Support a YES to UAW at Mercedes-Benz in Alabama

Ahead of the vote next week the workers are facing union busting. In a blatant show of disrespect for democracy and fundamental workers’ rights, the employer in Tuscaloosa is trying to influence the upcoming vote, wanting to scare the auto workers into voting no, against the union.

What our Mercedes colleagues in Alabama need now is our solidarity to know that they are not alone. Joining the UAW they will become part of our global union family of 50 million workers around the world.

Success breeds success; workers at another auto plant in the US, in Chattanooga, fought hard for their win and succeeded. They were the last Volkswagen plant in the world to unionize but will now have a voice in the workplace. Turning the tide in the traditionally anti-union US South, we are supporting the workers at Mercedes in Alabama and your support is important.

Please show your support for a yes vote and welcome the Mercedes workers in Tuscaloosa to the union! Here is what to do:

Union forced out of May Day celebrations in Zimbabwe

According to ZDAMWU, an IndustriALL affiliate who organizes in the diamond and mining sectors, the union’s tent was destroyed. Further, one of the unionist’s mobile phones was forcibly taken from her after a brief abduction where she was dragged to a car by thugs who are known in the area. She underwent a humiliating body search, and her phone was smashed into pieces. 

“It was a sad Workers Day for ZDAMWU. As a union we have been fighting harassment, long working hours, and corruption by some managers who ask for bribes for workers contracts to be renewed. Additionally, sexual harassment is rampant at Bikita Minerals,” 

said Justice Chinhema, ZDAMWU general secretary who believes that the attack is meant to intimidate the union.

“Law enforcement agencies must investigate this intimidation and protect workers' rights that are in the country’s constitution and labour laws. Mineworkers in Zimbabwe have a right to freedom of association and assembly and should not carry their activities in fear,” 

said Glen Mpufane IndustriALL director for mining.

Trade unions have raised concerns at the International Labour Conference on violations of International Labour Organization conventions in Zimbabwe especially Convention 87 on freedom of association and the protection of the rights to organize, and Convention 98 on the right to organize and collective bargaining.
 
On environmental, social and governance (ESG), local communities have raised concerns and said that although the ESG guidelines exist on paper, Sinomine never applies them. For example, the villagers say their source of water for drinking, market gardening, and livestock has been polluted by toxic chemicals as evidenced by the death of fish and aquatic life at Matezva Dam. Further, communities have lost fields and land to the mining company due to opening of new mining sites, road construction and the building of power lines. Some of the displaced villagers say they never received compensation from Sinomine.

ZDAMWU, which has 672 members at the mine, made a report to the police and will write to the ministry of labour to protest how the union officials were treated at Bikita Minerals.
 
Bikita Minerals, which is owned by China’s Sinomine Resource Group, is the largest lithium mine in Zimbabwe which is Africa’s largest producer of lithium ore. Lithium is one of the critical minerals required for the transition to renewable energy sources. Lithium is used in the manufacturing of rechargeable batteries for mobile phones, computers, and electric vehicles. Other minerals mined at Bikita Minerals include petalite which is used in ceramic and glass manufacturing.

Women and young workers in Nepal want inclusive union structures

A total of 23 young trade unionists, including twelve young women, participated in the youth workshop. The workshop focused on building young trade unionists’ understanding on organizing as one of the main pillars of trade unions and how to run successful organizing drives. With more youth joining the workforce now, it becomes impertinent that organizing drives focus on young workers. Young workers from various IndustriALL affiliated federations developed action plans to reach out to more young workers and raise awareness on the importance of unionizing and collective bargaining.

The discussion among young unionists also highlighted the use of policy as a tool to promote greater participation and integration of youth in trade union structures which is currently missing. Developing youth policy at union level was identified as an important area of intervention along with increasing representation of young members in the leadership structure.

