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The ICEM has expressed disgust and dismay over the circumstances in which a Nigerian trade unionist was killed earlier this week in the Niger Delta. Nelson Ujeya, a member of white-collar oil workers&rsquo; union PENGASSAN, was apparently murdered as he was about to be released by a militant youth group in Bayelsa State. 
 
Reports say that Brother Ujeya was killed when troops of Nigeria&rsquo;s Joint Military Task Force ambushed the militants at a time when he was about to be released. In all, 11 people were killed in the ambush that took place on 20 August. 
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On 8 August, Nelson Ujeya, the Community Liaison Officer for Shell Petroleum Development Company Ltd., was abducted on an official visit to Letugbene community while he was accompanied by senior Bayelsa State government officials to inspect community projects. 
The ICEM denounces the Bayelsa State government and the federal government of Nigeria for failing to provide timely and relevant information on the abduction and subsequent killing of Nelson Ujeya to his family and to the leadership of PENGASSAN. 
Further, in a <a href="/index.php?id=25&amp;doc=1926&amp;la=EN">letter to PENGASSAN President Peter Esele</a> that was also sent to Nigerian government entities and other organisations, the Brussels-based trade union federation said: 
 
&ldquo;The 20-million-member ICEM, the Global Union Federation for oil and gas workers, finds it reprehensible that such indiscriminate use of force by Nigerian government militia be used in such a situation. The ICEM stands firmly behind PENGASSAN in holding both the government of Bayelsa State initially responsible for the abduction of Brother Ujeya while in the presence of state officials, and the federal government for its new policy of &lsquo;force by force&rsquo; in dealing with kidnappings that occur in the Niger Delta.
<img height="105" alt="" src="" width="100" />
&ldquo;The ICEM calls on all energy companies operating in Nigeria to apply the same effort and resources in securing the release of kidnapped Nigerian workers as they do for their foreign national employees.&rdquo; 
 
PENGASSAN and the blue-collar Nigerian oil workers&rsquo; union, NUPENG, will hold a joint National Executive Council meeting in Benin City, Nigeria, on 30 August to take up the matter of security for oil workers&rsquo; employed in the Niger Delta. The ICEM notes that the combined voice of the two unions, operating under the aegis of NUPENGASSAN, has been one of reason and soundness in efforts to curb the kidnappings and violence of the area. 
 
That voice has called for both the government of Nigeria and the oil companies operating in the region to provide greater and better employment opportunities to the youth and indigenous of the region through skills training and other social development initiatives.&nbsp;

Abhorrent Circumstances Surround the Killing of PENGASSAN Member in Nigeria

25 August 2006 
 
Comrade Peter Esele 
President 
PENGASSAN 
NIGERIA 
 
 
Dear Comrade Peter, 
 
The ICEM has learned of the tragic and senseless death of one of PENGASSAN&rsquo;s members, Nelson Ujeya, earlier this week in the vicinity of Brass Creek or Biobou Creek, Bayelsa State. We understand that Brother Ujeya had been kidnapped on 8 August 2006 in Letugbene while performing his employment duties for Shell Petroleum Development Corporation. 
 
We also have unconfirmed reports that he died in a violent gun fight between Nigeria&rsquo;s Joint Military Task Force and militant youth groups on 20 August 2006 as he was about to be released after negotiations. 
 
The 20-million-member ICEM, the Global Union Federation for oil and gas workers, finds it reprehensible that such indiscriminate use of force by Nigerian government militia be used in such a situation. The ICEM stands firmly behind PENGASSAN in holding both the government of Bayelsa State initially responsible for the abduction of Brother Ujeya while in the presence of state officials, and the federal government for its new policy of &ldquo;force by force&rdquo; in dealing with kidnappings that occur in the Niger Delta. 
 
The ICEM calls on all energy companies operating in Nigeria to apply the same effort and resources in securing the release of kidnapped Nigerian workers as they do for their foreign national employees. 
 
Next week, on 30 August 2006, PENGASSAN and NUPENG will conduct a joint National Executive Council (NEC) in Benin City to discuss this and other security matters in the Niger Delta. The ICEM recognises that the combined voice of NUPENGASSAN in Nigeria has been one of reason and soundness in stemming the social instability occurring along the Niger Delta. We know that this combined voice has stood for education, skills training and other social development initiatives that will increase employment opportunities in the oil and gas sectors for Nigerians. We commend and fully endorse that stand. 
 
