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

Sub-Saharan Africa

Regional offices

About us

Global worker No1 2022

Global worker No2 2022

Publications

Resources

Press

<img height="40" alt="" src="" width="100" />
A proposed European energy deal,&nbsp;conceived as a blocking move, received trade union attention and analysis last week in Brussels at EMCEF, the European Mine, Chemical and Energy Workers&rsquo; Federation. Attended by Spanish trade unions FIA-UGT and FM-CC.OO, Italian union UILCEM and German union IGBCE, the meeting was held to formulate a common trade union position on the bidding outcome for Spanish energy company Endesa. 
 
German E.ON recently outbid Spain&rsquo;s Gas Natural for Endesa, and both E.ON and Gas Natural will have one further opportunity in a sealed-bid process under Spanish energy and market rules. EMCEF issued a statement following the 28 February meeting in Brussels calling for maintaining Endesa as it is today and avoiding the splitting of businesses, and not to contract out integrated parts of the company; no refinancing through sale of assets; and keeping on track investments for renewed production and for build up of new electrical capacities. 
<img height="88" alt="" src="" width="90" />
Regarding the social impact of any Endesa takeover, EMCEF and the unions insist on no redundancies or layoffs; continuation of all collective agreements; further investment and support for worker training; social dialogue with trade unions on all matters of industrial policy; and recognition of all existing national labour relations matters as part of the European social model.
The EMCEF statement also cites, as good practice, a model of mutual recognition and well-developed agreements on social issues between unions and companies, and said ICEM&rsquo;s Global Agreement with Endesa is &ldquo;one example of this good practice on the global level that needs to be incorporated also for other companies in the future.&rdquo;

EMCEF, European Unions Announce Priorities on Endesa

<img height="40" alt="" src="" width="100" />
In Nepal, wrapped inside the monarchy&rsquo;s current autocratic rule and dissolution of Parliament over a year ago, is a government ordinance coming to light that would privatise components of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). ICEM affiliates NEAEU and NEAEA, along with a third union inside the electric utility, are resisting the privatisation and have launched a series of protests and short strikes to keep NEA in the public domain. 
<img height="263" alt="" src="" width="350" />
 
&ldquo;The government is preparing a new electricity act for the purpose of unbundling NEA through an ordinance because there is no Parliament in Nepal,&rdquo; stated NEAEU Secretary General RP Rimal. &ldquo;We, with the other two unions NEAEA and NEAEWC, are opposing the proposed ordinance,&rdquo; he said, adding the unions began protests on 15 February. 
The protests include picketing NEA central offices, and a series of one-hour vehicle strikes that have escalated to four-hour strikes. The ICEM joined the protests by writing a strong letter in opposition to the plan, which can be found at <a href="/index.php?id=7&amp;la=EN&amp;doc=1681">/index.php?id=7&amp;la=EN&amp;doc=1681</a>.

ICEM Opposes Nepal’s Electric Privatisation

For the urgent attention of His Majesty 
King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev 
Narayanhity Royal Palace 
Durbar Marg 
Kathmandu 
Nepal 

 
Brussels, 28 February 2006 
 
 
Your Excellency, 
 
I am writing to you in name of the 20 million members of the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM). We have been informed by our affiliate in Nepal, the Nepal Electricity Authority Employees' Union (NEA-EU), about the existing plans by your government to split up the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). 
 
The ICEM strongly objects to the fact that your government is seeking to take advantage of the dissolution of the parliament last year to prepare a new electricity act, which would fragment the NEA and, ultimately, prepare the utility for privatization. The ICEM therefore joins the NEA-EU, together with the NEAEA, another ICEM affiliate, and the NEAEWC, in their protest against the proposed ordinance that would make this privatization possible. 
 
As you know, the trade unions have actively stated their opposition to this ordinance through mass meetings, the wearing of black bands and picketing the office of the Managing Director of the NEA. The ICEM supports the ongoing campaign by the trade unions, including the continued picketing, the vehicle strikes in the central office area of the NEA and the various protest actions that will be organised throughout the country. 
 
The ICEM urges you to halt the plan to split up the NEA and to discuss any possible restructuring of the company with the workers and their elected representatives. 
 
Furthermore, I wish to repeat our call for the immediate release of all trade union leaders and members that have been arrested over the last few weeks in Nepal. The ongoing repression of democratic organisations in your country is violating a wide range of accepted international standards, and this needs an immediate remedy. 
 
Thanking you in advance for your urgent attention. 
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
 
Fred Higgs 
General Secretary 
 
Cc: Mr. Narayan S. Thapa, Ambassador of Nepal to the Benelux and European Countries&nbsp;

ICEM letter to King of Nepal on privatisation of Nepal Electricity Authority

サゴ炭坑労災事故：破産で安全と労堃?者の権利が犠牲に 
 
米国に本社を置くInternational Coal Group (ICG)は米国国内に２１の炭坑事業所゠?持っているが、その一つのウエスト㠃?ージニアにある炭坑で起きた労災事 故で１２人の炭坑労働者が死亡した〠?同社の他の炭坑と同様、事故が発生㠁?た炭坑も未組織事業所であるが、ICE M加盟の全米鉱山労組（UMWA、ICEM加盟絠?織）の、当該炭坑の近くに駐在する砷?急事故救援3チームとUMWAの安全衛生報?長が１月２日にガス爆発でICGのサゴ 炭坑の地下構内で逃げ遅れた１３人だ?炭坑労働者の救出作業に駆けつけた㠀? 
 