Jyoti Gurung, a member of IndustriALL’s South Asia youth working group, says:

“Union power will increase multi-fold with more trained young and women workers in union membership as well as in leadership structure, who can effectively build campaigns as well as engage in successful collective bargaining.” 

In the women’s meeting, a total of 25 women leaders participated in the discussion which was mainly focused on climate change and industry 4.0. Women trade unionists shared their experiences in the light of climate change which is leading to mass migration in the country. The uncontrollable rise in migrant workers to cities and industrial areas has led to severe precarious employment issues with very low wages and no social protection cover. There is an increased vulnerability and job security among women workers.

Women leaders also discussed the inclusion and representation of women in trade union structures. During the meeting, women leaders formed a country-level women’s committee and a core women’s committee. Going forward, women leaders will draft the committee’s Terms of Reference.  

Gita Bhandari, secretary of IndustriALL’s affiliate, Whole Industry Trade Union, and also one of the co-chairs of the newly formed women’s core committee, says:

“We are dedicated to working towards increasing women’s participation and representation in trade unions. We will begin by collecting data on number of women employed in our sectors of which many are part of our unions. Thereafter we plan to reach out to more women workers stressing the importance of union building.”

IndustriALL also organized the Nepal council meeting on 20 April, during which the leadership of IndustriALL affiliated unions jointly deliberated on a strategic plan and campaign activities for the country. They unanimously agreed to campaign for freedom of association and social protection for all workers, recognizing the significant challenge posed by precarious workers, including migrant workers, in Nepal. Additionally, with the aim of fostering inclusive union structures, they resolved to establish women and youth committees and integrate them into the council structure.

Mercedes workers stand up!

Union busters are using ads implying that the establishment of a union will mean that the jobs will move out of state, urging workers to “think about the consequences” of saying yes to a union. On its website, MBUSI workers’ information committee claims to “educate employees about the radical and self-serving agenda of the UAW”. The message projected is clear: we are one big family for now, but with a vote for the UAW, we won’t be.

Says IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie:

"The family seems to be a big company argument against the union. But workers should remember that the family the company is talking about is a patriarchal one where the father takes in all the money and gives as little as possible to his subjects. The company knows that with a union they would have to bargain with a more powerful workforce on the distribution of the money earned. Of course they don’t want a union, they want the money. This has nothing to do with family. A family is a unit that cares for you and that sees to it that you have your fair share. The company approach is deplorable and not in the interest of workers in any way."

The vote in Alabama follows on the successful win at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga in April, when it became the first plant in the US South to unionize via an election since the 1940s.

And in another victory showing what a difference a union makes, on 26 April, UAW reached a tentative agreement with Daimler Truck, including a 25 per cent general wage increase over four years and for the first time profit-sharing and cost-of-living adjustments.

“Success breeds success; the workers in Chattanooga fought hard for their win and succeeded. They were the last Volkswagen plant in the world to unionize but will now have a voice in the workplace. Turning the tide in the traditionally anti-union US South, we are supporting the workers at Mercedes in Alabama, in their vote later this month,”

says Atle Høie.


https://youtu.be/NOHhfadafkU?si=2afqfPjl12n2zuzE

Dialogue and engagement for Nordic white-collar workers and engineers

In recent meetings with white-collar and engineering unions in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway, a common theme emerged: the need to organize more workers, including youth, and adapt to evolving work environments and technological advancements while advocating for fair, sustainable, and inclusive practices.

The Association of Nordic Engineers (ANE) and its affiliates are behind initiatives to support the transition to fair, sustainable, and inclusive tech use. Using technology responsibly, particularly related to AI, data ethics and cybersecurity, are key areas of concern for the organizations representing engineers who develop the new technology. Unions are actively involved in advocating for regulations like the AI Act and preparing their member organizations for compliance. Trade unions, like IDA, are equipping their representatives and members to be able to respond to challenges posed by AI when it comes to monitoring and surveillance.  There's a push for representation on governing bodies to ensure that workers' interests are adequately represented in policy discussions.

