English

Español

Français

Aerospace

Automotive

Base metals

Chemical, pharmaceutical and bio-science

Energy

Glass, cement, ceramic and associated industries

ICT, electrical and electronics

Mechanical Engineering

Mining and DGOJP

Pulp and paper

Rubber

Shipbuilding and shipbreaking

Textile, garment, shoes, leather and textile services

Sectors

Action Plan 2025-2029

Action on textile and garment industry

Clean up shipbreaking

Ratify ILO C176

United for a just future - time to pay up!

Disinvest from Myanmar

Campaigns

Global Framework Agreements

Union building

White-collar workers

Health & safety

Industry 4.0

Women

Youth

LGBTQI+

Gender, equality, diversity and inclusion (GEDI)

Just Transition

Organizing with industriALL

What we do

Affiliates

Statutes

Elected Officials

Executive Committee

Geneva head office

South East Asia

Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus

Latin America and the Caribbean

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

Regional offices

About us

Global worker No1 2022

Global worker No2 2022

Publications

Resources

Press

<img alt="" src="" width="100" height="39" />
The ICEM has received information from the Federation of Workers Councils Unions in Iraq (FWCUI) that one of their leading women activists is under attack. The management of the General Company for Leather Industries (GCLI) has punished Sawsan Mahmoud, by transferring her to another company. The decision follows her leadership and participation in a strike at the beginning of April 2009, after protesting against the company's failure to make all outstanding payments due to workers in April. 
 
The company's management, in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Minerals, has transferred the trade union activist to Elez Company, a subsidiary of the Ministry. Sawsan has appealed to the Minister for the cancellation of the transfer. As a result the Ministry required the company&rsquo;s reasons for the transfer, which were reported by the company as being her participation and incitement of workers to go on strike at the beginning of last April, &ldquo;strike instigators are not keen on the stability of the country&quot;. The company reiterated its reply to the Ministry that the transfer was due to the recent events, referring to its workers' last strike. Subsequently the management of the company also proceeds now to punish another six workers for the same reasons. 

<img alt="" src="" width="120" height="143" />
FWCUI President Falah Alwan
The FWCUI has taken up her case and that of the other victimised workers, mounting a media campaign and a legal case against the company and the Ministry. They have called on the international trade union movement to publicise the case and protest the action of the Ministry and the company. ICEM has done so and is in communication with ITGLWF about further support action. 
 
In a letter to Fawzi Franso Hariri, the Iraqi Minister of Industry and Minerals, ITGLWF General Secretary Neil Kearney expressed his concern over the treatment of Sawsan Mahmoud. Kearney stated that the company&rsquo;s behaviour &ldquo;represents a blatant breach of the right of freedom of association which protects the right of workers to strike as a means of defending their interests. This fundamental right is enshrined in the Iraqi Constitution as well as in Conventions 87 and 98 of the International Labour Organisation, which apply to Iraq by virtue of its membership of the ILO&rdquo;.

Iraqi Labour Federation Protests Attack from Industry and Government Ministry

<img alt="" src="" width="100" height="39" />
Over 1,000 mineworkers at the Chinese owned Marcona mine in Peru, ended their indefinite strike action on 24 July, returning to work following a government resolution ordering increased wages, plus a one-off bonus. The workers are members of the ICEM affiliated Federaci&oacute;n Nacional de Trabajadores Mineros, Metal&uacute;rgicos y Sider&uacute;rgicos del Per&uacute; (FNTMMSP). 
 
Shougang Hierro Peru is the country&rsquo;s only iron producer, producing 7.5 million tones of iron ore in 2008. Production was halted at the Marcona mine, 217 miles south of the capital Lima in Ica Province, when workers downed their tools on July 13, starting an indefinite strike action for higher wages. 

<img alt="" src="" width="318" height="228" />
Shougang mineworkers in Marcona
The global financial crisis has lowered prices for most of Peru&rsquo;s metals exports; companies throughout the industry are using that as an excuse to avoid making overdue salary rises. &quot;Shougang has the capacity to raise our salaries, just with 4 percent of its profits,&quot; union leader Julio Ortiz stated at the outset of the strike. Nearly 10,000 mineworkers have lost their jobs in Peru since November 2008. 
 
