Brazil enacts law to ensure equal pay for women and men

Women workers in Brazil earn 21 per cent less than men, according to data from the Inter-Trade Union Department of Statistics and Socioeconomic Studies (DIESSE). In sectors where women predominate (like health, education and social services), the pay gap is even wider: 32 per cent compared to men’s pay.

In response to this, President Lula da Silva signed Bill 1085 into law on 3 July, with a view to guaranteeing equal pay and remuneration for women and men, seeking to combat the inequalities in the labour market, increase women’s financial autonomy and improve their overall situation.

The legislation sets out measures to promote and implement diversity and inclusion programmes in the workplace, including training on the issue for managers, leaders and employees.

It also requires companies with 100 or more employees to provide transparent half-yearly reports on pay and remuneration criteria. These reports should contain information enabling an objective comparison of men’s and women’s pay and remuneration.

In the event of irregularities, administrative penalties will be applied and judicial processes to redress the inequality will be facilitated. The new legislation increases the fine by up to ten times in cases where a woman is paid less than a man doing the same job and doubles it for repeat offences. The law also provides for compensation for moral damages on grounds of discrimination based on sex, race, ethnicity, origin or age.

“The new law establishes that the criteria of equal pay and remuneration are mandatory for women and men doing work of equal value or the same job. (…)
We have the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Women, the Public Ministry of Labour… and everyone has to work towards ensuring compliance with the law,”

said the President on the day of the signing.

Mónica Veloso, IndustriALL vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasises the significance for women workers in Brazil:

“It is essential that we take ownership of this historic victory in the fight for gender equality and make this public instrument a reality for women in the world of work. We need to extend its application in collective agreements.
"The trade union movement, with the strength of women workers, can and must be a strong ally of this public policy enabling a social and economic transformation in the lives of women workers.”

Germany: strike ends at Vestas

The prolonged strike came to an end as 92 per cent voted in favour of the negotiated agreement and expressed support for ending the strike. The workers achieved their goal of securing a collective agreement at Vestas, marking one of the longest labour disputes in IG Metall's history.

The conflict between the union and Vestas' management was intense and polarized. For 73 days, the company's management refused to negotiate with IG Metall and sought to address wage issues solely through the works council. However, the success of the strike movement challenged this stance, effectively shaping future working conditions at Vestas through collective agreements.

“Throughout the year-long struggle, full-time employees, both political and administrative, who supported the workers at Vestas, have developed deep respect and admiration for their unwavering dedication. Despite the virtual nature of the strike, with digital strike meetings conducted twice a day and no physical picket lines, the workers demonstrated remarkable commitment and solidarity. Trust in IG Metall and its decisions remained strong among members, fueled by the support and solidarity received from all corners of the organization and beyond. Just a month ago a resolution was passed at IndustriALL’s executive committee in Cape town,”

said Jörg Hoffman, IndustriALL president and IG Metall general secretary.

Messages, resolutions, videos, and photos poured in from colleagues worldwide, representing various branches and workplaces. The global community of IG Metall members actively participated in digital strike meetings, leaving a lasting impact. The bargaining committee and all those who attended the strike meetings extended their heartfelt thanks for the overwhelming support, donations, and expressions of solidarity.

“With the strike now concluded and a collective agreement in place, workers at Vestas can look to the future with improved working conditions and rights secured through their determined efforts. This milestone serves as a testament to the power of unity and solidarity in achieving fair and just outcomes in the labor movement,“

said IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie.

Letter: IndustriALL Global Union congratulates IG Metall on reaching collective agreement at Vestas in Germany

Unions file complaint against Italian brands remaining in Myanmar

Since the military coup in February 2021 trade unions have been outlawed and union activists are hounded. Workers’ rights are violated, and it is impossible to conduct due diligence in the country.

Acting on this, CGIL, CISL, UIL and Italia-Birmania Insieme, who all support the call for comprehensive economic sanctions and a responsible exit from Myanmar, will follow closely the complaint filed at the Italian National Contact Point (NCP). The NCPs have a responsibility to help resolve complaints of alleged breaches of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

Says Khaing Zar, president of IndustriALL affiliate IWFM:

“Fundamental rights at work have been violated since the beginning of the coup and we are taking action to counter the lack of cooperation of the brands who insist on remaining in Myanmar. Many brands are hiding behind support from the European Union through the MADE in Myanmar programme, in effect whitewashing from the EU providing space to fake trade unions and a fake social dialogue.”