ICGは石炭の需要が増大し、価格も髠?くなった時期に電力会社に石炭を供砵?する西部アメリカの石炭会社に成長 した。同社は、過去２０年間に破産だ?た鉄鋼、繊維及び石炭産業の会社を蠲?い取り、再建する野心的実業家のウ ィルバー．L．ロスが設置した会社で㠁?る。ロスは米国の裁判所の破産企業 再建手続きを利用し、課税猶予を確俠?し、労働者の団体交渉権、年金制度㠀?退職後の医療保険制度を取り消す形 でビジネスを展開している。 
 
ICGは過去数年間に、Horizon Natural Resources、Anker Coal Group、 CoalQuest Developmentなど破産した企業を買収しだ?。ICG は、２０００年初めにサゴ炭坑の元㠂?ウナー会社であったAnkerの経営権を蠲?い、2002年に同社の経営が悪化し、砠?産手続きに入った際、ロスは持ち株㠂?増やした。 
 
彼は、最近、１億７３００万ドル゠?費やして同社の買収を終了した。そ㠁?結果、ICGにはさらに８つの炭坑と運 搬施設が増えた。また、ロスは2005年栜?、2004年に設置されたばかりのICGの栠?式に２億５０００万ドルを注入し、砵?営権所有率を9.2％から13.7％に上げだ?。ロスが注入した資金と石炭事業か㠂?の利益は炭坑労働者の退職金を含む 社会保険制度や安全には充当されなだ?ことは明らかだ。2004年8月30日、ケン タッキー州ルイスビルの米国破産裁删?所の前で800人のUMWA組合員が抗議集会 をした際、17 名のUMWA組合員が警察に逮捕された。 ロスとICGが破産裁判所でHorizon の経営権を市場価値以下で買い過半栕?経営権を獲得した日だ。その結果、 3000人あまりのUMWA組合員（現職及び退 職者）が雇用保障と医療保険制度を夠?うことになった。 
 
先週の初め、UMWAはサゴ炭坑の救援䠽?業に参加した。同労組のセシル・ロ バーツ会長は、同労組の声明の中で〠?犠牲になった炭坑労働者の家族に対㠁?る哀悼の意を表明すると共に、事故 にあった炭坑労働者生存という事故彠?初の誤報ニュースについて「説明不堏?能な混乱状態」とコメントした。　 また、「サゴ炭坑に働いている炭坑加?働者たちはUMWAの組合員ではないが、 UMWA組合員の近隣の人々であったり、蠦?戚であったりする人たちだ。（救援 活動助勢について）私たち、炭坑に僠?く者は皆兄弟だ。この回のような事栕?の時、私たちは互いに支え合い、皆 で助け合う。」と述べた。 
 
ロバーツ会長は、先週、ウエストム?ージニア州のある新聞に発表した別㠁?声明の中で、エネルギー需要の伸び と石炭価格上昇で経営が悪化してい゠?炭坑において労働安全に影響が出て㠁?る状況を懸念し、「石炭産業が如何 に危険な産業であるかについて留意゠?失わないことを願う。」と述べた。 
 
 
カスピ海石油ガス油田に働く契約労堃?者の組織化 
 
アゼルバイジャンの石油ガス建設甠?業に働く契約労働者は、2005年11月末㠀?米国の請負会社McDermott International に雇われた労働者が組合組織化に成堊?した後、組合組織化の運動をさらに 拡大している。 
 
McDermott、BP、及び国営企業のSOCARの栜?大の下請け業者に働く2, 000人あまりの労働者たちは、ICEM加盟 組織、アゼルバイジャン石油ガス産楠?労働組合 (OGWU) と共に３０％の賃上げ、医療保険制堺?、組合認知を求めて、ストに突入し た。西側石油サービス企業に働くア゠?ルバイジャンの労働者は、カスピ海㠂?ネルギープロジェクトに働く外国人 労働者の賃金と同等の賃金を要求しだ?いる事情を背景に、OGWUのヨハンギル ・アリエフ会長は、現在、５０００亠?から７０００人の契約労働者が組合砵?織化を求めている、と推定する。 
 
フランスとアゼルバイジャンのBouyg ues の合弁で進められているボスシェル㠃?事業所に働く1600人の労働者は、スム?の後、2005年12月19日、OGWUの公式に加堅?し、組織化を果たした。 
 
労働者組織化の急激な動きに応え〠?BPアゼルバイジャンのデーヴィッドム?ウッドワードは、「組合結成は彼ら㠁?権利であり、誰もストップすること はできない。従業員が望むならば、因?体交渉権も可能だ。」と労働者の権堈?を認める発言を行った。 
 
カスピ海石油産業の労働運動事情だ?関連し、OGWUとICEMに加盟するロシアだ?石油ガス産業に大きな組織勢力を持㠁?ROGWUは、2005年12月21日&mdash;22日にモ゠?クワで開かれたROGWUの大会において〠?2006年に共同組合構築活動を開始し、 最終的には両組合間の議定書合意の締?結を目指すことを合意した。 
 