Ortiz then reported last Friday &quot;We have lifted the indefinite strike following a (pay) increase granted by the Ministry of Labour, although we don't agree with the increase,&quot; 
 
The Chinese Shougang Group, which has run the mine since 1993, had previously offered an hourly wage increase of US$0.23 but that was rejected by the union. The Peruvian government instead passed a resolution ordering a US$1.1 a day increase, plus a one-off bonus of US$433. The 1,124 striking workers had been seeking a US$3.3 increase on their US$18.3 daily wage. The rise is backdated to 31 March 2009. 
 
Local press had reported that the strike had cost the company over US$6 million, the claims were denied by the company. Negotiations between the union and company management were brokered by Labour Minister Manuela Garc&iacute;a, and provincial Governor R&oacute;mulo Trive&ntilde;o. 
 
Peru is the world's top producer of silver, and second top producer of copper and zinc.

Peruvian Miners Achieve Wage Gains at Chinese Owned Iron Mine

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
Negotiations are presently taking place between the ICEM-affiliated, Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions (IFOU) and the Iraqi Drilling Company, following demonstrations and a workplace strike 24 June, 2009. 
 
Management called in Iraqi security forces, who cordoned off the demonstrators and workplaces. We are informed that only the demonstrators&rsquo; determination and good will prevented violence, given that the management had informed the military forces that the demonstrators were terrorists. Workers left at the end of their working hours but returned on the second day, gathering in front of the worksites and halting operating machines. 
 
Workers submitted their demands to the management which include: reopening the trade union, which had been closed by the Director-General, upon the Minister's directive; re-activating the productivity allowances payments and various other allowances; and moreover, the workers called on the ministry to be patient in the signing of licensing contracts which the ministry want to conclude. 

<img src="" width="250" height="115" alt="" />
Iraq&rsquo;s oil workers are legally prevented from forming unions, based on remaining Saddam Hussein-era laws. The workers have organized nonetheless. The 2005 Constitution calls for new labour laws. 
 
Iraqi oil unions have repeatedly protested working conditions; including pay and housing, and opposition to the draft oil law, viewed as too open to foreign investment. The Oil Ministry has instructed its state oil companies not to deal with the unions and has come down hard in the past, as often reported by the ICEM. See recent ICEM reports on Iraq <a href="/en/67-Search-ICEM-site?keywords=IFOU">here</a>.&nbsp; 
 
Iraq has the world&rsquo;s third largest oil reserves, with considerable potential for increased levels of production. Iraq earns around 95 percent of state income from oil sales, nearly $62 billion last year. 
 
Negotiations are continuing with workers at the Iraqi Drilling Company. The ICEM will report further developments in this brave struggle for trade union rights.

Iraqi Oil Workers Struggle for Trade Union Rights

<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
In this issue of the ICEM HIV/AIDS newsletter, we report on, among other items, the progress made in Nigeria on Canadian CEP&rsquo;s donor work, on the work of a new ILO instrument on HIV/AIDS and the world of work, and on PEPFAR, the US President&rsquo;s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. 
 
The ICEM Calls on its Affiliates to Contribute to this e-bulletin 
 
ICEM affiliates are already engaged in a wide range of HIV/AIDS activities. To spread the information on new agreements, awareness, and prevention campaigns, and educational activities, affiliates and project coordinators are invited to send news and information to <a href="mailto:hiv.aids@icem.org">hiv.aids@icem.org</a>. Any feedback on the format and contents of the e-bulletin is also welcome. 
 
Editor: Hans J Schwass, ICEM HIV/AIDS Consultant 

<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
Progress in Nigeria 
 
In the May issue of the e-bulletin, we gave a summary of programmes planned in 2009 in target countries. We will continue to inform you on the progress and report on implemented activities in selected countries. 
 
In Nigeria, ICEM oil and gas workers&rsquo; affiliates NUPENG and PENGASSAN have continued their successful HIV/AIDS work, which started more than two years ago. The project has seen a tremendous boost in the uptake of voluntary and confidential counselling and testing in major worksites. The project is co-sponsored by the Humanity Fund of the ICEM&rsquo;s Canadian affiliate Communications, Energy, Paperworkers (CEP) Union, the Nigerian affiliates themselves, and the ICEM&rsquo;s HIV/AIDS project. Additional support was received from the Nigeria branch of the international NGO, SMARTWork of the US Academy for Educational Development. 