Generative AI will highly impact qualified white-collar workers and engineers. However, the unions in the region are quite confident that, thanks to their joint engagement with employers and the protection of collective bargaining, the development will not have a disruptive impact on the level of employment for their members. Studies reveal that most of the jobs exposed to AI will be augmented rather than replaced.

The development of STEM skills is key in this context. A prominent focus of the Nordic unions is the promotion of STEM education, the re-skilling of workers and the development of future skills. There's a concerted effort to ensure that the workforce is equipped with the necessary STEM skills for the future. So far, Finland is the only EU country that has adopted a STEM strategy, however the government has just suppressed financial support for workers following re- or up-skilling programs.

As a result of union efforts, the Swedish government, has adopted a major law reform which establishes a new grant system for workers to up and re-skill.

Norwegian union NITO has developed specific training workshops and reskilling programmes designed to help their members adapt to changing industry demands. In Norway, effort to increase competencies have been developed at sectoral level with the industry programmes for competency development.

White collar and engineering unions are lobbying for a just transition, advocating for a proper mapping of the impact of the green transition on employments including in energy sectors, and skills forecast. ANE and Finish engineers are studying the impact of the transition on engineers’ competencies and work.

The efforts are important as the Nordic countries are facing a STEM skill shortage. In Norway alone, the battery, hydrogen and ocean wind sectors lack around 6,000 engineers. ANE is advocating for the development of an EU Strategy on STEM skills.

One of the questions frequently raised is how Nordic unions maintain high levels of membership. Creating a sense of community among members, particularly through social events and shared interests, are part of the strategies. Union strategies for membership growth vary, with a focus on engaging students at universities, offering incentives such as free membership and add-ons like home insurance, and leveraging social media platforms for targeted outreach.

Student organizers employed by the trade unions are present at social events, organize specific events and mentoring for union members. In the Swedish engineering union, student representatives, are represented at congresses and on the board. Student membership is often free of charge, aiming to create an early link with the union and the professional life that follows graduation. Once graduated and in employment, unions work hard to retain the members as they start paying fees. PRO in Finland offers reduced fees for young working members.

Union membership, even among white-collar workers, is no longer always automatic, forcing unions to adapt and develop more systematic unionization strategies. Since the early 2010s, Danish union HK Privat has adopted a strategy based on the north American organizing model with systematic mapping the workplace and identification of workplace leaders. 12 years ago the union was losing members, but has now managed to revert the dynamics through the development of a national and local organizing team and strengthening the education for shop stewards.

After a very successful organizing campaign, Swedish union Unionen is focusing on developing and institutionalizing its presence in workplaces. The union is aiming to increase the number of worker representatives from 29,000 to 50,000 in a few years' time. Communication is at the heart of the organizing campaigns to attract, retain and educate members. With a strong presence on social networks, engineering unions are communicating on issues at the heart of their members' concerns: wages, job security, social insurance, diversity and inclusion.

Says Corinne Schewin from French union CFE-CGC Métallurgie and sector co-chair:

“How the unions work with their young and student members has been eye-opening and inspiring; everything from how they address the students to the activities that are organized is impressive.
 
“AI is prevalent for white-collar workers all around the world and how we address it is a key part of our work. In that context it was motivating to see that the Swedish unions are really engaging.”

Unions in the Nordic region prioritize issues related to work-life balance and mental health. Unionen regularly conducts surveys on work-life balance and the psycho-social working environment, with findings influencing advocacy efforts and collective bargaining agreements. Increased stress among young and women workers is one of the outcomes of trade union surveys. In Finland, one of the groups with the highest likelihood of occupational burnout are women under the age of 35. PRO is very active in addressing mental health. The union has launched a series of myth busting podcast on burn out.  In addition, with the support of the Finnish centre for occupational safety , the trade union provides specific well-being card training on mental health to workers and health and safety representatives. Through these trainings, representatives are better equipped to address wellbeing at work.

