cooperate with Russia. As of May 17, 2024, Ukraine has lost 30 per cent of its economy, 20 per cent of its territory, and 3.5 million jobs due to the Russian aggression. Russia's targeting of Ukraine's energy sector is further exacerbating the crisis,”

Valery continued.

Kemal Ozkan, IndustriALL assistant general secretary, highlighted that with Russia's continued attacks on critical infrastructure, which caused significant damage and disruption in March, the global union community has been actively increasing pressure on international bodies. Nuclear unions worldwide are committed and supporting Ukrainian’s workers.

“Mobilizing the international governance system remains crucial to maintaining this pressure. Findings from an independent mission have confirmed consistent attacks on infrastructure, and we expect the ILO to play a key role in mobilizing global governance,”

said Özkan.

Casper Edmonds from the ILO emphasized the profound suffering inflicted on Ukraine by the Russian aggression. He noted that Russia's actions violate the UN Charter and international law, and oppose the ILO's mission to promote peace and social justice.

Edmonds highlighted the dire conditions faced by Ukrainian workers at Russian-occupied nuclear plants, working under threats to prevent nuclear disasters.

“Their bravery is commendable. The ILO's commitment to establishing an office in Kyiv signifies a proactive approach to ensuring a rights-based reconstruction of Ukraine, working closely with international partners.”

Trade unions in the nuclear sector from Argentina, France, Japan, Spain, the UK, and the United States provided an overview of the challenges and developments they face. They highlighted the struggle with transitioning to new energy sources while ensuring workers are considered, especially under conservative governments in Argentina and the UK. The discussions confirmed that much work remains to ensure workers are consulted and involved in all developments. The trade unions expressed their strong support and solidarity with the Ukrainian people, were deeply appalled by the situation in Ukraine.

During the ITUC mission to Kyiv on May 14-15, the global solidarity with Ukrainian colleagues was evident. Representatives from ITUC, IndustriALL, UNI global union and the TUC-UK all express that the courage and resilience of Ukrainian unions in these challenging times are commendable.

Upon his return from Ukraine last week industriALL general secretary, Atle Hoie, said:

“My visit to Ukraine was a sobering reminder of the profound human cost of this conflict. It reinforced my belief in the need for solidarity and support from the international community. We must continue to keep Ukraine in our thoughts and on our agendas, ensuring that the sacrifices of its people are not forgotten, and that their fight for freedom is supported. The bravery and resilience of Ukrainian workers and their unions are nothing short of extraordinary, and their struggle is one that demands our support.”

Links :

Resolution concerning the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine from the perspective of the mandate of the International Labour Organization (ILO)

ILO Brief: Violations of fundamental principles and rights at work at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and in Enerhodar city in Ukraine, temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation

Spain: Saint-Gobain workers fight plant closure

Despite the plant's demonstrated productivity and the expertise of its workforce, Saint-Gobain cites the economic downturn during the pandemic, a component supply crisis, and uncertain future market conditions as reasons for the decision. When the company announced a restructuring plan for the replacement windshield manufacturing in 2022, they initiated legal procedures for layoffs instead of entering into dialogue with the union. When the workforce responded with a strike, the layoffs were retracted and negotiations with the union were held.

To transform the business, Saint-Gobain proposed a EUR10 million investment into the Avilés plant. However, this came with conditions: workforce reductions, wage restrictions in the collective agreement, and lower wages for new hires. While the workforce gradually reduced, and a wage agreement was reached, the third condition to pay lower wages to new hires was unacceptable to IndustriALL affiliate CC.OO UGT and the corriente sindical de izquierdas (CSI).

The last two years have seen production gradually shift to Saint-Gobain's plant in Kenitra, Morocco, where labour costs are lower. This has left the Avilés facility in a precarious situation with insufficient orders to meet profitability requirements. The company now wants to shut down operations without offering any alternatives.

