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The quadrennial National Convention of the Mining and Energy Division of the Construction, Forestry, Mining &amp; Energy Union (CFMEU) of Australia was held last week in Queensland, and delegates took up two critical issues: ending the 11-year reign of Prime Minister John Howard later this year and adoption of clean coal technologies. 
 
Coming under a unified banner entitled &ldquo;For a Clean, Safe, and Secure Future,&rdquo; CFMEU delegates from mines, power stations, oil refineries, and coal ports came together on 14-18 May during a pivotal time in Australia. The entire labour movement in Australia has been besieged by radical workplace reforms, passed in 2005 by the Howard government. 
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As well, the union has embarked on a critical climate change position, intended to preserve Australia&rsquo;s ranking as the world&rsquo;s biggest coal exporter, while working diligently to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 
 
Delegates heard from Australian Labour Party leaders on the ALP&rsquo;s agenda to unseat Howard in November with Kevin Rudd. And more importantly, they heard from Australian Council of Trade Unions Secretary Greg Combet on how labour unions will mobilise to get that job done. 
 
The enactment of Howard&rsquo;s WorkChoices law has opened the way for employers to scuttle collective agreements in favour of individual work contracts, also known as Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs). CFMEU delegates were critical of the country&rsquo;s mining and metals employers&rsquo; association, as well as of mining houses Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton. Both companies call for the preservation of individual contracts in order not to suffer decreased productivity they claim will total A$6.6 billion. 
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That claim, made in February in the face of a growing public groundswell against Howard&rsquo;s industrial reforms, is far from the truth. A good majority of coal miners in Australia are covered by collective agreements, while virtually no AWAs exist in the sector. And productivity growth of the coal sector has averaged nearly 3% for each year dating back a decade. 
 
CFMEU&rsquo;s Mining and Energy Division has adopted policies related to massive investments for clean coal technologies, increased use of renewable energy sources, and carbon emissions trading. The union also supports ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. 
 
The convention included a session on global solidarity, which featured ICEM President Senzeni Zokwana, ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda, South Africa&rsquo;s National Union of Mineworkers General Secretary Frans Baleni, as well as Maritime Union of Australia National Secretary Paddy Crumlin. Tony Maher serves as General President of the CFMEU&rsquo;s Mining and Energy Division.

CFMEU’s Mining, Energy Convention Occurs at Critical Juncture in Australia

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In past commemorations of 28 April Workers&rsquo; Memorial Day, Danish trade unions &ndash; like many others across the world &ndash; have done customary candle lighting ceremonies to honour the dead and injured. This year, the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions (LO), in combination with the Confederation of Salaried Employees and Civil Servants (FTF), are asking trade unions to mount torches outside union offices to honour the memories of workers killed while on the job or from job-related diseases. 
 
The two labour federations have adopted the motto &ldquo;Safe and Healthy Work for All &ndash; Welfare Centred on Health and Safety&rdquo; for 28 April 2007. Activities are planned across Denmark, including conference, meetings, and street actions to call attention to health and safety at work. 
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Part of that focus will ask people of Denmark to examine global development, and how globalisation puts pressure on workers&rsquo; rights, including the right to a safe and hazard-free workplace. To look at materials and posters developed by the two labour federations, please visit <a href="http://www.lo.dk">www.lo.dk</a>, or <a href="http://www.ftf.dk/28april">www.ftf.dk/28april</a>.

Denmark: Past Candle-lighting Becomes Torch-bearing for Trade Unions

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The Bermuda Industrial Union is calling on union members and the general public to drive in the morning of 28 April with their headlights on to commemorate Workers&rsquo; Memorial Day. 
 
The union is also calling on trade unionists to light a candle at 12h00 on that day.

Bermuda: Lights on for Motorists in Driving on 28 April

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Worker safety institutes in Australia have almost unanimously said the advent of Prime Minister John Howard&rsquo;s WorkChoices law will ultimately be detrimental to workplace safety. Now comes wisdom from another organisation, the Victorian Safety Institute of Australia. 
 
The institute says the government&rsquo;s labour reforms, which dramatically changed union rights and employment rights, will pose the biggest threat to workplace safety since asbestos. 
 