In all countries, the pandemic has further emphasized the importance of flexible work arrangements, with a significant portion of respondents indicating a preference for remote work.

Collaboration among unions is crucial for amplifying their advocacy efforts and reaching broader audiences. Whether it's organizing campaigns, addressing specific industry challenges like the battery supply chain, or focusing on diversity and inclusion, unions in the Nordic countries are united in their commitment to improving working conditions and advocating for the rights of workers.

Patrick Tay Teck from Singaporean unions the NTUC and United Workers of Electronic and Electrical Industries (UWEEI) and sector co-chair, is impressed by the level of awareness in Scandinavian countries as to how unions work, along the strong level of camaraderie and community, something which is not the case in many parts of the world.

“One of my main take aways is the need for a close collaboration with schools and university to catch union members early. Being there as they transition between education and the work life is important for unions. And providing a suite of services, like career counselling, legal advice, industry networking, insurances etc, is an attractive part retaining our white-collar workers as members.”

As the Nordic countries navigate the complexities of a rapidly changing global economy, unions play a pivotal role in ensuring that workers' voices are heard, and their rights protected. Through strategic engagement, advocacy, and collaboration, Nordic unions are poised to address the challenges and opportunities of the future, driving towards a more equitable and sustainable work environment for all.

Glencore must walk the talk

In his presentation, IndustriALL mining director Glen Mpufane highlighted that the OECD forecasts that global materials demand will more than double from 76 billion to 167 billion tons by 2060 and global competition for resources will become fierce in the coming decade.

Glencore is one of the largest global producers of copper nickel, zinc, vanadium, and cobalt. Although a small player when it comes to coal production, Glencore accounted for 7.2 per cent of all coal exports in 2022 and is likely the world’s single largest corporate-level exporter in thermal coal.

Glencore will transition to a low carbon economy through a transition in and transition out plan. Transition out will focus on closing energy assets that are not economical or have reached the end of their economic life. Transition in will focus on operations producing commodities for the required transition and ramp up activities as metals and recycling businesses expand to meet the demands of a low carbon society.  Glencore’s just transition guidelines focus on adopting a multi-stakeholder approach, supporting civil dialogue, supporting skills development, supporting civic dialogue, and supporting vulnerable people and groups.  

“As trade unions we need to focus on training and organizing in just transition. Our processes include due diligence guidelines, for companies and workplaces. Glencore must be consistent in respecting workers and human rights, globally,”

said Glen Mpufane.

Liz Umlas, IndustriALL senior adviser on capital strategies, stressed the importance of investor engagement. IndustriALL is using capital strategies to increase pressure on companies like Glencore to highlight abuse on workers. As labour issues are gaining traction, investor leverage can be helpful in getting companies to the table.

Affiliates gave input from their countries. The common theme was issues of collective bargaining, the right to organize, workers’ rights violations and environmental issues. Affiliates agreed that workers’ rights should be implemented, that due diligence is necessary and social dialogue with communities is essential.

Dominic Lemieux, co-chair of the mining and DGOJP sector, said: 

“Dialogue is important; we need to talk to people on the ground and union reps have the capacity to mobilize members. We need to raise awareness at local levels and all trade unions need to know what is happening. We can be more proactive and do better. IndustriALL must raise more awareness on campaigns and be more visible.”

Ramping up pressure on Glencore before the AGM on 29 May, where the global network will be present, an investor webinar will take place on 2 May. Workers from Glencore operations in South Africa and Colombia will voice what’s happening at on the ground. There will also be an escalated campaign on the issues and a post AGM campaign with coalition partners and a focus on issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Colombia.

“Glencore continues to put profits before people, workers, and communities. The company is still not addressing the environmental, social and governance issues across its global operations and still run away from dialogue. We continue to see extensive human rights violations. Glencore can’t keep making profits at the expense of workers’ rights and other stakeholders’ health and safety. We will work hard to hold this company accountable,”

said Kemal Özkan IndustriALL assistant general secretary. 

