Retrenchment deal softens the blow at Rio Tinto Rossing

“We have raised the bar in Namibia on how retrenchments should be handled with this case at Rossing” said acting General Secretary Jackie Karumbo. Management at Rossing embarked on the retrenchment exercise with the involvement of the union through a transparent process. Once workers accepted that retrenchment proposal due to affect almost a quarter of the workforce was a last resort measure, the union was able to negotiate favourable settlement packages, improving on the initial offer made to workers.

The final agreement exceeds legal minimum requirements for retrenchments in Namibia that only stipulates severance pay of one week wages for every year of service. Retrenched workers will receive three weeks wages for every year served as severance pay plus three months notice pay, pro rata thirteenth cheque, commutation of leave and a farewell donation. Medical aid benefits will remain in place for a period of four months after the retrenchment date.

In addition, retrenched workers have been offered three months training at a local technical college paid for by the company to improve skills that will hopefully assist workers when seeking future employment. They will also be entitled to remain in company housing for six months or receive six months housing allowance if they choose to leave immediately. Retrenched workers will be receive two months pay to assist with relocation on their departure.

Currently a voluntary separation exercise is taking place at Rossing and the union is assisting workers to understand their individual packages so that they can make an informed decision. MUN hopes the exercise will drastically reduce the number of workers that will be involuntarily subjected to retrenchments.

Karumbo says that MUN has learnt valuable lessons from negotiating the retrenchments. “We are not advocating retrenchments but one can not deny that retrenchments will happen in tough times. As unions we need to be proactive and ensure we have negotiated proper retrenchment policies in companies during good times. Companies need to put money away as part of their risk management for when the day comes that the company has to retrench, we hope it never comes but if does then the burden on workers is lessened.” 

Unity and cooperation encouraged in Zimbabwe

The main objective of the workshop held over three days in March 2013 with senior leadership was to understand the union building project and establish common areas of work for the Zimbabwean affiliates. Project coordinator, Paule Ndessomin discussed with participants the IndustriALL 10 point plan and how this could be adapted to the work that would be done with affiliates under the union building project.

The workshop also incorporated training on the principles of financial management. Whilst participants understood the importance of building financially strong organizations, they all face challenging financial issues. There were robust discussions on the survival of trade unions in Zimbabwe in the worsening economic situation. Many employers are under financial stress and have not been paying deductions of membership dues to the union. Unions are receiving as little as 20 per cent of dues owed to them making it difficult to operate at full capacity.

Several of the Zimbabwean affiliates are working towards mergers as an opportunity for unions to build financial and organizational strength. This will aid them in representing workers and defending worker rights in a politically and economically strenuous environment. 

Sustainable unionism discussed in Cote d’Ivoire

This was Ndessomin’s first visit to Cote d’Ivoire, one of the 11 countries involved in the HIV and AIDS project. The purpose of the visit was to discuss the objectives and implementation of the project.

Ndessomin stressed the importance of HIV and AIDS workplace policies and encouraged leadership involvement as a key component to the success of these initiatives that can contribute to organizing efforts. She also emphasized the need to build strong and sustainable unions that fight for workers’ rights at the workplace and are financial viable entities that can pay their dues to IndustriALL.

The meeting was attended by 15 leaders of affiliated unions SYNTEPC, SYNTRACUMPRA and SYNTTHACI. Also attending the meeting were other unions interested in joining IndustriALL. Ndessomin spoke about how the IndustriALL merger came about and practical matters of affiliation. She also spoke of unity that has been created through the merger at International level and how unity could also be achieved in Cote d’Ivoire, encouraging affiliates to set the pace for possible mergers. 

IndustriALL marks Global Women's Day

Women of Steel has more than 5,000 activists across North America. More and more women head USW departments. Women are still behind in earning power and economic security. Nevertheless women get more college and graduate degrees than men. In 2010 the wage gap was 77 cents out of every dollar earned by men, and the gap even widened in 2012. Two-thirds of minimum wage earners are women. This translates into a staggering 17 million people who would directly benefit if the minimum wage rose. 60 percent of social security recipients are women. All of this indicates why austerity and budget cuts affect women first and worst.

The conference was conducted mostly in workshops which ranged from topics relating to political influence to union contracts to making the union more inclusive. The United States is one of the countries in the world with the highest rate of infant and maternal mortality. This could be remedied by allowing women to take paid maternity leave. Maternity leave and family benefits can be achieved through collective bargaining, and USW has sample language on these issues.

