9 June, 2021The parties agree to the following joint public statement, and to make no other comment on what has been an eight-year priority case for IndustriALL and its affiliates, including a wide range of actions, with reinstatements and a final financial settlement for workers.
Joint statement:
ANSELL, INDUSTRIALL AND FREE TRADE ZONES AND GENERAL SERVICES EMPLOYEES UNION SRI LANKAN LABOR ISSUES FULLY SETTLED
Ansell Limited (Ansell), IndustriALL Global Union (IndustriALL) and local Sri Lanka union Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union (FTZU) jointly confirm that employee claims arising from a strike in 2013 at the Ansell Lanka plant and subsequent termination of workers have been fully settled.
The settlement follows the parties entering into an MOU in August 2016 to settle outstanding claims involving 283 former or subsequently re-employed workers (Former Workers). Since entering into the MOU, the parties held numerous discussions as to the implementation and interpretation of some provisions of the MOU.
IndustriALL and FTZU explicitly pledged that the settlement resolves all disputes in respect to the MOU and the Former Workers and that the Former Workers’ claims against Ansell have been completely satisfied.
Under the terms of the settlement, IndustriALL and FTZU acknowledged and agreed that:
- the High Court of Western Province, Holden, Colombo confirmed the lawfulness of Ansell’s actions in respect to the 2013 strike and subsequent termination of the Former Workers;
- Ansell has fully met all of its obligations, monetary and otherwise, under the MOU and the Settlement Agreement and no further obligations remain in respect to the Former Workers;
- all matters relating to the Former Worker and the 2013 strike are resolved and no further claim exists;
- they will take no further action against Ansell in respect to this matter.
IndustriALL and FTZU acknowledge that Ansell has engaged with the workers and the unions involved in this matter in good faith and treated the organisations and people involved with respect.
Ansell confirms it is committed to and abides by its Global Code of Conduct, Human Rights Statement, Labour Standards Policy and world class safety protocols. Throughout its 125-year history, Ansell has always adopted an open attitude towards trade unions. Ansell recommits to respect the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining in all our businesses across the world. 95% of Ansell’s total production worker population is represented by a union or independent workers’ committee. 55% of Ansell’s workforce is covered by a collective bargaining agreement. Ansell is proud of its track record of maintaining healthy industrial relations and a meaningful social dialogue across all our manufacturing plants, where workers’ representatives are not discriminated against an no forms of intimidation, violence or retaliation are tolerated.
IndustriALL and FTZU confirm that neither union is involved with and/or endorses any action in respect to the termination of 11 other workers associated with the 2013 strike and that this matter will be determined in due course by the court.
Signed by Ansell Limited, IndustriALL Global Union, Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union