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Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc. Rescinded the suspensions it had imposed on laid-off white-collar oilworkers&rsquo; in bargaining with PENGASSAN on 26 July. Following a terse 20 July letter from the ICEM Nigerian affiliate to the Mobil Oil&rsquo;s managing director, ExxonMobil backed down from full collision with PENGASSAN, and a new labour agreement is now possible if the company meets remuneration demands. 
 
Pay talks will continue early this week, and a settlement with Mobil Oil Nigeria will complete PENGASSAN&rsquo;s 2007-2008 oil sector bargaining. The union had completed satisfactory negotiations with Chevron, Total, African Petroleum Plc., and other energy concerns, but the world&rsquo;s largest one, ExxonMobil &ndash; bargaining last &ndash; attempted to reduce labour standards from those negotiated with the others.
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&nbsp; 
The company committed a serious breach when it contacted and then coerced many PENGASSAN members due to retire to sign voluntary retirement letters. This action in July came while the union and Mobil Oil were in talks, and the issue of early retirement incentives was alive. The voluntary letters were a ploy to reduce the statutory amount of separation benefits that the company would have to pay in restructuring. 
 
PENGASSAN called is &ldquo;repugnant to statutory stipulations, local and international labour conventions, and best practices&rdquo; already in place in Nigeria&rsquo;s oil and gas sectors. The breach flagrantly violated the collective agreement between the two parties as well. 
 
But in Thursday&rsquo;s talks, ExxonMobil apologized to PENGASSAN and to the sacked workers, and reversed itself by rescinding the letters and reversing the firings.
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&nbsp;Now the issue of pay for 2007 and 2008 must be addressed. PENGASSAN Gen. Sec. Bayo Olowoshile said Mobil Oil Nigeria must live up to its market share in the industry and its profit sheet. The conflict now, he said, &ldquo;is on the reluctance of Mobil to pay competitive remuneration that aligns with the company&rsquo;s market share and its own remuneration policy.&rdquo; 
 
PENGASSAN represents over 200 engineers, technicians, accountants, and administrators of Mobil Oil Nigeria at some ten locations. The majority of the white-collar workers are employed at Apapa in Lagos.

ExxonMobil in Nigeria Backs Down from Conflict with PENGASSAN

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Around 100 African trade union delegates, from 15 countries, attended the ICEM regional conference of the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Organisation (SSARO), held in Gaborone, Botswana, on 5 and 6 July 2007. 
 
Welile Nolingo, regional chair and General Secretary of South African ICEM affiliate CEPPWAWU, opened the conference and reported on the improved political situation in the region, where several countries are recovering from a period of war. Though corruption is still a serious problem in many of those countries, often badly hampering economic development, trade unions are showing their determination in challenging their governments to deal with these, and other, negative aspects of their governance. 
<img height="171" src="" width="200" alt="" />
Welile Nolingo, General Secretary of South African ICEM affiliate CEPPWAWU
The organisational development of the region was discussed, with delegates agreeing that the ICEM members need to be more involved in ICEM activities in the region. This applies not only to the donor funded projects, but also to the need to develop more bilateral contacts and activities. 
 
It was further stressed that the ICEM affiliates in the region need to develop a strategic plan, focussing on the continuing development of strong and democratic unions. A plan was proposed by the secretariat to that extent. Contract and Agency Labour (CAL), HIV/AIDS, Global Framework Agreements (GFA) and Company Networks were also listed as topics that increasingly need to become core business. 
<img height="188" alt="" src="" width="200" />
Rayford Mbulu, incoming ICEM regional chair and General Secretary of the Mine Workers Union of Zambia 
Recognising the growth of activity in the ICEM industries in the region (mining, oil, gas, chemicals), the ICEM General Secretary reconfirmed his engagement to devote more attention within the secretariat to this specific region. He also mentioned the need to empower trade unions and their leaderships in Western Africa, and made an appeal to all members to focus on closer cooperation between members, but also with representatives and affiliates of other GUF&rsquo;s. The integration of the WFIW into the ICEM was expected to lead to additional strength in the region, especially in Francophone countries. 
 
The conference adopted several statutory changes, of which the most important was on formally establishing a Women&rsquo;s Committee within the regional structure. 
 
The conference elected Brother Rayford Mbulu, General Secretary of the Mine Workers Union of Zambia, as the next Regional Chair. Sister Baru Gaaithoboge of the Botswana Diamond Sorters and Valuators Union was elected as the Regional Women&rsquo;s Chair at the Regional Women&rsquo;s Conference, which was held just prior to the SSARO Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa.

ICEM Sub-Saharan African Regional Conference held in Gaborone, Botswana

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The last three major mining disasters in Russia&rsquo;s Kemerovo and Vorkuta Regions, which took 159 lives in three months, are a clear indication that the system of mining safety in the country is making miners hostages of profitability. 
 