<img src="" width="220" height="147" alt="" />
More than 150 workers attended sensitisation meetings and advocacy for voluntary counselling and testing at Engine Lubricant Dealers in Lagos and at the KRPC Depot in Kaduna in April. The meetings were conducted by peer educators and counsellors trained in the ICEM project in Nigeria. 
 
A major new activity was practical training exercises for peer educators and counsellors, an activity first conducted in May at the NNPC/PPMC Satellite Petroleum Product Depot in Ejigbo, Lagos State. Professional counsellors assisted eight unionists in counselling services and close to 300 people went for testing. The activity was carried out in close cooperation with the Nigeria Business Coalition against AIDS. 
<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
International Labour Conference Discusses New HIV/AIDS Instrument 
 
Discussions have commenced at the 98th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC), the annual conference of the ILO, with a view to adopt a new instrument on HIV/AIDS and the world of work. 
 
According to Sophia Kisting, Director of ILO/AIDS, the new instrument should help to establish a basis for an institutional tripartite presence within national AIDS authorities; better coordinate ILO action on HIV/AIDS in the world of work and combat discrimination; improve monitoring and reporting and strengthen the contribution of the workplace to universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support. 
 
While the ILO Governing Body, in March 2007, put the item on the agenda of the ILC with a view to the adoption of an Autonomous Recommendation, workers&rsquo; delegates and some governments are strongly in favour of adopting a more binding instrument &ndash; a Convention. 
 
Discussions in the HIV/AIDS Committee of the ILC take place on the basis of a report reflecting the views of the constituents. Based on these discussions and further consultations, a draft text will be prepared for consideration and final adoption at the 99th session of the ILC in June 2010. 

<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
PEPFAR Head Nominated 
 
US President Barrack Obama&rsquo;s choice of Eric Goosby as Global AIDS Coordinator for the President&rsquo;s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was welcomed by a number of organisations. Goosby has more than 25 years of experience working on HIV/AIDS issues and served in leading positions during the Clinton administration. 
 
The US AIDS Healthcare Foundation has, however, chided Obama that he proposed only US$6.6 billion in 2010, while just last year &ndash; as a US Senator from Illinois &ndash; he had voted for US$9.6 billion in annual funding for PEPFAR. The President&rsquo;s Global Health Initiative foresees investments of US$63 billion cumulative over six years to 2014 of which 70 percent or US$44 billion are earmarked for PEPFAR. 
 
(Source: Lab Law Weekly, 15 May, South African Broadcasting Corporation - Reuters, 28 April and White House Press Release, 5 May) 

<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
India: Sexuality Minorities Organising 
 
Sexuality minorities in India are planning to mobilise themselves in a trade union to ask for fair wages for their work in HIV/AIDS awareness programmes that are funded by the government and various supporting agencies across the states. 
 
A public meeting organised by the Karnataka Sexuality Minority Forum in Bangalore discussed the need for fair wages and benefits for peer educators in accordance with the labour laws of the country. A representative of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) urged them to organise a trade union for their cause. There is a big gap in wages between those in the top rungs of the HIV/AIDS programmes and volunteers who earn as little as INR 1,500 (about US$30). 
 
(Source: The Hindu, 4 June) 
<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
Sex Workers in Pakistan on HIV Prevention 
 
Although the recorded HIV prevalence in Pakistan is relatively low, health officials are concerned that a concentrated epidemic of the virus among injection drug users could carry over to commercial sex workers and other high risk groups in the country. To address the issue, the National AIDS Control Program and the United Nations Population Fund recently held a meeting, called the National Consultation on HIV and Sex Work, in an effort to improve HIV prevention efforts targeted at sex workers by consulting with workers in the field. 
 
Sex workers at the meeting made various recommendations, including HIV testing, referrals, and increased efforts to decrease stigma. Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Health reports that female sex workers were at a high risk of HIV. A survey of 4,639 female sex workers found that less than 25% reported condom use. A female sex worker at the meeting said, &quot;It is very hard for us to convince partners to put on a condom, but I feel that a female condom would put us in a position where we can protect ourselves against HIV and sexually transmitted infections.&quot; 
 
She added that female condoms are not widely available. Legalizing sex work would make it easier for sex workers to protect their rights, another female sex worker at the conference said. 
 
(Source: IRIN/PlusNews, 19 May, reprinted from <a href="http://www.kaisernetwork.org">www.kaisernetwork.org</a>) 

<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
Women at Risk in the Caribbean 
 
An increasing number of women living with HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean face stigma, discrimination, and gender-based violence that is linked to the spread of the disease. UNAIDS reports that women overall now account for half of the population living with HIV in the Caribbean, compared with 30% in 1999. Women, ages 15 to 24, account for 62% of the entire HIV-positive population in the Caribbean. 
 