The USW invited women to the conference where the union has built alliances around the world. These included women from Unite the Union, UK, NUM, South Africa, the FMM-CFDT, France and the AWU, Australia. The women all took part in an international panel on the last day which was facilitated by USW Vice-President Carol Landry.

When it comes to gender equality, Germany lags behind. The pay gap in Germany averages 23 per cent. The reasons for it are manifold – women often work part-time or in mini jobs or in sectors which pay less and where the outlook is not so positive, it is still women who do the lion’s share of household chores, and they interrupt their paid jobs to look after children or elderly relatives. The result is that women are rarely able to stand on their own two feet economically, to support their own families or to accumulate a pension to live in dignity in old age.

That is why IGBCE and IG Metall demanded this year on 8th March:

IndustriALL participated in Women’s Day events in Kathmandu, Nepal on 8 March. National centre GEFONT organized a 600-participant gathering marking Women’s Day with new policy prioritizing the empowerment of women.

On 7-8 March all IndustriALL’s Colombian affiliates celebrated Women’s Day in a national conference. The major trend facing women workers in Colombia is an increasing amount of women working from home. This recent shift is seen as a new tactic by capital to reduce women workers’ ability to organize and struggle collectively.

Simultaneous activities were carried out at the Associated Labor Unions (ALU) national and regional offices in the Philippines on 8 March 2013 in observance of International Women’s Day. A total of 610 men, women and children from the National Capital, Southern Mindanao and Central Visayas regions participated.

ALU has been involved in women empowerment for years and has actively participated in policy formulation and advocacy work, together with coalition partners from all fronts. Information and experiences from members and communities are used to support ALU’s advocacy campaigns. Policy gains are returned to the ground in the form of programs and direct services, where possible, as a matter of policy. 

And finally, women’s organizations in Egypt celebrated International Women’s Day with events that included a march to demand a halt to violence in general and against women at demonstrations in particular, as well as calling for support for women in political life and including them as partners on an equal footing. 

Mauritian unions mobilize against increasing casualization of labor in the private sector

IndustriALL affiliate the CMCTEU (Chemical Manufacturing and Connected Trades Employees Union) has launched a campaign to recruit precarious workers in all manufacturing sectors. Within two years the union has managed to triple its membership by recruiting 3,000 contract workers. The CMCTEU and the CTSP (Workers Confederation of Private Sector) have become key players in Mauritian social dialogue.

We have developed creative strategies to organize precarious workers in order to be more representative and bargain effectively. Yet the battle is not over. Our torturers are actively organizing against us. Our success lies in our capacity to organize workers.

Reeaz Chutto, CMCTEU

In 2010, the CMCTEU amended its status in order to be able to recruit contract workers who represent the majority of private sector employees. The union, which has participated in the IndustriALL precarious work project since 2009, has developed innovative initiatives to overcome casual workers’ fear of joining a union. Fifteen volunteers were trained to go to workplaces and approach precarious workers who began to discretely contact the union to get more information. The CMCTEU meets with them during the weekends and has developed specific services. Two new staff members have been employed to mainly deal with precarious workers’ issues. The membership fee for precarious workers has been set at a symbolic 1 Rupee (instead of 50 Rupees). The union has also created community banking services, accessible to contract workers and their families. Free computer training is also offered to precarious workers.

The CMCTEU denounces particularly the feminization of precarious work in Mauritius. Precarious work is more prevalent in sectors such as the textile industry where female labor predominates. Therefore the CMCTEU have trained many female union leaders to respond adequately to the needs of women precarious workers. To date, 24 per cent of union members are women. The union also works with foreign workers who account for more than 35,000 of workers in Mauritius on precarious contracts, without social protection.

The increase in the number of union members and its ability to mobilize thousands of workers to demonstrate in the street has considerably strengthened the CMCTEU’s bargaining power. Since October 2011, no less than 15 collective agreements have been signed by the CMCTEU and its sister unions also affiliated to the CTSP, securing equal pay for contract workers doing similar work to permanent workers. One of the main preoccupations of the CMCTEU has been the health and safety of precarious workers who represent the majority of the victims of work accidents in the manufacturing sectors. In 2011, the union secured an agreement with several employers stipulating that workers with 12 months or less of service should not be exposed to very hazardous work, unless trained by a competent person.

Their increased strength has helped the CMCTEU and the CTSP to achieve positive results not only for precarious workers. In December 2012, thanks to an important mobilization, trade unions succeeded in postponing the adoption of a government proposal to further deregulate the labor market and undermine the power of unions. The fight continues. Major mobilizations are planned in March against the “anti-worker laws” in Mauritius.