IndustriALL’s 3rd Congress in September 2021 adopted a resolution in support of democracy in Myanmar, calling for comprehensive economic sanctions.

“The NCP complaint filed by our Italian affiliates is one of many pathways we use following the Congress resolution,”

says IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie.

“In other countries and against other brands we use different mechanisms to get the same results. There is no freedom of association and operating in Myanmar lines the pockets of the military junta.”

Workers in Nepal demand fair wages

According to Nepal’s labour law, the minimum wage is fixed every two years taking the current inflation into account. Affiliates highlight in the letter that the current minimum wage of a factory worker which is NPR 15000 (US$114), is not sufficient to ensure a decent standard of living especially considering the skyrocketing inflation.

Trade unions are demanding that industrial workers be paid on a par with a first-level government employee who gets a monthly salary of about NPR 26200 (US$200).
Amrit Lal Joshi, president of IndustriALL Global Union’s affiliate Nepal Factory Labour Union, says:

“Employers are saying that the economy is in a slump and with the production getting severely affected, it’s not possible to pay higher wages. This is unacceptable. If workers’ demands are not met, we will be forced to initiate a nationwide movement.”

Unions also point out in the letter that a large section of the workers in the country are also excluded from the social security schemes. In the absence of any social protections, workers are not even able to afford quality healthcare services.

Kemal Ozkan, assistant general secretary of IndustriALL, says:

“IndustriALL firmly stands with the demands of its Nepali affiliates. We urge the government and employers to seriously consider the demands of trade unions and ensure fair wages for workers.”

Malagasy trade unionist seeks justice

In an interview with IndustriALL Global Union:

“On 27 August 2022 when I was on annual leave, the gendarmerie came looking for me at my old address. When they could not find me, they went to the factory and got my phone number from co-workers. I then received a text message that I should report to the nearest police station, to which I did the following day, and was arrested after being informed that I had disclosed sensitive information about E-Toile on social media.”

“I had posted the results of elections of the staff representative, responses by management on workers complaints about poor meals that were provided by the employer, existence of training provided to staff and union representatives by the labour inspectorate, and workers concerns on unpaid overtime.”

Sento was invited to the meeting as an assistant union representative from SVS which is affiliated to IndustriALL. The trial took place on 1 September, and he was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment with a fine of 400 000 Ariary which he never paid. After serving nine months he was given a presidential pardon of three months.

“Although I appealed against the conviction and sentence for violating confidential information, the appeal was only granted after the prison sentence.”

Antanimora in Antananarivo, where he served the sentence, is amongst the worst prisons in the world, overcrowded, and in a deplorable state according to UN agencies.

Zotiakobanjinina Fanja Marcel Sento Chang (26)

"Life in prison was difficult. The cells were opened at 6 am. Prison guards counted the inmates and handed over to guards taking over for the next shift. I was in a cell with over 130 inmates, and the numbers kept going up as a new prisoners came every day. We slept on makeshift beds of planks that accommodated up to three prisoners, and only one meal per day of boiled cassava was served at 3 pm. Unless your family brought in extra food, you would starve most of the time. At 6 pm we were back in the cells.”

With a young family; a partner, toddler and infant, Sento hopes to get his old job back.

“I want my job back so that I can provide for my family.”

His family has found a lawyer to represent him during the appeal process.

“I would like to thank IndustriALL, SVS and other organizations for their support during my imprisonment. This support gave me strength and I felt that I was not alone in the workers struggle.”

After SVS, ITUC and IndustriALL took the matter to the International Labour Conference, the Committee of Experts on the Applications of Standards recommended that the Government of Madagascar must “immediately and unconditionally quash the conviction” of Sento and “refrain from using the criminal law to target trade unions.”

But the Alsico Group to which E-Toile SA is a subsidiary continues to maintain that:

“It is not up to us to comment on the decisions of judges or to command or pressure the judiciary, nor is it our role to comment on Malagasy law. We are all fighting the same battle, each at our level.”

Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary said:

“We will continue to support justice for Sento and for the criminal record to be expunged. Trade unionists are not criminals but activists for the internationally recognized freedom of association and the protection of fundamental rights at work.”

