G20 falls far from workers’ demands

The G20 Leaders’ Declaration made no meaningful reference to the plight of working people, let alone any concrete actions to address the challenges they face. The concern of the G20 leaders remains fixated on improving long-term growth, with only a passing reference to the cost of living crisis, calling for a temporary and targeted fiscal measures to protect the poor and the most vulnerable.

This comes at a time when unions across the globe are calling for wage increase and social protection given the rising inflation. In the online L20 summit, organized by ITUC on 4-5 September following the Indian government’s decision to interrupt the participation of independent unions in G20 and instead appoint right-wing union Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh as chair of the L20 meetings, unionists and academics argued for strong minimum wage plans in all countries. However, the G20 leaders failed to outline a plan on this, instead alluding to the need for universal social protection coverage in the context of the transitioning world of work.

The Declaration makes no reference to workers’ rights or their access to livelihood. There is a hollow promise of implementing ‘digital upskilling and reskilling programmes’, but nothing on who will do or how it will be done. The global trade union movement is demanding to be included in the discussions on transformations that the world of work is likely to experience to mitigate the impacts of climate change. The G20 summit refused to recognize the role of unions and engage in a dialogue with them.

IndustriALL Global Union assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan chaired a session on industrial policy for just transition in the G20 and beyond during the L20. Speakers talked of the need for a state-led transition, not one that is driven by private companies. People must come before profits as the transition towards cleaner economy happens; only strong tripartite structures can guarantee this.

Unfortunately, the G20 Declaration emphasised the ‘critical role of private enterprise in accelerating growth and driving sustainable economic transformations’, and the need to ‘promote the ease and reduce the cost of doing business’. This is already set in motion in many countries, leading to an erosion of workers’ rights.

The Declaration refers to the need for ‘revitalized multilateralism’. While trade unionists and academics at the L20 summit vehemently argued for a change in the traditional systems of operating the global economy, including structural transformations in the global financial architecture and international trade system, the Declaration focuses on further strengthening the role of multilateral development banks.

During the L20 summit, professor Jayati Gosh raised the issue of the relevance of G20, given that some of the G20 countries’ governments do not represent the interests of its working population. IndustriALL affiliates have consistently raised their voices against the anti-worker solutions to the country’s debt problems.

The G20 leaders failed to provide a concrete plan to transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy, or how the renewable energy capacity is to be tripled.

Says Kemal Özkan:

“We are outraged to see that the G20 summit in India fails to address the burning needs of the working class in the world. No action to eradicate poverty, to fight against inequality, to bring accountability and responsibility for global supply chains, to overcome the challenges around the climate change through sustainable industrial policies with well-thought, structures and financed Just Transition.
"Our movement will continue to raise our concerns, expectations and demands through mobilizations throughout the world. Another world is possible and necessary, but this requires genuine political intention and action.”

How will due diligence legislation impact trade union rights?

The conference titled "Fundamental Workers’ and Trade Union Rights in Turkey, Vol. 2" featured detailed discussions, informative presentations, and engaging dialogues on the issues surrounding the automotive supply chain and its complexities as it relates to due diligence. They also questioned how trade unions can make use of the new supply chain due diligence legislation in Germany and prepare for the upcoming EU legislation.

Kemal Özkan IndustriALL assistant general secretary, set the tone for the conference by emphasizing the historical backdrop of workers' rights struggles in Turkey. He acknowledged the tough challenges faced by Turkish workers and highlighted the importance of safeguarding fundamental rights, particularly within the intricate web of global supply chains.

“It is imperative that we collaborate and plan strategically among unions to ensure the effective implementation of human rights due diligence laws.”

Said Özkan

Deputy General Secretary of IndustriAll Europe, Judith Kirton-Darling, shed light on the critical juncture at the EU level concerning legislation relating to human rights due diligence. She stressed the need for this legislation to evolve into an effective tool for the trade union movement.

“It is important to put a strong emphasis on the necessity of building internal capacity and streamlining processes to guarantee that the legislation translates into tangible action on the ground.”

said Kirton-Darling.

Henrik Meyer, Head of Turkey Office at Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, offered valuable insights into the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and its far-reaching impact on Turkish-German business relations. He explained that this legislation introduces stringent regulations for multinational companies.

“We spoke about the new legislation in very theoretical terms in volume 1 of this conference but a year later we are going to discuss the legislation in more practical terms”

said Meyer.