South African state utility hit hard by strikes

Poor industrial relations are contributing to the already long delays in completing Medupi needed to address power supply concerns in the country, with the first power from the station still expected to come on line by the end of the year. Strike action started in January when some workers protested the calculation of their year end bonuses. Workers are also unhappy with some of the terms of the project labour agreement.

Eskom responded by closing the site shortly after the strike started, which worsened the situation as others joined in aggrieved by the lockout, an action that was challenged in court by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa). The strike has had some violent protests and a number of workers have been arrested.

Unions organising at Medupi, including the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Numsa, reached an agreement with site contractors, through the intervention of the Minister of Public Enterprises Malusi Gigaba. Eskom ended the lockout on 6 March. However failure to meet the terms of the agreement resulted in workers downing tools again, days after the agreement which was signed on 8 March.

Eskom’s power supply is facing a more immediate threat, having to rely on coal stockpiles as a result of unprotected strikes at six coal mines of one of its major suppliers Exxaro Resources. More than 3,500 coal miners have downed tools as they did not receive their bonuses, usually paid in February, on the basis that production targets have not been met.

The NUM supports the demands of striking Exxaro workers as they were not made aware of production targets and bonuses at the company have never been linked to targets in the past. The strike, if not resolved quickly, could affect three stations that generate 20 per cent of South Africa’s power. 

Swaziland union federation dealt another blow

Organized labour across the globe applauded unity efforts in Swaziland that united workers under one federation when Tucoswa was launched in March 2012 through the merger of the two existing federations, the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU) and the Swaziland Federation of Labour (SFL).

The government of Swaziland initially congratulated the federation on its formation, but quickly changed its mind when Tucoswa took a resolution to call for free and fair elections in Swaziland including the unbanning of political parties. Tucoswa was deregistered under instruction from the Swaziland Attorney General and its legitimacy challenged.

The court found that whilst there was provisions in law to register individual trade unions, the existing provision for registering a federation had been removed with the Industrial Relations Act of 2000. Thus it was difficult for the court to interpret if the exclusion was deliberate. The judge called on labour to wait for a proposed amendment bill that provides for the registration of a federation to be enacted. 

The ruling has paralysed social dialogue in the country as labour has recalled all its members in tripartite structures including the Labour Advisory Council and representatives at the countries structure for conciliation and mediation of industrial disputes.

“Whilst the court has given a directive to government and Tucoswa to come to an agreement on its modus operandi until the amendment has been finalized, similar to a recognition agreement, the ruling confirms that there is no freedom of association in Swaziland, despite the legal framework that appears to give these rights,” said Mduduzi Gina, Deputy Secretary General of Tucoswa.

The ruling based on what seems to be a technicality, raises concerns that the judiciary is being manipulated to achieve the objectives of government’s agenda which has been to frustrate attempts by labour in calling for meaningful democracy in Swaziland. The denial of legitimacy to Tucoswa can be interpreted as a delaying tactic by government making it difficult for labour to have the right to organize actions on political issues ahead of national elections scheduled for later this year.

Minimum wage needed to push back exploitation in Uganda

“The proposal for the 2013 Minimum Wage Bill has been received with a lot of support from trade unionists, members of parliament, civil society organizations and the public,” said Aneno Catherine, General Secretary of the Uganda Textile, Garment, Leather and Allied Workers Union (UTGLAWU), adding, “MP Arinaitwe Rwakajara was given a go ahead to draft the full bill for tabling in parliament.”

Uganda does already have legislation in place to establish a minimum wage, however the 1957 Minimum Wage Advisory Board Act, which would allow trade unions and other stakeholders to participate in setting the wage but this was never implemented. Uganda last set the monthly minimum wages in 1984, at 6,000 Ugandan Shillings (shs), an amount of USD2.26 today. 

The lack of established practice to set minimum wages in Uganda has left workers vulnerable to exploitation, where the high levels of unemployment force workers to accept pay well below what could be considered a decent wage.

 “Without minimum wage being instituted the workers of Uganda are being unfairly paid,” Said Vincent Ojiambo General Secretary Uganda Mines, Metal, Oil, Gas and Allied Workers Union (UMMOGAWU).

A minimum wage would take the investment incentive of labour exploitation through low wages off the table. It would increase the living standards of workers, reduce hardships faced by the working poor and provide a base from which labour can organize to improve upon in its struggle for a living wage. Yet efforts in the past to establish sectoral minimum wages that would ensure workers have the right to earn at least at these levels have not yielded results.    