Officially, the two methane explosions in Kemerovo resulted from faulty cables, which short-circuited and detonated the mixture of methane, air, and coal dust. Systems used at the mine to automatically localise and suppress explosions all failed (and were later prohibited for use in all Russian mines). 
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The high concentration of methane remained undetected because the mines&rsquo; gas detection systems were tampered with. Meters showed methane concentration in the mines to be significantly less than it actually was, and the complete power shut-down, which would normally prevent any short-circuiting in such situations, therefore never took place. 
 
Ruben Badalov, First Vice President of the ICEM-affiliated Russian Independent Coal Miners&rsquo; Union (ROSUGLEPROF), and a member of the Russian State Duma, the lower chamber of the Russian Parliament, was on the federal investigatory team at the Ulianovskaya mine. Probing beyond the immediate causes, he exposes several indirect ones, whose nature cannot be reduced simply to matters of production discipline. 
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These indirect causes fall into a number of categories: from mistakes in the extraction estimates to assumptions of legal &ldquo;liberalisation&rdquo; of the whole mining safety control system. This makes it virtually impossible for public supervisory agencies, like Rostechnadzor, or the union&rsquo;s own inspectors, to enforce timely closures of unsafe mines. The common denominator for all the categories is a lack of regulatory mechanisms in the industry where the rule of the market is largely unchecked.
&ldquo;The actual methane content of the coal seam at the Ulianovskaya mine turned out to be several times higher than the project estimates,&quot; says Badalov, himself a mining engineer with extensive experience. 
<img height="58" alt="" src="" width="329" />
&ldquo;Moreover, the intensive extraction schedule contributed to the release of still greater amounts of methane into the mine, which was never properly degassed &ndash; a costly procedure. The roof was defined in the project documentation as highly resistant to caving and prone to overhanging. At the same time, the seam liability to rock bumps had been assumed to manifest itself ten metres below the level where the explosion took place. As a result, no precautionary measures, such as preventive degassing of the mine, or induced caving of the roof, had been scheduled. It was during the uncontrolled caving of 70 metres of the overhanging roof that huge amounts of methane were momentarily released into the mine.&rdquo; 
 
Both mines were designed by the same people, belonging to the same school of mining engineering, and while the licensing procedure is still in place, there&rsquo;s no meaningful quality control as the development of the mining science in Russia was hindered by lack of support from the state. 
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Ruben Badalov maintains that, as a purely commercial approach inevitably brings a temptation to simplify processes and disregard relevant specificities, there must be state supervision of all engineering work related to hazardous production processes. 
 
The Kuzbass disasters once again highlight the existing disparity between the fixed component of the coal miner&rsquo;s wages and the productivity-driven parts. The drop in income during outages to less than half of regular wages pushes miners to reckless behaviour. At the Yubileinaya mine, all it took to deceive the gas detection system was a piece of cloth wrapped around a gas sensor. 
 
&ldquo;This doesn&rsquo;t stimulate productivity, this stimulates coal extraction at any cost,&rdquo; says Badalov. In the course of the Federal Industry Agreement negotiations earlier this year, ROSUGLEPROF tabled a proposal to raise the fixed part of the wages to 70%, and although the target could not be achieved uniformly and in full, there were companies who were prepared to take this figure as a reference point.

Three Mining Disasters Take 159 Lives in Russia

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Pointed with direction from ICEM Norwegian affiliate Industri Energi, the Nordic country's national labour centre, LO, has advised state oil company Statoil not to open an office in Iraq. 
<img height="100" alt="" src="" width="100" />
The reason cited is Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein Shahristani's letter from July 2007, which bans trade unions in the public sector. His decree replicates the ban on unions in the country's oil sector imposed by both the regime of Saddam Hussein and the occupational forces following the 2003 invasion. (See <a href="/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/2357-Reckless-and-Repressive-Union-Busting-by-Iraqi-Oil-Minister">here</a> for more). 
Statoil is planning to open the office in the northern Iraq city of Erbil. According to a Norwegian press report, LO President Roar Fl&aring;then said the opening of the office shows poor judgement on Statoil's part. The LO has also officially called on Norway's government to block Statoil from moving into Iraq at this time. The Norwegian government is the majority shareholder of Statoil. 
<img height="150" alt="" src="" width="150" />
LO Norway's President Roar Fl&aring;then 
LO and Industri Energi's stand on this issue is also supported by the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions (IFOU), a collection of some ten oil workers' unions in southern Iraq. IFOU President Hassan Jumaa Awad al Assadi has warned both Statoil and Norway's government that, until full recognition of trade unionism occurs, the company should not carry out any activity inside Iraq.

Norway&#039;s Unions Tell Statoil to Stay Out of Iraq for Now

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The workers at the chrome Bulqiza mine in Albania resumed their earlier industrial action on 13 August, following the death of Mr. Zaim Hysa, the Secretary of a trade union of the Bulqiza mine on Friday 10 August 2007. 
 