Company representatives from Audi AG emphasized the role of grievance mechanisms in ensuring transparency and accountability within supply chains. Ayça Gözmen Yalçın, Managing Director of DEinternational Servis Hizmetleri A.Ş., highlighted the challenge of effectively communicating the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and similar legislation to a diverse range of stakeholders.

The critical role of risk analysis in supply chain due diligence was discussed. Helmut Philipp from Ford-Werke GmbH illustrated the complexity of risk analysis in a company with over 14,000 suppliers, emphasizing that a solid approach was needed to ensure a good risk analysis.

The conference featured presentations on projects designed to bolster the implementation of the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act. These projects underscored the significance of accountability, transparency, and legal compliance around Responsible Business Conduct, aligning with the overarching objectives of the German law.

IndustriALL and IndustriAll Europe Affiliates from various sectors in Turkey shared their expectations regarding the German legislation. While cautiously optimistic, they articulated the challenges posed by political and economic interests.

Turkish affiliates also expressed their commitment to the cause of defending workers' rights and remained committed in their belief that even incremental progress can bring about a substantial positive change.

In conclusion, organizers stressed the imperatives of prevention, capacity building, and proactive engagement to harness the full potential of the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and prospective EU legislation as powerful tools for defending workers' rights.

The importance of trust, both among stakeholders and within the trade union movement, was highlighted as an essential element in the collective effort to empower workers and fortify global supply chains.

The conference gathered insights and provided an invaluable platform for dialogue on pressing issues concerning workers' rights, corporate accountability, and the ever-evolving landscape of supply chain due diligence.

After 1.5 days of in-depth discussion on the technical aspects of the impact of due diligence legislation and its ramifications for Turkish workers, trade union representatives collectively convened to strategize on the path forward.

“Our aim is clear: to ensure the effective implementation of these laws, transforming them into real-world safeguards for workers worldwide,”

said Georg Leutert IndustriALL automotive director.

Unions demand African Union include labour provisions in business and human rights policy

On 6 and 7 September over 300 delegates from 47 African countries participated in the second African Business and Human Rights Forum (ABHRF) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The theme of the forum was: For Africa, from Africa. The forum discussed the draft African Union (AU) business and human rights policy, businesses responsibility to due diligence and access to effective remedies when violations occur.

However the ITUC Global Rights Index 2023, published before the coups in Niger and Gabon, states that workers’ rights violations were increasing with dire implications on business and human rights in Africa.

The Friedrich Ebert Stiftung-African Union (FES AU) cooperation office and the IndustriALL Sub- Saharan Africa (SSA) regional office hosted a workshop prior to the forum which discussed union strategies. The unions, which are affiliated to IndustriALL, BWI, ITF, and IUF are from Kenya, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, and represented workers in the agriculture, building, cement, construction, forestry, mining, oil and gas, textile and garment, transport, wood, and other sectors.

On the critical role of unions, Alex Geiger, FES AU director said:

“The central role of trade unions should be emphasized in the ABHRF and NAP processes. NAPs are important for social dialogue at national level and unions, human rights institutions, and other stakeholders should utilise them to promote human and workers’ rights.”

In closing remarks at the forum, Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for SSA said:

“We are demanding the recognition of trade unions by the AU and for their inclusion as key stakeholders in business and human rights as distinct organizations that serve workers’ interests as mandated by their members.
Unions are interlocutors on workers’ rights and including them under the broad umbrella of civil society organizations in most instances tend to compromise the labour agenda. Further, the inclusion of ILO standards are important for the AU policy business and human rights as well as the African Continental Free trade Area agreement.”

Hialpesa workers celebrate reinstatement of union leaders

On 28 August, the union leaders dismissed by Hialpesa, one of Peru’s largest and most profitable textile and garment companies, were reinstated. IndustriALL affilaite, Federation of Textile Workers of Peru (FNTTP), held a rally at the company in support of the Hialpesa union.

The conflict began in 2019 when the textile company announced that it was laying off 190 workers for economic, technological, structural and other reasons. Ninety-five of the workers laid off were members of the Hialpesa union, and eight were union leaders.

Hialpesa filed its request for the collective layoffs with the Labour Ministry. The Ministry then had responsibility for assessing the request and deciding whether the dismissals would be authorized.

Over the four years that followed, the Hialpesa union and the FNTTP held marches, rallies and cookouts in front of the Labour Ministry in solidarity with the workers, demanding that the company respect the workers’ rights.