The Dominican Republic and Haiti, which make up the island of Hispaniola, have some of the highest HIV/AIDS rates in the region, according to UNAIDS. Women account for 51% of the 60,000 HIV-positive people in the Dominican Republic, while they account for 60% of the 120,000 HIV-positive people in Haiti. Myrna Flores Chian &ndash; head of the gender rights program of Profamilia, a nongovernmental organization involved in reproductive rights efforts in the Dominican Republic &ndash; stated, &quot;There are physiological factors that put women and girls at greater risk of infection in unprotected sexual relations.&quot; 
 
She added that &quot;the feminization of AIDS is due above all to social discrimination, gender inequality, and lack of empowerment for women.&quot; She went on to say that gender violence and women's inability to negotiate condom use with partners or other conditions are directly linked to the spread of HIV. 
 
(Source: Inter Press Service, 11 May) 

<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
News from the Global Union Federations 
 
The fortnightly HIV/AIDS update of the International Transport Workers&rsquo; Federation (ITF) of 15 April reports, among other items, on a new partnership project, designed to put HIV awareness on the seafaring agenda. The group &ndash; called the Global Partnership on HIV and Mobile Workers in the Maritime Sector &ndash; brings together representatives from eight organisations, including the United Nations, non-governmental organisations, unions, and employers (<a href="http://www.itfglobal.org">www.itfglobal.org</a>). 

<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
This ICEM HIV-AIDS Newsletter &ndash; How to Subscribe or Translate? 
 
To subscribe to the e-bulletin, send an email to <a href="mailto:press@icem.org">press@icem.org</a>. Please put &ldquo;subscribe ICEM HIV/AIDS e-bulletin&rdquo; in the subject line. 
Unfortunately, the e-bulletin can only be published in English. 
For a free automated (non-ICEM) translation of this HIV-AIDS bulletin into other languages, you may want to try http://www.google.com/language_tools and insert the following URL into the window &ldquo;Translate a Web page&ldquo;: 
<a href="/index.php?id=72&amp;la=EN&amp;doc=3265">/index.php?id=72&amp;la=EN&amp;doc=3265</a>
Or click directly on the links below: 
<a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icem.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D72%26la%3DEN%26doc%3D3265&amp;sl=en&amp;tl=fr&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8">Cliquez ici pour une traduction automatique en fran&ccedil;ais.</a> 
Cette traduction est faite automatiquement par un logiciel internet gratuit. L&rsquo;ICEM n&rsquo;assume aucune responsabilit&eacute; &agrave; cet &eacute;gard. Elle est approximative, mais peut n&eacute;anmoins vous donner une id&eacute;e g&eacute;n&eacute;rale du contenu de l&rsquo;article. 
<a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icem.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D72%26la%3DEN%26doc%3D3265&amp;sl=en&amp;tl=de&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8">Hier Klicken f&uuml;r eine maschinelle &Uuml;bersetzung ins Deutsche.</a> 
Diese &Uuml;bersetzung, f&uuml;r die die ICEM keine Verantwortung &uuml;bernimmt, erfolgt durch eine frei zug&auml;ngliche Internetsoftware. Diese &Uuml;bersetzung ist nicht perfekt, gibt aber eine ann&auml;hernende Idee, wor&uuml;ber der Artikel handelt. 
<a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icem.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D72%26la%3DEN%26doc%3D3265&amp;sl=en&amp;tl=ru&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8">Щелкните мышью здесь для получения машинного перевода на Русский.</a> 
Этот перевод выполняется автоматически с помощью бесплатной Интернет-программы, и ICEM не несет за него ответственности. Перевод приблизительный, но все же может дать общее представление о содержании статьи. 
<a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icem.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D72%26la%3DEN%26doc%3D3265&amp;sl=en&amp;tl=ja&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8">日本語への翻訳について、無料オン� ��イン翻訳サービス利用されたい方はここをクリックしてください。ただし、当該サ� ��ビスを利用した翻訳の質等について 、ICEMは一切責任を負いませんので、� ��了承ください。 
</a> 
<a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icem.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D72%26la%3DEN%26doc%3D3265&amp;sl=en&amp;tl=es&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8">Haga clic aqu&iacute; para una traducci&oacute;n autom&aacute;tica en espa&ntilde;ol.</a> 
Esta traducci&oacute;n se hace autom&aacute;ticamente con tecnolog&iacute;a libre del Internet. La ICEM no se responsabiliza de ella. La traducci&oacute;n es aproximada, pero puede proveer una idea general del contenido del art&iacute;culo. 
<a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icem.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D72%26la%3DEN%26doc%3D3265&amp;sl=en&amp;tl=sv&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8">Klicka h&auml;r f&ouml;r en maskin&ouml;vers&auml;ttning till svenska.</a> 
Denna &ouml;vers&auml;ttning utf&ouml;rs automatiskt med kostnadsfri internetteknik. ICEM tar inget ansvar f&ouml;r den. Den &auml;r inte helt korrekt men ger dig &auml;nd&aring; en allm&auml;n uppfattning om vad artikeln handlar om.