The unfortunate accident came just over one month after the workers signed an agreement with the management at the largest mine in Albania. That particular agreement was only reached after demonstrations and a hunger strike by the workers, and following intense negotiations that saw the involvement of senior managers of Darfo, the Italian company which owns the chrome mines and a ferrochrome smelter (click <a href="/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/2330-Chrome-Hunger-Strikes-End-in-Albania ">here</a> for more). 
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The July agreement dealt, in addition to salary issues, with health and safety and working conditions, areas where, as can sadly be seen from the death of the trade union leader, very little to no progress was made over the last few weeks. 
 
Miners at the Bulqiza mine refused to enter the mine on 13 August and claimed, at a rally with 600 workers, that they would not start working again until the company fulfilled their demands for better working conditions. Reportedly, workers have to work with inadequate equipment that comes from other bankrupt mines throughout the country. Miners, which have already seen four fatalities in the mine this year, are also asking for proper employment contracts. 
 
Mr. Zaim Hysa, 40 years old, was married and had children. He was known for having complained repeatedly about the poor working conditions in the mine.

Tragedy Continues for Workers at the Albanian Bulqiza Mine as Trade Union Leader Dies

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Negotiation partners reached an agreement in early August on the future of the mining sector in Germany. Following months of discussions, a programme was agreed that sets out a path on how to deal with Germany's 200-year-old coal industry over the coming years. The agreement, which was brokered by, among others, the cabinet of Chancellor Angela Merkel and ICEM affiliate IGBCE, intends to have a gradual phase-out of coal subsidies. 
 
The plan will now go to the parliament&rsquo;s lower and upper houses for approval. A fully approved law is needed, so that compensation payments can be prepared for the industry&rsquo;s 34,000 workers. Besides payments to the workers, the plan also projects to deal with the overall social and environmental effects of coal mining in the country. 
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Germany's federal and state governments will, as per the agreement, subsidise the coal sector with an estimated &euro;21.6 billion until 2018. In addition, the agreement foresees the creation of a foundation for the coal company RAG, which will hold a substantive share of the company. This foundation will administer, until 2018, the funds for the eight remaining German coal mines, as well as the money that is intended to go to the mining workers. 
 
Shares in RAG, currently a consortium in which ThyssenKrupp, Arcelor, E.On and RWE are involved, will be transferred to the new foundation. Besides that, preparations have also been made to float RAG shares (for its profitable non-mining activities, such as power stations, real estate and chemicals production) on the stock exchange as of next year. This initial public offering is expected to yield &euro;5 to 8 billion, which will also be used to help cover the costs of the phasing out of the coal industry. 
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Following efforts by the IGBCE, a clause was added to the agreement, which calls for a serious re-examination of the plan in 2012, taking into account not only the possibility of an unexpected drop in energy reserves, but also that other energy sources might become prohibitively expensive 
 
IGBCE President and ICEM Vice President Hubertus Schmoldt called the decision one of &ldquo;historic consequence.&quot; The union&rsquo;s members will be given the opportunity to end their careers gradually and the miners that work in those mines that will close earlier will receive compensation when they loose their jobs.

Agreement on Future of the German Coal Industry

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Kimberly Clark has, after more than three weeks of strike action at its two South African tissue plants, finally settled its industrial dispute with the ICEM-affiliated Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood, and Allied Workers&rsquo; Union (CEPPWAWU). 
 
On August 22, when the CEPPWAWU was determined to step up support for their striking Kimberly Clark members by launching a secondary strike that would have targeted the company&rsquo;s raw material suppliers and retailers, Kimberly Clark decided to accept the terms of the Pulp and Paper Employers Association, as negotiated in the Wood and Paper Bargaining Council just before July 30. The terms include, among other things, an 8.5% wage increase and demands for permanent employment of temporary workers. 
<img height="115" alt="" src="" width="250" />
The CEPPWAWU victory in the Kimberly Clark industrial dispute, during which the union received international support from various parts of the world, ended the last of the national strikes which the union launched across its sectors on July 30, after negotiations at the Chemical and Wood and Paper Bargaining Councils became deadlocked. 
 
The ICEM congratulates its affiliate on this resounding success which vividly demonstrated that international solidarity support can effectively augment the strength unions derive from the unity and resolution of their members and leadership.

Kimberly Clark Settles South African Paper Dispute with CEPPWAWU

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US paperworkers employed at International Paper Co., members of ICEM affiliate United Steelworkers (USW), voted to accept a precedent-setting master labour agreement with the firm on 23 August. 
 
The four-year accord covering workers at 14 pulp and paper mills in the US contains wage increases on top of negotiated local (or mill-by-mill) agreements, improvements in health insurance benefits, and lays the groundwork for improved health and safety standards, as well as labour-management cooperation on public policy issues. 
 
But perhaps most importantly, the framework pact contains a &quot;successorship clause,&quot; meaning if the company sells any of its unionised mills, the new owner must, as part of the sale agreement, retain all workers, recognise the USW as bargaining representative, and honour the collective bargaining agreement. 
<img height="82" src="" width="150" alt="" />
&quot;The overwhelming support for this agreement shows how united our members are in pursuing master agreements in the paper industry,&quot; said USW President Leo Gerard. 
 