 
工業用ガス産業部門の組合代議員、㠃?ルギーで協議 
 
ベルギー、フランス、ドイツ、英因?及びオランダの工業用ガス部門の労砵?担当者が先月、ベルギーのブランケ ンベルグ市で同産業部門の状勢と関造?企業について協議した。 
 
この会議はICEMに加盟するベルギー㠁?全国一般労組とオランダの連帯労組 が共催し、ICEMは当該産業部門につい㠁?のリサーチとプレセンテーションを 担当した。（<a href="/?id=4&amp;doc=1576&amp;la=EN">/?id=4&amp;doc=1576&amp;la=EN</a> （英文）を参照のこと。） 
この会議には３５人の労働組合担彠?者が参加し、今後さらに組合間の協堊?関係を深め、次回の会議は同産業部 門の世界の組合担当者にも参加を仰だ?、工業用がス産業のグローバルネッ㠃?ワークの構築を開始することを決め た。会議で討議された企業はAir Liquide、 Air Products、 BOC、 Linde 及び Praxair。 
 
 
北欧金属労連と北欧化学製紙繊維労頀?合併 
 
北欧５カ国（デンマーク、フィンム?ンド、アイスランド、ノルウェー、㠂?ウェーデン）の金属労組加盟するNor dic Metalと化学、製紙、繊維産業を組織だ?る産別労組が加盟するNIFの２つの産堈?北欧組織が２００６年１月１日に合 併し、新たに、Industrianst&auml;llda I Norden（英語名 Nordic IN）が結成された。合併新組織には＠?２のナショナルレベルの産別組織が堊?盟している。 
Nordic IN は現代に即し、実効ある社会保障制堺?、均等、国内の政治、経済、労使関 係における大きな影響力、ナショナム?レベル及び事業所レベルにおける協破?交渉システムを特徴とする北欧労使 モデルを保守することを目指す。元IC EMオフィサーのユルキ・ライナが書記 長に就任した。 
 
 
チリの銅鉱山の契約労働者スト 
 
チリの世界有数の銅鉱業企業に業勠?を提供する４００社あまりに雇用さ㠂?ている契約労働者は現在、国際市場 で史上最高値を記録し、まだ上昇の氠?配を示している銅の価格の公正な配堈?としてボーナス支給を求めて、スト に中である。 
 
２万８千人の食堂から運輸までの゠?ービス部門に働く契約労働者は、国堖?企業のCodelco の４事業部門内の全職場で２週間前㠁?ら総額９７０米ドルのボーナスを求 めて、ストライキに入った。１月４无?、警察が催涙ガスを使い、スト労働蠀?たちをエルテミエンテ鉱山事業所に 繋がる道路から排除した。同鉱山事楠?所は世界最大の地下銅鉱山事業所で㠀?Codelcoの４事業部門の一つである。 
 
契約労働者たちの給与額はCodelcoの砵?織正規社員の労働者１万５千人の半 分以下の額である。現在、銅価格は叠?上最高で、１トンあたり４５７５ド㠃?で売られており、チリは国営企業の Codelcoの銅の輸出で2005年度５３０億ド ルの利益を上げた。 
 
 
停戦と民主主義を求める運動を主導㠁?るネパールの労働組合 
 
GEFONTは他の労働組合連盟並びにネム?ール教員組合と共にネパールの毛沢栝?派共産党に停戦を呼びかけた。 諸労組はまた、王政政権に対しても堐?じ要請を行った。毛沢東派側の４ヶ 月間の休戦は１月１日に終わった。 
 
民主主義社会への復興の呼びかけだ?主導勢力となっているのはネパール㠁?労働組合運動だ。専制主義のギャネ ンドラ国王はこの呼びかけに全く耳゠?傾ける様子は見せていない。逆に、堁?戦と民主主義の復興を求めている７ 政党連盟のイニシアチブに背を向けだ?いる。ネパールの諸労組は、その声栘?の中で、「私たちは国と国民を再び 流血と殺戮のゲームに陥れないよう覠?求する。」と述べている。 
 
 
海員組合を鼻であしらったConocoPhillips 
 
US の石油スパーメージャー、ConocoPhillip sはオーストラリアから日本へのLNGが㠂?輸送に 便宜置籍船を使い、オーストラリア㠁?東チモールの石油労働者と海員を無 視した。チモール海にあるバユウンム?ンガス油田の６４％持っている同社㠁?、先週、初めてオーストラリア北部 のダーウィンから日本の電力会社向だ?にLNGを輸出した。 
 
同社はガスを輸送する船舶にはチ゠?ールあるいはオースオラリアの船員㠁?乗っていない。ConocoPhillips は新しい油田のガスの加工施設を東㠃?モールに建設しようという同国政府 のイニシアチブを無視し、ダーウィム?まで５００kmの区間にパイプライン゠?建設した。 
 
バユウンダンガス油田は内戦が続だ?ていた東チモールの南部海岸沖合に㠁?る。オーストラリア海員組合はバユ ウンダンガス油田新規生産事業に東ム?モールの労働者の参与を公約した。䠸?労組はConocoPhillipsに対し国際キャン㠃?ンを展開することを決めた。この問 題は最近結成されたICEM&minus;ITF石油ガ ス労働組合アライアンスの議題とな゠?予定だ。 
 
