IndustriALL demands justice for South African miners at Anglo American

Silicosis is a deadly respiratory disease that has a latency period of between 15 and 20 years. Anglo American refuses to pay compensation to these affected miners, denying that it is responsible for their suffering. It is fighting a litigation lawsuit brought against it by Leigh Day, a British based law firm, on behalf of affected mine workers. 

The result of Anglo American challenging the lawsuit is that the affected mine workers continue to die without the compensation due to them and their families. For the National Union of Mineworkers and IndustriALL Global Union, this is not a legal battle against Anglo American, but a moral battle whereby the multinational must change its behaviour regarding the health and safety of its employees worldwide. 

The National Union of Mineworkers’ President, Senzeni Zokwana, the National Chairperson for Health and Safety, Peter Bailey, and Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL Global Union’s Mining Director will once again raise the demand for compensation at the company’s AGM as they did in the forum last year.

IndustriALL general secretary Jyrki Raina stated:

It is unconscionable for Anglo American plc and its shareholders to continue to deny compensation for these mine workers and their families.

Senzeni Zokwana castigated the behaviour of Anglo American as running contrary to its publicly stated values of safety, care and respect, integrity and accountability when he said:

Thousands of ex gold miners have already died from lung disease and thousands more have had their lives destroyed. Unless Anglo American acts now, thousands more will die without the healthcare, compensation and support they deserve.

Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) and the London Mining Network (LMN) who are coordinating solidarity actions and support for this cause, have organized a series of actions in support of the demand. These actions include a public meeting for South African Miners, a protest action for justice to be held outside the AGM and an Early Day Motion 1260 in parliament in support of decent compensation, testing and healthcare for ex gold miners with silicosis.

The Sub-Saharan Africa women’s committee

One of the most important focuses of the meeting was to check on the progress made in the different countries in setting up women’s structures. Setting up women’s structures is one way to make unions take women’s concerns seriously. IndustriALL ‘s policy is for national councils to be formed in countries where there are more affiliates. These country councils are platforms that women can use – women must claim them and raise issues and where possible form national committees. This will help the women to communicate among each other.

So far a committee was formed in Zimbabwe. In Zambia a women’s structure was set up, and a person has been made responsible. Steps have been taken in Nigeria and Cameroon. The situation is difficult in DRC. At the end of May the structure will be formed in Lesotho. The structure was created in Ethiopia. (follow the link for details http://www.IndustriALL-union.org/ethiopian-unions-form-womens-committee). Not in all the countries unions have succeeded to consolidate under IndustriALL – this is not the case fort Mauritius for example. Women’s structures are felt to play a positive role in this consolidation. In countries where there is no executive committee member, the office must facilitate the communication and formation of the women’s structure. Once the structure has a chair, that person must communicate with the office.

It was felt unanimously that communication needs to be approved. The delegates promised to fill in the questionnaire on women membership and return it in order to enable the basic data to be collected.

The need for women’s projects was flagged up. The project with the most women’s involvement is the union-building project in nine countries. What the project does is train women shop stewards as well as men. However it does not create women’s structures. This is one way that women can be trained. Some of the textile projects have women’s empowerment included in them. These projects need to be monitored more closely.

In addition HIV and AIDS must be part of the program for women. The HIV infection rate is going up again, most probably because people are becoming complacent. It was also felt that research needs to be done on infection rates among young workers. This is the last year of the IndustriALL HIV and AIDS project because the traditional solidarity support organizations are no longer willing to support HIV and AIDS work. It was decided to campaign to bring back the funding. It was agreed that brands and employers can be approached to fund HIV and AIDS work.

The committee decided to nominate Angeline Chitambo, Zimbabwe, and Prince William Ankrah, Ghana to represent the region on the gender sub-committee at international level. The aim of this sub-committee is to make concrete proposals to meet the goals stated at the founding Congress in 2012.

The regional women’s conference will be held in Johannesburg on 14 October 2014. The theme is Women Workers: Safe Work with Dignity. The international women’s committee decided that the regional conferences in Asia, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa would work according to a standard agenda. This agenda includes issues such as health and safety, maternity protection, organizing precarious workers and leadership, as well as preparing a resolution to be adopted by the main regional conference. It is hoped that many women will attend the regional women’s conference.

In conclusion the women decided to continue discussing the women’s charter and to report back to the next meeting.