In a letter sent to Saint-Gobain SEKURIT, Atle Høie IndustriALL general secretary expressed that

" IndustriALL stands in solidarity with the workers of Avilés. We support their efforts to preserve their jobs and urge Saint-Gobain to reconsider its decision for the sake of the community and its dedicated workforce."

Unions have suggested various activities to preserve local employment, but the company has consistently rejected these proposals. Workers are currently participating in partial strikes, demonstrations, and meetings with political leaders to mitigate the social impact of the closure. Unions call on Saint-Gobain to uphold its social responsibility and sustainability commitments, highlighting the environmental repercussions of such a move.

Spain's Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz has criticized the company's justifications as inadequate and labelled the closure as a poor practice. She emphasized that relocating industry solely for increased profitability at the expense of higher labour costs is unacceptable. Minister Díaz also announced that public subsidies received by Saint-Gobain would be scrutinized and potentially reclaimed if linked to job delocalization.

Shutterstock Photo ID: 2130304655 FEBRUARY 2022 – LA DEFENSE – FRANCE: view on the Saint Gobain signboard

Ivorian union campaigns for gender equality in the mines

These issues make up the agenda of on-going workshops which began in April and will end in July. The workshops are part of the IndustriALL Sub Saharan Africa regional activities on women in mining.

The series of workshops began with the mining prospects for Côte d’Ivoire workshop which took place at Agbaou gold mine, 25-26 April in which workers from Bonikro Mine also participated. The mines are owned by Allied Gold Corporation, a Canadian gold mining multinational listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, which also has operations in Ethiopia and Mali. Côte d’Ivoire also has some of the critical minerals that are needed for the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. These included bauxite, lithium, and manganese.

The Allied Gold mines, which employ women as administrators, engineers, dump truck drivers, and occupational health and safety officers, have a combined workforce of over 700 workers. The workforce comprises 11 and 15 per cent women at Agbaou and Bonikro, respectively.

Over 100 women from the Federation Ivorienne des Syndicates des Mines, Metaux, Carrieres et Connexes (FISMECA), which is affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, participated at the workshop. The issues discussed included equal-pay-for-work-of-equal-value, the collective bargaining agreement with the mines, how the union is engaging the mines on the gender pay gap, and the beginning of social dialogue with the ministry of mines to discuss decent working conditions. Ministry officials present at the workshops said the government welcomed engagement with trade unions organizing in the country’s growing mining sector.

Participants applauded the current collective bargaining agreement which gave women miners one year maternity leave. However, some participants raised concerns that mining companies could use the long maternity leave to further widen the gender gap to marginalize women through loss of benefits and opportunities.

Zogba Karidja Traore, chairperson of the FISMECA women’s committee, said the union is campaigning for gender equality.

“Often women are excluded from training and not promoted especially when they return from maternity leave. This affects their wages which will remain lower that their co-workers.”

She added that FISMECA is supporting women candidates in the coming union elections so that they are represented in the leadership.

“The gender pay gap must be closed as women miners are equally qualified as their male co-workers. One of the ways to end this discrimination is to have gender responsive workplace policies as per International Labour Organization Convention 190 to end violence and harassment in the world of work,”

said Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub Saharan Africa, who participated at the workshops together with the project team.

GM workers in Colombia and Ecuador condemn plant shutdowns

On 26 April 2024, GM announced that it was unilaterally shutting down its manufacturing and assembly plants in order to shift its operations in Colombia and Ecuador to sales and after-sales services. Manufacturing operations stopped immediately at the Colmotores plant in Colombia and will be halted in late August at the OBB plant in Ecuador.

According to Juan Romero, a GM Colombia worker and union member, 20 workers were summoned to a "mandatory business meeting" where they were told the news by video and offered an individual, non-negotiable resignation agreement. They were given the choice of either signing the agreement or being part of the collective layoffs.

The union urged them not to sign and met with the Ministry of Labour, which sent an inspection team to GM to verify whether operations had ceased and requested that the unions be allowed to enter the plant. However, GM refused to allow this.