We would look forward to having a report from the NEC&rsquo;s deliberations as soon after 30 August as possible in order to publicise your sensible positions on the global level. 
 
In conclusion, please convey sincere condolences from the ICEM and its family of global trade unions to the family of Wilson Ujeya. We are very distraught on the circumstances of his horrific death. Also, please express our deep concern to all trade union members of PENGASSAN and NUPENG, who are forced to work in such a difficult and terrifying environment. 
 
Fraternally, 
 
 
Fred Higgs 
General Secretary

ICEM letter to Pengassan

The 20-million-member International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine &amp; General Workers Unions (ICEM), the Global Union Federation for oil and gas workers, condemned today the hostile actions of Iran toward a Romanian-owned oil rig in the Persian Gulf. On Tuesday, 22 August, Iranian gunboats fired on the rig Orizont, owned by Grup Servicii Petroliere (GPS), before boarding the vessel and holding 26 workers hostage. 
 
The violent and life-threatening actions by Iran were over a commercial dispute in which GPS had terminated services to a Dubai-based company, Oriental Oil Company, which had sub-leased development and production in the Iranian South Pars gas fields, off Hengam Island, to Petro Iran Development Company (Pedco), a subsidiary of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC).
<img height="67" alt="" src="" width="120" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<img height="67" alt="" src="" width="100" />
Nineteen of the workers are members of ICEM-affiliated trade union Federatia Sindicatelor Libere si Independente din Industria Petroliera (FSLI Petrom) of Romania, while seven are of Indian descent and working for a catering company. 
 
&ldquo;It is totally unacceptable and reprehensible to place innocent workers&rsquo; physical safety at risk, as Iran&rsquo;s armed forces did in this matter,&rdquo; said ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs. &ldquo;We understand that a commercial dispute was in progress between the companies, and this dispute must be settled through negotiation and the civil process.&rdquo; 
 
The Orizont rig was under maintenance at the time, in Iranian waters and a very short distance from international waters. After boarding the vessel, Iranian armed forces kept the crew on the rig&rsquo;s heliport for several hours without food and water. They then allowed the crew to return to other quarters, but cut off all communications between the workers and GPS. 
 
&ldquo;The Iranian forces had no right to threaten our union members in this way,&rdquo; said FSLI Petrom Vice President Florin Bercea. &ldquo;It is an unnecessary demonstration of force by Iran, and our union condemns these hostile actions by the government of Iran.&rdquo;&nbsp;
<img height="123" alt="" src="" width="300" />
Bercea added that workers&rsquo; families are deeply concerned over the safety of their loved ones, and the Romanian trade union has reached out to them in order to facilitate direct communication with the oil workers. 
 
The commercial dispute between GPS and Oriental Oil occurred after the Romanian company terminated a contract in April 2006 after Oriental failed to get a renewed bank letter of credit for work this year. Prior to Iran taking military action on Tuesday, the dispute over the removal of&nbsp;Romanian rigs from Iran&rsquo;s gas fields to maintenance facilities elsewhere had been taken up in Iranian courts, as well as brought before other international bodies. 
 
The ICEM represents the global interests of 379 affiliated trade unions in 123 countries.

Condemnation Towards Iran on Attacking Romanian Oil Rig

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German affiliate IGBCE last week reiterated its call for industrial competitiveness through development of high-tech workplaces. The union was joined by the North Rhine/Westphalia&rsquo;s Ministry of Innovation, Science, Research and Technology in an urgent call to the federal government to establish clear and legal conditions for safe genetic engineering. 
 
IGBCE and the agency stressed that Germany is the global leader in developing green genetic engineering technologies, and the government must take assertive action in order to retain that global reputation. 
<img height="207" src="" width="152" alt="" />
ICEM President and 
ICEM Vice-President Hubertus Schmoldt
In a joint statement, IGBCE President Hubertus Schmoldt and Professor Andreas Pinkwart from the Ministry said Germany, globally, cannot afford to fall into a &ldquo;competitive disadvantage&rdquo; because the government has failed to put a concise plan in place for technological development. They demanded that the federal government open research and technology possibilities in the life sciences so that both employment opportunities and growth could take hold. 
 