 
BPオーストラリアの契約労働者のスム?ライキ 
 
ICEM加盟のオーストラリア製造産業堊?組 (AMWU) の組合員の、BPクウィンナナ製油所だ?保守作業に従事する下請け業者United㠀?Group社の契約労働者８６名は、2005年 １２月に５週間のストを行使し、今徠?３年間にわたり、時間あたり１０豪㠃?ルの賃上げ要求全額の回答をえ、BP㠁?正規雇用の保守作業員と同等の賃金 を確保した。 
 
ウェイガーアップのアルコア製油扠?とラヴァンソープのニッケル事業所㠁?働く他のUnited Groupの契約労働者は政府のアグレシム?な新法規、建設業改善法の下、ハワ㠃?ド政権の建設業委員会の監視機関の ターゲットにされた。 
 
 
AMWU、企業レベルの協約改定に取り組 む 
 
オースラリア製造産業労組（AMWU ）は国内の製造業の協約改定の早期堦?結に向けて争議行為をすることを公 約した。この３月と４月に約７００礠?あまりの企業と締結している労働協破?の発効期限が切れる。AMWUは賃上げ玠?の目標を5.5%に設定し、労働生産性向 上対策と訓練教育の改善策も要求す゠?ことにしている。 
AMWUはまた、ハワード政権が提案し㠁?いる現行労働法の改正が実行に打つ sれる場合、抗議の争議行為を実施す㠂?ことを公約した。製造業の労働協約 交渉は企業レベル団体交渉の法改正だ?今年初めにオーストラリア議会で通頁?した場合、最初の大きなテストケー スとなる。 
 
カナダ通信エネルギー製紙労組（CE P）、Stora Ensoと協約交渉中 
CEPとStora　Ensoは1月11日まで協約交渠?期間を延長することで合意した。660䠺?の製紙労働者が働くポートホークス バリーにあるNova Scotia の紙パ工場でのロックアウトを回避㠁?るためだ。 
 
スウェーデン･フィンランド系の吠?社は2005年12月24日に始まったクリスム?ス/正月休暇のための操業停止期間を 9日に延長した。12月30日、Stora Ensoの北米マネージメントは州労働法 規則に添って48時間のロックアウト通 告を出した。12月の初旬、労働者たち の98%の賛成をえ、スト権が確立した〠?妥結の最後の試みは1月3日に始まり〠?土曜日も含め1週間交渉を継続し、1朠?11日に再開する予定だ。 
現在、交渉の焦点は下請け/アウト㠂?ーシングの問題である。雑誌用上質 紙、新聞用紙工場で働いているCEP972攠?部労組の組合員は2004年6月で協約の癠?効期限が切れたため、協約なしで働㠁?ている。 
 
 
カナダのオペレーター労組はまだス㠃?中 
 
ICEM加盟組織の全米オペレーター技堸?労組（IUOE）は1月2日に米国に本社を 置くNational Gypsum社のノバスコティア州 (カナダ) で５ヶ月間実施しているストライキ㠁?継続を投票で決めた。IUOE７２１B支頃?の90名の組合員が年金制度の低下、䠸?請け発注問題、先任権の弱化に抗議 し、同社のミルフォード採掘事業所だ?バーンサイドの荷揚げドックでスト䠸?である。 
 
2005年末に州の斡旋調停者が提出し㠁?案は経営側の当初の案と大筋で同じ であった。ストは協約発効期限が切゠?る約5ヶ月あまり前の2005年8月10日に姠?まった。当該採石場は米国の住宅用㠁?石材を生産している。National Gypsum は現在、2ヶ所の事業所で代替要員を 使って操業を継続している。 
 
 
GMB組合員、ブリティッシュガス事業栉?での争議行為を停止 
 
英国のGMB組合員のブリティッシュガ㠂?の技師と技術工は 年金問題で争議中であったが、予定㠁?れている争議行為の一つを実施に移 した後、暫定的に妥結した。6000名のG MB組合員は12月19日のＣｅｎｔｒｉｃ｠?所有の発電所で投票を行い、暫定妥砵?に至った。 
 
妥結案では2003年1月1日以降に雇用さ㠂?た1700名の労働者に最終賃金をベー゠?にした既存の年金制度が適用される㠁?とになる。労働組合は新採用者を適 用される掛け金ベースの年金制度の尠?入に反対し、その代わりに2006年3月31 日以降に採用されたすべての新採用耠?にはキャリア平均賃金の年金制度の栎?用を求めていた。組合員に対する妥 結協約条項説明会は先週始まった。占?約批准投票の結果は1月23日に出る予堮?。 
 
ノルウェーのFellesforbundet と印刷労組の合併 
ICEMのノルウェーの加盟組織はノル㠂?ェーの印刷労組と合併することにな った。この合併の結果、同労組はノム?ウェーの印刷、板紙、包装紙産業部頖?における勢力が拡大する。合併は１ 月１日に公式に成立した。 
 
 
南ア労働運動リーダー、ムジ．ブテ㠃?ジを偲ぶ 
 
１２月下旬、ICEMの元執行委員で、南 アフリカの労働組合リーダー、 ムジ．ブテレジが５３歳の若さで、砪?然、亡くなったニュースがICEMに伝だ?られた。ブテレジは 化学産業労連 (CWIU)と化学エネルギー製紙印刷木材頖?連産業 (CEPPWAWU)の書記長を務めた人だ。 
 