Ethiopian Unions Form Women’s Committee

Women representing IndustriALL affiliates in Ethiopia, the Industrial Federation of Textile, Leather and Garment Workers' Trade Unions IFTLGWTU and the National Industrial Federation of Energy, Chemical Petroleum and Mine Trade Union decided to create a national women’s committee at a meeting held on 19 and 20 March 2014. Women from the textile, garment, shoe, petroleum, pharmaceuticals, glass and paint sectors attended the meeting.

The women were trained in easy to use methods for working with women, such as body mapping, workplace mapping and life mapping. They understood that such methods can be used anywhere without any sophisticated technology to talk to women and explain to them why a trade union is important. Women’s health concepts and sexuality were introduced briefly. These issues are important particularly in working on self-esteem in women. Two concerns were highlighted in particular – most women have limited access to toilets during working time,  and secondly, many women faint at work either due to overwork and/or overheated workplaces. These two problems need to be taken up as trade union issues as a matter of urgency.

Themes involved in trade union democracy were discussed. The women understood that they have to make trade unions listen to women and take their demands seriously. This is more easily achievable if the women form a committee; women by themselves just represent themselves, and there is strength in numbers.

The women contemplated their dreams. One of the common points that came out of their dreams was that the women wanted to help other women grow.  And finally women’s leadership qualities were strengthened.

The women gave some thought to why they needed a women’s committee. They decided that the committee should do the following:

The women felt that they needed activities focused on women. This would also strengthen the union. They asked for more training on gender issues and a forum for women to exchange experiences.

The committee’s work program should include the following:

IndustriALL spotlight on Malawi

Malawian unions organizing in IndustriALL sectors have challenges but they have huge potential to grow members and power if they can work together.

said Fabian Nkomo, Regional Secretary of IndustriALL Sub-Sahara Africa, after the factory visits and two-day workshop on 4-6 March 2014 in capital city Lilongwe.

 BCCEAWUCIAWUTGLSSEWUCEMAWUTOTAL

Paid membership

8,930

5,200

6,543

1,147

21,820

Paid membership IndustriALL sectors

1,242

750959

1,147

4,098

Potential

35,000

20,000

37,00035,000

127,000 (at least)

Potential in IndustriALL sectors

18,000

2,500

7,000

35,000

62,500

No. Staff

546318

No. of CBAs

569020

Location HQ

BlantyreBlantyreBlantyreLilongwe 

Women structures

?YesYesNo 

There is a large potential for organizing workers in IndustriALL’s sectors in Malawi. The three IndustriALL affiliated unions, with a fourth in the process of affiliation, have targeted priority organizing targets and already represent 21,820 members.

The potential organizing work for the unions was mapped out during the mission and possibilities for a joint programme were discussed in the presence of representatives from Finnish IndustriALL affiliate Metalli and Finnish solidarity support organisation SASK.

The mission was impressed with enthusiastic and committed trade union officials of each of the affiliates, all ready to work in unity, and was also impressed by the openness to organizing from workers and employers.

See the eye-opening photos attached to this article that offer a snapshot of working conditions for IndustriALL members in Malawi.

Fight against precarious work: a central demand in Rio Tinto Campaign

Fernando Lopes, IndustriALL Assistant General Secretary said: “Most of the time, in the mining industry the majority of the workforce is in precarious employment. In response to this, IndustriALL Global Union has identified three main areas of focus to combat this practice: organise; protect through collective bargaining; improve legislation.”

A Memorandum of Demands has been addressed to the Rio Tinto Chief  Executive Officer (CEO), which includes the need to minimise the incidence of precarious work.

Organising:

Workers in precarious jobs have little chance to join a union or to bargain collectively. Pay and conditions are being driven ever lower by companies, thereby dividing the workforce inside the plants.  Hence it is imperative for precarious workers to be represented together with their comrades. Only with a strong unionisation rate will workers become an unavoidable counterpart for Rio Tinto.

Protect:

One of the reliable ways to protect precarious workers is to include them into the collective bargaining agreement. At Rio Tinto’s operation in South Africa, most workers are contract workers and non-union members. However, during the 2013 collective bargaining round, NUM’s wage demands to the company included contract workers.

Legislation:

Policy protection through e.g. minimum wage or limiting the use of precarious work is one other element. SYNATE in Cameroon has been strategizing on how to deal with  legislation that allows for three categories of workers: permanent workers, subcontracted workers and temporary workers. This has allowed Rio Tinto Aluchem to create an intermediate company of subcontracted employees and these employees can spend all their working years until retirement in that category of employment. According to SYNATE, education and sensitisation of all workers is key in this fight.