In Germany, IGBCE has been the main social partner demanding renewed emphasis on technology and development of bio-sciences. The union has also been at the forefront in achieving better and more flexible terms and conditions at high-tech worksites.

IGBCE Calls on German Government to Take a Stand on Genetic Engineering

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Trade union members of SIPTU, ICEM Irish affiliate Services, Industrial, Professional &amp; Technical Union, began industrial action at a Smurfit Kappa paper converting plant in Togher, Cork, a week ago. The 130 paperworkers staged a one-day work stoppage on 14 August in protest to management&rsquo;s refusal to introduce a non-contributory sick pay scheme. 
 
Further strikes were scheduled for today, and again next Monday, if the issue is not resolved. 
<img height="50" src="" width="100" alt="" />
Workers took industrial action after rejecting a recommendation from a Labour Court that would double the contribution they make toward sick leave and impose a sliding scale of payments down to just &euro;100 a week for workers with long-term sicknesses. On average, under the court recommendation that is favoured by Smurfit Kappa, workers on sick leave would receive only a weekly payment of &euro;127, half of which they would contribute themselves. 
 
A SIPTU representative said workers at the corrugated box plant have been fighting for a proper sick pay scheme for years. &ldquo;As far as we are concerned, the Smurfit plant can well afford a non-contributory sick pay scheme,&rdquo; stated Bill Mulcahy of SIPTU&rsquo;s Cork No. 7 Branch. &ldquo;The local plant is doing well &ndash; making profits of around &euro;2 million last year &ndash; and the Smurfit Group as a whole has turnover in the billions.&rdquo; Paperworkers at the Togher plant are also conducting a work-to-rule campaign, which includes a refusal to perform overtime work.

SIPTU Paperworkers in Ireland Take Action Against Smurfit Kappa

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Nigeria&rsquo;s two oil and gas workers&rsquo; unions, ICEM affiliates NUPENG and PENGASSAN, condemned the country&rsquo;s privatisation of Eleme Petro Chemical Ltd. to a Thailand-based investment concern. At a joint news conference in Lagos on 10 August, the two unions called the sale of an olefins refinery at Port Harcourt to Indorama Petrochem Co. Ltd. lacking in transparency. 
 
NUPENG and PENGASSAN made documents available proving that Nigeria&rsquo;s privatisation arm, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), had undersold the state&rsquo;s 75% stake in the polyethylene and polypropylene refinery and that Indorama could not secure adequate financing for the privatisation deal. The unions said BPE gave the plant to Indorama after it paid only 30% of the US$250 million selling price. Also, the government still holds a US$300 million liability on the plant. 
<img height="109" alt="" src="" width="105" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; <img height="105" alt="" src="" width="100" />
The unions charged that Indorama has no proven track record in petrochemicals. Indorama, based in Bangkok, is a three-year old company that is owned by Indorama International Finance Co. Ltd. of the UK. 
 
The two oil workers&rsquo; unions, cooperating effectively under the aegis of NUPENGASSAN again, &ldquo;condemns in its entirety, the whole transaction, as this action is capable of jeopardizing the future of our members and is not in the interests of Nigerians and the economy.&rdquo; The statement added that state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. had &ldquo;the technical know-how and competence to run and manage&rdquo; the petrochemical operations.

NUPENG, PENGASSAN in Nigeria Condemn Petrochemicals Privatisation

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Some 300 French glass sector workers from four different unions protested in front of Saint-Gobain corporate offices in Paris on 20 February. The manifestation by workers of four Saint-Gobain Desjonqu&egrave;res (SGD) glass factories was over the company&rsquo;s intention to reduce the workforce at a perfume and pharmaceutical bottle plant in Mers, as well as the possible sale or joint-venture spin-off of the Desjonqu&egrave;res glass business.&nbsp;
<img height="285" alt="" src="" width="380" />
The unions, CFDT, FO, CGT, and CFTC, gained a meeting with senior managers during the protest, in which Saint-Gobain delivered a declaration that no workers would be sacked for economic reasons, and that any downsizings would occur through voluntary retirements and attrition. 
The declaration also included a guarantee that investment would be made to keep open the No. 7 furnace at Mers if demand is sufficient. In a statement last month, Saint-Gobain Desjonqu&egrave;res said it would shutter that furnace in 2008, cutting 125 jobs at the 1,245-worker factory. 
 