The Ministry issued a statement indicating that the company’s treatment of its workers was hostile and that the shutdown was unilateral and abrupt. It also adopted precautionary measures preventing GM from initiating administrative proceedings to wind up its companies and ordering it to maintain labour relations with the workers, even those who had already signed resignation agreements. However, the company failed to comply with the order and sent telegrams to the workers who had signed resignation agreements, informing them that they would not be paid for two weeks’ work.

The company states in writing that it will support workers in both countries during the transition and that it has developed an employment termination plan and a solid and comprehensive labour relocation programme. However, Romero says that workers have not been involved in developing the plan and have not received any job relocation proposals.

"GM did not develop a termination plan or warn us about it. The shutdown was abrupt, hostile, crude and harsh. The workers who signed the resignation agreement were merely offered interview advice and included in a job pool. They have not been transferred to other positions.
“We want a just transition – we have skills and we are ready. We told the government that we are prepared to retrain and work within GM's new business model or in another company. Unfortunately, we believe that GM plans to close down the plant, lay off the workers and end the collective bargaining agreement; then in two or three years, it will reopen the plant and take on new workers at the minimum wage, with no union and no collective bargaining agreement."

Edwin Vedolla, national vice-president of Ecuador's CEDOCUT union and former general secretary of the GM works council and of the OBB workers' union, says:

"The closure of the plant in Ecuador affects 300 GM employees directly and more than 5,000 additional workers throughout the production chain. Various Chinese investors showed “interest in buying the plant, which would have made it possible to keep the workforce.
"We submitted this option to the Ministry of Labour and Industry, but they preferred not to intervene, saying that there was nothing they could do, since GM had already decided to close the plant rather than sell it. All they said was that they would ensure that workers received the compensation they were entitled to. GM wants to keep out the competition – it never intended to sell the plant or leave the infrastructure in place."

IndustriALL Global Union deputy regional secretary, Cristian Alejandro Valerio, says:

"We stand in support of our colleagues in Colombia and Ecuador during this difficult time. We urge GM to review its decision; in addition to running their business operations and generating profits companies have a social role to play in our countries. That’s why they regularly receive tax exemptions and subsidies from the State."

Malaysia’s booming electronics industry leaves little room for workers’ rights

According to reports, Intel will build a new chip assembly plant valued at US$7 billion, with a 3D chip packing plant in the pipeline. Infineon will construct the biggest 200mm silicon carbide power fabrication plant in Malaysia. Texas Instruments is expanding its operation by adding two new assembly and test facilities. Jabil, Bosch, Micron, Western Digital, Alton, Indium, AT&S and ATX will either expand their operations or build new manufacturing facilities in Malaysia.

But the booming industry leaves little room for workers’ rights. Electronics unions were banned in the 1970s but thanks to international pressure the government approved in-house unions in the late 1980s.

In 2009, the government allowed the establishment of regional electronics unions. In the ensuing years Electronics Industry Employees' Unions (EIEU) western region, Southern region, Northern region and Eastern region were formed. The four unions are affiliated to IndustriALL as EIEU coalition.

EIEU Coalition represents around 13,000 electronics workers in twenty companies, around 2.8 percent of the total electronics workforce. It is estimated that 471,800 workers are employed in the electronics sector in Malaysia.

Since its inception, EIEU Coalition has faced anti-union discrimination. In 2011, the EIEU Western region president Wan Noorulazhar bin Mohd Hanafiah was dismissed after the union was formed. The Malaysian government is investigating a complaint filed by EIEU western region on violation of workers' rights.

Two years ago, workers at Molex were intimidated during the secret ballot exercise. The Industrial Relations Department initiated an investigation and put the secret ballot on hold. EIEUNR submitted a voice recording with threats of the company management, but has since declined the department’s request for interviews for fear of exposing the unionists to further intimidation. The case remains pending in the court.