&quot;Successorship clauses protect workers from the unconscionable behaviour of corporations that sell a mill, then disregard the union and the collective bargaining agreement and summarily fire hundreds of people who have dedicated their lives to work there,&quot; added Gerard. 
 
The wage portion of the agreement amounts to a 2% increase upon expiration of local agreements, and another 2% on the second anniversary of the contracts. In addition, workers will receive a US$1,000 lump sum payment on the first and third anniversaries of the contracts. The USW represents 8,200 International Paper employees at mills, paper converters, and packaging plants in the US.

US Steelworkers Ratify Master Framework Agreement with International Paper

ICEMの介入で 、タイのサンゴバンセクリットガラス工場争議、労組側勝利 
 
タイのサンゴバンガラス工場の争議にICEMが介入した結果、先週、同工場に働く７００人の労働者たちが勝利した。同工場の大半はタイ自動車労連に加盟している工場組合の組合員。組合に対し敵対的な現地マネージメントは１月６日以降、これらの労働者をロックアウトしていた。労働者たちがラヨング州にあるサンゴバンのタイ工場の前やバンコクの労働省前でデモ行進を行い、他方で、ICEMとフランスの労働組合はパリのサンゴバンの経営中枢と率直な対話の中で確実な事実やデータを伝えた。 
 
工場の門の前で実施した抗議行動を主導した４人の組合活動家の解雇の目的で、これらの労働者を告訴するなど、工場内で労働組合活動家に対する厳しい処遇の実態等が本社経営中枢に伝えられた。今回の労働争議は２００５年度のボーナスの支払い、日曜日時間外労働の手当ての減額案など多くの問題が争議点となっていた。労働者たちの半分をロックアウトし、４人の組合活動家を解雇した後、サンゴバン・セクリット側はボーナスの提示額を大幅に下げ、これまでの１年１回のボーナスを２年１回にするなど、厳しい協約案を団体交渉において提示した。 
 
ICEMは争議前線ニュースをF&eacute;d&eacute;ration Chimie Energie CFDT、 CGT Verre C&eacute;ramiqueおよび F&eacute;d&eacute;chimie CGT-FO に毎日のように伝え、フランスの３組合も毎日のようにパリのサンゴバン本社と連絡・接触活動を続け、経営中枢にプレッシャーをかけた。その結果、この争議は、タイのガラス工場の経営中枢は４人の解雇を取り消し、告訴状を撤回するに至った。また、タイの労使はボーナスを含め、すべての団体交渉事項について妥結した。ICEMはタイの労働者の公正な労働協約獲得に支援、貢献したフランスの諸労組にこの紙面で感謝の意を表したい。 
 
 
トルコ石油労組、裁判闘争で民営化を阻止 
 
トルコのICEM加盟組織、Petrol-Iş（石油労組）は、２月２日、国家評議会の裁定をえ、再び、国営石油精製企業Tuprasの民営化を阻止することに成功した。トルコの最高行政裁判所に当たる国家評議会はTuprasの経営権51％のトルコのKOC持ち株会社およびシェル石油からなる連合企業体（コンソーシアム）の売却を停止する裁定を下した。その前の週にコンソーシアムは51％の経営権買収のため、民営化行政評議会に41億1000万ドルに相当する金額を支払った。 
 
しかし、最高行政裁判所は、Petrol-Işの控訴に応えて、民営化法違反事項があるとの理由で、売却を無効にした。組合はTuprasの石油精製所4ヵ所と石油化学工場で24時間ストを実施するとともに、KOCとトルコ政府が経営権売却についての最終取り決めを急いでいた1月26日に、大規模な職場ストを行った。Petrol-Iş は「Tuprasは私たちの将来！だから、民営化できない。」とのスローガンを掲げて、ポスター、テレビの宣伝等、報道機関を通じてトルコの世論に民営化反対を訴えるキャンペーンを展開している。 
 
先週の裁定の後、Turpas並びにKOCのLPG部門の子会社AYGASの株がイスタンブールの株式市場でパニック売りとなる状況となった、とPlatt&rsquo;s Commodity Newsは報道した。 Petrol-Işは、裁判闘争と世論に向けたキャンペーンを背景に、 ガスおよび石油精製所の民営化問題で5件あまりの裁定を勝ち取った。 
 