NUMSA secures permanent jobs for 100 workers at Bell Equipment

Under the labour brokers, who provide temporary employment services, the workers were employed under precarious working conditions that included earning 50 per cent of what permanent workers earned, insecure monthly contracts, and being excluded from benefits like pensions, medical aid, home loans, and vehicle financing.

“This agreement is an important achievement for the union and means that the workers will receive medical aid and an improved provident fund. This will fundamentally improve the workers’ quality of life. They now have job security and will be able to raise their families with dignity.
When workers are united, they are a powerful unstoppable force which can transform society for the better. We thank NUMSA officials and shop stewards for their tireless efforts in resolving this labour crisis and will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that workers get what has been promised to them,”

says Irvin Jim, NUMSA general secretary.

However, negotiations are still ongoing the outstanding demands that include a housing allowance of R2000 ($107), transport allowance of R1000 ($54), profit share of R2000 ($107) which the union says should be untaxed.

Further, the metalworkers insist that more temporary contracts should be converted to permanent. The conciliation is still ongoing at Bell Equipment under the Metals and Engineering Bargaining Council and NUMSA says should these negotiations fail, going on strike remains an option.

Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub Saharan Africa said:

“We applaud NUMSA in its relentless fight against labour broking at Bell Equipment and other employers. Labour broking does not promote decent work as brokers give short contracts, low wages, and no benefits. It is also a threat to unionization as active union members’ contracts are sometimes not renewed instilling fear into workers and making them reluctant to join unions.”

In 2018, NUMSA won a landmark Constitutional Court case in which it was ruled that labour brokers cannot give contracts that are over three months, and should that happen the contracts become permanent. For example, if workers are hired for three months under the labour broker, the broker is the employer. But if it is longer than three months, the employer is the company where they are working.

NUMSA, which is affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, organizes workers in engineering, metals, mining, and other manufacturing sectors.

Up skilling youth in Ghanaian trade unions

The meeting was organized by Ghanaian unions with support from IndustriALL Global Union, Building and Woodworkers International (BWI) and Industri Energi.

From August 2022 to now, the project which aims to build sustainable and resilient unions, explored new ways of organizing using digital technologies for recruitment and mobilization of young workers.

The project organized training for 57 young workers in digital organizing, and occupational health and safety at enterprise level. A youth activist school was also held as part of project activities and the agenda included improved representation of youth in the unions.

The meeting heard report of how unions in Ghana were early adopters of online organizing tools that included databases and social media platforms. Databases provided membership profiles and information that was useful in making strategic interventions and providing better services to young workers. The meeting also discussed project activities for 2024 that will include campaigns for the ratification of ILO Convention 190 on ending violence and harassment in the world of work.

Ole-Kristian Paulsen, International advisor at Industri Energi, Norway, said:

“The unions are making progress recruiting new members, while the databases are running well. The occupational health and safety activities are also showing progress. This contributes to the focus by unions on Just Transition and climate change.”

Garikanai Shoko, BWI, Assistant Representation of Africa and Middle East, added:

“In efforts to sustain organizing, education, and advocacy, BWI and IndustriALL affiliates with support from Industri Energi, have over the past year done extremely well by producing databases. Unions should maintain this momentum as digitalization is an anchor to the future of work.”

“The solidarity support from Industri Energi to our Ghanaian affiliates goes a long way in contributing to building their sustainability as trade unions. This is important given the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the need for unions to transform the way they work which is pivotal for effective protection of rights at work,”

said Tendai Makanza, IndustriALL regional officer from the Sub-Saharan Africa office.

The IndustriALL affiliates that participated in the project are the Public Utilities Workers Union, General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union, Ghana Mine Workers Union, and Industrial and Commercial Workers Union. The BWI affiliate that is part of the project is the Timber and Woodworkers Union.

Italian metalworkers strike sends strong message to government

Italian metal unions FIM, FIOM and UILM are demanding a national strategy for a better future for key sectors where tens of thousands of jobs are at risk of being lost through downsizing, closure or relocation. This is the tragic situation in a cost-of-living crisis where at least half of working families are struggling.