Photo: Shutterstock

Indonesia: remember the dead, fight for the living

IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kan Matsuzaki called for a moment of silence to honor workers who lost their lives and injured on the job, and urged participants to continue fighting for the living both at ITSS and the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park. Highlighting the importance of safeguarding the well-being of workers across the industry, highlighting the need for ongoing efforts to improve workplace safety standards.

“The nickel industry in Indonesia is a fast growing but OSH has been left behind in many workplaces. There is lack of proper education and training, implementation of normative rights, and most importantly, joint OSH committees. We must strive to organize more workers, create strong collective agreements and make workplaces safe for all workers,” 

said Matsuzaki.

He added, on this World Day for Safety and Health at Work, that it is vital to remember that a staggering 3 million workers die every year due to work related causes, and tens of millions more are injured. IndustriALL pledged to support Indonesian affiliates in their campaign for ratification of ILO Convention 155 and Convention 176, defending Indonesian workers’ right to know, right to participate and right to refuse.

In a moving testimony , some unionists recounted their experience witnessing the furnace explosion from the ground. In an act of immense courage, they caught and saved two workers, an Indonesian and a Chinese national, who were falling from a height of 50 metres. They were angry to discover a pile of dead bodies near the furnace operating at 1200 degree Celsius.

“There was no emergency drill for industrial accidents in the plant, the company only organized fire drills. Workers didn’t know how to evacuate and save their lives. We are demanding that the company organizes regular emergency drills to prevent this from happening in the future,”

added the unionists.

Other unionists from the mine site highlighted issues such as violation of safety protocols, they explained that workers were instructed to carry out production and repair activities simultaneously. The workers, who had been transferred from the other company in IMIP, did not know where the evacuation exit was and lost their lives. The lack of adequate ambulances, clinics, and local medical facilities for a site as large as IMIP made the situation worse.  

Pharmatec Pakistan unlawfully fires workers

In 2019, a group of 29 workers approached the National Industrial Relation Commission (NIRC) regarding the company’s unfair labour practices. This included daily wage workers denied benefits given to permanent workers, like annual increment, bonus, medical facilities, leave benefits and group insurance. The workers made a request to the court that while the case was being heard, company management must refrain from terminating, dismissing, transferring or withholding their salaries, which was granted by the court.

The same year, the workers also filed a grievance petition at the NIRC seeking permanent worker status after company management had failed to address the issue. In the petition, workers argued that as per the country’s law, it’s mandatory for the company management to issue written appointment letters to workers showing terms and conditions of employment.

On 18 April 2024, the NIRC ruled on the two petitions, which were merged, directing that the case be transferred to the labour court. While the matter is still sub-judice, the management terminated the workers the next day. 

Imran Ali, PCEM general secretary, says:

“Pharmatec's decision to terminate our members is against the court order that only transferred the case to the labour court, where it remains in the same status as it did at the NIRC. We are protesting against the company’s unlawful decision and the union will continue to fight the legal battle until our members get justice.”

Ashutosh Bhattacharya, IndustriALL’s south Asia regional secretary, says:

“IndustriALL strongly condemns Pharmatec’s unlawful termination of workers. We stand in solidarity with our affiliate PCEM, who continues the fight to safeguard workers’ rights.”


 

Lesotho miners remembered

Tankiso Tsoeu, a data analyst at Storm Mountain Diamonds’ Kao Mine who survived the accident, says the vivid memories of the horror crash continue to haunt her.

Tankiso Tsoeu, a member of the Independent Democratic Union of Lesotho (IDU), an IndustriALL affiliate, remembers:
 
“On 8 February 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic, our lives were scarred in a horrendous accident. We were supposed to go home, and excited to finally have a break and be with our families after working on a 12-hour shift for 14 days. The buses which arrived at Kao Mine at midday brought the incoming shift workers and were also supposed to take us home.”   