FNTTP’s organizing secretary, Gerardo Olortegui Sifuentes, said:

“The company initiated the collective layoffs in June 2019 to try and disband the union. More than 20 workers have been reinstated by court order this year and last year, with seven union leaders reinstated last week. This is a major achievement for the FNTTP, after our long battle to defend the workers' rights.
"However, the proceedings are still ongoing for more than 70 workers, so our battle is not over yet. We’ve held protests at the Supreme Court to get them to move forward with the proceedings. The judges are taking years to get through the whole process. We believe that if it takes too long, it’s not justice.”

The underlying problem is that abusive employment practices – particularly through outsourcing and temporary contracts – are widespread in Peru and allow companies not to fulfil their responsibilities towards workers. Under Legislative Decree No. 728, it is possible for companies to hire people on a temporary basis and, thanks to Legislative Decree No. 22342 on so-called “non-traditional exports”, employers can treat workers as if they were in a permanent trial period.

Earlier this year, IndustriALL informed the Committee on the Application of Standards of the International Labour Organization (ILO) that Peru’s laws do not comply with ILO conventions, which are binding under international law, and that there is a lack of enforcement of the country’s labour laws.

IndustriALL’s regional secretary Marino Vani said:

“We urge the Peruvian government, parliament and companies to bring their legislation and practices in line with international standards in order to strengthen collective bargaining, decent work and the right to freedom of association.
"We congratulate the FNTPP leadership for their efforts to stand up for and organize workers even though their union work is hindered by laws and government decrees. The struggle goes on!”

Ali Enterprises anniversary underlines dire need for safe workplaces

On 11 September 2012, more than 250 workers were killed and over 50 were injured in one of the world’s worst industrial fires at Ali Enterprises in Karachi, Pakistan.

It took years of intense campaigning by IndustriALL affiliate National Trade Union Federation (NTUF), Pakistan Institute of Labor Education and Research (PILER), IndustriALL, Clean Clothes Campaign, and other allies including UNI Global Union to secure proper compensation from German retailer KiK, Ali Enterprises’ only known buyer. An agreement was reached in September 2016, where KiK paid US$5.2 million as compensation to the victims of the fire.

And expanding the International Accord, that over the past ten years made jobs safer for millions of garment workers in Bangladesh, to Pakistan means that garment workers in the country will face a safer future in their workplaces.

With 72 signatories to date, the International Accord is establishing a comprehensive workplace health and safety program in Pakistan covering signatories' garment and textile suppliers. It is a legally binding agreement between global unions, IndustriALL and UNI Global Union, and garment brands and retailers for an interim term of three years starting in 2023.

Says IndustriALL global union general secretary Atle Høie:

“We join our affiliates in Pakistan in commemorating the victims of the tragic fire, and we reiterate our strong commitment to ensure safe workplaces for garment workers. With the Accord implementation in Pakistan, preventable deaths and accidents will rapidly decrease, workers will receive training on occupational health and safety, which will empower them and hopefully they will see the benefit of joining a trade union to fight collectively for their rights.”

Job losses wreck livelihoods in Ethiopia’s garment industry

IFTLGWU, affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, said 11 workers were killed and factories bombed during the war in Tigray in the north. The Pretoria agreement that ended the war was signed in November 2022.

The Ethiopian government estimates that millions of jobs were lost when the US African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) benefits were withdrawn over “failure to defend internationally recognised human rights” during the war. Further, garment brands that included H&M, PVH, and others stopped manufacturing and sourcing garments for the same reasons.

IndustriALL talked to seven workers who lost jobs at the Epic Group, Best International Garments, and Quadrant Apparel Group factories in Hawassa industrial park on 1 September.

“I came to work as usual but got the shock of my life when I received a termination letter at the end of the shift. I had been laid off. I have a family to look after but it is difficult when you have no money,”

said Weyneshet Wendimoget.

The workers said some retrenchments were unlawful as employers did not follow the procedures in the labour laws. The union says employers did this to avoid paying terminal benefits. However, the dismissals were challenged in court and workers won.

Even highly skilled workers like Desbele Birmay were not spared:

“After receiving design training through the EPIC Group in Viet Nam, I came back to Ethiopia and worked in the cut department before being retrenched. The war was a double tragedy for me because I am from Tigray and could not go home after losing my job because of the conflict. So, I remained in Hawassa surviving on piece jobs and handouts from friends. But you only get temporary jobs for less than 60 days because employers are not interested in giving you a permanent contract.”