The Italian metalworkers’ unions said in a statement:

“The strike action sent a strong signal to the government. They must now give us answers and quickly reconvene dialogue on the metal sectors and supply chains in difficulty. The government must clarify what industrial policies will be put into place and how much public investment will be attributed to protect the jobs, rights and wages.

We are satisfied with the national strike. Work in the metal industry has always been central to the Italian economy and must become the driving force behind its future.”

The mobilisation took place against the backdrop of intensified efforts by the US and China to play an even more dominant role in global manufacturing and international trade. If Europe's industrial policy lags behind its competitors, Italy and the rest of Europe will lose jobs, wealth and strategic autonomy.

For years, Italy has seen its manufacturing base shrink considerably due to a lack of forward-looking industrial policy. In today's reality of environmental, digital, energy and technological transition, employment in the metalworking industry is clearly not on the government's agenda. This has led the country's three metalworkers' unions to raise awareness of the pressing needs of a sector that has been a mainstay of the Italian economy for generations. The four-hour strike by FIOM, FIM and UIL M on 7 July focused on:

Employment
Investment
Sustainable transition
Resolution of urgent crises in several large companies
Loss of purchasing power and social conditions for workers in the manufacturing sector.

The unions point to the risk of a further deterioration in economic, industrial and social conditions, stressing the need to put the engineering industries back at the forefront of Italian politics. Moreover, the ecological and digital transition must be agreed with the workers through a fruitful social dialogue.

“IndustriALL stands in full support of our Italian affiliates. These are serious attacks on the Italian industrial model, the joint strike in the north and the south of Italy has sent a powerful unified message to the Italian government and will put the spotlight on the urgent need for action,”

says Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary.

MADE in Myanmar Project – EU must stop supporting military junta’s rule

We, IndustriALL Global Union and industriAll European Trade Union, both representing workers in the mining, energy, and manufacturing industries throughout the world, are forced to contact you once more in relation to the EU’s support of the MADE in Myanmar project (Multi-Stakeholder Alliance for Decent Employment in the Myanmar Apparel Industry) following recent arrests of workers linked to the project.

We note the receipt of the letter of 28 June 2023 from Mario Ronconi, on behalf of the European Commission. However, we dispute various important points in this letter, and we believe it is of the utmost importance to inform the leaders of the three EU institutions of the ongoing abuse of workers in Myanmar, including the links to EU engagement and funding in the country. The presence of EU brands in Myanmar provides vital foreign exchange which sustains the military regime and facilitates the purchase of arms, ammunition, and fuel.

Since our last letter, the military has arrested eight workers from two garment factories and two members of a Labour NGO, Action Labour Rights. This is extremely concerning as Action Labour Rights is an NGO which cooperates with the EU, EU-based brands and the MADE in Myanmar project. The arrests of these labour activists demonstrate that Freedom of Association is not possible in Myanmar and that the MADE project does not protect labour activists from the military junta.

Dismissals, threats, and arrests at Hosheng Myanmar Garment Factory

On 10 June of this year, seven workers at the Hosheng Myanmar Garment Factory in Yangon were dismissed for demanding negotiations with their employer around working conditions and a wage increase through enhanced skill and seniority bonuses, as pay is very low. Hosheng produces for one of the world’s biggest brands, Zara. On 12 June, around 600 workers at the factory went on strike to demand the reinstatement of the seven workers. However, the strike was abruptly halted as on 13 June, the employer brought in the military to threaten the workforce.

On 14 June, the seven workers who led the demand for a pay rise, Ma Aye Thandar Htay, Ma Thandar Htay, Ma May Thu Min, Ko Aung Aung, Ko Ye Naing, Ko Ye Thwe Hlaing, were fired, and a female worker leader, Ma Thu Thu San, was arrested. A further five workers were subsequently arrested and one was forced into hiding. The workers have been charged with incitement – 505/a of the Myanmar penal code – and will face a military court as the industrial zones are under martial law. There has been no contact with Ma Thu Thu San since her arrest and concerns for her safety are increasing.

In addition, on 26 June, the General Secretary of the Myanmar Industries Craft and Services Trade Unions Federation (MICS-TusF) was due to be released after serving a two-year prison sentence for his participation in the pro-democracy movement. Instead of being released, he was abducted by the military. His whereabouts remain unknown.