The unions also pressed management to take into account that some 400 temporary workers are employed at Mers. Workers from Saint-Gobain factories from Mers, Verreries de la Somme at Abbeville, Verreries de l&rsquo;Orne at Argentan, and SGD Sucy-Enbrie took part in the manifestation. 
<img height="203" alt="" src="" width="200" />
On the day following the protest, the unions obtained a salary increase from Saint-Gobain of 2.5%, with a minimum wage hike of &euro;55-per-month. They also won a &euro;12-a-month increase in employer-paid health insurance, and a one-off bonus of &euro;400. The unions credited the protest the day before with the substantial gains. 
 
The four unions, as well as a supervisors&rsquo; union, CFE-CGC, vowed to continue manifestations throughout the year in order to gain future job security guarantees from Saint-Gobain. Regarding a sale or spin-off of the glass business, the unions point to the fact that the Desjonqu&egrave;res business has enlarged the company four-fold in recent years. Outgoing CEO Jean-Louis Beffa has told market analysts that Saint-Gobain intends to exit the glass business, and to focus on building materials enterprises. 
 
Saint-Gobain bought the glass business of Henri Desjonqu&egrave;res in 1972 and operates ten glass factories around the world.

Saint-Gobain Protest Assures Fairness in Glass Business

<img height="40" alt="" src="" width="100" />
A ballot taken by UK&rsquo;s Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) among Imerys workers in the South West has failed to gain the necessary majority. But the country&rsquo;s second largest private sector union has vowed to continue to press the French multinational for a fair redundancy package for 600 former English China Clay workers in Cornwall. 
 
TGWU represents nearly 1,000 of the 2,100 Imerys kaolin mining and processing workers in the region. The industrial ballot, over the company&rsquo;s inferior severance package for workers to be made redundant late this year, was sent out on 7 February and counted late last week. 
<img height="203" alt="" src="" width="200" />
&ldquo;Our members have decided not to take any industrial action,&rdquo; stated TGWU National Secretary Jennie Formby. &ldquo;There were significant numbers of people who voted for action short of strike and for strike action. 
 
&ldquo;While we&rsquo;re aware that those who wanted to fight back will be very disappointed, we understand the huge pressure members have been under after the misinformation and propaganda campaign (Imerys) has been waging over the course of the ballot. Members are also under great pressure as they face the loss of their jobs. 
 
&ldquo;We will continue to do everything we can at home and internationally to ensure workers get a fair deal from this immensely wealthy company.&rdquo; 
 
Formby commended trade unions in the US and Europe for lending support and aid to the TGWU in its campaign against Imerys. She particularly singled out Serge Gonzales from the French trade union F&eacute;d&eacute;ration Force Ouvri&egrave;re (FO) Mat&eacute;riaux, C&eacute;ramique et Thermique, who is also secretary of Imerys&rsquo; European Works Council. &ldquo;He took every opportunity to put pressure on the company, and for this we are truly thankful,&rdquo; Formby said. 
<img height="213" alt="" src="" width="150" />
French FO's Serge Gonzales
&ldquo;We know this is not the end of the struggle against Imerys, both in the UK and everywhere it operates,&rdquo; she added. &ldquo;We will, of course, do all we can to continue to support our members in Imerys UK in our efforts to get fairness.&rdquo; 
 
The ICEM maintains that Imerys could and should do much better in the redundancy packages offered to the 600 workers who face joblessness later this year. Imerys, one of the world&rsquo;s biggest and most profitable building materials companies, will fail in its social obligations to the people of the South West, ICEM believes, unless it improves the severance packages.

Imerys Strike Ballot in UK Fails; TGWU will Press for Bigger Redundancy Packages

<img height="40" src="" width="100" alt="" />
In the United Kingdom, a private member&rsquo;s bill in Parliament to extend full employment rights to workers of employment agencies has the full support of the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) and Amicus, both ICEM affiliates. UK&rsquo;s government has been lax in implementing a new European Union directive giving agency and migrant workers new rights across all 27 EU nations. 
 
