Niger: unions call for democracy, peace, stability and security

On 30 July the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) issued an ultimatum and threat to intervene with military force to restore the deposed president back to power if the presidential guard did not release the president. The bloc’s defence chiefs have agreed on a possible military action plan, including when and where to strike if the country’s detained leader is not released and reinstated by this Sunday.

IndustriALL affiliates Syndicat National des Travailleurs de l'Industrie du Niger (SNTIN) and Syndicat National des Travailleurs des Mines du Niger who belong to one of the trade union centers Union de Syndicates des Travailleurs du Niger USTN, have condemned this military coup and calls on the population to ban any act of violence on people and their property.

Unions have called on the so-called National Council for Safeguarding the Fatherland (CNSP), to make all efforts to store peace and stability for all in the region. Unions said that they will fight any situation that does not consider the general interests of workers and the Nigerien people. Unions demand that CNSP do everything possible to alleviate the suffering of workers through compliance with the commitments made by previous government.

In the past years, the security in the Sahel region which includes countries Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, The Gambia, Guinea Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal has become severely unstable.

Extremists, terrorists and insurgents continue to pose real threats to lives and livelihoods. Thousands of people have been killed, children kidnapped, schools destroyed, and farmers have been forced to quit their farms. These attacks partly account for why the countries in the Sahel region have high rates of poverty, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), out-of-school children and violent civilian deaths.

The action plan adopted by the 2021 Congress says: “IndustriALL Global Union and its affiliates are firmly against all attempted coup d’état or anti-democratic interventions against the free will and vote of the people. We defend genuine democracy on the basis of respect for human rights and stand united with people in those countries affected”.

Rose Omamo, IndustriALL’s Vice-President for Sub-Saharan Africa says:

“If ECOWAS reacts with military intervention, it will greatly affect the working class and poor people who are already in a vulnerable position. We call on ECOWAS, to find diplomatic and concrete ways to resolve this political catastrophe which does not include mobilizing for military deployment. We also encourage ECOWAS and the African Union to take careful necessary steps to coordinate a platform to discuss security and challenges threatening the socio-economic and political stability of the Sahel region and the continent.”
“Workers need democracy, peace, stability and security and deploying the military will not provide that.”

Nigerian unions protest anti-poor policies

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) called this mass action. The labour federations have since met with the Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu, to engage on the unions’ demands such as the adoption of economic policy measures that protect workers and the poor, and to reduce government spending.

The unions say that the current socio-economic conditions of high inflation, unemployment, poverty, and the increasing national debt, are causing a cost-of-living crisis which is worsened by the removal of the fuel subsidy. Additionally, taxes are increasing, tuition fees have been introduced at public universities, workers will pay more in school fees for their children, teaching hospitals and federal medical centres are being privatised while government spending is increasing. The unions are concerned that these anti-poor policies will push workers and the populace deeper into poverty.

Lai Brown, Automobile, Boatyards, Transport, Equipment & Allied Senior Staff Association (AUTOBATE), general secretary says:

“In the last two months, we have witnessed a series of socio-economic attacks on the workers including an astronomical hike in petrol, arbitrary increases in tuition fees at public institutions, and the devaluation of the naira. These events have caused untold hardships to members of AUTOBATE. The labour movement must keep up pressure until the government meets the legitimate demands of the workers that include a monthly living wage of 200 000 naira ($264).”

IndustriALL’s regional co-chair for Sub-Saharan Africa, John Adaji, says:

“IndustriALL affiliates in Nigeria participated in the protests against anti-people policies of the new administration and call for meaningful negotiations with organized labour to address the unions' demands that include the discontent over the removal of the fuel subsidy.”

“We call upon the Federal Government of Nigeria to meaningfully engage with workers on their demands and to find sustainable solutions to the socio-economic crisis. Effective pro-poor policymaking and social dialogue are needed to improve the livelihoods of the workers in Nigeria,”

says Kemal Özkan, IndustriALL assistant general secretary.

IndustriALL affiliated unions in Nigeria are the Automobile, Boatyards, Transport, Equipment & Allied Senior Staff Association (AUTOBATE), Chemical and Non-Metallic Products Senior Staff Association (CANMPSSAN), National Union of Chemical Footwear Rubber leather and Non Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE), National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), National Union of Petroleum & Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers (NUTGTW), Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN), and Steel and Engineering Workers Union of Nigeria (SEWUN).