After the global economic crisis in 2008, Rio Tinto announced the cut of 14,000 jobs around the world, of whom 8,500 were contract workers. Glen Mpufane, IndustriALL Mining director, stated: “Contract workers have been paying too long Rio Tinto’s race for profit and its liberal employment policy. It is now time for workers all around the world to come together and clearly say: Down Rio Tinto, Down!”

Not so sparkly conditions in Botswana diamond polishing

At a training seminar for shop stewards conducted last month by IndustriALL, in collaboration with Botswana Diamond Workers Union and Botswana Power Corporation Workers Union, participants revealed that companies in the diamond polishing industry are routinely flouting labour laws.

According to the shop stewards, workers are summarily dismissed for minor offences and untested allegations. Furthermore, safety at the workplace is often compromised as workers have to work behind locked doors for long periods. Participants also complained of discriminatory practices where the diamond companies provide more benefits and better treatment for expatriates than locals.

IndustriALL’s director of mining, Glen Mpufane said:

The experiences of our affiliate members in Botswana highlight the plight of thousands of vulnerable diamond workers across the globe who are subjected to dangerous working conditions, low pay and discrimination by employers. IndustriALL is working hard to support mining trade union affiliates across Africa and the world to increase their capacity to protect workers.

Diamonds are the lifeblood of the Botswana economy. They account for one third of the country's total gross domestic product as well as 76 percent of its export revenue and 45% of government revenue. The country is the highest producer of diamonds by value in the world.

And yet, workers in the diamond industry do not share in this wealth, with average salaries for people employed in the diamond polishing industry as low as US$225 per month.

A significant amount of diamond mining in Botswana is done through a partnership between Botswana government and De Beers Mining Company, the merger of which is a company called Debswana Diamond Company. Through a beneficiation policy, some 21 companies have been established and approximately 3200 people are employed in the diamond polishing industry in the country. 

Participants at the workshop on the 7 and 8 February 2014 resolved to strengthen representation in the sector through recruitment and to organize workers to better address their problems and fight for fairer wages.

IndustriALL workshop for Nigeria affliates

At an organising workshop held with Nigerian affiliates and unions interested in affiliating to IndustriALL, participants found synergy between the action plan of IndustriALL and their goals. They identified industrialisation as the key development policy agenda to champion so that the country can benefit from its vast natural resources. They articulated the need to build their power to confront multinational companies (MNCs) operating in Nigeria and defend worker rights. They also established the need for labour market reform to address the various forms and high levels of precarious work.

During the two day organising workshop on 18 and 19 February, Nigerian affiliates were joined by representatives from the Steel and Engineering Workers Union of Nigeria (SEWUN) and the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE). Fabian Nkomo, IndustriALL’s Sub Sahara Africa regional representative stressed the need to focus on organising and said, “Nigeria is poised to overtake South Africa as the biggest economy in the continent so Nigerian unions must position themselves to play a leading role in the continent.”

Participants mapped the industries that they organise in to determine the potential membership in each sector. Chemical and Non-Metallic Products Senior Staff Association (CANMPSSA) and National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber, Leather and Non-Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLANMPE) have a combined membership of about 25,000 and a potential membership of over 450,000.

SEWUN has membership in steel and engineering sector of about 10,000, with the potential of about 225,000. If the textile sector organised informal workers they have the potential of over 200,000 members. The petroleum sector has the potential of about 65,000 members. Whilst it was difficult to estimate the potential membership base of the electricity sector, this was also considered to be substantial and with the potential to grow even further.

Organising presents a significant challenge as unions are struggling to build a culture of recruitment and organising after changes in the labour law eight years ago that meant union membership is no longer automatic when a worker is employed. Unions still lack significant organising capacity, skills and strategy, in particular strategies to target different types of workers. Participants identified the need for efforts to develop women organisers and young organisers who can easily relate to these sections of the workforce. 

“Building a strong organised base in Nigeria is an important strategy for the Sub Sahara African Region of IndustriALL,” says Nkomo. “Our success in Nigeria will be a stepping stone for good work in the West Africa sub region.”