 
ナイジェリア石油ガス労組、政府に安全改善を要求 
 
ICEM加盟の石油労組、NUPENG と PENGASSANは先週、政府と協議した後、ニジェールデルタの安全が改善されない場合には、2週間後にストライキに突入する、と通告した。1月30日、拉致から19日後にシェル石油の下請け労働者は解放された。しかし、石油資源が豊富な二ジェールデルタでの若者や武装集団による暴力・武力行為は引き続いて起きている。2週間前、武力集団はポートハーコートにあるイタリアのENIのAgip Mgboshimini社の事務所を襲撃した。この事件で、警察を含め11人の人が亡くなり、数人が負傷した。この襲撃の後、ENIは同市からすべての労働者を引き上げた。1月28日、20人の武装集団が現代エンジニア＆建設会社の事務所を襲撃し、現金30万ドルを強奪した。犯罪グループは外資系のすべての石油会社とその関連下請会社並びにタンカートラックの運転手まで脅迫している。 
 
労働組合は見境のない無法状態に終焉と遂げるよう呼びかけるとともに、政府に対して、ニジェールデルタ地域の貧困問題の解決に向けて対策を取るよう要請した。NUPENG のピーター・アクパタソン委員長は、Vangaurd誌のインタビューに答えて、「現政府の関係当局は若者たちの雇用創設の責務を適切に遂行していない。当該地域の危機、荒廃、貧困の問題は雇用創出なしには解決できない。しかし、石油事業施設への攻撃、特に労働者に対する武力行為については全面的に非難する。」と述べた。 
 
 
米国の地方裁判所、UMWAの立ち入り安全検査を認める 
 
米国の地方裁判所は、1月26日、独自路線を取る石炭会社、International Coal Group (ICG)に対し、全米鉱山労組（UMWA)の事故調査チームのウエストバージニア州にあるサゴ炭鉱への入坑拒否に対し、拒否撤回命令を出した。1月2日、12人の炭鉱労働者が炭鉱内で起きたガス爆発事故で亡くなった。UMWAは同炭鉱に働く150人の炭鉱労働者を組織していない。しかし、その多くが米国鉱業安全衛生法の下で実施される法的に拘束される事故調査チームに入るよう要請していた。ICG社は警備員を使ってUMWAの事故調査担当者らの入坑を阻んでいた。地方裁判所の裁定が出た後すぐ、ICG社は控訴したが、バージニア州リッチモンド地方裁判所は控訴を却下した。 
 
ICG社は現在、UMWAのチームが同社の安全対策とサゴ炭鉱の大変危険な安全対策について調査・査定することを認めている。エネルギーの需要増と石炭価格の高騰を背景に、東部で閉鎖炭鉱の採掘再開の動きが出て来た。このような状況の中で、サゴ炭鉱事故直後、ウエストバージニア州の他の炭鉱でも死亡事後が起きた。1月19日、メルビルのアラコマ石炭のアルマ炭鉱で火災事故が起こり、逃げ遅れた炭鉱労働者が2人死亡した。1月31日、2人の炭鉱労働者が亡くなった。1人はロングブランチエネルギーのワートン炭鉱で崩れた壁の下敷きになって死亡。もう一人はマッセイエネルギーのブラックキャッスルオープン炭鉱でブルドーザーの運転手がガスパイプに挟まれて死亡。2005年に炭鉱事故で亡くなった人の数は3名であったが、今年はすでに、1月2日以降、ウエストバージニアだけでもすでに16名亡くなっている。 
 
上記の死亡事故とは正反対に、同じ1月31日、1000マイル離れたイリノイ州ジャイレッドの近くにあるフリーマンユナイティッド石炭会社の炭鉱では炭鉱内に設置してあるUMWAのガス探知機が高いレベルの一酸化炭素を探知したため、UMWAの組合員の90人の炭鉱労働者とUMWAのチームは坑外に避難した。UMWAチームは坑内に閉じ込められた炭鉱労働者たちを安全に地上に上げた。現在、この炭鉱は調査のため閉鎖されている。 
 
 
カナダの労使合同救援チーム、72人の鉱山労働者を安全に救助 
 
カナダの労使合同救援チームはサスカチェワン州の石灰鉱山で1000メートルの地下の坑内に閉じこまれていた72人の鉱山労働者の救出に成功した。火災事故は1月29日に米国系企業モザイク社（食品巨大企業カーギルが経営権を支配）が所有する世界最大の石灰石鉱山で起きた。890支部と892支部の組合員で構成されたCEP鉱山救援チームは25時間坑内に閉じ込められている72人に労働者を救出するため、週出するため、斬新は方策を試みた。72人は火災が発生したため、シールドされた避難所に留まっていた。火災の原因はトーチが折れ、火がポリエチレンパイプに点火したため。 
 
労使合同救助チームは近くの組織炭鉱の救援チームの支援を受け、火災を消火し、注意深く有毒ガスと煙を排出し、閉じ込められていた72人鉱山労働者を地上に連れ出した。この鉱山は地下3000マイルの深さで、20マイル幅の地下道やトンネルが多数ある。ある米国の元鉱山会社部長は。「まるで教科書の中の手本のような救助であった。」と感想を述べた。しかし、閉じ込められていた鉱山労働者たちは避難所内に貯蔵されていた食糧については満足した様子ではなかった。 
 
