Implats target of Num march

In January 2012, workers at Impala Platinum went on an unprotected strike, in protest to the company taking a unilateral decision to give some workers an 18 per cent increase. The increase was given outside of the collective bargaining structure and without the involvement of Num. The six week strike was finally resolved through negotiation with Num for an across the board increase of 18 per cent.

However, the action of Impala Platinum resulted in mine workers in other companies making demands outside of the collective bargaining process and pressurising mining companies to bargain outside the established and recognised structures. This was the issues behind the Lonmin strike and subsequent labour unrest that has claimed the lives of at least 70 people so far.

Two forces were at play here, a rival union looking to make inroads and opportunistic behaviour of mining companies, described by Num spokesperson Lesiba Seshoko as “motivated by divide and rule tactics, to ensure that workers have no confidence in the union”.

These two forces have been enabled by violence and intimidation that has gone unchecked at Impala Platinum. According to Seshoko, “Impala has done nothing to address the violence, even allowing workers to carry guns and other weapons to work. Our Num office at Impala was violently closed in January and remains closed in the current atmosphere of intimidation. What’s more is that Impala has taken no disciplinary action against perpetrators.” Num demands that the security issues at Impala Platinum are immediately addressed to end the violence and intimidation and reopen the Num offices.    

Impala Platinum has also publically spoken of a decline in Num membership in the company from 70 per cent to 13 per cent but has backed out of a verification process. Num alleges that workers have been forced to resign their membership and join the rival union and has demanded an independent verification exercise, in the absence of intimidation, to establish their representation at the mine. 

EU industrial policy must address social issues

IndustriAll European Trade Union welcomes the new industrial policy released by the Commission, but argues that it fails to adequately deal with the growing social issues that continue to threaten Europe and if the European Commission sticks to its current austerity policy the goals to revive industry in Europe will not be reached.

In a policy paper published on 10 October, the European Commission attempts to re-launch manufacturing activity and bring industries back to Europe.

"We are glad to see that the Commission shares our view that only a strong European industry can bring about economic recovery after years of crisis," said Ulrich Eckelmann, General Secretary of IndustriAll European Trade Union. IndustriAll European Trade Union is now waiting for appropriate financing proposals as the financing concept contained in the policy document would not be sufficient to increase industrial growth.

IndustriAll European Trade Union has signed on to the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) resolution; “A Social Compact for Europe”. An important element for ETUC is to have the means and resources for training to keep having a qualified workforce.

"The EU must swing into action on industrial policy. European workers can no longer be content with declarations of hypothetical support for industry," said Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of ETUC. European industrial policy should also focus on forward-looking industries, such as energy and transport, in order to achieve a green and sustainable economy.

The ETUC Executive Committee meeting on 17 October called for a day of action and solidarity on 14 November, including strikes, demonstrations, rallies and other actions, mobilizing the European trade union movement behind ETUC policies as set down in the Social Compact for Europe.

NEWU commemorates world day for decent work

NEWU joined the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) in a day of community service, cleaning a clinic. In his address to the workers after the clean-up, the ZCTU General Secretary, Japhet Moyo said that millions of Zimbabweans have lost all hope of securing employment and those few that are lucky, are mostly engaged in precarious work. He added that the demand for salaries and wages above the poverty datum line is an ongoing struggle for Zimbabwean workers.

On this day, NEWU joined the ZCTU in demanding salaries above the $600.00 (which is the PDL) and job security, which also affects the engineering sector. Most employers are underpaying their workers and resort to using casual labour in a bid to evade paying workers their full benefits, leaving workers with no job security. NEWU reports that some workers go to work everyday but with no guarantee receiving their wages at the end of the month.

The non remittance of union dues, deducted from workers salaries by employers, has also affected the union. This is crippling the union’s finances and affecting its service delivery to its members.

In the last two years, the union has failed to reach an agreement through wage negotiations or arbitration, leaving workers with no choice but resort to industrial action in the future. 

Textile workers demand support to fire-victims in Bangladesh

A long human chain stood in front of National Press Club in Dhaka on 12 October demanding support to the victims of fire in Begun Bari and Sattala slums area. Workers, holding red-flags, took out a procession after the human chain and rallied through the important city streets. The rally was organized by an IndustriALL Global Union affiliate in Bangladesh, the National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF). 

According to the NGWF report over 7,000 people, of whom more than 4,000 are garment workers, were seriously affected by a devastating fire at Sattala under Mohakhali area in Dhaka city on 7 October 2012. Earlier, on 20 September, more than 3,000 garment workers were affected seriously in another fire at Begun Bari slum zone under Tejgaon, another area of Dhaka city.

At the meeting union leaders expressed deep regret over the fact that garment workers contributing almost 80 per cent of country’s export earnings having lost everything after the fire are now facing inhuman misery with no help from the government, factory owners or buyers.

The speakers expressed gratitude to BRAC (a development organization dedicated to alleviating poverty) the only NGO that helped Begun Bari fire victims providing medical treatment to injured persons and rendering financial support to each of the affected families.