Since the start of the military coup, more than 300 union members and activists have been arrested, and more than 50 have been killed. The military junta in Myanmar has banned nearly all unions, wiping out the fundamental right of freedom of association. One military official even stated that "there is no union under martial law” when speaking to Hosheng workers.

The 28 June letter from the European Commission states that:

‘’Trade unions still legally exist at factory and federation level and organisations committed to supporting workers’ rights continue to operate in the country. However, these cannot function normally due to security and reputational risks stemming from the complex and polarised political situation. MADE aims to support their resilience and ability to engage with business to resolve grievances.’’

After the military coup, 16 of the most representative and democratic trade unions and labour NGOs were banned. Subsequently, with the support of MADE, organisations such as the above-mentioned Action Labour Rights have attempted to fill the gap.

However, with even workers and labour activists from these officially sanctioned organisations being fired, threatened, and arrested, we fail to see how MADE is in any way supporting their resilience and ability to engage with business to resolve grievances.

On the contrary, MADE offers a false sense of security that is dangerous for those who are in the frontline of industrial disputes. MADE offers no protection to workers’ representatives, and giving that impression makes the EU part of the problem, rather than part of the solution.

European Parliament Resolution (11 May 2023)

We engaged with MEPs ahead of the debate and vote on the Resolution on Myanmar on 11 May 2023 and we were pleased to see a huge amount of cross–party support for the final resolution, including the following demands:

8. Calls on the Commission to demonstrate that the Everything But Arms scheme does not benefit the junta or otherwise to temporarily withdraw the mechanism;

9. Calls on the EU to demonstrate that any engagement with Myanmar, including by private companies and EU-based undertakings such as MADE, is subject to strengthened human rights due diligence processes to protect and guarantee workers’ rights;

As such, we now expect the European Commission to provide concrete evidence that the Everything But Arms scheme is not benefiting the military junta (including via foreign exchange) and that MADE is strengthening human rights due diligence, noting the recent firings, military aggression, and arrests of labour activists linked to the MADE programme.

ILO and the International Labour Conference

As you know, the terrible situation facing workers in Myanmar has been escalated at international
level with an emergency resolution adopted at the International Labour Conference and the decision
to establish a Committee of Enquiry. We will follow and engage with the inquiry, and we expect the
entire international community to duly respond to the findings.

With the situation in Myanmar worsening for workers and labour activists, including those engaged with the EU supported MADE project, we insist that the EU removes tariff presences under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences as well as its support for the MADE project. EU citizens, and EU public money, cannot be used to benefit either the military junta nor be associated with an EU funded project which sees workers threatened, fired or arrested without cause.

We ask for urgent meetings with each of the EU institutions on behalf of workers and trade unions
in Myanmar.

US workers strike for green jobs

According to a recent report, producing green locomotives at Wabtec’s Erie plant could bring thousands of new, high-quality jobs to northwest Pennsylvania, an area hard-hit by de-industrialization.

Prototypes for green locomotives are already made at the plant. In negotiations with the employer, United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America Locals 506 and 618, proposed language that would guarantee that green locomotive work be done in Erie. Instead, Wabtec threatened move at least 275 jobs out of the plant.

The two locals voted down the employer’s offer and went on strike on 22 June for a contract that will allow them to move forward with green locomotive production.

Says Bryan Pietrzak, financial secretary for UE Local 506:

“This is 1,400 families affected by boardroom greed. We are fighting an onslaught of union-busting tactics from the notorious Jones Day law firm, we are fighting for a family-sustaining wage for new hires, we are fighting to maintain our healthcare, vision, and dental insurances, and lastly we are fighting for company accountability by restoring our right to strike over grievances.”
“It is a shame that, because of this company’s greed, we are having to fight them, instead of working with them to build the green locomotives that are essential to our country’s climate future. In negotiations, we proposed to do that, because green locomotive production would bring thousands of good, quality jobs into Erie PA and the Western PA area. This company said NO.”

Says Christine Olivier, IndustriALL assistant general secretary:

“The union is committed to the company investing in building green locomotives for the future, but Wabtec very irresponsibly responds with union busting. The striking members have IndustriALL’s full support and we call on Wabtec to engage in genuine negotiations with the locals to find a solution for a just transition.”

A meeting between the union and the employer is scheduled for 11 July.