 
IUOEのストライキ終わる 
 
ICEMに加盟する全米オペレーター労組 (IUOE)は、賃上げと給付金のレベルアップを求めて、カナダのノバスコティア州の米国系建材製造会社National Gypsum において2005年8月10日から実施していたストライキを中止した。1月末に同社のミルフォード採石場とバーンサイド積み込み施設に働く90人あまりのIUOE組合員が協約案を批准したためだ。ストライキは州政府が同社に対し6項目の安全基準違反の裁定を下し、IUOE721支部が同社の製品のボイコットキャンペーンを始め、これにノバスコティア州の労働総同盟と建設業業界が同調した後、協約は妥結した。National Gypsum 社は声明を発表し、労使関係の修復と労使信頼の基盤の構築に取り組む、と述べた。 
 
 
ExxonMobilがオーストラリアで直面するジレンマ 
 
エクソンモービルはモービルオーストラリアのポートスタンバック石油精製所の操業を再開するか、多額の環境浄化コストを支払うかの選択を、今、迫られている。モービルオーストラリアはエクソンモービル100％所有の会社。同石油精製所は2003年の半ばに閉鎖され、400人の労働者が失業した。同社はこの石油精製所の今後についての計画案を2006年7月までに発表しなければならないことになっている。最近、サウスオーストラリア州議会の審議会で、1970年代から1990年代にかけて、サウスアデレイドの近郊にあるこの石油精製所からアスベスト廃棄物やその他の有害化学物質を買って陸送、海上輸送していた、と同社の下請け業者が証言した。また、同石油精製所の安全衛生担当者は3000人の労働者がアスベストに暴露した、と述べた。また、「私は安全ではない状況を目撃したが、指摘すると、首になるので何も言えない状態だった。」と証言した。2003年にエクソンモービルが同石油精製所を閉鎖したため、オーストラリアは石油精製品の実質輸入国となった。 
 
 
EPMU、5％賃上げを要求 
 
ニュージーランドのエンジニアリング印刷および製造業労組(EPMU-ICEM加盟)は先週、紙パ会社Carter Holt Harvey (CHH)の事業所において5％賃上げキャンペーンを再開した。同労組はグレーム・ハートが持っているRank Investments がCHHの株式を買い始めた後、CHHとの賃上げ交渉を停止した。EPMUはCHHの３事業所との交渉では5％の賃上げを確保したが、残りの7事業所での交渉は昨年以来中止のままである。ハートは先週、一株あたり2.75ニュージーランドドルの価格で株式の買収を提案し、現在、彼はCHHの経営権86％を持っている。オークランド株式市場の上場を取り下げるためには、ハートはCHHの90％の経営権を持つ必要がある。 
 
 
突然ロックアウトされたEPMU組合員 
 
ニュージーランドの地方自治体が経営するTop Energyは、2月3日、通告なしに EPMU組合員58名をロックアウトした。架線作業に従事するこれらの労働者たちはEPMUが設定した標準 5%の賃上げを求めている。しかし、経営側は時間外なし週45時間労働という非現実的条件を求めている。「私たちは6ヶ月弱交渉を続け、労働協約を現状に合わせて改定することに合意したが、既存の賃金は比較的低いレベルにあり、深刻な要員不足の状態に当面している中で、賃下げには応じられない。」とEPMUのアンドリュー・リトル委員長はニュージーランドの報道機関に語った。同社はニュージーランドのノースアイランドの配電会社。 
 
 
FCE- CFDT、公約違反でソルベを非難 
 
ICEMのフランス加盟組織のFCEは400名の労働者を解雇すると発表したベルギーの化学会社、ソルベに抗議した。同社は2004年3月、フランスのフルニエファーマ社を買収した際、少なくとも、2006年7月までは雇用削減はしない、と公約していた。フランスでは400名あまりの職、イタリア、スペインおよびベルギーでも186名の職が失われることになる。FCE-CFDTは今回の雇用削減は社会的にも無責任であり、これらの職の保持に向けてもっと透明性ある再検討を求めている。 
 
 
セルビア・モンテネグロの加盟組合EPS労組のスト終わる 
 
EPS労組は国営電力公社内の電力および石炭事業の3企業で実施していたストを中止した。未払い賃金の支払いと2006年度の賃上げを求めて段階的スト行為を実施していたが、EPS労組と政府は、労働側が未払い分については1月、2月、3月に分割払いにし、賃上げについては1ヶ月後に交渉に入ることで暫定的に合意した。 EPS労組は1月10日から、労働者の未払い賃金の支払いを要求して、毎日ストやその他の抗議行動を続けていた。 
 