ICEM HIV/AIDS e-bulletin No. 45 June 2009

<img alt="" src="" width="100" height="39" />
The issue of forced labour in Burma was prominent during the opening days of the 98th session of ILO&rsquo;s International Labour Congress, with a general session held on the issue on 6 June. The debate centered on what the Burmese military junta has done to eradicate forced labour, and how the ruling regime conspires to block any meaningful reform on forced labour in the southern Asian country. 
 
The session provided grim evidence that Burma is nowhere near fulfilling progress toward ratification of ILO Conventions 29 and 87, the Forced and Compulsory Labour Convention (1930) and the Freedom of Association Convention (1948). The debate also proved the regime is doing too little to bring the issue into effect through local statutes in towns and villages. The 6 June ILO debate was the ninth time the ILO has taken up the despicable Burmese work practice of forced labour in special session. 

<img alt="" src="" width="98" height="126" />
FTUB President Maung Maung has been in exile in Thailand
Representatives from the ILO workers&rsquo; group, Actrav, presented several examples aside horrid statistics to prove the illegitimate government has failed to adequately address the issue. The employers&rsquo; representative, despite few employer delegates being present at the general session, said &ldquo;words are not enough&rdquo; in giving failing marks on the junta&rsquo;s progress on the issue. 
 
The governments of China and other Asian nations claimed progress is being made. For example, the re-signing earlier this year of a &ldquo;supplementary understanding&rdquo; between the ILO and the military rulers was cited. But the employer representative&rsquo;s remarks and the facts prove differently. 
 
One such fact, cited by Chihiro Ikusawa of Japanese trade union federation JTUC-Rengo, is that despite the common opinion that international divestment from Burma must occur, direct investment in 2008 over 2007 increased 93%. She said a good portion of this is Chinese investment, and most specifically in mining. 

<img alt="" src="" width="120" height="87" />
The Korean workers&rsquo; delegate, C.K. Lee of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), called attention to specific Korean investments in Burma and said his government &ldquo;has betrayed our confidence&rdquo; in endorsing such business ventures. A Brazilian workers&rsquo; delegate said forced labour violations are too numerous, and banking and financial ties with Burma must be broken. 
 
A vivid connection between labour and agriculture was also mentioned by one speaker, who said government decrees mandating a portion of a farmer&rsquo;s lands for a specific state purpose is, in and of itself, forced labour. The issue of child conscription into military duty was addressed. And the EU representative present &ndash; from the current EU chair, the Czech Republic &ndash; said Burma&rsquo;s rulers &ldquo;lack any credibility&rdquo; until they release some 2,000 political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi. Other speakers noted the timing of the Nobel peace laureate&rsquo;s current incarceration with upcoming 2010 elections. 
 
In a report issued by a panel of ILO experts, a recommendation is offered to the ruling government to amend part of its new constitution giving it power to conscript Burmese citizens into captive labour jobs. That will likely be ignored, and the political and financial windfall that has driven forced labour will continue.

ILO: Burmese Junta Hammered Again on Forced Labour

ICEM Women’s Bulletin No. 33

Statement of Xstrata Union Leaders 
 
We as leaders of unions representing workers at Xstrata have met in Montreal, Quebec on October 15 and 16, 2008. 
 
We have exchanged information and discussed our experiences. 
 
We are concerned that Xstrata&rsquo;s actions are having a negative impact on workers and communities around the world. We expect Xstrata to operate at the highest labour and environmental standards around the world. 
 
