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20 February, 2006
A broad-faceted international labour conference was held in New York City, 9-11 February. Sponsored by US trade unions, including ICEM affiliate United Steelworkers (USW), and the New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations, contained at Cornell University, the conference drew 550 global trade union leaders and researchers who networked on a multitude of topics and interest areas.
One such workshop, stressing the importance of global solidarity, involved ICEM affiliate Russian Chemical Workers Union (RCWU). The union’s international secretary, Vladimir Tribunskiy, described how a dispute was averted and a lasting unity programme developed with German union IGBCE when chemicals company Henkel initiated hostile labour relations practices at three Russian plants in 2002.
RCWU President Alexander Sitnov told of similar links utilizing ICEM and IGBCE when Procter & Gamble sacked full-time Russian staff in favour of workers on short-term work contracts. The pressure forced the American consumer chemicals company to cease using contract workers and instead brought in hiring agencies Manpower and Kelly Services. RCWU is now busy organising workers of those companies.
The conference paid a special tribute to former USW President George Becker for his leadership and fight in the 1994-95 US strike at five Bridgestone tyre operations. USW Vice President Jim Robinson delivered a moving tribute to Becker.
USW President Leo Gerard, in a statement on the conference, called attention to ICEM global union networks administered by America’s largest industrial union by saying, “We’ve already formed six global alliances with unions in other countries and we are reinforcing our cross-border networks in dealing with employers.”