Global summit praises Lesotho GBVH agreements

The summit participants concurred that the Lesotho agreements were a model for Southern Africa. Agreements were signed in 2019 between three global garment brands – Levi Strauss & Co., Kontoor Brands (Lee and Wrangler Jeans), and Children’s Place – and trade unions and women’s organizations to stop gender-based violence and harassment at Nien Hsing textile factory, which employed over 10 000 workers.

These agreements were reached after an investigation, by the Workers’ Rights Consortium (WRC), exposed shocking accounts of gender-based violence and sexual harassment at Nien Hsing’s five factories. The factory managers and supervisors were the perpetrators. To end this, the agreements recommended corrective programmes to stop GBVH that included reporting mechanisms, disciplinary action against harassers including termination of contracts, and GBVH awareness, training, and education programmes. Participants said since the anti-GBVH programme implementation began in 2021, cases at the factory have declined and they wanted the agreement to be extended to other factories.

In his special remarks the Kingdom of Lesotho’s Prime Minister Ntsokoane Samuel Matakane, said:

“Lesotho upholds the workers’ rights that are protected in the constitution and in ILO conventions which include Convention 190. The government promotes a workplace environment free from violence and harassment and is finalizing guidelines to stop sexual exploitation.”

The event was supported by several organizations that included the American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), Federation of Women Lawyers in Lesotho (FIDA), International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF), ITUC, ITUC-Africa, WRC, Women and Law in Southern Africa Research and Education Trust (WLSA), and Workers Rights Watch.

The unions present at the event, which are signatories to the agreements, were the Independent Democratic Union of Lesotho (IDUL) which is affiliated to IndustriALL, United Textile Employees (UNITE), and National Clothing Textile and Allied Workers Union (NACTWU).

Shawna Bader-Blau, executive director, Solidarity Center said:

“After years of struggle by unions and especially women workers around the world to advance workplaces free from gender-based violence and harassment, it is heartening to see pro-labour governments within the M-POWER initiative speaking with one voice that violence and harassment at work is an unacceptable form of abuse that must end if workers are going to be able to realize just and fair workplaces.”

“Unions and women’s rights organizations in Lesotho have shown it’s possible to negotiate binding agreements within the global garment supply chain to protect fundamental workers’ rights.”

The M-POWER programme was also launched in Zambia earlier this year under the theme: “Amplifying the voices of workers to safeguard democracy in Africa.”

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

“Developing mechanisms and anti-GBVH programmes are important steps in the implementation of Convention 190 to end violence and harassment in the world of work as well as adopting workplace policies as explained in Recommendation 206. Importantly, these programmes are more effective if all stakeholders including unions are involved as is the case with Lesotho. We hope the M-POWER programme will be extended to other countries in Southern Africa.”

The summit’s co-hosts were the Multilateral Partnership for Organizing, Worker Empowerment and Rights (M-POWER), Lesotho Federation of Trade Unions (LFTU), and Lesotho Labour Council (LLC).

Lesotho is the seventh country in Sub-Saharan Africa to ratify Convention 190 after the Central Africa Republic, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Somalia, and South Africa.

Promoting C190 implementation in Nigeria's Textile Sector

The two- day training in Lagos hosted by IndustriALL affiliate NUTGTWN, aims to strengthen the capacity of women leaders to push against GBVH. The union said the capacity building programme is aimed at providing information, raising awareness, promoting learning, knowledge building, and skills needed to advance gender equality at the workplace. This training focuses on assisting the establishment of a union network of activists who advocate for gender equality at work. The activists will also fight against social, cultural, and traditional norms that continue to oppress working women.

Representatives from FES Nigeria, ILO-ACTRAV, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Solidarity Centre, emphasized the importance of using C190 and Recommendation 206 as tools to address grievances related to GBVH and recognize domestic violence as a workplace issue.

Nigeria ratified the Convention in 2022. Discussion topics included dealing with grievances and disputes on GBVH timely; the recognition of domestic violence as a workplace issue; creating gender-responsive workplace mechanisms to protect whistleblowers and victims; and involving shop stewards and occupational health and safety committees in supporting victims.

