Workers on strike at Cerrejón in Colombia8 February, 2013Workers at Carbones del Cerrejón, represented by their union, Sintracarbón, have begun a strike for improved working conditions. Negotiations failed to reach an agreement and the interim settlement deadline passed without the company making an acceptable offer.
Carbones de Cerrejón workers vote to go on strike31 January, 2013Carbones de Cerrejón workers in Colombia have voted to go on strike at the beginning of February. Their union, Sintracarbón, is hoping that the company will make a new proposal that will meet workers’ demands and end the dispute that began on 29 November last year.
During his visit to Uruguay, unions call on the Mexican president to respect freedom of association31 January, 2013Representatives of the Uruguayan union central, PIT-CNT, IndustriALL Global Union and UNI Americas delivered a letter addressed to the Mexican president at the Mexican Embassy in Uruguay, anticipating the president’s official visit to Uruguay, and calling on him to intervene to settle labour disputes in Mexico.
Paper union leader is criminalized in Indonesia29 January, 2013Djody Soegiharto, chairman of the Paper Workers' Union has been fired and accused of defamation when supported workers in their legitimate claims to the company for unpaid wages and benefits.
IndustriALL demands real action after fire in Bangladesh28 January, 20137 die and 20 are injured in a blaze at a garment factory in Dhaka only two months after the tragic fire at Tazreen factory in November last year which took the lives of 112 people.
Paraguayans oppose Rio Tinto plans22 January, 2013At the end of 2012, Paraguayans demonstrated against the government’s decision to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the company. Some business sectors have also indicated their opposition to the project and have shown little interest in investing in the proposed industrial park.
Intimidation of leaders during collective bargaining at Carbones del Cerrejón22 January, 2013IndustriALL Global Union has written to the Colombian president to protest at the threats made against the leaders of Sintracarbón trade union, who are negotiating with the company over working conditions.
Electrolux imprisons then sacks workers in Thailand17 January, 2013Refusing to negotiate with workers’ representatives, Electrolux management in Thailand locked up over 100 workers for 8 hours, including a pregnant woman, then sacked 127 workers including the local union president of the Rayong plant.
Turkish glass workers secure jobs15 January, 2013After 13-days of picketing, members of Kristal-Is Union at Turkish glassmaker Sisecam won continued employment with improved rights against the company’s decision to close down the Anadolu Glass factory in Topkapı, Istanbul as of 31 December 2012.
Hunger strike launched at PKC in Mexico10 January, 2013Eleven members of the Mexican national union of mineworkers, Los Mineros, sacked by Finnish-based PKC before Christmas started a hunger strike on 8 January in protest of the union-busting.