Launch of global campaign against Rio Tinto in Cape Town

On 6 February the Rio Tinto Global Union Network drew hundreds of participants to a rally against mining corporation Rio Tinto. Demonstrators marched through the streets of Cape Town, South Africa, for the right to decent work for Rio Tinto workers. The rally marks the official launch of the network's campaign to increase unionisation at Rio Tinto operations around the globe.

IndustriALL Global Union assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan says:

This is the launch of a campaign to increase trade union membership at Rio Tinto plants and make them recognise workers' rights and listen to trade unions. We must fight back against Rio Tinto's consistent anti-union behaviour and we will not stop until Rio Tinto realises that fundamental worker's rights, such as the right to organise and collective bargaining, benefit everyone in the workplace.

Worker action succeeds at Mauritius Stationery Manufacturers

“Following a 24 hour occupation, the big bosses were forced to convene a meeting and find a solution to the problem,” said Reeaz Chuttoo of IndustriALL affiliate CMCTEU (the Chemical, Manufacturing, and Connected Trades Employees’ Union of Mauritius). “It was very hard but with the solidarity of one and all, we finally succeeded.”

Over 500 dismissed workers were given retrenchment packages when MSM restructured and downsized in 2013 but the job security of the remaining 178 workers had been tenuous ever since, especially after the company was put under administration at the end of last year. Liquidation then provided a loophole so the company did not have to provide redundancy packages for employees.

However, MSM is predominantly owned by GML, a major group of companies in the Indian Ocean region which has an annual turnover of around US$ 1 billion and last year made profits of US$ 60 million.

After tough talks between CMCTEU and MSM following the sit-in on 5 February, the union will now negotiate retrenchment packages for all of the workers.

CMCTEU’s Jane Ragoo, who is also substitute member of IndustriALL’s Executive Committee, argued; “The GML group should give to those who produced the wealth of the company. It is not normal that the GML group, which made ​​profits in the billions, let its workers go without a penny.”

Unilever alienating workers in South Africa and UK

Unite the Union members at Unilever’s factory in Purfleet, Essex, have been “offered” a pay cut of up to 30%. Purfleet management has refused to consider all proposals from the union negotiators, instead offering a deal which will slash pensions, bonuses, salaries, replace full time workers with individual contract employees outside the bargaining unit, reclassify jobs, and establish a new shift schedule with much reduced time off.

Purfleet workers have been threatened that the cuts are necessary to maintain the viability of the site, the largest margarine factory in the world. The factory produces millions of tubs of well-known brands Flora and Stork every day.

Unilever espouses at every opportunity the company’s commitment to ethical corporate behaviour, in line with the early history of the company. The workers who make Unilever products around the world want to see clear indications of these high ethics.

Unilever is a giant global conglomerate of consumer products, whose profits continue to rise. The company boasts that every day two billion people use a Unilever product. 

However trade unions throughout the world are being targeted with increased pressure from the employer, in a concerning global trend. International trade union networking of Unilever workers is acting to respond to this new aggression. 

The international trade union for food, farm and hotel workers, the IUF’s South African affiliated trade union the Food and Allied Workers’ Union (FAWU) is leading 220 members on strike at Unilever’s tea and food factory in Pietermaritzburg. The strike is on-going since 17 January.

IUF reports:

"The strike action revolves around the actual wage increment that workers want at 9%," FAWU general secretary Masemola said. The strike was also to demand "the reversal of a youth wage subsidy-type model where grades are lowered in terms of remuneration rates to employ young workers at lower rates while the content of the grades, or jobs, remains the same".

British Unilever workers at the Port Sunlight factory near Liverpool rallied at the plant gates on 3 February in support of the FAWU strikers.

Workers and their communities have been brutally left out of the company's “sustainable living” plan. Unilever has built a record of hurting its employees in Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, Thailand, the UK, and elsewhere.

This alarming trend of pressuring workplaces and Unilever workers’ trade unions moved the global network to strengthen mutual solidarity and support.

Said the network statement in March 2013:

“We insist on sustainable workplaces, sustainable employment and guarantees of rights for current and future Unilever workers. So that workers may share in the benefits of the company’s growth, rather than paying for it with the loss of our jobs, our health and our rights.”

Kemal Özkan Assistant General Secretary of IndustriALL Global Union said:

“Our efforts to unify Unilever workers worldwide with our sister International IUF continue with determination.”

You can send a solidarity message to FAWU by emailing FAWU general secretary Katishi Masemola at this address: [email protected]