Speaking prior to a Safety in Action conference held recently in Melbourne, the Victorian Safety Institute&rsquo;s vice president, Kevin Jones said: &ldquo;WorkChoices is opening a Pandora&rsquo;s box of new health problems stemming from stress and high workloads. It&rsquo;s the greatest threat to workers&rsquo; health since asbestos, because it harms people from all walks of life in such an insidious way &ndash; millions of Australians will suffer its potentially devastating effects.&rdquo;

Australia: WorkChoices Law Brings ‘Undeniable’ Damage to Workplace Safety

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The ICEM has intervened in efforts to prevent harsh discipline this week against an Iraqi trade unionist, who is being persecuted for leading a protest in order to gain wage arrears for workers at the State Company for Petrochemical Industries (SCPI). (See previous story&nbsp;<a href="/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3024-Iraqi-State-Petrochemical-Company-Uses-Military-to-Bust-Peaceful-Protest">here</a>.) 
 
The ICEM learned over the weekend that Kareem Johi Sahan, a trade union leader for the Petrochemical Workers&rsquo; Union of Basra, is scheduled to be punished Thursday, 26 February, for his role in leading the 28 January workers&rsquo; protest. Following several weeks of interrogation of Johi and three other union leaders, Johi faces the possibility of immediate discharge, or reductions to his salary. 
 
The ICEM also has learned that the severe interrogations have inflicted Johi with heart problems. 

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Kareem Johi (centre) handling leaflets at an October 2008 demonstration
SCPI is 100% owned by Iraq&rsquo;s Ministry of Industry and Minerals. In a letter dated today to MIM Minister Fawzi al-Hariri, ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda urged the ministry to intervene directly with management of the enterprise to prevent any form of discipline this week. (See that letter <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/16%20letter%20to%20Petrochem%20Iraq%20-%2023%20Feb09.pdf">here</a>.) 
 
Kareem Johi, 51, is a recognised trade union leader of the Petrochemical Workers&rsquo; Union of Basra at SCPI, who, since the end of 2006, has used internationally-recognised free speech and assembly to draw attention to remuneration claims, cuts in fuel subsidies to workers, and other regressive policies by SCPI management. 
 
SCPI is Iraq&rsquo;s only petrochemicals complex, employing 5,000 workers, and its six plants produce ethylene, polyethylene, vinyl chloride, and other chemicals.

ICEM Seeks Halt to Discipline of Iraqi Trade Union Leader at Petrochemicals Complex

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In this issue of the ICEM HIV/AIDS newsletter, we report on the Boehringer Ingelheim project in India; how HIV/AIDS affects the mining sector in Guinea; on the Swedish Workplace Programme and on the policy speech by the new UNAIDS Executive Director. 
 
The ICEM Calls on its Affiliates to Contribute to this e-bulletin 
 
ICEM affiliates are already engaged in a wide range of HIV/AIDS activities. To spread the information on new agreements, awareness, and prevention campaigns, and educational activities, affiliates and project coordinators are invited to send news and information to <a href="mailto:hiv.aids@icem.org">hiv.aids@icem.org</a>. Any feedback on the format and contents of the e-bulletin is also welcome. 
 
Editor: Hans J Schwass, ICEM HIV/AIDS Consultant 
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Progress in India 
 
The HIV/AIDS workplace project in India, which is sponsored by the German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim, is making good progress. After the planning workshop in July 2008, master trainers were trained in August with technical assistance and expert input from the ILO/AIDS office in Delhi. 
 
Up to the end of 2008, six peer educators&rsquo; programmes were conducted by the master trainers in different parts of India, covering coal mining as well as the chemical and cement sectors. With 151 peer educators trained, the project is on target to train 500 peer educators in 20 programmes. The fact that management takes an increasing interest in the project is a positive sign and bodes well for a continuation of HIV/AIDS interventions at the workplace after 2009. 
 
A second master trainers&rsquo; course will be organised in Kolkata in early April 2009. In the meantime, peer educators have organised education and campaign activities in their places of work. 
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Extension of the ICEM HIV/AIDS Project to Guinea 
 
Discussions are under way to extend the ICEM HIV/AIDS project to Guinea (Conakry). With an HIV infection rate of 5.2 per cent, the mining sector in Guinea is particularly at risk from the epidemic. Some mining companies have begun setting up their own programmes in view of the lack of HIV/AIDS services from the public health sector. 
 