NGWF strongly believes that the garment factories employing workers have to provide safe and better living places for their workers.

The participants of the rally urged all, including the government, factory owners and buyers to come forward to help the affected garment workers. The union believes that the factories in affected areas or nearby could take the initiative to identify their affected workers and render support to them. The union also says that the brands could also participate; at least those who have an office in Dhaka could render support through their supplying factories. The union is ready to help and identify the garment workers in need and arrange support distribution.

From the beginning NGWF tried to alleviate the situation of the affected workers, activists of the union took the injured for treatment by BRAC, arranged at least for some temporary living, and provided small financial support to some affected workers

Trade unions examine global energy issues

Important issues were discussed. Energy resource investment and development is being guided by greed not need. Rapid construction of energy systems to try to keep up with demand, is in general not utilizing the best or most sustainable technologies. This risks locking the world in to a built infrastructure that is poorly adapted to the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Many participants pointed to the failure of the current global economic model and the need for greater democracy in the control of energy resources, in the generation of electricity, in the distribution of electricity, in the planning of future energy systems, and in demanding universal access to energy as a human right.

Trade unions around the world have responded to the energy crisis by engaging in the debate on future energy systems and industrial strategies, as well as the question of how to create a Just Transition for present and future workers.

Participants generally made the case for public and democratic ownership of energy, although some pointed out that trade unions work with private employers as well, sometimes with good results for union members.

Representatives IndustriALL Global Union and many of its affiliates, other global union federations, and progressive labour groups were in attendance and participated in the discussion that was very open and frank, particularly in the small groups. For more details on the conference, please see the website: http://energyemergencyenergytransition.org/

There will be further dialogue facilitated by Cornell on these and related subjects.

Small step but giant leap for the financial transaction tax

On 9 October Austria, Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain agreed to coordinate the implementation of a FTT.

The timetable for the implementation of a FTT is uncertain, but may be done by the end of the year. Although the initiative is strongly backed by 11 euro-zone countries, there are differences of opinion over how much revenue the tax will generate and what the income should be used for.

As there is now political will to impose the FTT, the next steps to introduce the tax will be.

See press release from the European Council here.

For the past 3 years, in a climate of economic insecurity, citizens, grassroots organizations, NGOs and trade unions have been demanding and continue to demand the implementation of a FTT through a massive campaign called the Robin Hood Tax. Although this new development in Europe is a big step there are still many questions of concern on where the income generated by the tax will be spent.

The revenues generated by FTT could fund programmes to assist those most affected by the financial crisis, alleviate poverty and fund climate action. The FTT could eliminate extreme forms of speculative behavior, which have no social value, and seek better financial sector accountability.

 

New union in Canada takes shape

At its Convention in Quebec from 14 to 17 October, union leaders and members of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP) affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, have overwhelmingly voted in favour of creating a new union jointly with Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW), another affiliate of IndustriALL.

“With this new union we are sending out a clear message that labour is ready to do what is necessary to take on governments and employers who would like nothing better than to see us disappear,” said CEP National President Dave Coles. “I have no doubt that this bold initiative will bolster the efforts of labour and other progressive movements across the country,” he said, noting that “with a critical mass in every province, it will be the largest union of its kind in Canada.”

His colleague, CAW President Ken Lewenza echoed this message saying, “Our new union will be well-suited to take on today’s challenges, particularly around the growing precariousness of employment.” He added, “Workers across the country will soon have a greater opportunity for union representation in their community and existing members will have more bargaining clout when sitting across from their employer at the negotiating table. We will be stronger, more effective and yield greater influence.”

CAW members confirmed their engagement towards creation of the new union at their Convention in August.

In his address to the participants of the CEP Convention, Jyrki Raina, General Secretary of IndustriALL Global Union, praised the work Canadian unions are doing both inside and outside their country and welcomed the creation of a new strong union saying, “I’m convinced that you will be not only bigger, but also better. Your message is clear: we are big, we are strong, we are united – don’t mess with us.”

Both unions have formed a joint Proposal Committee, made up of eight local and national leaders from each organization. The Committee will meet to plan the upcoming work of the six working groups – Constitutional, Implementation, Staff Relations, Organizing, Communications and Convention Planning.

Nationally the new union will focus on collective bargaining with the aim of providing for its members better wages, pensions and benefits, protecting rights and respect at the workplace, improving health and safety, promoting democracy at work, as well as organizing. The new union will cultivate equality, transparency and democracy of its structures. In a broader society among others the union will commit to the fight for freedom, civil liberties and democratic trade unionism, support an environmentally sustainable future, resist corporate globalization, contribute to global union solidarity and work to end war and contribute to world peace.

The concrete date for creation of the new union has not yet been decided, but the founding convention is scheduled for 2013.