ムジ．ブテレジは１９９９年２月〠?PPWAWUとCWIUが合併し、９万２０００人 の組合勢力を持つCEPPWAWUが結成された 時、書記長に就任した。2002年に書記頕?を退任した後、 組合の共済組合、CEPPWAWU Investmentsの理事長に就任した。彼は黠?人地位向上プロジェクトで有名にな㠁?た人。 
 
彼は COSATU （ナショナルセンター）の重鎮的存堜?だった。また、前向きな労働法制定 を目指した三者公正組織である南ア兠?国経済発展及び労働審議会 (NEDLAC)も務めた。彼はCEPPWAWU　Investmen tsが経営権を持つ南ア最大のジェネリ ック薬の製造会社、Aspen製薬内の黒人 の地位向上協議会の議長も務め、Aspen の取締役も務めた人だ。

ICEM InBrief

(Date) 
 
Mr Jukka H&auml;rm&auml;l&auml; 
Chief Executive Officer 
Stora Enso Oyj 
Kanavaranta 1, PO Box 309 
FIN-00160 Helsinki 
FINLAND 
 
Transmitted to Fax Number +358 2046 21206 
or to E-Mail <a href="mailto:info@storaenso.com">info@storaenso.com</a> 

Dear Mr. H&auml;rm&auml;l&auml;: 
 
We have been informed by the ICEM, the Global Union Federation, of the lockout that your company has imposed on the workers of the Port Hawkesbury Mill in Nova Scotia who are members of the Communications, Energy, Paperworkers (CEP) Union of Canada. 
 
After going 20 months without a current collective labour agreement and working during that period for the betterment of Stora Enso, we find it appalling that your company has locked out these 600 workers in efforts to deviate from the pattern labour agreement in Eastern Canada that has already been negotiated with all other paper companies doing business there. 
 
We call on you to use your offices to immediately resume negotiations with the union and to negotiate a fair and just agreement that meets the pattern for the pulp and paper sector in Eastern Canada. 
 
Sincerely Yours, 
 
(signed) 
 
(Name, 
Position, 
Name of the Union)

Model letter to Stora Enso in support of striking Canadian Stora Enso workers

<img height="40" src="" width="100" alt="" />
The United Steelworkers (USW) in America on 30 June selected Michelin&rsquo;s BF Goodrich tyre operations as the bargaining template in order to achieve a master rubber contract for 27,000 workers in North America. Talks with three major tyre producers, Michelin, Goodyear Tire &amp; Rubber, and Bridgestone/Firestone (BSF), have already started. 
 
The current master labour agreement for the US tyre-making sector expires with all companies on 22 July, but the USW and the major tyre producers generally go beyond that deadline in negotiations. Smaller manufacturers in the US, such as Yokahoma, also follow the bargaining pattern. 
<img height="53" src="" width="100" alt="" />
USW represents some 4,000 Michelin workers at three BF Goodrich plants, while it covers 17,000 Goodyear workers at 12 plants and 6,000 BFS workers at eight tyre facilities. 
 
&ldquo;Significant in the selection of BF Goodrich is the fact that we believe that we can set an industry pattern that looks after our retirees, enhances job security and protects standard of living for our active and retired members,&rdquo; stated USW Lead Negotiator and Executive Vice President Ron Hoover.

Michelin Chosen for Tyre Bargaining Pattern in US Talks

<img height="40" alt="" src="" width="100" />
US affiliate United Auto Workers (UAW) has successfully organised two PPG Industries auto-glass plants in recent weeks, and has a US government-conducted election scheduled at a third on 27 July. 
 
On 28 June, workers at a flat-glass plant in Evansville, state of Indiana, voted for UAW bargaining representation, and a week earlier, glass staff at a PPG factory in Crestline, state of Ohio, joined the UAW. The Evansville&nbsp;plant employs nearly&nbsp;400 workers, while the Crestline factory&nbsp;has 260 bargaining unit jobs. 
The UAW election on 27 July is at a PPG Industries plant in O&rsquo;Fallon, state of Missouri. The operation, a former Chemfil company worksite, produces metal and other fastenings for glass destined for the auto industry. The UAW currently represents workers at four American PPG plants and is active in the 16-union Joint Union Council of PPG Industries in North America.

UAW in US Succeeding in Organising Auto-Glass Factories

The campaign to totally ban all forms of asbestos took a leap ahead last month when the Workers&rsquo; Group of the ILO Conference passed a decisive statement that all asbestos types, including white chrysotile, are cancer-causing. 
 
The ICEM&rsquo;s Mining/DGOJP Sector is currently initiating dialogue with mining affiliates on the correct path toward implementation of ILO Convention 162, the safety in the use of asbestos convention. This is in accord with the four-year work plan established at the ICEM&rsquo;s Mining and DGOJP World Conferences in 2004. 
<img height="94" alt="" src="" width="100" />
Last month&rsquo;s resolution at the annual ILO Conference states &ldquo;that the elimination of the future use of asbestos and the identification and proper management of asbestos currently in place means to protect workers from asbestos exposure and to prevent future asbestos-related diseases and deaths.&rdquo; It also supports elimination on any future use of the product, and calls for renewed efforts toward ratification by countries of ILO Conventions 162 and 139, the latter related to occupational cancer. 
 