Guinea has large deposits of bauxite, iron, gold diamonds and other minerals which make it potentially one of the richest countries in West Africa. Yet it is one of the poorest countries of the world; over 53 per cent of its nine million inhabitants live on less than one dollar a day. 
 
Mine workers are generally better paid than those working in other sectors. Internal migration and separation from families leads to a lot of risky behaviour in remote mining areas. 
 
Mining companies and the Guinea Chamber of Mines (CMG) have realised how much HIV is costing the companies and have been working with international partners to set up public-private partnerships which can offer HIV/AIDS services not only to the workers but also to their families and to the wider community. An active involvement of the ICEM affiliated FSPMCICA (national union of mine, quarry and chemical workers) would ideally supplement these activities. 
 
(Source: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (INRI) as reported in Africa News, 28 November 2008) 
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Namibia: AIDS Funding under Threat 
 
Namibia could run out of money for AIDS programmes funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria after the country was once again refused funding of its projects for the next five years. So far, Namibia only had one grant approved in 2002. Two subsequent applications were not found to be of the required quality by the independent Technical Review Panel of the Global Fund. 
 
Namibia ranks among the top five worst affected countries in the world. Government agencies and NGOs were hoping to address HIV prevalence among commercial sex workers and youth between the ages of 20 to 24. Part of the money was also to be used for strengthening the health system by training more nurses, pharmacists and other medical staff as well as providing more support to orphans and vulnerable children. 
 
(Source: The Namibian, Windhoek, as reported in Africa News, 4 December 2008) 
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Swedish Workplace Programme 
 
Funding has been secured for a further four-year period for the Swedish Workplace HIV and AIDS Programme (SWHAP). The latest SWHAP Newsletter reports on the World AIDS Day event &ldquo;Business Combating HIV and AIDS&rdquo; in Stockholm which brought together over 110 business leaders and trade union representatives as well as NGOs and government agencies. Keynote speaker was the former President of Botswana and Chairperson of the National AIDS Council, Festus Mogae. 
 
SWHAP is a joint venture of the ICEM-affiliated Swedish Industrial and Metalworkers&rsquo; Federation (IF Metall) and the International Council of Swedish Industry (NIR). Its aim is to support and contribute to the establishment of HIV and AIDS programmes at Swedish-related workplaces in sub-Saharan Africa. If you want to know more about SWHAP and the countries and companies covered go to <a href="http://www.swhap.org">www.swhap.org</a>. 
 
(Source: SWHAP Newsletter December 2008) 

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Optimistic UNAIDS Director Sets Ambitious Goals 
 
The new Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michele Sidibe, outlined his vision for the UN agency at the Ubuntu Clinic in Kayelitsha township in Cape Town. He promised to make universal access a priority. His goal is to avert 2.6 million new infections and save 1.3 million lives by the end of 2010. 
 
He put special emphasis on the testing of women and the support for orphans. &ldquo;We cannot transform this epidemic if we don&rsquo;t make sure that women and children are the centres of our preoccupation&rdquo;, he said. In calling for an investment of USD 25 billion over the next few years, he acknowledged the difficulty of raising funds in the current economic crisis but added that the crisis should not paralyse efforts in fighting the pandemic. 
 
In choosing Kayelitsha for his policy speech, Sidibe recognized the pioneer role the township played as early as 2001 when M&eacute;decins sans Fronti&egrave;res started antiretroviral treatment in the township at a time when the provision of ARVs in the public sector in the South Africa was still banned. 
 
(Source: UNAIDS website and IRIN PlusNews, 10 February) 
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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://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="/en/72-HIV-AIDS/3036-ICEM-HIV-AIDS-e-bulletin-No.-41-February-2009">/en/72-HIV-AIDS/3036-ICEM-HIV-AIDS-e-bulletin-No.-41-February-2009</a>
Or click directly on the links below: 
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Cette traduction est faite automatiquement par un logiciel internet gratuit. L&rsquo;ICEM n&rsquo;assume aucune responsabilit&eacute; &agrave; cet &eacute;gard. Elle est approximative, mais peut n&eacute;anmoins vous donner une id&eacute;e g&eacute;n&eacute;rale du contenu de l&rsquo;article. 
 