We agreed as follows: 
&bull; To support members of CAW 599 in their struggle in Timmins, Ontario, Canada with the company. 
&bull; To find concrete ways to offer stronger support to each other during collective bargaining, especially for unions entering into bargaining in 2008 and 2009 (including among others: the Falconbridge Workers Union in the Dominican Republic; Altonorte Smelter Workers Union, in Chile, and Antamina Workers Union, in Peru). 
&bull; To promote worker exchanges to promote solidarity and build awareness on workers&rsquo; issues. 
&bull; To improve communication between us. We need fast and effective communication as the foundation of our work. We will establish a communications network through the internet. 
&bull; To consult with and educate our members in our local unions. 
&bull; To endorse the campaign of the CFMEU in Australia on workers&rsquo; right to be represented by trade unions. We will participate in that campaign through coordinated action. 
&bull; To meet again and bring together more unions representing Xstrata workers. To work with the ICEM and its affiliates. 
&bull; To develop strategies, including media strategies, to advance union campaigns. 
&bull; To establishing an International Solidarity Fund that would provide us with the resources to undertake joint projects and support each other at the appropriate times 
&bull; To work toward: 
&bull; establishing a Workers&rsquo; World Council 
&bull; engaging the company in the establishment of common international minimum standards on occupational health, safety and environment. 
 
The following unions and union federations participated in the meeting and endorse this statement. 
 
ICEM - International Federation of Chemical, Energy, and Mining and General Workers&rsquo; Unions 
 
From Australia &ndash; 
Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union (CFMEU) &ndash; Australia, including: CFMEU branches at: 
&bull; Xstrata Newlands Coal 
&bull; Xstrata Oaky North Coal 
&bull; Northern District Branches 
 
From Germany - 
IG Metal, Nordenham, Germany 
 
From Canada &ndash; 
United Steelworkers (USW), including: 
&bull; USW Local 2020 &ndash; Xstrata Nickel, Sudbury, Ontario 
&bull; USW Local 4614 - Fonderie Generale &ndash; Montreal, Quebec 
&bull; USW Local 5385 &ndash; Brunswick Mining &amp; Smelting, Bathurst, New Brunswick 
&bull; USW Local 6887 &ndash; CCR, Montreal, Quebec 
&bull; USW Local 6486 &ndash; CEZinc, Montreal, Quebec 
&bull; USW Local 9449 - Raglan, Qu&eacute;bec 
&bull; USW Local 7085 &ndash; Brunswick Mining &amp; Smelting, Bathurst, New Brunswick 
 
From Chile &ndash; 
Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Fundidora Altonorte, Antofagasta, Chile 
 
From the Dominican Republic &ndash; 
SUTRAFADO, Falconbridge Workers Union, Dominican Republic 
 
From Peru &ndash; 
FNTMMSP, National Federation of Mine and Metalworkers of Peru 
SUTRACOMASA, Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Compa&ntilde;&iacute;a Minera Antamina, Peru

XSTRATA UNIONS GLOBAL NETWORK

<img height="39" alt="" src="" width="100" />
Two meetings were held recently in Colombia, as organised by ICEM Project Coordinator Carlos Bustos. One meeting was held at the Bogot&aacute; headquarters of the Colombian electrical workers union, Sintralecol, to discuss the difficult circumstances facing trade unionists in the country, and to improve communication between unions in relation to protecting workers&rsquo; rights. 
 
A second meeting, a set of workshops from 27-31 October, saw 38 trade union leaders participate in an ICEM training forum where ideas were exchanged on how to push forward during dangerous times for trade unionists, as well as for local indigenous groups. 
 
Present at the Sintralecol headquarters were representatives from labour unions ISCOD, FIA-UGT, as well as union leaders from the companies Endesa, Repsol, Iberdrola, and Union Fenosa, as well as the national leadership of Sintralecol. They included: Antonio Deusa of FIA-UGT; Monserrat L&oacute;pez of FIA-UGT; Donato Palomares, a union leader at Endesa; Antonio Rodr&iacute;guez of FIA-UGT at Iberdrola; Roberto Cabal and Walter Van Battenburg, trade union leaders at Endesa in Chile; H&eacute;ctor Fajardo, representing ISCOD; Lu&iacute;s Farf&aacute;n of Sintralecol; and Bustos. 
 

