A decisive week for Glencore workers in Peru21 July, 2015Two unions affiliated to the FNTMMSRP (National Miners’ Federation of Peru), which is in turn affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, face a decisive week in Peru. SUTRACOMASA (Union of Antamina Workers) will begin talks with Antamina on 21 July and SITRAMINA will meet representatives of Antapaccay S.A on 24 July to discuss the company’s anti-trade union practices. Both companies are partly owned by Glencore.
Uruguay: trade union centre announces 24-hour general strike 15 July, 2015Uruguayan trade union centre PIT-CNT has announced an action plan including a 24-hour general strike on 6 August, and also demanding changes to pay guidelines, respect for collective bargaining and a bigger education budget.
Brazil unions show solidarity with Mercedes Benz workers30 June, 2015The strike at the Mercedes Benz plant in Brazil in protest at 500 dismissals continues and support is growing for the striking workers. Leaders of the chemicals and other sectors showed their solidarity by attending the workers’ camp on 25 June.
Sector-wide collective agreements to counter workers’ problems in the chemical industry25 June, 2015Following industry level bargaining in Germany’s chemical industry earlier this year, IndustriALL Global Union affiliates in Belgium and Spain have concluded collective bargaining agreements for the chemical sector with important achievements.
Gerdau Workers’ World Council undertakes to improve situation in each country25 June, 2015From 19 to 22 May, the Gerdau Workers’ World Council held its eighth meeting in Peru. The delegates assessed the progress made since the last meeting and agreed on the need for experience sharing to carry out the negotiations required to improve workers’ situation in each country.
Workers approve agreement reached at Tenaris, Italy18 June, 2015Workers based at an Italian operation of multinational steel piping manufacturer, Tenaris, have voted by a 76 per cent majority in favour of a new agreement reached by IndustriALL Global Union’s affiliates Fim-Cisl, Fiom-Cgil and Uilm-Uil.
Strike at Volvo Brazil ends with worker victory4 June, 2015Workers at Volvo Brazil have ended the longest strike in the company’s history. An agreement on pay and on job security was finally reached on 1 June, ending a 24-day strike that was called in response to company threats to dismiss workers.
Glencore-Prodeco ordered to pay 60,023 million pesos for changing mining contract19 May, 2015Glencore-Prodeco, the former Colombian minister of mines and energy, Hernán Martínez and two Ingeominas officials were ordered to pay 60.023 million pesos for changing a large-scale mining project contract which resulted in lower royalties being paid to the Colombian government.
INTERVIEW: Chile: transforming the Labour Code18 May, 2015Determined, strong and with the courage of her convictions, Barbara Figueroa is a woman who doesn’t hesitate to say what she thinks. President of the Chilean trade union centre, the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores de Chile (CUT), she sees herself as “the leading spokesperson for the most important workers’ organization” in Chile.Increasing inequalities in pay, job security and social stability have led Michelle Bachelet’s government to send a bill to Congress to reform the Labour Code introduced under Pinochet’s dictatorship which ended in 1990. The new act aims to strengthen the collective rights of workers and promote a fairer system of labour relations. Figueroa is one of the main figures driving the change.
SPECIAL REPORT: Industry bargaining is an essential tool in the fight for living wages18 May, 2015Deregulation and attacks against collective bargaining have contributed to a huge rise in global inequality. Harnessing union power for achieving industry level agreements is crucial in the fight for living wages and against precarious work.