The resolution was boosted some two weeks before its 14 June ILO passage when France became the 40th country to ban future asbestos use. South Africa, a leading mining nation, also is close to passing a complete ban on white asbestos mining, something Zimbabwe&rsquo;s government is fiercely resisting due to sizeable exports of the product to South Africa. 
 
Major producing countries of white chrysotile asbestos include Canada, Russia, Brazil, China and Zimbabwe. The amphibole asbestos types, blue amosite asbestos and brown crocidolite asbestos, are proven to cause asbestos-related respiratory diseases and are banned under World Health Organisation guidelines.

ILO Workers’ Group Takes Strong Stand on Asbestos Ban

<img height="40" src="" width="100" alt="" />
The sad reminder that the safety of trade union leaders is still not secure in South Africa was brought home when National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) Branch Chairperson Elias Malaudzi was assassinated after leaving work on 3 July. 
 
Malaudzi, 46, was the NUM chairperson of Goldfields&rsquo; Driefontein gold mine in Carletonville, a worksite which has seen two previous union leaders killed by violent acts. Comrade Malaudzi has been credited by the NUM with playing a pivotal role in making his branch &ldquo;one of the most united structures, and the biggest branch in the Carletonville region.&rdquo; The husband and father was stopped by an armed man, who shot him in the head, and then once in the chest as he fell. 
<img height="60" src="" width="100" alt="" />
A 26-year-old man from KwaZulu-Natal, who does not work at the mine, was apprehended soon after the murder. Comrade Malaudzi was a community leader in Carletonville area, serving as a town councillor. 
 
&ldquo;It is important that all of our members, and workers in general, at the mine remain calm in this face of tragedy,&rdquo; said NUM General Secretary Frans Baleni. &ldquo;Serious concerns were raised about the fact that another union leader from the same mine was once more killed by an unknown Zulu-speaking person. 
 
&ldquo;The union is concerned that these sentiments could invoke tribal and factional emotions that may be deep-seated in the area,&rdquo; added Baleni. &ldquo;We hope that the Goldfields management will play their part in this regard, too.&rdquo; 
 
The ICEM backed Baleni&rsquo;s call for calmness in a letter sent to the NUM, further expressing condolences to the union and to the family of Comrade Malaudzi.

NUM Leader Gunned Down in Senseless South African Act

<img height="112" alt="" src="" width="300" />
<a name="back"></a><a name="back"></a>
The ICEM teamed with NOPEF, Norway&rsquo;s dominant oil workers&rsquo; union, to bring a set of highly successful workshops to women of Palestine&rsquo;s General Union of Petroleum, Mining and Chemicals Workers' Union. The Palestinian workshops occurred last month, 10-12 June,&nbsp;in&nbsp;neighboring Jordan.
Contents
&nbsp;<a href="#pal">1. Palestine &ndash; ICEM and NOPEF Hold Women&rsquo;s Training Session</a> 
<a href="#2">2. Botswana &ndash; ICEM African Women&rsquo;s Committee Meeting</a> 
<a href="#coun">3. Council of Europe &ndash; Inequality Has a Price</a>&nbsp; 
<a href="#3">4. Jordan &ndash; Women Workers are Discriminated Against</a>&nbsp; 
<a href="#4">5. Kuwait &ndash; Women Vote for the First Time</a> 
<a href="#5">6. Nepal &ndash; Third National Women&rsquo;s Conference Demands More Women&rsquo;s Representation</a> 
<a href="#6">7. Pakistan &ndash; Working Women Organization Protests Against 18th Century Laws in the 21st Century</a> 
<a href="#res">From our Readers</a> 
<a href="#8">8. Switzerland &ndash; Women Demand Equal Pay for Equal Work</a> 
<a href="#9">9. United Kingdom &ndash; Black Women are in Low Paid and Low-status Jobs</a> 
<a href="#10">10. United States &ndash; Goodyear Discriminates Against Women</a> 
<a href="#11">11. ILO: New Forms of Violence at Work Are on the Rise Worldwide</a> 
<a href="#12">12. Resources</a>
<img height="25" alt="" src="" width="20" /><a name="pal"></a><a name="1"></a>
1. Palestine &ndash; ICEM and NOPEF Hold Women&rsquo;s Training Session&nbsp; 
 
From 10-12 June 2006, the ICEM organised training for women women workers who are members of the General Union of Petroleum, Mining and Chemicals Workers' Union of Palestine in Amman, Jordan.
The course provided training on women&rsquo;s health as well as collective bargaining. The aim is to develop women&rsquo;s leadership in the union. The point was mostly to understand how gender affects men and women differently in all areas of life, from privatization to health issues. 
 
Turid &Oslash;ygard from NOPEF made a presentation on women in Norway and their roles in unions and working life. She also led group work on democracy in trade unions. 
 