“This issue has been on since the year 1995 when the Ugandan government appointed a committee to go around the country to get information from the workers of every sector in Uganda and finally came up with the figure of shs 120,000 (US$45) to be the minimum wage of Uganda,” explains Ojiambo. “When the figure was presented, the same committee was asked to come up with a revised figure. This led to a proposal of shs 75,000 (US$28). When the figure was presented to the cabinet it was further reduced to shs 53,000 (US$20), but the President did not endorse it. Up to now the issues of minimum wage has not been finalized.”

SACTWU steps up the fight for a living wage

The living wage demands were consolidated at the SACTWU Annual National Bargaining Conference from 28 February to 3 March in preparation for the 2013 round of substantive negotiations.

SACTWU’s President, Themba Khumalo opened the Conference by reminding delegates that workers join unions for particularly one main reason: to improve their lives, the lives of their families and that of the communities from which they come. He reminded the 200 delegates that to realize these aims workers and their leaders need to be united and militant.

Delegates supported the government’s view that the clothing textiles and footwear industries had stabilised after 15 years of decline in employment in the sector. Delegates appreciated the acknowledgement of this by South African President Zuma in his recent State of the Nation address, where he also mentioned the governments clothing support scheme that has helped to prevent closures and saved many jobs.

The conference convened specialist commissions to develop concrete support for the Living Wage Campaign and to seek ways to address challenges faced by the union and members in the current political environment as well as those in the sector.  Delegates also re-affirmed commitment to strengthen the union and centralised bargaining and provide solidarity support for other COSATU affiliates’ living wage, recruitment and organizing campaigns.

A day of action was held on 1st March, with three protest marches, one to the South African Revenue Services to protest against the continued flow of illegal imports into South Africa, which undermines local jobs and leads to de-industrialisation.

The other two marches were directed at Capitec Bank and the University of Cape Town’s Centre for Social Science Research (CSSR). These were organised to protest against the involvement of Capitec’s chairperson, Michiel le Roux, in financing efforts to attack workers’ basic rights. This includes funding the campaign by Newcastle sweatshops to stop vulnerable workers being covered by minimum wages, for which CSSR produced what the union calls, “blatant propaganda and employer agenda-driven research.”  

SACTWU delegates challenged the main architects of the report to live off the illegally low wages which they are prescribing for Newcastle workers. “In this regard, we handed them R278 [USD32] in cash, which is the typical take-home wage which many Newcastle qualified machinists’ earn for a 45 hour week.”

See a previous report here: http://www.industriall-union.org/south-african-union-slams-minimum-wage-compliance-criticism

Zambian government seizes Collum Mine over poor working conditions

There has been frequent industrial unrest at Collum Mine that has been under Chinese ownership since 2003. As early as 2005, submissions were made to government on poor working conditions and government considered its closure in 2006 after a delegation saw first hand the poor working conditions that workers had to endure.

In October 2010, 13 mineworkers were injured when two managers of the mine opened fire on striking workers. Workers went on strike when they were not paid and to protest poor pay and working conditions. Charges against the two managers were later dropped by the state.

Tensions continued to mount at the mine as labour issues remained unresolved. A pay dispute at the mine after government raised the minimum wage in 2012 resulted in a spontaneous protest by workers during which a Chinese supervisor was killed and another was injured. 

“Since the mine was privatized, Muz has taken up the serious concerns of workers on the violation of labour laws, health and safety issues, even implementing the bargaining agreement has been a continuous dilemma,” says Joseph Chewe, General Secretary of the Mineworkers' Union of  Zambia (Muz), an IndustriALL Global Union affiliated union. “Muz supports the seizure of the mine by government; this is in the best interest of workers especially since workers’ jobs are secure. But the government must ensure that the new investor follows the labour laws and ensures good working conditions at the mine for these long suffering workers.”  

The government revoked mining licences held by the company that owns Collum mine after no improvements had been made at the mine. The state will operate the mine until a new investor is found. Government has assured workers that there would be no job losses.

A recent study by Human Rights Watch (HRW) concludes that whilst there have been some improvements in working conditions in Zambia’s mines under President Sata since 2011, much still needs to be done to ensure labour law enforcement and to improve safety standards, especially in the copper mines.  Sata had promised to improve labour conditions in the mines during his election campaign.

A number of trade unions and civil society organizations in Zambia have welcomed the seizure of Collum mine, hoping that this action is a strong signal that the government will not tolerate investors that flout the law and abuse workers' rights.