The workshop made recommendations towards better representation of women in leadership positions at local and national levels, identifying women’s priorities, supporting mentorship programmes, creating dedicated spaces for women workers and the inclusion of women in negotiating teams. Furthermore, the inclusion of childcare and other support services was highlighted to facilitate increased women's participation in the workplace.

Remi Ihejirika, FES Nigeria programme manager said,

"building unions is about inclusiveness. This is why it is important to address gender equality. GBVH is about the abuse of power which adversely affects women and sometimes this leads to suicides. GBVH should not be condoned as many women suffer in silence."

"Unions can adopt feminist strategies to promote equal rights for women workers. Some of the strategies are diversity, respect, tolerance, understanding, voice and agency,"

said Bashiratu Kamal a gender and labour expert from Ghana.

Medinat Balogun, gender desk officer for NUTGWN and committee member of the IndustriALL Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) regional women’s committee said:

"Women trade unionists have made progress to ensure non-discrimination at work, equal pay for work of equal value, and adherence to ILO conventions ratified by Nigeria. However, women need to be increasingly aware of their rights at work and must fight against GBVH to ensure safe workplaces."

John Adaji, IndustriALL regional co-chair for Sub-Saharan Africa said:

"Over the years and with IndustriALL’s support, unions have carried out programmes to integrate women workers’ issues through the creation of structures, affirmative action, and support given to organizing activities. But we need men to be part of the discussions on ending GBVH as they have been identified by research as the main perpetrators."

Supported by FES Nigeria, the workshop serves as a follow-up to the recommendations made at the Sub-Saharan Africa feminist conference in Cape Town in June, with the FES Trade Union Competence Centre for Sub-Saharan Africa providing valuable support. The strides taken by Nigeria's textile and garment sector towards gender equality through C190 training mark a significant step in creating safer and more inclusive workplaces.

Malagasy unionists arrested over QMM protests must be released!

QMM, owned 20 per cent by the Malagasy state and the remaining 80 per cent by Rio Tinto, mines ilmenite which is used to make titanium dioxide used in paints, inks, fabrics, plastics, paper, and other products. The community says it has lost means of livelihood from the forests which include food, water, shelter, and medicines, amongst other benefits. Further, it is now exceedingly difficult to catch fish in the lagoon because of the mining activities.

The United Steelworkers (USW), which represent 850,000 members in Canada and the United States, and has close partnerships with Malagasy unions, the Syndicalisme et Vie des Societes (SVS) Anosy and Sendika Kristanina Malagasy (SEKRIMA) that represent workers at QMM, said the protests, “follow on from other episodes of civil unrest in the past, fuelled by what is perceived as a lack of effort by Rio Tinto to engage in meaningful consultation or dialogue with the affected communities.”

“Our union strongly condemns what we consider targeted attacks against union activists, and therefore on the freedom of association and the right to protest. The actions of the Malagasy police send a clear message of fear and intimidation to workers who wish to exercise their rights in a context which was already dire for organizers,"

says Marty Warren, USW national director for Canada.

The USW also wants the government to drop the arrest warrants against Eugène Chrétien and Laurent Manjary, and instead “open channels of communications with the protesters in order to find a peaceful, lasting resolution to this ongoing conflict.”

Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL mining director, says:

“We reiterate calls for peaceful and non-adversarial approaches to addressing genuine concerns of the community and trade unions at QMM over the adverse effects of mining in Fort Dauphin. Engagement in social dialogue is necessary for the stakeholders to find an amicable solution. However, intimidation, arrests, and imprisonment, are detrimental to resolving community and industrial disputes.”

The partnership between USW and the unions in Madagascar is anchored by a project to strengthen the Malagasy unions’ internal capacity on organizing strategies, training, workers and human rights, and effective trade unionism. The USW and SEKRIMA are affiliated to IndustriALL.

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.

South African workers march against socio-economic crisis

Workers from all over the country participated in a protected strike organized by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). IndustriALL affiliates, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU) were present at the marches. The unions are also affiliated to COSATU.

A section 77 strike certificate was issued by the National Economic Development and Labour Council NEDLAC. This certificate guarantees that all workers can join the strike without facing dismissals.

Different parts of the country had streets filled with workers demanding an end to the social, economic, and political crisis which has worsened poverty and inequality.

