Statement on the announcement by the Russian Federation that IndustriALL Global Union is an “undesirable organization”

IndustriALL Global Union categorically refutes this decision. It runs contrary to the observance of fundamental human rights and trade unions rights, including ILO core labour conventions.

IndustriALL Global Union represents 50 million workers in 130 countries in the mining, energy, and manufacturing sectors with the aim of organizing and building the collective power of working people around the world, and to promote and defend their rights and common interests with respect to companies and governments.

IndustriALL Global Union fights to promote respect for fundamental trade union rights and human rights. IndustriALL Global Union stands for freedom, peace, democracy, and social justice throughout the world.

Since the early 1990s, IndustriALL and its founder organizations IMF, ICEM and ITGLWF worked closely with the Russian trade unions in advocating for a democratic, equitable and sustainable economic structure that provides a fair distribution of wealth, good working conditions, employment and security for all workers while safeguarding the environment.

IndustriALL Global Union expects the Russian Federation to revoke its incomprehensible and unjust decision, which is leaving Russian workers without international representation at this challenging international juncture.

DRC: Organizing critical transition minerals value chain

Critical minerals are in demand for transition to renewable energy and are used in the manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles, vehicle parts, and smartphones.

The DRC has major deposits of copper, cobalt, tin, tantalum, and lithium among other minerals.

According to the Congolese ministry of mines, the country has 61 active cobalt mining sites, of which 76 per cent are mined by Chinese companies and 10 per cent by the Swiss commodity trader Glencore. Other mining companies in the country are from Australia, Kazakhstan, and India. The stated-owned company, GECAMINES, also mines cobalt. 

A 2023 study by RAID, a UK based non-governmental organization exposing corporate human and workers’ rights abuses, and Kolwezi-based legal aid provider, Centre d’Aide Juridico-Judiciare (CAJJ), calculated living wages at $480 – an amount that most of the mining companies were failing to pay despite declaring huge profits to their shareholders.

Most of the poorly paid workers were employed by sub-contractors under precarious working conditions of low pay, no job security because of short term contracts, and were also denied benefits. The mining companies also violated workers’ rights to health and safety.

To improve the working conditions, IndustriALL affiliates in the DRC: Organisation des Travailleurs Unis du Congo (OTUC), Secretariat des Syndicats IndustriALL de la CDT (CDT), Travailleurs Unis des Mines, Metallurgies, Energie, Chimie et Industries Connexes (TUMEC), Confederation des Syndicats du Congo (CSC), and Union Nationale des Travailleurs du Congo (UNTC), with members in the mining and energy sectors, met in Kinshasa in mid-February to strategize on organizing along the critical transition minerals value chain.

The meeting, organized with support from FES DRC and FES Trade Union Competence Centre for Sub Saharan Africa, discussed how unions can better organize the value chain and not lose the organizing opportunities. Importantly, the unity of the unions remained one of the key issues in organizing.

The meeting produced a plan that included organizing meetings to deal with multinational corporations where working conditions were poor. One such corporation is Glencore.

Previous investigations by IndustriALL at Glencore mines revealed non-compliance with health and safety regulations and the difficulties faced by unions on collective bargaining and organizing because of management’s union busting.

Unions said they wanted to promote formalization of artisanal and small-scale mining to enable unionization. Reports say that there are over 200 000 artisanal miners in the DRC who are mining cobalt and if they are unionized, this will boost union membership.

The unions outlined the challenges they were facing, like some labour inspectors blocking union activities, government’s failure to engage unions on critical minerals, and difficulties in accessing some remote mines. It was also difficult for unions to engage artisanal miners on health and safety issues because some of them were not formalised. The unions expressed concern over gender-based violence and harassment which was rampant in the mines.

Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL director for mining said:

“The DRC is a critical minerals producing country and multinational companies are the campaign focus of IndustriALL to improve working conditions in the mines. The unions should engage on human rights due diligence, climate change, and the Just Transition discussions as these were important matters to learn and beneficial to the mineworkers in the DRC.”