The women concluded that they needed more self-confidence and self-esteem. The intifada has influenced women. But women are able to fight and should be accepted as fighters. As a next step, the women seek to create more awareness among men on the role they are capable of fulfilling. 
<img height="230" alt="" src="" width="350" />
<a href="#back">Back Up</a> 
<img height="25" alt="" src="" width="20" /><a name="2"></a>
2. Botswana &ndash; ICEM African Women&rsquo;s Committee Meeting 
The highlights of the meeting included the election of Baru Gaithoboge as vice-chair of the ICEM&rsquo;s African Regional Women&rsquo;s Committee. Baru&rsquo;s election will boost the representation of African women at ICEM events. Congratulations to Baru. 
The women reported that the general secretaries in Namibia and Zimbabwe were still resistant to forming joint ICEM women&rsquo;s structures. 
In Nigeria, the affiliated unions held a women&rsquo;s meeting in 2005 and are planning to hold another one in 2006. Ghana has embarked upon community development by training mineworkers&rsquo; wives. 
Fabian Nkomo, project coordinator for the shop steward development programme in Africa, reported on the project in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Tanzania. He said the project was supposed to increase the level of activity targeted toward women. Thus women would be enlisted to strengthen unions, not least of all in connection with dues payments. 
Thanks to Oluchi Okorie from NUPENG in Nigeria for providing this report! 
<a href="#back">Back Up</a>
<img height="25" alt="" src="" width="20" /><a name="2"></a>
3. Council of Europe &ndash; Inequality Has a Price <a name="coun"></a>
The Sixth European Ministerial Conference on Equality between Women and Men was held in Stockholm on 8-9 June 2006. The conference focused on the economic advantages that equality entails. 
According to the Swedish equality minister, economies in the most equal societies have higher growth rates. The highest cost to society is generated by domestic violence. 
Spanish figures show that violence toward women costs Spain &euro;2.4 billion a year, which entails hospital costs, psychological assistance, legal costs and work absenteeism. 
In Finland, inequality is estimated to cost &euro;17.4 per person. In the UK, inequality is estimated to cost each person up to &euro;555 per year in terms of health costs and social costs. UK authorities have calculated that if women participated in the labour market there to the same extent as men, the government would take in between &euro;22 billion and &euro;34.5 billion euros more per year. 
In Sweden, the argument is that women continue working after the birth of their children, which in turn yields more tax income to the government. This allows further investment in childcare, thus allowing more Swedish women to enter the workforce. In Sweden, 40% of women, however, work part-time, and that brings a dramatic effect to their pensions. With women on average living longer than men, they have less money available to them in retirement. 
For more information, see <a href="http://www.coe.int/equality-conference">www.coe.int/equality-conference</a>. 
<a href="#back">Back Up</a>
<img height="25" alt="" src="" width="20" /><a name="3"></a>
4. Jordan &ndash; Women Workers are Discriminated Against
In Jordan, women workers are discriminated against and are often paid below the legal minimum wage, even with the recent increase in the minimum wage. 
The government increased the monthly minimum wage to US$142 in May to help defray higher costs of living due to higher fuel prices. Some women were earning only US$60 before the wage increase for working 10 to 12 hour days, and may continue to not be paid the full legal wage. 
This is due to the fact that women are &ldquo;reluctant to file lawsuits against employers for fear of retaliation,&rdquo; and also because of inadequate implementation of labour laws, according to the General Federation of Jordanian Trade Unions. 
Over 200,000 Jordanians in the workforce are women, the majority of whom come from impoverished families. Unemployment is almost 15%, and one-fifth of the 5.5 million people living in Jordan live below the poverty line.
<a href="#back">Back Up</a>
<img height="25" alt="" src="" width="20" /><a name="4"></a>
5. Kuwait &ndash; Women Vote for the First Time 
Kuwait&rsquo;s first parliamentary elections in which women could vote were a victory for political reformists but a disappointment for female candidates, none of whom won a seat to the governing body. In total, 27 women ran in the recent elections. Women had won the right to vote and run for office last year. 
Female votes accounted for 57% of the electorate. Women turned out in large numbers to vote for the first time. Before women won the right to vote, members of Parliament had resisted granting them suffrage with the argument that it contradicted Islam. This year&rsquo;s elections were seen to be crucial, as they affected reforms and economic development programmes. 
<a href="#back">Back Up</a>
<img height="25" alt="" src="" width="20" /><a name="5"></a>
6. Nepal &ndash; Third National Women&rsquo;s Conference Demands More Women&rsquo;s Representation 
Nepal&rsquo;s Parliament adopted a declaration setting the minimum for women&rsquo;s participation at 33% at all levels. Now the question is to implement this standard. 
At the Third National Women&rsquo;s Conference, the representative of the All Nepal Women&rsquo;s Association presented a road map for women&rsquo;s participation. The other thematic issues had to do with the changes in laws to prevent discrimination. 
GEFONT Deputy General Secretary and ICEM Vice President Binda Pandey presented a comparative analysis on programmes, achievements and challenges between the Second and Third National Women Workers&rsquo; Conferences. Altogether, 616 women from the rank and file attended this most recent conference. The conference outcomes will be used to develop policy. 
 