Workers who remained at work faced job insecurity and poor wages as export orders declined forcing factories to cut production.

“With inflation high (28.8 per cent in July) it is difficult to make sense of how workers are surviving on the low wages. Living wages should be at least 10,000 Birr (US$181). But it is worse for the retrenched,”

said the workers who mentioned that machine operators were paid 2,200 – 2,800 Birr (US$40-51).

The Ethiopian government has approved plans to reduce income tax and will also introduce minimum wages and set up a wages board after unions threated to go on strike.

Angesom Gebre Yohannes, president of the IFTGLWTU said:

“The suspension of AGOA affected many factories at Adama, Bole Lemi, Hawassa, and Kombolcha industrial parks. In instances, factories that jointly worked on orders that were exported duty free to the US found themselves with now work to do. Hence, we would like the suspension to be lifted to bring back jobs, and investment.”

Said Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary:

“With dialogue and reconciliation taking place, we hope that the resumption of trade will restore and create decent jobs especially for women and the youth. We hope for a recovery of the trade union membership which was eroded by retrenchments and are in solidarity with the IFTGLWTU in its efforts to build the union.”

Kyrgyzstan's ongoing struggle for fundamental workers' rights

The Mining and Metallurgical Trade Union of Kyrgyzstan filed a case (3386) with the International Labour Organization (ILO) Committee on Freedom of Association in 2020, exposing the systematic violations of trade union rights in the country, particularly the violation on freedom of association and the harassment of trade union leaders.

Following the complaint, the Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) of the Kyrgyz Republic passed a resolution in June 2022. The resolution established a commission to examine the implementation of the Kyrgyz Republic's "On Trade Unions" law.

In June this year, the Jogorku Kenesh adopted another resolution with a series of instructions. These directives included amending the "On Trade Unions" law, pursuing digitalization and personnel reforms within trade unions, and reshaping trade union structures. The Federation of Trade Unions of Kyrgyzstan was tasked with proposing changes to charters and reviewing agreements on the lease of union property.

Following these new developments, IndustriALL submitted an update on Case 3386 on Kyrgyzstan, in August with new information testifying to the continued pressure from authorities on trade unions in restricting freedom of association and the right to self-determination.

As fundamental workers’ rights continue to be challenged, this August, Kyrgyz authorities launched a lawsuit to close down independent online news outlet Kloop Media Public Foundation. The lawsuit alleges that Kloop Media failed to register as a mass media outlet and conducted media activities not listed in its charter. It also references a pretrial investigation into the foundation's activities initiated in November 2021, accusing them of violating Kyrgyzstan's criminal code.

This move, restricting freedom of expression in Kyrgyzstan has sparked global outrage. Human Rights Watch has condemned the action as part of a series of attacks on freedom of media and expression, incompatible with international human rights obligations, calling for the immediate withdrawal of the lawsuit.

“These actions raise concerns about the interference in the internal activities of trade unions. These measures potentially restrict trade unions' rights to develop their charters, organize internal structures, and independently pursue their action plan.
“The recent developments show the urgency of our collective action to ensure that Kyrgyzstan upholds its commitments to freedom of association, expression, and the fundamental rights of its citizens."

said IndsutriALL general secretary Atle Høie.

Youth and women leaders in Nepal and Bangladesh resolve to fight GBVH

Over the years, IndustriALL affiliates in South Asia have recognized the importance of developing women's and young people's leadership, a need also emphasized in IndustriALL's action plan. To that end, IndustriALL has been conducting workshops with women and youth union leaders around South Asia.

The focus of the workshops with young leaders, of whom about 50 per cent were women, was gender-based violence and harassment in workplace. In earlier meetings, young leaders had identified GBVH as one of their top priority areas to work on. As part of their action plan, young leaders have taken on the task to carry out risk assessment for GBVH in their respective factories, in close consultation with their leadership.

Young leaders in both countries discussed the need to discuss and review union statutes to include more young leaders.

Hasan Ali, a young leader from the Bangladesh Textile garments workers League (BTGWL), says:

“We resolve to take initiatives within our unions to build a more inclusive space that welcomes all genders, including members from the LGBQTIA+ community. We are also committed to working towards eradicating all forms of violence and harassment in the workplace, including in union spaces.”