Photo: Shutterstock
 

Bangladesh’s shipbreaking unions key in helping workers

The situation in Bangladesh’s shipbreaking yards is far from different. Last year, more than thirty accidents took place in shipbreaking yards, killing at least five workers while injuring several others. IndustriALL and its affiliates have been continuously working towards making Bangladesh’s shipbreaking yards more safe for workers. It’s a daunting task to organize workers in the sector because work is seasonal and the concept of a permanent workforce does not exist.

Additionally, employers discourage organizing efforts in their yards, often engaging in union busting activities, as they don’t want the organized workforce to safeguard their rights. Despite these challenges, IndustriALL’s affiliates continue to organize workers and assert their rights to safe workplace. 

In the last three years, affiliates have recorded and reported accidents and managed to ensure that employers pay compensation to workers and their families in cases of injury or death at the workplace. The Bangladesh Metalworkers Federation (BMF) was successful in obtaining compensation of BDT50,000 (US$450) for an injured worker, and secured treatment costs of BDT20,000 (US$180) for another.

The Bangladesh Metal, Chemical, Garment & Tailors Worker Federation (BMCGTWF) assisted a pump operator at SN Corporation to be compensated BDT100,000 (US$900). It also helped a foreman’s family be compensated BDT6,32,000 (US$5700), the worker died at Motalab Steel. 

The unions have also been actively pursuing cases of workers’ rights violations in labour courts. BMCGTWF has filed two new cases regarding the dismissal of workers from Crystal Shippers Ltd. BMF was also successful in achieving an order in favour of the unionists at Janata Steel when false charges were pressed.

In 2023, BMF and BMCGTWF were successful in ensuring the reinstatement of 78 workers and obtained termination benefits and festival bonuses to some workers who lost their jobs. The unions also assisted 97 workers to obtain their severance pay from the employers.

Last year, IndustriALL’s campaign efforts to get the Bangladesh government to ratify the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) yielded result when the country ratified the convention. The HKC is set to enter into force next year. The HKC is a crucial tool in ensuring safety of workers at yards.

Walton Pantland, IndustriALL’s shipbuilding and shipbreaking director, says:

“Shipbreaking is a difficult and dangerous environment for unions to organize in. Our affiliates in Bangladesh are responding to workers’ needs, by fighting injustice, winning reinstatement and demanding compensation. The next step is to organize collectively, and to win recognition from yard owners, the employers’ association and the government.”


 

#NoExcuse

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The policy aims to cultivate a culture of dignity and respect within IndustriALL and its affiliates, emphasizing the importance of eradicating GBVH, misogyny, and sexism. It focuses on educating and raising awareness about these issues, aligning with the provisions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 190. It also establishes clear procedures for addressing complaints related to sexual harassment, misogyny, and sexism that occur in connection with IndustriALL activities.

“On 8 March, International Women's Day (IWD), IndustriALL will reinforce its stance that GBVH, misogyny, and sexism are unacceptable. Our campaign titled "NO EXCUSE" aims to promote the policy among our affiliates, highlighting our dedication to awareness and prevention,”

said Atle Høie IndustriALL general secretary.

IndustriALL is developing guidelines and templates to prioritize awareness raising and to support affiliates who still need to adopt GBVH policies and procedures. The policy has developed a set of recommendations for affiliates enabling them to prevent GBVH, misogyny and sexism.

As stated in ILO C190, only an inclusive, integrated and gender-responsive approach, which tackles underlying causes and risk factors, including gender stereotypes, multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, and unequal gender-based power relations, will enable us to end GBVH in the world of work.

According to the ILO, the gender wage gaps persist and is even widening in some occupations. Despite progress, challenges remain, such as persistent discrimination and gender wage disparities in various sectors, particularly in professions requiring high skill levels and those within the STEM fields. IndustriALL has addressed these concerns by publishing resources on pay equity "The pay equity toolkit” in English, French Spanish and Turkish, and plans to release a toolkit on utilizing Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) to prevent GBVH in supply chains.

IndustriALL is also focusing on the future work landscape for women, including the potential effects of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on gender equality and the need for women to acquire digital and AI skills.