In Cape Town workers marched to parliament to hand over a memorandum demanding that government and the private sector stop the attack on collective bargaining, prevent corruption and crime, reduce high interest rates, stop job losses and privatization.

André Kriel, SACTWU general secretary, addressed workers outside parliament:

“We are facing a dire unemployment crisis and we call on the government to formulate policies to address this. Gender-based violence is on the rise, our government has ratified ILO Convention 190, but ratification is not enough, government must take active steps to implement this ratification and end gender-based violence in the workplace.”

In Johannesburg, workers marched to the offices of the department of employment and labour, the South African Local Government Authority, South Africa Human Rights Council, and the Provincial Premier with similar demands.

The workers want better crime prevention and anti-corruption measures, improved service delivery by municipalities to end the water crisis, and an energy strategy to stop the ongoing electricity cuts. According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), most murders occur during robberies in people’s homes, and most crimes that include robbery and assault are increasing. Additionally, corruption continues to hamper economic growth and development.

Decent jobs were under threat after 21 000 jobs were lost from January to March 2023 bringing unemployment figures to over 10 million, according to Statistics South Africa. Workers at the marches said most jobs were becoming precarious, and the increasing cost of living left them in worse off positions as the value of their wages declined.

Duncan Luvuno, NUM health and safety national chairperson said:

“Workers are beginning to see that they have the power to change the narrative by going back to the streets to fight for their demands and are not only relying on boardroom negotiations. Through the streets workers are realizing that they are their own liberators as some of their campaigns including for the national health insurance are becoming a reality.”

Despite many laws and policies including the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, and the Domestic Violence Amendment Act, and the ratification of Convention 190, gender-based violence and harassment continues to make the country one of most unsafe places for working women. Crime statistics state that 10 512 women were raped from January to March this year. Further, women face sexual harassment, and some have been killed at work. Homes are not safe either with domestic violence common.

Presenting the COSATU petition to the Department of Employment and Labour, Susan Khumalo, IndustriALL Sub Saharan Africa regional co-chair and SACTWU 1st deputy president said:

“Gender-based violence continues to be an atrocity against women. But as unions, we would like the government and the police to play their part in ending the scourge through prosecution and imprisonment of perpetrators. Employers should also make workplaces safer environments for women workers.”

South African union wins wage increases for leather workers

According to Statistics South Africa, the country's annual consumer inflation rate has slowed to 6.8% in April this year, from 7.1% in March. This is the lowest since May 2022, when the rate was 6.5%.

During the course of last week, SACTWU signed two wage agreements under the umbrella of the National Bargaining Council of the Leather Industry of South Africa (NBCLI).

SACTWU members in the general goods and handbags leather sector will receive a 7 per cent wage increase. This increase came into effect on 1 July. The agreement was concluded after a wage dispute, with employers who are represented by the Association of South African Manufacturers of Luggage, Handbags and General Goods.

In addition to the current paid family responsibility leave (FRL) provisions, an additional day of unpaid FRL will be granted to those workers in this sector who wish to take up such an option.

SACTWU members in the footwear sector will also receive a 7 per cent wage increase. This settlement was concluded after two rounds of wage negotiations with footwear employers represented by the Southern African Footwear & Leather Industries Association (SAFLIA).

SACTWU, an IndustriALL affiliate, will now submit the new wage agreements to the South African Department of Employment and Labour for gazettal and extension to all workplaces in these two sectors. South African labour laws allow for collective agreements which meet certain requirements to be so extended. It means that once it is signed and gazetted by the country's employment and labour minister, these agreements become legally binding on all employers and all workers in both these sectors, nationally.

André Kriel, SACTWU general secretary says:

“The signed collective agreements for the general goods and handbags and footwear leather sectors will now be submitted to our minister with a request for gazetting and extending to non-party employers. Once done, this will provide a further impetus for our union's Living Wage Campaign.”

“The strategic ways in which SACTWU’s collective bargaining teams approach negotiations allow for the maintenance of living wages and better working conditions in the textile, garment, shoe, and leather sectors. It shows the clear advantages of centralised bargaining. Extending the agreements allow non-union members to benefit as well, thus strengthening solidarity and building union power,”

says Atle Høie IndustriALL general secretary.