<img height="165" alt="" src="" width="260" />
All present spoke on the political situation in Colombia, expressing their concerns over the serious situation facing workers and the exercise of their human rights in Colombia. With these challenges, the trade unions searched for ways to improve relations at national level and ways to attract international support for workers not protected by the law. The international labour representatives present called for unity in the fight for workers&rsquo; rights in Colombia, as well as for decent pay throughout Latin America. All parties present pledged to move forward in solidarity and unity. 
 
The late October training sessions took up the strike of sugar cane workers, now ended, and the conflict that members of Sintraquim, the ICEM Colombian affiliate representing chemical workers, has with management at Laboratorios Biogen. These cases illustrate blatant examples of worker persecution and trade union repression. 
 
Organisations assisting with the event included Sintraquim, Sintraelecol, Sintracarbon and Sintravidricol. Individuals present were Bustos, who coordinates ICEM in Colombia; Hernando Beltr&aacute;n Soci&oacute;logo, a regional expert: Manuel &Aacute;ngel T&eacute;llez of the CUT: Miguel &Aacute;ngel Castro, an economist; Crist&oacute;bal L&oacute;pez, who presented her concept of globalization, and Dr. Carlos Rodr&iacute;guez and Dr. Lu&iacute;s Farf&aacute;n, who both discussed leadership techniques on how to manage strikes. 
 
All those present pledged action of support and solidarity with comrades at Sintrabiogen, in their struggles for workers&rsquo; rights.

Colombian Trade Unions conduct Meetings, Workshops to Develop Solidarity in Challenging Times

<img height="39" alt="" src="" width="100" />
In October 2006, efforts to make the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure of the Rotterdam Convention apply to asbestos were blocked by a handful of countries, including Canada. The Rotterdam Convention is an international agreement on hazardous materials. 
 
PIC is not a ban. It is a requirement stating that information is to be made available, and adequate warning of a substance&rsquo;s hazards is to be made available when that substance is traded on global markets. However, even this mild requirement has been too much for the asbestos industry to accept. Their fear, no doubt, is that such warnings will cause developing countries &ndash; Canada is one of the biggest exporters of asbestos &ndash; to question the safety of asbestos. 

<img height="200" alt="" src="" width="135" />
The Canadian government made the usual public excuses about scientific uncertainty but, in fact, a government memo that became public last year proves that Canada backs the asbestos industry for crass economic and political reasons. The existence, or lack of existence,&nbsp;of&nbsp;any scientific doubt about the hazards of asbestos played little role. 
 
On 31 October, at the most recent Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention, Canada once again managed to prevent the PIC procedure from applying to asbestos. Canadian delegates, aware of the embarrassing stance of their position, chose to keep a low profile, but worked behind the scenes to organise and encourage the very few remaining supporters of asbestos to block any progress. Those nations are India, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Ukraine, Pakistan, and the Philippines. 
 
It is interesting to note that the Rotterdam Convention binds signatory countries to consider only the hazard criteria. Economic and trade issues are not grounds for excluding a substance from the PIC procedure. How then were the parties able to prevent the inclusion of asbestos under PIC when no one at the October meeting was able to refute the case that all forms of asbestos &ndash; including chrysotile &ndash; meet the Rotterdam Convention&rsquo;s scientific and legal criteria?

Canada Again Serves as Roadblock at Rotterdam Convention on Asbestos

<img height="39" alt="" src="" width="100" />
The 2008 collective agreement covering 30,000 rubber workers in Germany was put in place, following agreement on 30 October between ICEM affiliate IGBCE and the rubber employers&rsquo; association. The 15-month contract, from 1 September 2008 to 30 November 2009, was accepted by a large majority. 
 
The agreement calls for a 1 November 2008 wage increase of 2.5%. On 1 July 2009, another wage increase of 1.3% will be put into effect. The yearly training allowance per worker was increased by &euro;25.00 effective on 1 January 2009. 

<img height="242" alt="" src="" width="150" />
Rubber employers in Germany have committed &euro;4 million to the Association of Employment Promotion (VzB), which assures a flexible transition to retirement, including part-time work and other benefits for workers nearing retirement, particularly during times of redundancies. 
 
The agreement commits the union and employers to handle issues of demographics and work life in conjunction with framework negotiations during the first quarter 2009, with the aim of reaching accord by 30 September 2009.

German Rubber Workers Agree to 15-Month Labour Agreement

Archive