<a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icem.org%2Fen%2F72-HIV-AIDS%2F3036-ICEM-HIV-AIDS-e-bulletin-No.-41-February-2009&amp;sl=en&amp;tl=de&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8">Hier Klicken f&uuml;r eine maschinelle &Uuml;bersetzung ins Deutsche.</a> 
Diese &Uuml;bersetzung, f&uuml;r die die ICEM keine Verantwortung &uuml;bernimmt, erfolgt durch eine frei zug&auml;ngliche Internetsoftware. Diese &Uuml;bersetzung ist nicht perfekt, gibt aber eine ann&auml;hernende Idee, wor&uuml;ber der Artikel handelt. 
 
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日本語への翻訳について、無料オンライン翻訳サービス利用されたい方<a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icem.org%2Fen%2F72-HIV-AIDS%2F3036-ICEM-HIV-AIDS-e-bulletin-No.-41-February-2009&amp;sl=en&amp;tl=ja&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8">はここをクリ</a>ックしてください。ただし、当該サービスを利用した翻訳の質等について、ICEMは一切責任を負いませんので、ご了承ください。 
 
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Esta traducci&oacute;n se hace autom&aacute;ticamente con tecnolog&iacute;a libre del Internet. La ICEM no se responsabiliza de ella. La traducci&oacute;n es aproximada, pero puede proveer una idea general del contenido del art&iacute;culo. 
 
<a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icem.org%2Fen%2F72-HIV-AIDS%2F3036-ICEM-HIV-AIDS-e-bulletin-No.-41-February-2009&amp;sl=en&amp;tl=sv&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8">Klicka h&auml;r f&ouml;r en maskin&ouml;vers&auml;ttning till svenska.</a> 
Denna &ouml;vers&auml;ttning utf&ouml;rs automatiskt med kostnadsfri internetteknik. ICEM tar inget ansvar f&ouml;r den. Den &auml;r inte helt korrekt men ger dig &auml;nd&aring; en allm&auml;n uppfattning om vad artikeln handlar om.

ICEM HIV/AIDS e-bulletin No. 41 February 2009

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A wage arrears dispute at a&nbsp;Argentina pulp and paper mill was resolved, though only by earnest intervention by Buenos Aires Minister of Work Oscar Cuartango 11 days ago. Some 430 workers now will get back wages in a guaranteed payment plan. 
 
Their salaries have been owed them since December and January when family-run Massuh SA halted its payroll at the Quilmes pulp and paper mill near Buenos Aires. 
<img height="69" alt="" src="" width="150" />
The ICEM cited the dispute last month, and sent a protest letter to the company, with copies to both the federal and state Work ministers. ICEM Argentina affiliate Federation of Workers&rsquo; of Paper, Carton, and Chemical (FOEIPCyQ) Unions championed this grievous breach of fair treatment and received scores of support letters from ICEM affiliates worldwide. Massuh SA is owned by the interconnected Massuh and Petrocchi families of Argentina, which also has major holdings in another Argentina paper enterprise, Fibra Papelera. 
 
Massuh SA, in April 2008, sold a paper converting plant in San Luis to Ledesma, a Blaquier family operation, and earlier had spun a brown paper plant in San Justo off to Fibra Papelera. Because of the recession in finished paper production, Massuh acquired a US$40 million loan in mid-2008, a loan in which the lending institution granted an 18-month grace period before payments are due. 
 
FOEIPCyQ said in a statement to the ICEM: &ldquo;We extend our deep gratefulness to the many unions who heard the ICEM&rsquo;s call for assistance and support for our working companions of the Massuh company. This is now a triumph of the workers because it was their iron will which would not allow their rights to be taken from them.&rdquo;

Argentina Paperworkers at Massuh SA Receive Assurances of Pay

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The ICEM supports the International Metalworkers&rsquo; Federation (IMF) who last week lodged a complaint against the Mexican Government to the ILO in Geneva. 
 
The complaint calls on the ILO to condemn Mexican labour laws, which prevent real freedom of association and contravene ILO Convention 87, the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention. 
 
Under Mexican law, the vast majority of collective agreements are so-called &ldquo;contratos de protecci&oacute;n&rdquo; or protection contracts, which force workers to join unions created by company management rather than ones of workers&rsquo; own choosing. In practice, the law means only unions that have the support of companies and government can operate. 

<img height="83" alt="" src="" width="125" />
IMF General Secretary, Marcello Malentacchi
Mexican law also does not require any democratic structures such as secret ballots related to contract ratifications, which more often than not are created without workers&rsquo; knowledge. Protection contracts are used in many countries to prevent legitimate unions and workers from mobilizing to secure better rights and conditions. 
 
Labour lawyers estimate that some 90-95% of all collective contracts in Mexico are &ldquo;contratos de protecci&oacute;n.&rdquo; Three of the biggest and best known unions, the CTM, CROM and CROC, have been accused of operating almost exclusively with protection contracts. Only in the UNT and FAT labour confederations do member unions have democratic structures and meet recognised standards required of democratically structured labour organizations. 
 
Mexico ratified Convention 87 in 1950, two years after this core labour standard came into existence. However, its present labour law stands in the way in implementing the intent of Convention 87. Although the ILO has no means to sanction governments that do not properly implement ratified conventions, the IMF is hopeful public pressure can be generated by condemnation of Mexico over its regressive labour laws. 
 
&ldquo;The pressure generated from official action by the ILO would send an important message to governments and companies globally that protection contracts must not be used to take away workers&rsquo; rights to freely organise,&rdquo; said IMF General Secretary Marcello Malentacchi.

Metalworkers’ Federation Serves ILO Complaint on Labour Practices in Mexico

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Two Finnish trade unions began membership voting last week on a merger of six industrial unions. Kemianliitto, the ICEM-affiliated chemicals, rubber, glass, and textile union, and the Finnish Metalworkers&rsquo; Union (Metalli) began separate voting on 5 February, with balloting by both unions to close on 19 February. 

The proposed new name for the merged union is to be TEAM. If all six unions ratify the merger, TEAM will have 360,000 members in Finland. Other unions that have been in the longstanding merger discussions, including the Wood and Allied Workers&rsquo; Union, Finnish Media Union, Finnish Railwaymen&rsquo;s Union, and ICEM-affiliated Finnish Electrical Workers&rsquo; Union, will conduct other ratification processes in the coming months. The date for the merger to take effect is 1 January 2010. 
 
Kemianliitto&rsquo;s membership balloting this month is binding, while the vote by metalworkers is a consultative ballot. The Chemical Workers&rsquo; Union numbers some 48,000 members and Metalli has 167,000 members. 
 
TEAM&rsquo;s bargaining structure would consist of 51 collective agreements, and the merged union would be divided into seven sectors, each operating relatively independent. The cumulative number of local branch unions will remain the same at 1,120, with each retaining its autonomy. A proportional delegate Congress will be seated every five years, with the Congress electing a General Council and Executive Committee. The General Council, in turn, would elect Sectoral Executive Committees and Sectoral Directors. 
 
In Kemianliitto&rsquo;s endorsement of the merger, the union said TEAM would constitute an adequate counterforce to current employer power. &ldquo;A big union would be stronger and more efficient in safeguarding membership interest both locally, nationally, and internationally. The smaller sectors would benefit from the strength of a big union. Regional activities would gain more efficiency, and the expertise available within the union would benefit all.&rdquo;

Voting Begins on 6-Way Union Merger in Finland

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Dutch delegates to the recent two-day Congress of FNV Bondgenoten re-elected Henk van der Kolk as chairman of the largest trade union in The Netherlands. The Congress was held in Rotterdam. 
 
Also re-elected were General Secretary Ellen Dekkers, Federal Secretary Anja Jongbloed, and Treasurer Willem Noordham. The end of the Congress on 30 January thus began third terms for this leadership team. 

<img height="130" alt="" src="" width="166" />
Henk van der Kolk FNV Bondgenoten Chairman
In his speech to open the Congress, van der Kolk called on Dutch social partners to initiate a new employment scheme come 1 March when the Working Hours Reduction plan expires. That plan was initially put in place in November 2008 to address the financial crisis, and was extended in January. It allows distressed companies to reduce the hours of workers, with those workers assured of receiving full pay through state funds. 
 
&ldquo;There must be something new after March 1,&rdquo; van der Kolk said, adding the crisis likely will continue throughout 2009 and into 2010. He said the government must be committed to re-training and job creation. He also warned the Social Affairs and Employment minister not to increase the pension age. 
 
Van der Kolk has headed Bondgenoten since the end of 2002, prior to which he was a director for the national centre, FNV. From 1989 to 1997, he worked for the General Union of Education Staff, the predecessor union to Algemene Onderwijsbond (AOb).

FNV Bondgenoten Congress Re-Elects Henk van der Kolk for 4-Year Term

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