 
USWのCognisスト、1年経過 
 
2月7日、全米鉄鋼労連（USW）第4349支部はオハヨー州シンシナティにあるドイツの化学企業Cognisでスト実施中である。同支部労組は環境リスクと労働安全衛生対策の遅延が発覚している同工場の所有者であるCognisとそのジョイントベンチャーパートナーの動きに注目しながら、スト突入一周年記念を見守っている。 
労働者たちがストに入ったのは、CognisとMalaysian Golden Hope Plantations が同工場の油脂化学事業でジョイントベンチャー会社を設置した時にCognisが組合認知に関する継続認知条項を認めなかったため。現在、経営側はストが終わったとしても労働者の職場復帰を認めない、としている。これに対し、フレッド・ヒッグスICEM書記長はCognisのトルシ・オリバ代表取締役に出した書簡の中で、この行為は容認できない、とし、希望するUSWのすべての労働者が職場復帰することができるようになることが、スト終焉の条件である。従って、代表取締役としての新会社に対し影響力を行使してほしい、と強く要請した。 
 
 
2月3日付　ICEM 記者発表 
 
ICEMの2月3日付記者発表はベルギーの労働組合の法的地位についてコメントした。スウェーデン/フィンランド系の製紙会社、ストーラ・エンゾーはベルギーの労働組合の法的地位に関する論議で保守諸政党側に付いた。ゲント近郊のランガーブルッゲ工場では今、基本的労働組合権が問題化している。経営側は、嫌がらせや分断戦略を使って、意図的に工場に働く労働者の権利の低減を試みている。同社は工場の300人の労働者の内、70人の職責を下請けに出し、従来からの権利を放棄し、労働条件を低下してフレキシビリティを図ろうとしている。これに抗議して、労働組合は2月7日午後19時からゲントでデモ行進を計画している。ICEMの記者発表は次のリンクでお読みください。/?id=77&amp;doc=1638.

ICEM InBrief

International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers 
 
On 28 April, the trade union movement remembers over two million workers who die and millions more who are injured, or who fall sick each year due to unsafe, unhealthy or unsustainable work and workplaces. 
The slogan for this year&rsquo;s 28 April Commemoration Day is &ldquo;Union Workplaces &ndash; Safe Workplaces&rdquo; and the selected themes are: The Global Union Ban Asbestos Campaign, HIV/AIDS &ndash; workplace aspects and implementation of programme response, and ILO Conventions and Instruments that relate to Occupational Health and Safety. 
 
Unions the world over are called upon to mobilise workers to seek government and employer support of a total ban of asbestos; to promote action on HIV/ADS as a workplace issue and to convince the next G8 summit to establish a permanent working party on HIV/AIDS; and to encourage governments to ratify key ILO occupational health and safety instruments. 
 
A 28 April guide, issued by the Global Unions, can be accessed <a href="http://www.global-unions.org/pdf/ohsewpH_3d.EN.pdf">here</a>. The backgrounder provides a history of 28 April and points to a wide variety of activities that trade unions can implement on the day itself. Specifically on HIV/AIDS, we draw your attention to the trade union country profiles. these can be found <a href="http://www.global-unions.org/pdf/ohsewpT_4a.EN.pdf">here</a>. 
 
 
New UNAIDS Website 
 
UNAIDS has launched a new version of its website complete with a new navigation, branding and logo <a href="http://www.unaids.org/">www.unaids.org</a>. The website, which will also be available in French, Spanish and Russian, provides content specifically chosen for each audience group: business and labour; civil society; donors; media; people living with HIV/AIDS; policy-makers; researchers; the UN family; and women, as well as an easier more intuitive navigation structure. 
 
The new focus of the website is to include all the relevant documentation and publications but also to highlight the impact of UNAIDS&rsquo; work through its cosponsors and partners. Each of the new sections provides additional background information, relevant publications and links to outside sources. 
 
At <a href="http://www.unaids.org/en/mediacentre/newsletter">www.unaids.org/en/mediacentre/newsletter</a>&nbsp;you can find the new UNAIDS quarterly newsletter. The first issue features a letter from the UNAIDS Executive Director, information on a regional consultation on universal access in Latin America and UNAIDS support to Kenya. Future issues will be available in French, Spanish and Russian. Subscriber information is available online at <a href="http://www.unaids.org/Services/Subscribe.aspx">www.unaids.org/Services/Subscribe.aspx</a>. 
 
 
World AIDS Campaign Calls for Greater Accountability 
 
Governments and international agencies are coming under pressure to answer for the specific HIV and AIDS commitments and promises they have made. In a new report, the World AIDS Campaign (WAC) closely examines statements, commitments and declarations made by governments and intergovernmental organisations in the past five years, and asks how they hold up under scrutiny as genuine promises. 
 
The WAC Report, entitled &ldquo;Promises, Promises &hellip;.&rdquo; reveals the growing gap between what governments say they will do about HIV and AIDS and what is actually achieved. It argues that the most significant promises were made during the special session of the UN General Assembly in June 2001 when the Declaration of Commitment was solemnly adopted by all member states of the UN. 
A review of the progress on the Declaration will be made at a special session in June 2006 (see e-bulletin No. 5, February 2006). For the full WAC report, go to <a href="http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/">www.worldaidscampaign.org</a>. 
 