“I was exhausted when we boarded the bus and fell asleep when the bus started moving. After what felt like a few minutes-although it was more than an hour- I felt my head hitting something, and lost consciousness. Then a colleague woke me up. I could see we were in a bus wreck lying on its side and workers were shouting for help. The driver had lost control on a road which had become slippery following a hailstorm and the bus had overturned.”

Tankiso Tsoeu recalls how workers were trapped in the wreckage.  

“Whilst injured workers were rescued from the bus, unfortunately others were trapped. Some were even under the bus. There are no words to describe seeing someone lose their life while you watch and cannot do anything to help them.”

To worsen the tragedy, there was no mobile telephone connection.

“Amongst the survivors, most had lost their phones and there was no mobile network coverage. One of us had to walk up a mountain to try and find a network connection to call for help.”

The workers only got help when rescue teams arrived from Letseng and Kao Mines.  

“Sadly, some workers died on the spot, while those with serious injuries were taken to Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital in Maseru. Out of 35 passengers, eight died.”

The survivors received treatment at Letseng mine clinic and Kao Mine hired a medical doctor and clinical psychologist to attend to the workers.

Despite all the help she received, Tankiso Tsoeu says recovery has been tough.

“I am still battling. The most difficult part is that everyone expects you to be fully recovered after three years and talking about the accident might seem an exaggeration. Yet I face every day struggles especially with anxiety which never used to be the case before the accident. Recalling episodes of the anguish of the trapped miners often leads to sleepless nights.”

Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL director of mining and lead for occupational health and safety, said: 

“As we commemorate the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers, we remember the eight Kao mine workers and wish the survivors full recovery from the scars and trauma emanating from the accident. We commend the efforts of both Letseng mine clinic and Kao mine for providing post-traumatic treatment to the injured workers, recognizing that the duty of care extends beyond the mine fence.”

The stronger the union, the safer the workplace

The rise of the industrial revolution nearly 250 years ago brough terrible working conditions with manufacturing facilities with poor ventilation and dangerous equipment. Poor working conditions drove employees to form unions and demand safe and healthy conditions. The role of trade unions has been synonymous with that evolution, with occupational health and safety driving responses to those often, disrupting changes.

The first legislation on health and safety, in 1784, the health and morals of Aprecentices Act, was established in the United Kingdom in response to fever outbreak among cotton mill workers.
In 1984, the Canadian Public Employees Union, (CUPE) established 28 April as a day to honour workers killed or injured on the job, a day which subsequently gained international recognition. In 2003, the ILO officially organized the 28 April as a World Day for Safety and Health at Work to promote healthy working conditions and stress the prevention of workplace accidents. 

28 April symbolizes workplace health and safety struggles around the world and has catapulted health and safety as a strategic pivot around which to organize and build strong unions.

The struggle came full circle in 2022 with the recognition by the ILO of health and safety as a fundamental principle and right at work, adding to the four fundamental ILO principles and rights at work; freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour; the effective abolition of child labour; the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

The Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155) and the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187) are now considered fundamental Conventions to give effect to health and safety as a fundamental principle and right at work.

Says IndustriALL health and safety director Glen Mpufane:

“The recognition by the ILO of health and safety as a fundamental principle and right at work is a victory for workers around the world over workers’ struggles. It is also a testament and homage to the successive years of workers’ struggle to improve workplace health and safety conditions.

“Health and safety at work is neither a perk to be bargained for nor a favour to be asked. It is our right.”

IndustriALL Global Union’s 2021-2025 Congress action plan on advancing workers’ rights is consistent with workers struggles through the ages for improvement of workers working conditions through a focus on fundamental rights to freedom of association and the right to collectively bargain, as well as an adequate minimum wage, maximum limits on working time and safety and health at work.

IndustriALL is campaigning for and promoting a right- based approach to occupational health and safety that includes: