Planning for a just transition in MENA

The situation varies across the regions, but everyone needs to be prepared for the changing trends and what they will mean for workers. What will happen to the oil and gas industry in Iraq when there is less demand for fossil fuels? How will new production schemes with increased use of robots in auto factories affect workers?

Presenting on a just transition for Morocco, energy governance specialist Diana Kassy, told participants that the country has pledged to upgrade its efficient energy system by channelling 52 per cent of its energy consumption from renewable sources (20 per cent using solar energy, 20 per cent wind and 12 per cent hydro).

"Iraq still relies on fossil fuels and has no plans to move to renewable energy. The priorities are job creation, improving jobs, stopping child labour, ensuring transition, improving the private sector,"

said Maha Katta, coordinator for the International Labour Organization in Iraq.

“A just transition in Iraq's energy sector is a tripartite problem. Unions must take large part of the work as it affects our members. We need an action plan and we need to increase awareness,"

said Hashmeya Alsaadawi, vice president of General Trade Union of Electricity Sector Employees of Iraq – GTUESE and IndustriALL vice president.

Unions in Algeria's energy industry are shut out from the work to implement an effective energy transition in the country.

The situation for unions in Lebanon differs from other countries due to the pressing economic and political situation.

"More people are using solar panels as the energy supply is not sufficient, but the government doesn't have an energy strategy,"

said Waleed Oliek, president of Federation of Petroleum trade unions in Lebanon.

"We need economic and union reforms to meet the transition."

Although conditions differ in the countries in the region, a common denominator is a lack of respect for workers’ rights and a tendency to not engage in social dialogue and invite unions to the table. And yet workers are at the centre as they create the value and suffer the impact of the crises; workers are the means and the end to a just transition.

“We are at the center of the changes in the various sectors – no choice for us but to take our responsibility of ensuring that our voice is heard and interests are considered,”

said Habib Hazami, general secretary of Tunisia Fédération Générale du Textile, de l'Habillement, Chaussure et Cuir – FGTHCC-UGTT and IndustriALL Global co-chair of the textile and garment sector.

As national action plans for a just transition were discussed, participants agreed that despite the challenges ahead, it should never be a choice between the environment and employment. We can do both – we can protect the environment and we can protect our jobs. Participants stressed that unions cannot do this on their own – governments and multinational companies have to be involved.

Mark Hagen from the ITUC Just Transition Center described the climate impact in the region on the workers and the five pillars of a just transition; skills/reskilling; workers; strategic planning investment; social security systems; human and workers’ rights.

“Only a planned transition is a just transition. With plans – company, industry and regional – on what steps to take, we can create the future we want,”

said Mark Hagen.

Last year, IndustriALL published a trade union guide of practice for a just transition. Diana Junquera-Curiel, IndustriALL director of energy industry and just transition, invited participants to create roadmaps for the future:

"The transition is happening, and you need to be prepared. The work ahead is difficult, but as our discussions here show, we need to take the necessary steps to plan for our future. For our future jobs and livelihoods.”

“A transition changing the world of work is underway and it is important that we, the unions, engage in order to create the responses we need. IndustriALL is proud of commitment shown in learning and strategizing on the Just Transition process,”

said IndustriALL assistant general secretry Kemal Özkan.

The conference issued a statement calling for a Just Transition, decided to establish a regional union Just Transition committee, an online forum on Just Transition, and adopted an action plan. The action plan focuses on training and awareness raising, engaging with government and business, organizing in renewable energies, coordinate with civil society on transition issues, and addressing the transition consequences on gender and youth.

Ahmed Kamel, IndustriALL MENA regional secretary said:

“The affiliates presented examples of their engagement and negotiation on transition at different levels in the region. This is an inspiring debate that shows both the knowledge and commitment of our affiliates on the various aspects of Just Transition.”

Uneasiness over Glencore’s takeover bid of Teck Resources

“Glencore’s swashbuckling behaviour does not inspire confidence that Teck Resources hostile takeover bid will result in better working conditions for workers, improved relationships with communities and Indigenous people, and adherence to environmental, social and governance issues.
With Glencore’s doubling down on coal commitments, the future looks bleak in the absence of a well-articulated Just Transition pathway when transitioning away from coal,”

says Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL mining director.

Unlike Glencore, Teck Resources has a reputable sustainability plan aimed at reducing carbon emissions by ten per cent and is investing in renewable energy that includes solar and wind. The company is reducing its environmental impact and works with communities around its mining operations to protect water quality.

United Steelworkers, affiliated to IndustriALL, has come out in support of Teck’s intention to split the company, allowing for a more focussed approach to managing the company without the distraction of its coal portfolio.

Scott Lunny, District 3 Director says Glencore’s bid is “probably causing a little bit more stir” among the workers because “you are talking about the unknown; maybe a new company with a different focus and issues.”

Stakeholders that include IndustriALL, non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations, will impress upon Glencore shareholders at the company’s AGM in Bern, Switzerland, on 26 May to respect workers’ rights by taking a less abusive approach to industrial relations and to engage in meaningful dialogue with unions at global level.

Glencore short-changing mine workers in the DRC

The pay gaps were exposed when Mutanda Mining was mothballed in November 2019 when Glencore cited low cobalt prices and increased cost of production.

More than 500 workers were transferred to KCC and signed new contracts which moved them up to higher job categories in which they received higher wages, US$50 for child school fees per month, payment of holiday allowances and other benefits.

However, when Mumi was reopened in 2022, most of the workers transferred back to the mine lost the benefits they enjoyed at KCC.

The workers who remained at Mumi during the closure mainly from the cobalt section, maintenance department, and security section, did not get any bonuses as per the labour laws. TUMEC wants workers who remained at work during the limited operations that took place at Mumi that involve recirculation to decrease uranium radiation must be paid bonuses and refuses to pay risk insurance for workers in the radiation sections.

The union says MUMI continues to ignore the collective bargaining agreement, and is non-compliant with labour laws on overtime, holiday pay, and wage calculations.

An in-depth 2021 report by RAID and CAJJ found that Glencore and other multinational mining companies operating in the DRC often use subcontractors to reduce labour costs, to limit their legal liabilities and to prevent workers from joining unions. Further, management intimidates outspoken workers.

There are concerns over inadequate personal protective equipment, and health and safety standards that are continuously ignored by Glencore. The workers say the maize flour that they are given by the mine as per long standing agreement with management is of poor quality.

“Since a new manager came, the maize flour that we are now getting from the mine is junk when compared to what we are accustomed to,” said some of the workers.

“The hands-off management style, with local managers encouraged to make operational decisions without reference to a global standard, is an attempt by Glencore to shield itself from criticism. But this means the company has no control over negative externalities. Rather than addressing these issues, Glencore hides behind the obscurity of long and complex supply chains and attempts to change the narrative by doing damage control after violations are exposed. And it is the people in and around the company’s operations that pay the price,”

says Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL mining director.

Indian coal workers successfully bargain for a wage raise

The Joint Bipartite Committee on Coal Industry (JBCCI- XI) comprising central trade unions and management of Coal India Limited (CIL) signed the eleventh national coal wage agreement (NCWA- XI) on 20 May. The agreement is valid for a period of five years, starting from 1 July 2021. Around 280,000 permanent workers of CIL and its subsidiaries, and the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) will benefit from the agreement.

CIL currently employs 238,000 permanent workers and around 250,000 contract workers. The wages of contract workers are to be currently determined as per the 2018 recommendations of the High Power Committee, but the agreement calls for the constitution of a joint committee comprising unions and management representatives, to review the wages and social security benefits for contract workers.

Nathulal Pandey, general secretary of IndustriALL’s affiliate Hind Khadan Mazdoor Federation (HKMF) and a member of the JBCCI XI, says:

“We have been actively raising the issue of decent wages for contract workers in the wage negotiation process. We will see to it that the matter is taken up seriously in the joint committee, and provisions are made for effective implementation. Our fight will not end until all workers receive their due share.”

As per the agreement, management and unions will jointly undertake programmes on training and retraining of workers regarding the introduction of new technology. A standardization committee is to be set up to determine the job categories, including left-out jobs and new jobs created as a result of the introduction of new technology or machinery of higher capacity.

S Q Zama, secretary general of IndustriALL affiliate Indian National Mineworkers’ Federation (INMF) and a member of the JBCCI XI, says:

“INMF has been consistently raising the issue of Just Transition and climate change in all the meetings of Coal India, including JBCCI. We firmly believe that workers must be included in the discussions on energy transition in light of the country’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions.”

Until recently, INMF was not included in the wage negotiation process of the coal industry. The union participated in only the last two meetings of the JBCCI, after the Calcutta High Court ruled in favour of the union, directing CIL to allow the union’s participation in wage negotiation.

Kemal Ozkan, IndustriALL assistant general secretary, says:

“IndustriALL salutes our Indian affiliates for successfully bargaining for the rights of Coal India workers. It was unfortunate that our affiliate INMF was not allowed to participate in the process until recently. We believe that companies must take the process of social dialogue seriously and include workers’ voices in all discussions.”

Organizing a top priority in ICT industry

While organizing in the sector has proven to be difficult, especially in companies like Amazon, Apple, Samsung and Microsoft, where union presence is low, there has been some improvements in recent years. The meeting saluted affiliates on their organizing efforts and committed to making organizing a top priority for the sector.

The participants from Korean Metal Workers Union reported about their successful organizing at Samsung SDI in June 2022. This success is added to the earlier achievement in 2019 when another IndustriALL affiliate Federation of Korean Metalworkers' Trade Unions reported about successful organizing of workers in three Samsung subdivisions including Samsung SDI. The trade unions expressed their concerns over working conditions at Samsung, they referred to an unfair and non-transparent wage system which makes workers compete as well as hard working hours.

Participants discussed the volatility of the semi-conductor industry due to a declining market, quick changes in the industry and a complex division of labour. The steering committee emphasized further development of the global semi-conductor network, facilitating exchange of information and good practice among IndustriALL affiliates.

Trade unions aim to use human rights due diligence (HRDD) laws from Germany, France and other European countries, and guidelines from Japan to demand socially responsible investment in semi-conductor and other electronics production industry and its supply chain, together with existing leverage from global framework agreements and trade union networks.

Alexander Ivanou, IndustriALL director of ICT, electrical and electronics, said:

“We need to build cases with HRDD laws and guidelines to ensure that ILO standards and human rights are respected in the industry. ILO member states are required to adhere to all ILO fundamental conventions, including the recently added occupational health and safety conventions 155 and 187.”

Malaysia’s Electronics Industry Employees’ Unions Coalition (EIEU) said that 20 workers at ST microelectronics died during the pandemic as a result of an unsafe working environment.

The steering committee voiced great concern over the potential impact on jobs posed by artificial intelligence (AI). Trade unions call for just transition for all workers affected by AI, stating that rules need to be adopted and workers should be part of development.

Prihanani Boenadi from the Federation of Indonesian Metal Workers' Union (FSPMI) and co-chair of this sector said,

“we have an important role to play in protecting workers' rights in the digital age. Unions must very soon commit to reshaping digitalisation, to negotiating for stronger workers’ rights in relation to the influx of digital technologies into workplaces, Unions will need to mitigate the harms that these technologies can and are inflicting on workers.”

“We need to deepen our discussions to secure a better future. In addition to responding to the turmoil in the international energy market and the supply-demand crunch caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it is necessary to develop a system to ensure a stable supply of electricity while promoting the use of decarbonized power sources. Energy and raw material prices are soaring and these developments have a significant impact on our work and daily lives as prices continue to soar,”

said Masashi Jimbo, president of Japanese Electrical Electronics & Information Union, JEIU and the ICT E&E sector co-chair.

Fundamental workers’ rights violated in Ukraine

By gathering information from affiliated unions in Ukraine and from reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine, the brief unambiguously states that the fundamental rights of Ukrainian workers in the areas temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation are frequently and repeatedly violated.

“Although we know that the people of Ukraine are suffering more than a year after the invasion, this reports shows to what extent the workers are paying for this senseless occupation with their fundamental rights,”

says IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan.

Before the occupation, there were 12,000 workers at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and in Enerhodar city. 11,000 of those were union members at the plant, a number which today has dwindled to around 1,200.

Many workers managed to escape before the the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was occupied. Those who still work there have been forced to sign employment contracts with the Russian state atomic energy corporation, Rosatom, and to join unions created or controlled by the occupying forces, a clear violation of the right to freedom of association.

According to IndustriALL affiliate Atomprofspilka, some workers have been forced to go to work and escorted to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant at gunpoint.

Workers have been subjected to threats to sign contracts with the occupying forces. Although some were detained while their homes were searched and their families threatened, less than five per cent of these workers signed employment contracts with the occupying forces; the rest remaining loyal to the Ukrainian energy utility.

Russia has converted the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant into a military base. The occupying forces are neither respecting fire safety regulations nor other safety procedures in the premises they have taken control over.

A recent report on nuclear safety, security and safeguards in Ukraine by the IAEA confirms that – in the past year – several of Ukraine’s five nuclear power plants and other facilities have come under direct shelling.

Atomprofspilka reports that workers sent to repair damaged energy infrastructure are putting their lives at risk, since the Russian Federation are deliberately shelling power lines and transformer stations.

Workers report that the occupying forces have stolen vehicles, computers, medical kits, and other equipment, and that supply chains for new equipment and spare parts have broken down. As a result, staff no longer have access to life-saving personal protective equipment.

Matov Valeriy, IndustriALL vice co-chair for the nuclear sector and president of Atomprofspilka, says:

“We are grateful to IndustriALL and the ILO for bringing this issue to the attention of the world. We expect that the most serious consequences of the activities of the Russian occupation forces will be fully discovered after the de-occupation.”

Union at Peru’s Antapaccay Mining Company rejects change to shift system

SITRAMINA, part of the Peruvian National Miners’ and Metal Workers’ Union (FNTMMSP), affiliated to IndustriALL, rejected the decision taken by Antapaccay Mining Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Glencore, to unilaterally change shift systems for its supervisory staff.

The union lodged a complaint with the labour authorities, requesting that the measure be declared inadmissible for not complying with legal requirements. The case will be one of many issues raised by a delegation of trade unions and civil society organizations at Glencore's annual general meeting of shareholders on 26 May. They say it is proof of a company-wide problem in the way Glencore manages its operations.

Antapaccay Mining Company decided to stop the ten days on, ten days off (10×10) system in place during the COVID-19 pandemic and revert to the 8×6 system used prior to 2020. The mining company said the new shift system would ensure that there is an in-person handover, now that the World Health Organization has declared the global health emergency to be over.

However, SITRAMINA argues that the new approach poses a major health and safety risk and will adversely affect workers’ personal lives. The union argues that the online handover process in place for three years worked very well. It also says that the 8×6 system will increase the amount of travel workers will have to do – travel that is unpaid and extremely tiring.

It takes employees seven hours to reach the mine, and they must report to work at 5:00am the following morning. Under the 10×10 system, workers got to their rooms at 11:30pm. Under the 8×6 system, however, they get to their rooms at 3:00am, which means they only have two hours to rest before they have to start work. According to the union, this violates the company's own fatigue and drowsiness policy, which sets a mandatory six-to-eight-hour sleep period.

"The company failed to consult with the union, in breach of Article 2 of Supreme Decree 007-2002-TR (Law on Working Time, Working Hours and Overtime Work), which establishes mandatory consultation and negotiation with the workers impacted by the measure.
Moreover, Peruvian case law establishes that it is discriminatory to change working times for only one group of workers, as is the case at Antapaccay (the change affects only supervisory personnel, not operators),”

said IndustriALL’s general secretary Atle Høie in a letter to Glencore CEO Gary Nagle.

Høie asked Nagle to take steps to ensure proper negotiations between management and the union in order to find a solution that benefits both parties.

Textile unions in Asia Pacific commit to campaign for safe workplaces

The meeting, supported by IndustriALL Japanese affiliate UA Zensen, examined best practices by affiliates from around the world, including IndustriALL's research and campaigning strategies.

According to the ILO, work-related illnesses and injuries kill 29 million people per and cost the global economy US$5.4 billion. Beatriz Cunha, ILO sectoral specialist, and Kamrul Anam, vice-chair of the ILO experts committee that adopted the code of practice on textile safety and health, presented the code and called on unions to work together for its implementation.

Affiliates from Bangladesh and Pakistan emphasized the importance of the International Accord on Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry, urging more global brands to sign. Currently 198 brands have signed the Accord.

Participants discussed the Bipartite Agreement in Sri Lanka to promote freedom of association and OHS and the Indonesian campaign to prevent gender-based violence and harassment. UA Zensen emphasized their zero-accident policy. Clothing manufacturer H&M presented guidelines aimed at preventing and addressing gender-based violence in their supply chain, which were jointly developed by NMC members, including IndustriALL affiliates.

Christina Hajagos-Clausen, IndustriALL TGSL sector director, said:

“Together with our ongoing campaigns and engagement with brands to promote workplace safety, we must also leverage the due diligence laws and guidelines that countries like Germany, Norway, and Japan have introduced, to hold retailers accountable for workers’ rights violations in the supply chains.”

Recognizing occupational safety and health (OSH) tools, best practices and approaches in the TGSL sector, discussions took place on how to campaign for implementation of the ILO code, develop effective workplace OSH mechanisms that include gender perspectives, engage in education, and emphasize the importance of improving health and safety and overall working conditions in the sector.

Using collective bargaining to close the inequality gap

Typical issues on the collective bargaining agenda include wage increases, working time, training, occupational health and safety and equal treatment. Through these negotiations a collective bargaining agreement, which regulates the terms and conditions of employment, can be reached. Collective bargaining and collective agreements are fundamental to reducing inequality and extending labour protection.

The Botswana Mine Workers Union’s (BMWU) victory in an industrial court stopped unfair retrenchments at Lucara Botswana’s security department at the Karowe diamond mine. 50 workers who volunteered and provided information, in an investigation of allegations of maladministration and unethical business conduct in the department at the mine were given termination letters after they provided testimonies. The union argued in court that the termination was unlawful as there were no disciplinary hearings as required by the labour laws. The industrial court in Gaborone ruled that the diamond mining company cannot continue with the retrenchments without negotiating with the union as per existing collective agreement.

In 2022, Finnish union Paperiliitto went on an historic strike for 112 days when the employer, UPM, left the industry-wide bargaining that had been in place for decades and refused to sign a single collective agreement with the union. The 2,200 members resisted the strike breaking efforts of management, with the strong industrial action receiving significant solidarity support in Finland and internationally. Under a new proposal, five separate collective bargaining agreements were signed with a duration of four years and salary renegotiation after two years.

Japanese metalworkers' unions received the highest wage increase since 2020. Wage negotiations between unions and management take place annually. The Japan Council of Metalworkers’ Unions (JCM), representing two million metalworkers from more than 3,000 affiliated unions, set the standard of a unified demand on wages and working conditions for the annual rounds of industry wide collective bargaining. Unions achieved an additional monthly wage increase of on average YEN8,407 (US$63).

Last year, Bulgarian workers at multinational STS Medical Group signed their first collective agreement after a protest rally where hundreds of workers demanded adequate pay for their work. The union had tried to reach a collective agreement for 1,5 years, but after the protest actions and work stoppages, an additional round of wage negotiations was held. The minimum wage for the company increased to BGN1,000 (US$539). Workers received an increase in food vouchers from BGN80 to BGN200 (US$43), as well as a Christmas supplement of BGN60 (US$32).

In Quebec, 110 members of Unifor local 177 at Joliet Ash Grove returned to work after more than a 16-month lockout. Workers were locked out from the plant owned by Irish cement giant CRH in May 2021, after rejecting the employers’ offers. The dispute was heard before the Administrative Labour Tribunal following a complaint by Unifor regarding the illegal use of replacement workers (scabs) during lockouts announced by the employer. The union won the case. Workers received a 7.5 per cent wage increase and a further 3.5 per cent increase during the second year.

“Building a better future, through better working conditions and improved wages is a fundamental role that trade unions play. It is essential that the inequality gap be closed and the best way to do this is through strong collective bargaining,”

says Atle Høie IndustriALL general secretary.

We need to work together to strengthen collective bargaining for a #justfuture.

Korean unions need your solidarity

President YOON Suk-yeol’s use of union-bashing rhetoric and illegitimate use of public prosecutors and police to attack unions has set a national tone that is echoed on the ground in workplaces across the country with increasingly violent attacks against trade unionists.

On 4 May, a manager of ILJIN Hysolus, which is a supplier of Hyundai Motor and BMW, rammed his car into local trade union leaders hitting three of them and causing serious injuries to the union’s vice chair.

On May Day, Yang Hoe-Dong, a district leader of the Korean Construction Workers Union (KCWU), tragically set himself on fire to protest harassment of trade unionists by government authorities. Yang, one of the victims of that harassment, sadly passed away from complications of severe burns.

On 17 May some 40,000 trade unionists mobilized in Seoul to protest the YOON administration.

The Council of global unions has condemned the recent attacks, judicial harassment, and interference against the legitimate activities of trade unions and the rights of working people in South Korea.

In response to the orchestrated campaign against unions, IndustriALL affiliate KMWU is calling for a 4-hour warning strike on 31 May. Members are asked to down tools for four hours and to take to the streets in Seoul and other regions to call on the government to cease the current attacks on labour rights and unions.

KMWU is urging the government to immediately stop harassing the unions and instead establish constructive, stable industrial relations where workers’ rights are protected.

“The government in Korea is pushing a negative public image of unions which has detrimental consequences for the workers. Organizing is a right and not a crime,”

says IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie.

IndustriALL supports KMWU in its struggle to end the climate of fear and intimidation that unions in Korea are currently subjected to and call on affiliates around the world to join the solidarity campaign.