But that now has changed, thanks to a bill by Labour MP Paul Farrelly of Newcastle-under-Lyme. His bill to introduce into law the same rights, pensions, and working conditions that full-time workers enjoy, apparently has awoken the UK&rsquo;s Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), at least partially.
<img height="171" src="" width="120" alt="" />
 
On 20 February, DTI ministers agreed that they will consult on measures to protect the 1.4 million agency employees working in UK&rsquo;s economy. 
 
TGWU Gen. Sec. Tony Woodley said, however, that UK&rsquo;s government must go further, while pledging full support to MP Farrelly&rsquo;s bill: &ldquo;Agency workers need protection, not simply advice on how to deal with abusive employers. Without domestic legislation, 1.4 million agency workers in this country will continue to face discrimination.&rdquo; 
 
Regarding DTI&rsquo;s announcement, Woodley added, &ldquo;At Warwick, the government agreed to support the EU directive on agency workers, the fundamental principle of which is equal treatment. In the absence of any progress at EU level, we need EU legislation that will ensure this equality. What has been announced (by DTI) falls far, far short of this and will not significantly assist workers who endure abuse or undercutting because the law allows agency workers to be discriminated against on essential matters like pay, sick leave, and overtime. 
 
&ldquo;There is an opportunity with Paul Farrelly&rsquo;s private member&rsquo;s bill to outlaw this mistreatment. We urge government to grab it &ndash; and we urge MPs not to be misled into thinking that (DTI&rsquo;s) consultation will deliver the fundamental employment protections that vulnerable agency workers need.&rdquo; 
 
The Farrelly bill received full support from Amicus Gen. Sec. Derek Simpson when it was introduced. MP Farrelly is hoping to get backing from 100 MPs in March for the measure. Britain&rsquo;s government stands accused of actively blocking the directive at the EU level.

UK Unions in Support of Full Rights for Contract and Agency Labourers

<img height="40" alt="" src="" width="100" />
At a kick-off rally on 21 February in New Plymouth, New Zealand, ICEM affiliate Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) launched its &ldquo;FairShare &lsquo;07&rdquo; campaign, aimed at mobilising the union&rsquo;s 50,000 members for 5% wage increases in this year&rsquo;s round of collective bargaining. 
 
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re telling employers that this year, we expect pay rises of 5% and we&rsquo;re prepared to do what&rsquo;s necessary to get it,&rdquo; EPMU National Secretary Andrew Little told 1,000 EPMU members at the rally. Little said that with increased business confidence and a strengthening economy, there is no excuse for working New Zealanders to miss out on the economic good times.
<img height="50" alt="" src="" width="100" />
&nbsp; 
The 2007 campaign is a repeat of the EPMU&rsquo;s &ldquo;FairShare &lsquo;05&rdquo; campaign, in which the union negotiated a total of 269 labour agreements &ndash; 85% of the total collective agreements negotiated then &ndash; with 5% wage gains. 
 
As part of this year&rsquo;s 5% drive, the union will be making claims for employer contributions into a workers&rsquo; savings plan. &ldquo;One of the major changes to the employment landscape this year is the introduction of KiwiSaver and we&rsquo;ll be taking employer contributions into account during our negotiations,&rdquo; said Little. 
 
KiwiSaver will become effective on 1 July, and the EPMU will bargain for a minimum 2% employer contribution to an individual worker&rsquo;s account. The supplemental savings scheme allows workers to make either a 4% or 8% personal contribution of their gross taxable earnings, but currently there is no statutory requirement for employers to match a contribution. 
 
Little also said superannuation will also be a key issue in this year&rsquo;s bargaining.
<img height="92" alt="" src="" width="200" />
EPMU, New Zealand&rsquo;s largest union, again has the full support of the country&rsquo;s Council of Trade Unions (CTU) in this year&rsquo;s drive. &ldquo;We need to see wages increased every year if we are to address both our significant social deficit and also the structural problem in our economy of low wages,&rdquo; stated CTU President Ross Wilson, adding that on average, New Zealand wages lag 30% behind those in Australia.

EPMU Renews ‘FairShare’ Wage Campaign for 2007 in New Zealand

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