According to the OECD, women still lag behind men in digital and AI skills development. In OECD countries, more than twice as many young men as women aged 16-24 can program, an essential skill for AI development.

Given the current geopolitical climate, where women are disproportionately affected by armed conflicts and rising extremism, IndustriALL emphasizes the importance of mobilizing for gender equality, especially on 8 March. IndustriALL calls on its affiliates to be proactive in promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion, recognizing these values as crucial for the future.

This fight for equality must continue to be a daily fight for our organization. We must be agents of change towards equality, diversity and inclusion. The future of our organizations depends on it.

Let us know what your union is doing on 8 March. You can also join our IndustriALL Women Facebook Group and report back on your actions, or send pictures to [email protected]. Please use the hashtags #NoExcuse and #ALLWomen.

 

#NoExcuse Policy

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Saint-Gobain Eupen workers still uncertain about future

The union organized a series of protests in a bid to bring attention to the destiny of workers, some of whom have worked for 20 to 40 years at the plant. Simultaneously, the union tried to negotiate with local management any posssibilities of safeguarding the jobs or at least finding a buyer for the plant. However, the union believes that the company has no intention of saving the workers’ jobs.

At a recent works council meeting, Vincent Lamberigts, a senior representative of CSC Bâtiment-Industrie-Energie at Saint-Gobain Eupen, expressed that despite a serious buyer requesting company information, there has been no response for five weeks. The union feels that management did not treat this matter with the necessary urgency during the meeting.

The union is planning an action in Paris on 8 March to further expose Eupen workers’ rights for jobs and a possible meeting with the senior Saint-Gobain leadership.

Following the announcement IndustriALL wrote to the company in November expressing strong opposition regarding the decision to close the plant, which would seriously affect the livelihood of workers and their families. 

In December last year delegates of the global union network, Saint-Gobain representing company workers worldwide, paid close attention to the company's failed strategies and the desperate need to find a buyer for the Eupen site. The network members expressed strong solidarity with Eupen workers.

In a recent letter to Saint-Gobain management, IndustriALL general secretary, Atle Høie, stressed that negotiations be done and that a feasible solution be found:

“It is imperative that the headquarter’s management and the management responsible for the Benelux region contact the unions, including the CSC Bâtiment- Industrie-Energie, to engage in good-faith negotiations, and with the commitment from Saint-Gobain to act socially responsibly throughout its operations, to find a viable and fair solution for the Eupen plant workers.”

Photos: Csc Liège
 

Thai unions advance campaign towards ratification of ILO Conventions

While submitting a letter to demand ratification of ILO Conventions 87 and 98 to the Thai minister of labour, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, at the ministry of labour office in Bangkok, the network coordinator and president of Confederation of Industrial Labour of Thailand (CILT), Prasit Prasopsuk, said ratification of the conventions can create a fair industrial relations system and provide better quality of life for Thai workers:

“Adoption of international labour standard and protection of labour rights will promote a good image of Thailand internationally. This will definitely increase our trade competitiveness, attract more investment and drive economic growth.”

On the same day, twenty unionists from CILT and PPT Labour Union (PTTLU) also submitted a letter to the labour commission chairman, Saritphong Khruang at Parliament, calling on the government to expedite the ratification of these ILO Conventions.

In October 2023, the Thai government set up a tripartite committee and two working groups to study the feasibility of ratification of C87 and C98, as well as its consistency with the Thai labour laws. The feasibility study is expected to be concluded within a year.

However, the Federation of Thai Industries strongly opposed the ratification of the two conventions, claiming that freedom of association will lead to more strikes. The ministry of interior has concerns that if migrant workers are allowed to form labour unions, it can be a security threat that devastates the economy.

Apsorn Krissanasmit, the presidents of State Enterprises Worker' Federation of Thailand (SEWFOT) and PTTLU, said. 

“As a tripartite committee member, I will continually engage stakeholders on ratification of conventions and amendment of labour laws, which is an obstacle for the government and the parliament to ratify the conventions. I commit to push for increased understanding of the benefit that the country will receive after the ratification.”