Women trade unionists, in both countries, had in-depth discussion on gender roles, power relations, misogyny, sexism, gender discrimination and GBVH, as well as inclusion of women in leadership positions in trade unions. Women leaders shared experiences of violations of their rights, including violence they face.

Gita Bhandari, woman leader from the Whole Industry Trade Union in Nepal, says:

“Many of our unions do not have a gender policy and we must strive to build one in each of our unions. To advance workers’ rights, it’s essential that unions have more women in the decision-making body of trade unions, including leadership roles.”

Women leaders also resolved to campaign for the ratification of ILO Convention 190.

On 23–24 August, women union leaders from IndustriALL-affiliated unions in Bangladesh met in Dhaka, and on 25–26 August, youth union leaders met. A workshop with women unionists from IndustriALL’s affiliates in Nepal was conducted in Kathmandu on 27-28 August, while that with young leaders was organised on 29-30 August.

US Teamsters celebrate groundbreaking victory

The NLRB's decision on 25 August mandates building materials company Cemex to either voluntarily recognize the union or ask the Board to hold a Teamsters’ recognition election. If, before or during a union election, the employer commits an unfair labour practice, such as illegally dismissing employees who support a union, the Board will require the employer to recognise the union and enter into negotiations immediately.

The ruling that has far-reaching implications as it asserts that any employer must now engage in collective bargaining with a union if labour law violations committed during a representation election undermine its credibility.

Sean M. O’Brien, Teamsters general president, lauded the decision as a pivotal moment for workers across the nation:

“This landmark decision by the NLRB will be a catalyst for workers who are standing up and demanding their worth – not just at Cemex, but at every other employer in the country.”

The NLRB's decision establishes a new framework for addressing labour law violations that obstruct the conduct of fair representation elections. The ruling paves the way for the issuance of bargaining orders in situations where an employer's actions hinder the ability to hold a legitimate election.

Chris Griswold, Teamsters international vice president at-large and president of Teamsters Joint Council 42, underscored the significance of the decision by highlighting Cemex's conduct during workers' previous attempts to organize. He likened the company's actions to those in a "tin-pot dictatorship," citing the company's termination, intimidation, and harassment of union supporters.

"If any good came out of this company’s scorched-earth thuggery, it’s that now employers will think twice before they break the law to break the union."

Says IndustriALL materials director Alex Ivanou:

“Together with Teamsters brothers and sisters, we celebrate this important victory, which supports organizing efforts of all unions in the US, as it protects workers’ rights to join a union and bargain through their chosen representative.
"This should trigger wider organizing campaigns in the US, as the decision sends a strong signal that unfair labour practices won’t be tolerated”

Photo credit: Teamsters

Kazakhstan: oil workers finally achieve union registration

There has been continuous pressure from the state regarding union activities in the fuel and energy sector.

In 2020, local authorities illegally closed a branch of the trade union in the Kyzylorda region. In February 2021, a court in Shymkent suspended the activities of the Industrial Trade Union of Fuel and Energy Complex Workers, affiliated to the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Republic of Kazakhstan (KNPRK), for six months.

The registration procedure is complex and serves to prevent the creation of free and independent unions. The registration of the local branch of Industrial Trade Union of Fuel and Energy Complex Workers in the Atyrau region was denied six times, each time for a new reason.

The justice departments of Almaty and Atyrau often suspend the registration process without any explanations or make claims of irregularities in paperwork.

The Kazakh trade union movement has been under oppression during the last decade, which has been strongly condemned by the international trade union movement and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

In June this year, for the fifth time in six years, the ongoing violations of union rights in Kazakhstan were brought before the ILO Committee on the Application of Standards (CAS) during the International Labour Conference in Geneva.

The Kazakhstan government continues to avoid fulfilling its obligations under ILO Convention 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize. The anti-union actions weaken Kazakh unions, leaving many workers unprotected.

This registration is the first real step authorities have taken in fulfilling the demands of unions and the ILO. IndustriALL will host a workshop with affiliates in Kazakhstan to learn about the steps that they are taking to restore order to the country.

IndustriALL assistant general secretary, Kemal Özkan says:

“We applaud the union on this victory and their continuous battle to win back their rights. This is an important step for freedom of association in Kazakhstan. IndustriALL expects and demands further progress from Kazakh authorities. Our support and solidarity with the democratic union movement in the country will continue.”