Women in Nepal earn NPR 80, while men earn NPR 100-150 (NPR 100 = US$ 1.36). The rates have been frozen for ten years. Men are said to be stronger, work harder and produce more, which is why it is possible to pay women less. 
<a href="#back">Back Up</a>
<img height="25" alt="" src="" width="20" /><a name="6"></a>
7. Pakistan &ndash; Working Women Organization Protests Against 18th Century Laws in the 21st Century 
On 23 June, thousands of workers took to the streets all over Pakistan to protest against the amendments in labour laws that set minimum working time of 12 hour per day, and exclude piece rate workers from overtime payment. 
The Working Women Organization staged agitation and expressed their anger about workers&rsquo; poor conditions, shameful amendments to the laws and the violation of ILO standards. The changes in labour law will enable employers to exploit workers even more, and especially women workers who already have irregular work, long working hours, dangerous working conditions, very low wages and no right of organization. 
<a href="#back">Back Up</a>
<img height="25" alt="" src="" width="20" /><a name="res"></a>
From our Readers: 
 
Jumana Jodi Dreraghmi from the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions writes that she is now using the methods she learned in the course. She divides people up into groups and everyone gives their views. She is preparing a meeting on 7 July to share what she learned from the Amman workshops with other Palestinian women. 
<a href="#back">Back Up</a>
<img height="25" alt="" src="" width="20" />
<a name="8"></a>
8. Switzerland &ndash; Women Demand Equal Pay for Equal Work 
 
Women in Switzerland called for the wage gap to be closed between women and men ten years after the equal opportunities law first came into force. The nationwide campaign is distributing cards shaped like 50-franc notes, which are depicted as being worth only CHF39, thus representing the reality of the workplace. 
Unia, an ICEM affiliate and the country&rsquo;s largest trade union, marked the campaign by calling on those in the retail sector to pay their female employees more. According to a study, women receive 12.7% less than their male colleagues, amounting annually to CHF1 billion. 
Unia reports that discrimination is also rampant in businesses that employ more than 2,500 employees. In 2004, women earned on average CHF4,781 gross per month, whereas the figure for men was CHF5,953, amounting to a difference of 19.7%. In 2002, that difference was 20.7%. 
<a href="#back">Back Up</a>
<img height="25" alt="" src="" width="20" /><a name="9"></a>
9. United Kingdom &ndash; Black Women are in Low Paid and Low-status Jobs 
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) of the UK released a report entitled Black Women and Employment, which was originally presented at the Black Workers&rsquo; Conference in 2006. The report looks at the barriers black women face to gaining employment and then progressing in their jobs. 
The government, according to the report, must take initiatives to combat race and sex discrimination in employment. Facts reveal that black and minority ethnic women are more likely to be unemployed or economically inactive than any other group in the labour market. 
Black and minority ethnic women suffer from cultural stereotyping by employers that result in them having to take jobs at lower skills levels than match their qualifications. Also, black and minority ethnic women are disproportionately likely to be working in temporary jobs. 
The TUC believes that there is a need for concerted and coordinated action by government and trade unions through collective bargaining to eliminate race and sex discrimination in the labour market and in society, through legislative and community-based initiatives. 
The organisation and recruitment of black women is vital if future progress is to be made in addressing the problems that black women face in the workplace, and in encouraging increased participation in the trade union movement. 
<a href="#back">Back Up</a>
<img height="25" alt="" src="" width="20" /><a name="10"></a>
10. United States &ndash; Goodyear Discriminates Against Women 
The US Labor Department has sued Goodyear Tire &amp; Rubber Co., alleging hiring discrimination against hundreds of women who sought jobs in the late 1990s. The lawsuit seeks to force Goodyear to hire, pay back wages, and provide retroactive seniority and other benefits to the women who were denied employment. 
In 1998 and 1999, Goodyear followed a &ldquo;hiring process and selection procedures that discriminated against hundreds of female applicants for entry-level positions on the basis of gender,&rdquo; said the Labor Department in a statement. A spokesperson for Goodyear denied the charges and claims that Goodyear is working to resolve the matter. 
<a href="#back">Back Up</a>
<img height="25" alt="" src="" width="20" /><a name="11"></a>
11. ILO: New Forms of Violence at Work Are on the Rise Worldwide 
Violence at work, ranging from bullying and mobbing, to threats to psychologically unstable co-workers, sexual harassment and homicide, is increasing worldwide and has reached epidemic levels in some countries. This is according to the ILO study, Violence at Work, Third Edition. 
The global cost of workplace violence is enormous and costs untold millions of dollars in losses due to absenteeism and sick leave, among other causes. It also notes that professions that used to be sheltered from workplace violence such as teaching, social services, library services and health care are being exposed to increasing acts of violence in both developed and developing countries. 
Bullying, harassment, mobbing and similar behaviour can be just as damaging as outright physical violence, according to the report. 
Today, the instability of many types of jobs places huge pressures on workplaces, leading to more such violence. In developing countries, the most vulnerable workers include women, migrants and children, according to the report. 
In Malaysia, 11,851 rape and molestation cases at workplaces were reported between 1997 and mid-2001. Widespread sexual harassment and abuse were major concerns in South Africa, Ukraine, Kuwait and Hong Kong, states the report. 
<a href="#back">Back Up</a>
<img height="25" alt="" src="" width="20" /><a name="12"></a>
12. Resources: 
See <a href="http://www.payscale.com/">www.payscale.com</a> to compare your salary. 
 
ILO study on &ldquo;Decent Working Time: New Trends, New Issues,&rdquo; available at 
<a href="http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/pr/2006/28.htm">www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/pr/ 
2006/28.htm</a> 
 
ILO study on &ldquo;Changing Patterns in the World of Work,&rdquo; available&nbsp;at 
<a href="http://www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/ilc/ilc95/reports.htm">www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/ilc/ 
ilc95/reports.htm</a>
<a href="#back">Back Up</a>

ICEM WOMEN’S BULLETIN N° 13

Archive