 
Pakistan Labour Federation Holds Seminar 
 
The Pakistan Labour Federation organised a one-day seminar in collaboration with UNAIDS on the responsibilities of trade union leaders in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Atia Saleem, Chairperson of PFL&rsquo;s Women&rsquo;s Wing, stressed that HIV/AIDS should not be an issue discussed only once a year. 
From the first cases reported in 1987, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS has soared. Trade unions, with their presence at the workplace, have an important role to play in implementing anti-discrimination policies and they can contribute to home and community care. 
(Source: PLF News Release) 
 
 
Generic Drugs 
 
A deal between Bristol-Myers Squibb and two generic drug makers (Aspen Pharmacare in South Africa and Emcure Pharmaceuticals in India) will allow cheaper versions of its newest AIDS drug to be made available in sub-Saharan Africa and India. The agreement includes the transfer of technology covering manufacture, testing, packaging, storage and handling of the drug&rsquo;s active ingredient. 
(Source: Business Day, Johannesburg, 17 February 2006) 
 
 
Product RED to Fight AIDS in Africa 
 
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Bono announced Product RED, an economic initiative designed to deliver a sustainable flow of private sector money to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM). Leading brands have made a commitment to channel a portion of profits from sales of specially-designed RED products to the GFATM to support AIDS programmes in Africa with a focus on women and children. 
 
The GFATM has welcomed this new initiative. Through RED and other initiatives it hopes to increase the private sector share of income from less than one percent currently to ten percent or more in the long term. Nelson Mandela added, &ldquo;We must all come together in supporting the Global Fund and the fight against AIDS. RED carries the promise of capturing the world&rsquo;s attention to do just that and I applaud RED and its partners for their vision and commitment.&rdquo; 
 
Go to <a href="http://www.joinred.com/">www.joinred.com</a>&nbsp;to find out more. 
 
 
Joint publication on co-investment and public-private partnerships (PPP) 
 
The Deutsche Gesellschaft f&uuml;r Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), the Global Business Coalition on AIDS (GBC), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), the ILO and the World Bank have joined forces to produce &ldquo;Making Co-investment a Reality &ndash; Strategies and Experiences.&rdquo; The publication explains how co-investment can strengthen HIV/AIDS workplace programmes and extend them into the community. It gives examples and lessons learned on PPP and co-investment. 
The publication can be accessed at 
<a href="http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/trav/aids/publ/gtzgbccoinvest.pdf">http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/trav/aids 
/publ/gtzgbccoinvest.pdf</a>. 
 
 
Update from ILOAIDS 
 
At the beginning of the year, ILOAIDS has released a number of new publications. Most important of these is the booklet &ldquo;Workplace Action on HIV/AIDS &ndash; How to Access Funds at the National Level,&rdquo; which you can find at <a href="http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/trav/aids/publ/resmob.pdf">http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/trav 
/aids/publ/resmob.pdf</a>. 
The booklet contains a set of fact sheets to help workers&rsquo; and employers&rsquo; organisations identify sources of funding and understand the mechanisms necessary in order to apply for them. 
A complementary guidance note for proposal writing is in preparation. This will be posted on the ILOAIDS website <a href="http://www.ilo.org/aids">www.ilo.org/aids</a>, where you can also find the other recently released publications such as &ldquo;The Impact of HIV/AIDS on the Labour Force in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Preliminary Assessment,&rdquo; and &ldquo;ILO/AIDS Brief on Women, Girls, HIV/AIDS and the World of Work,&rdquo; which is now also available in French and Spanish. 
 
Reminder: In the first issue of our e-bulletin, October 2005, we drew your attention to the ILOAIDS 24-hour News Service. You can register under <a href="http://campo.ilo.org/cmdb-access">http://campo.ilo.org/cmdb-access</a> and indicate your language preference. For up-to-date daily news on HIV/AIDS and the world of work this new website is highly recommended (it will take you no more than 3 minutes to register). 
 
 
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 <a href="http://babelfish.altavista.com/tr">http://babelfish.altavista.com/tr</a>&nbsp;or <a href="http://www.google.com/language_tools">http://www.google.com/language_tools</a> and insert the following URL into the window &ldquo;Translate a Web page&ldquo;: <a href="/?id=72&amp;doc=1673">/?id=72&amp;doc=1673</a>.

ICEM HIV/AIDS e-bulletin - No. 6

Archive

ExxonMobil in Nigeria Backs Down from Conflict with PENGASSAN

ICEM Sub-Saharan African Regional Conference held in Gaborone, Botswana

Three Mining Disasters Take 159 Lives in Russia

Norway's Unions Tell Statoil to Stay Out of Iraq for Now

Tragedy Continues for Workers at the Albanian Bulqiza Mine as Trade Union Leader Dies

Agreement on Future of the German Coal Industry

Kimberly Clark Settles South African Paper Dispute with CEPPWAWU

US Steelworkers Ratify Master Framework Agreement with International Paper

ICEM InBrief

ICEM HIV/AIDS e-bulletin - No. 6

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