In a recent secret ballot at Texas Instruments Malaysia, management changed the shift schedule, arranged a few “appreciation meals” for workers on the polling day, and deployed the management team and security guards at noticeable areas to intimidate workers.

Bruno Periera, the pioneer of organizing in the electronics sector and general secretary of EIEU Western region, says that for 50 years the Malaysian government has attracted foreign electronics investment by providing a weak union environment.

“Disapproval of setting up a national electronics union, an unfair secret ballot formula that counts absentee votes against the unions, weak enforcement of the Industrial Relations Act that prohibits union busting by the authority, widespread intimidation of local and migrant workers during the organizing process, are factors that contribute to the low unionization and collective bargaining coverage in Malaysia’s electronics sector,”

says Periera.

A silver lining for the Malaysian labour movement is that the Trade Union Act amendment, which allows cross-sector organizing and democratic competition among trade unions, will create an enabling environment for organizing in the electronics sector.

The Labour Law Reform Coalition (LLRC), a coalition of 58 trade unions and NGOs led by IndustriALL Malaysia affiliates, is continuously advocating for stronger worker protection laws and regulations to facilitate organizing.

The coalition’s secretary-general and IndustriALL Executive Committee member Gopal Kishnam Nadesan is calling on the government to make the secret ballot formula the same as the general election formula: unions obtaining the highest votes in the ballot box should be accorded recognition.

IndustriALL affiliates in Malaysia regularly file union busting complaints with the Industrial Relations Department demanding that action is taken against employers. Malaysian union leaders meet on a regular basis to exchange organizing and campaign strategies. The unions are increasing cooperation with migrant worker NGOs to reach out migrant workers and handle grievances.

Says Alexander Ivanou, IndustriALL electrical and electronics director:

“The booming electronics industry in Malaysia should be welcomed as it creates more jobs. However, IndustriALL urges multinationals to respect workers’ rights, in particularl freedom of association when establishing or increasing manufacturing facilities. Companies’ efforts to mitigate financial, operational, legal, geopolitical and other risks should not be done at the expense of workers’ fundamental rights and decent living.”

IDAHOBIT: No comrade left behind

POSTER ENG	POSTER ESP	POSTER FRA

Solidarity is an antidote to a world beset by conflict and inequality. Therefore, it is critical for us to unite, resist and challenge employers and governments while building strong movements to achieve social and economic justice for all.

We are strongest and most effective when standing together regardless of any differences we might have. The global anti-apartheid movement, for example, transcended borders and race to end a racist regime. Tellingly, South Africa's constitution, adopted after apartheid, was the first in the world to explicitly safeguard the rights of LGBTI+ people.

The fight for LGBTI+ equality has been led by many brave leaders, sharing our trade union and progressive values. In many countries, trade unions continue to be a prominent part of the struggle, often making gains in collective bargaining which influences policy and legislative change. When LGBTI+ workers organised to confront homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in the world of work and society, many trade unions joined the call for protection from discrimination and equal treatment. Our underlying ethic of solidarity required us to stand with workers facing exclusion, discrimination, harassment and violence.

Solidarity remains both the driving force and the bedrock of our movement, guiding us toward a future of equality, justice and freedom for all. In contrast, powerful forces seek to divide workers and vilify LGBTI+ people as a distraction from issues like corruption, inequality and failed neoliberal policies. They often target low-income communities, weaponising their anxieties caused by economic inequalities and falsely framing the cultural interest of “elites'' as values of ordinary people. This divisive rhetoric is trafficked through social media and undisclosed financial contributions.

We have become familiar with the right’s scapegoating of migrants and the poor, its islamophobia, racism and antisemitism. Misogyny has intensified with attacks on women’s bodily autonomy and integrity. This is all part of an organised, anti-rights agenda which is a direct threat to all that trade unions stand and fight for.

On this International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, we commit ourselves to continue fighting for the rights of all workers and call on our affiliates around the world to support our call to end violence and discrimination in the workplace, ensuring that no comrade is left behind.

An injury to one is an injury to all.