Commitment to Trade Union Networks and Global Framework Agreements

“Everywhere in the world people still work under appalling conditions and are persecuted and oppressed because they organize a union,” said Berthold Huber, President of IndustriALL Global Union, new global union force founded in June 2012 when three international union bodies came together to represent 50 million workers in 140 countries across the mining, energy and manufacturing sectors.

“Our central task is to enforce minimum social standards in order to make globalization more humane. We are negotiating with companies on Global Framework Agreements so as to implement minimum conditions in all locations of the company and in their supply chains,” said Huber.

For IndustriALL, trade union networks are genuine tools in building global union structures, linking trade unions within a company regardless of whether a global agreement exists. Trade union networks are cornerstone structures in confronting global capital. The conference in Frankfurt is discussing the important functions of trade unions in the monitoring and proper implementation of global framework agreements.

Global Framework Agreements are negotiated at a global level between trade unions and multinational companies and set out the standards for workers’ rights and decent working conditions throughout the companies operations and its supply chains.

These global agreements are one of the leading strategies used by trade unions to establish mechanisms of regular social dialogue at global or regional level to enable constructive industrial relations leading to global level negotiations.

“IndustriALL’s role as a global union must be to rebalance the distribution of power in the global economy, away from multinational corporations and towards nations, communities and people,” said Raina.

The unique feature of GFA’s is the ongoing relationship with labour and the possibility for the workers themselves in the companies, through their trade union organizations, to monitor and ensure rights are respected and conditions are improved.

“GFAs remain one of the best ways to secure workers’ rights and improve conditions in multinational companies in our globalized economy,” said Jyrki Raina, General Secretary of IndustriALL Global Union.

“Global agreements can also help us to establish new trade unions and build the strength of working people throughout the world,” said Raina. “And we will continue to support GFA’s through the building of global trade union networks in global companies to negotiate, monitor compliance and improve conditions,” said Raina.

“Global capital is an immense force, its power must be tempered by the power of people acting together,” said Raina.

Media Contacts

Tom Grinter, Communications Officer, +41 22 304 1853 or +41 79 693 44 99

Notes to editors

Global Framework Agreements are negotiated on a global level between trade unions and a multinational company. They put in place the very best standards of trade union rights, health, safety and environmental practices, and quality of work principles across a company's global operations, regardless of whether those standards exist in an individual country.

IndustriALL and its three founding organizations have signed Global Agreements with the following multinational companies: Aker, AngloGold, BMW, Bosch, Brunel, Daimler, EADS, EDF, Electrolux, Endesa, Eni, Evonik, Ford, Freudenberg, GDF Suez, GEA, Indesit, Inditex, Lafarge, Leoni, Lukoil, MAN, Mizuno, Norsk Hydro, Norske Skog, Petrobras, Prym, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Renault, Rheinmetall, Rhodia, Röchling, Saab, SCA, Siemens, SKF, Statoil, Umicore, Vallourec, and, Volkswagen.

IndustriALL Global Union represents workers in a wide range of sectors from extraction of oil and gas, mining, generation and distribution of electric power, to manufacturing of metals and metal products, shipbuilding, automotive, aerospace, mechanical engineering, electronics, chemicals, rubber, pulp and paper, building materials, textiles, garments, leather and footwear and environmental services. IndustriALL Global Union was founded in Copenhagen on 19 June 2012. The new organization brings together affiliates of the former global union federations: International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF), International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) and International Textiles Garment and Leather Workers' Federation (ITGLWF).

For more go to: www.industriall-union.org

UKRAINE ACTIONS

IndustriALL Global Union affiliate the Metallurgical and Mining Industry Workers’ Union of Ukraine (MMIWU) held a round table against precarious work on 3 October. Union leader Vladimir Kazachenko spoke about IndustriALL Global Union, World Day for Decent Work campaign and new legislation in Ukraine on precarios work.

Unions secure employment at Indesit in Italy

Earlier, Indesit announced its decision to close its production site in None city, Piedmont region of Italy and transfer the production of dishwashers to its Polish site in Radomsko. This decision could cost 406 employees their jobs in Italy.

On 10 October 2012 the trade unions Fim, Fiom and Uilm, affiliates of IndustriALL Global Union, signed an agreement with Indesit in the presence of representatives of the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Labour of the region of Piedmont.

According to the agreement Indesit undertakes to provide employment to all affected workers, maintain its None site research and development centre as well as partially its marketing activities. The company will invest in the construction of a logistics and service centre. About one hundred people out of 406 will remain directly employed by Indesit. The company also provides guarantees to the rest of the workers through alternative employment solutions.

Besides guarantees to None workers Indesit promised to ensure employment and work for the rest of its sites in Italy. The agreement has been submitted for approval of the workers.

Currently Indesit employs 4,568 workers in Itlay.

The difficult dispute at Indesit Company confirmed a severe crisis of the white goods sector in Europe evolved in absence of meaningful industrial policies from European Commission and Italian Government. A national coordination body of the Ministry of Economic development is going to meet on 5 November to find out ways to ensure the recovery of the white goods sector in Italy.