Ramon Certeza, IndustriALL's South East Asia regional secretary said:

“IndustriALL will extend support to ensure that our affiliates in Thailand engage meaningfully in social dialogue leading towards the ratification of these two conventions that workers in Thailand are wishing for to happen.” 

Going forward, the ILO 8798 Convention Driving Network is planning to produce more communication and media content to enhance workers and society’s understanding of the two conventions. 

This network which comprises of 26 trade unions and worker organizations was formed during a workshop in August. 
 

Switzerland accepts historic social solidarity initiative

The adjustment, mirrors the concept of a 13th monthly salary for workers and aims to provide a necessary boost to the living standards of current and future retirees, it represents an 8.3 per cent increase in their monthly pension.

This initiative is a significant victory for social solidarity in Switzerland, securing a more balanced and equitable approach to old-age provisions. With a decisive public vote on 3 March, 2024, Swiss citizens prioritized social welfare over attempts in a separate initiative to make the age of retirement more flexible, which faced overwhelming rejection, with 75 per cent voting against an increased retirement age. 

IndustriALL affiliate UNIA mobilized members throughout the country around the campaign:

"It was well worth the effort. This result is a major social step for Switzerland, and it gives us confidence in the future of our old-age pension scheme. It helps our fight for better wages, affordable health insurance premiums and our fight against the theft of second-pillar pensions," said Vania Alleva, president of UNIA.

This public mandate highlights a widespread demand for immediate action to safeguard against the erosion of purchasing power among pensioners and calls for broader compensatory measures for other groups affected by economic disparities.

This decision, endorsed by a majority through a higher-than-usual turnout, sends a strong message about the population's trust in a solidarity-based pension system.

The support for the 13th pension payment initiative reflects a broad consensus on the need for progressive policies that ensure dignity in retirement without compromising the social fabric of the country.

“We stand in solidarity with our Swiss affiliates and celebrate this triumph as a testament to the power of collective action and the importance of union-led initiatives in defending the rights and well-being of workers and retirees alike. This victory not only strengthens confidence in Switzerland's pension system but also could set an example for similar advocacy efforts globally, reitterating the need for a fair and just economic system that truly serves the needs of all its citizens.” said Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary.

Union win in Sri Lanka

In September 2023 FTZ&GSEU established a branch union in the factory. When management became aware of the union, it immediately suspended union office bearers, their family members and associates. Five of the 18 suspended workers were women. 

During the six month long struggle, along with filing a complaint with the department of labour, FTZ&GSEU approached the Interloop group in Pakistan, Nike and IndustriALL’s affiliates in Pakistan seeking intervention. The Texlan unit is owned by the Interloop Group of Pakistan, a Nike supplier.

On 15 February, 2024, Texlan management and the union signed an agreement which states that the suspended union leaders and workers are to return to work starting 19 February and that all disciplinary actions be dropped along with payment of back wages and benefits accrued during the suspension months. 

The assistant commissioner of labour who conducted the inquiry instructed the company not to interfere in the trade union action. The branch union at Texlan Centre has also received recognition from the department of labour.

Anton Marcus, joint secretary of FTZ&GSEU, says:

“It’s a big win for Texlan’s workers and the union. The suspended workers were out of work for six months but they did not lose their spirit and fought hard to turn the tide. Now they are back at work, with management recognising the existence of the branch union.” 

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

“We salute the struggle of Texlan workers as well as our affiliate, FTZ&GSEU. We stand in solidarity with unions in Sri Lanka as they fight against the growing attacks on workers’ right to freedom of association.” 


 

Sintracarbón signs agreement with Cerrejón Colombia and avoids strike action

On 22 February, the negotiating committee of Sintracarbón, one of IndustriALL Global Union’s affiliates in Colombia, announced its new collective bargaining agreement with Cerrejón. The agreement will govern the labour relations of 4,000 unionized workers at the Glencore-operated open pit mine in La Guajira and Puerto Bolivar.

The union then called off the ballot that had begun on 20 February for workers to vote on whether to go on strike or seek arbitration. The possibility of strike action was being considered, as the parties had completed 40 days of negotiations without reaching an agreement.