Solidarity requires nothing less of us.

Uniting for justice for ALL workers

IDAHOBIT has been recognized since May 17, 2004. The day aims to raise awareness about the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBTQI+ people worldwide and to advocate for their rights.

The January 2024 launch of the LGBTQI+ worker toolkit by global unions is a key resource in this mission. This toolkit, aligned with ILO Convention 190, aims to combat workplace violence and harassment, providing union leaders and members with the necessary tools to promote inclusive and respectful environments.

Facilitator guide	Participant workbook

The toolkit features two resources: the LGBTQI+ Facilitator Guide and the LGBTQI+ Participant Workbook. The Facilitator Guide is designed for educators and union leaders, offering modules and activities to deepen understanding and promote discussions on violence and harassment against LGBTQI+ individuals. The Participant Workbook provides union members, LGBTQI+ workers, and activists with practical strategies to create inclusive and respectful workplaces.

" We must look forward and strengthen our commitment to support all workers, especially those facing discrimination. Unions play a crucial role in creating workplaces where everyone can thrive. This toolkit is a powerful resource to help us achieve that goal, and while the 17 May is a great day to promote it, we must not stop here, every day is a good day to advocate for inclusivity,"

said Christine Olivier, IndustriALL assistant general secretary.

IDAHOBIT serves as a reminder of the importance of solidarity in a world full of conflict and inequality. It is critical to unite, resist, and challenge employers and governments, building strong movements for social and economic justice. On this day, IndustriALL renews its commitment to fight for the rights of all workers and urges affiliates to support the call to end workplace violence and discrimination, ensuring no comrade is left behind.

Union protests massive job loss at gold mines in South Africa

The march took place in Carletonville, Johannesburg, and comes after 3,107 permanent workers were given retrenchment notices, while 915 contract workers will also lose their jobs. The NUM said the job losses will impoverish mineworkers who support up to ten family members.

The union said it is surprised that the retrenchments are taking place when the gold price is high, and while Sibanye Stillwater, listed on the Johannesburg and New York Stock Exchanges, is paying millions of dollars in salaries and bonuses to its CEO, Neal Froneman. For example, Froneman earned R291 million (US$15,8 million) in 2021, R198 million (US$10.8 million in 2022) and R56 million (US$3 million) in 2023. The NUM said these amounts were too high for a company that claims financial difficulties as part of the reasons for the retrenchments.

“Sibanye Stillwater has been retrenching workers yearly to cut costs and make huge profits at the expense of mineworkers. The retrenchments are taking place even though the gold price is high. We are surprised that the retrenchments were announced just before the commencement of the wage negotiations with the company,”

said Mpho Phakedi, NUM acting general secretary.

The NUM, affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, said over the years Sibanye Stillwater has put some mining shafts under “care and maintenance” as an excuse to retrench workers and the union is calling upon the departments of mineral resources and energy (DMRE) and employment and labour to investigate this practice. The NUM also says the government must enforce the “use it or lose it” principle with regards to the mining licences that the multinational is holding.

The NUM is also concerned because Sibanye Stillwater is amongst the worst mining companies in South Africa when it comes to health and safety as eight workers were killed in mine accidents at its operations in 2023. The union attributes this to non-compliance with the Mine Health and Safety Act, and that this was worsened by ineffective labour inspection by the DMRE which has fewer inspectors than are required for the inspections.

“Sibanye Stillwater must seriously consider workers livelihoods before embarking on mass layoffs. The concerns of workers and communities must be prioritised before closing the mines. Mining multinationals should not only be driven by the profit motive, but by environmental, social, and governance issues,”

said Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL mining director.

In a solidarity letter to the NUM, the United Steel Workers (USW) Local 11-0001, an IndustriALL affiliate in the US, said:

“The treatment of the skilled and dedicated South African workforce by Sibanye Stillwater is deplorable. We would like to convey our concerns as well as our support with the troubling situation that Sibanye has placed them in.”