On 27 February, the company and the union signed the new collective agreement, valid for four years from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2027. Some of its key features are:

With the mining concession set to end in February 2034, one key achievement of the bargaining process was the union’s involvement in the mine closure plan. The parties signed a separate document agreeing that a bipartite committee will be set up to report and receive feedback on the progress of the mine closure plan.

"This agreement was reached after 49 days of hard work, in which our members played a key role. We were able to strike a balance between the company's offer, our proposal and the needs of those we represent. We would like to thank our colleagues for their commitment and dedication throughout the bargaining process,"

said the negotiating committee in an official statement.

IndustriALL’s regional secretary Marino Vani said:

"We congratulate Sintracarbón on signing a new collective bargaining agreement with Cerrejón. This will improve working conditions after a long process of dialogue and collective bargaining. We are pleased that they have negotiated a decent agreement that respects Sintracarbón's mineworkers."

Legal enforceability necessary for sound industrial relations

IndustriALL and many of its TGSL affiliates were in attendance and brought a strong voice to the importance of binding agreements as a tool to move beyond company self-regulation of global supply chains.  Voluntary social auditing has shown to be a failure, in terms of both protecting workers’ rights and reducing risk to multinational buyer brands and their investors.

In the opening session of the forum, entitled binding company-union agreements and its role in due diligence, IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie stressed that binding agreements play an essential role in industrial relations: 

“If we don’t have legal enforceability, there are no industrial relations. Without these agreements workers and employers will be on different planets. Employers hold all the economic powers, and they will use it if they are not held to checks. Without legal regulation and binding agreements, workers would still be slaves.” 

The panel addressed how binding agreements can be important tools for due diligence and how it promotes pro-worker codes and freedom of association and that it is essential to have supportive governments and responsible brands.

“IndustriALL has been able to bring brands to the table and sign agreements, some of which are legally binding. The Bangladesh Accord, now called the International Accord for health and safety in the textile and garment sector, has changed the fate of workers. The agreement has allowed for clean up in the clothing and textile industry in Bangladesh compared to what it was before the collapse of Rana Plaza,” 

said Atle Høie. 

It is essential that more brands sign these agreements, the more brands are on board the more enforceable they are. The more countries are part of the Accord, the more countries unions can clean up. These agreements will always be necessary to ensure workers receive the best. 

Global framework agreements were highlighted as a tool to better conditions for workers along the supply chains. To date, IndustriALL has signed six binding agreements with global brands and retailers and in the upcoming of renegotiation of these agreements, pressure will be put on multinationals to include a dispute resolution mechanism that includes binding arbitration.  
 
An OECD industrial relations roundtable brought together enterprises (brands, manufacturers) and trade unions representing workers across garment and footwear supply chains to explore the importance of active engagement with trade unions. Setting up a structure between, trade unions, brands, and manufacturers, having regular meetings, possibly in production countries, and the publication of the guidance document in multiple languages were some of the main topics discussed at the roundtable. Moving forward the OCED will investigate these items and revert to participants. 

A side session on responsible supply chains in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Turkey focused on the launch of the OECD’s garment and footwear sector capacity building. This three-year programme was launched in Decemeber 2023, focusing on how governments can build an enabling policy environment for responsible business conduct (RBC), strengthen national contact points (NCP) for RBC and increase business understanding and capacity to implement due diligence.

IndustriALL’s MENA regional secretary, Ahmed Kamel, participated in this panel:

“Together with our MENA affiliates we started with the NCP, with brands and suppliers to use the international tools to enforce social dialogue, at a company level, supply chain level and the industry level. We are trying to put new tools in the regions, like GFA’s, the Accord and ACT agreements so that the region can use these and implement. Stakeholders’ commitment is key to move forward.”

Major take aways from the forum include having a more comprehensive approach to due diligence that will have legal and non-legal aspects, more direct support for vulnerable groups which include groups affected by climate change and low socio-economic workers and addressing industry imbalances by acknowledging the existing disparities within the fashion industry, participants emphasized the need to level the playing field to ensure fairness and equity across the board.