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Union leaders at DeBeers&rsquo; operations in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa met in Cape Town the week of 22 November for a globalisation school, and concluded the week with strong support for workers victimized by Debswana, the joint venture between DeBeers and Botswana&rsquo;s government. At a Diamond Employees Network meeting on 27-28 November, the leaders pledged to work through individual DeBeers worksites in the three countries to urge the company to drop charges against 451 Debswana workers, members of the Botswana Mining Workers&rsquo; Union (BMWU) who participated in a strike last August.

Union Leaders from DeBeers Hold Conference

On the weekend prior to the ICEM, the ILO and a mining employers&rsquo; trade group signing a historic pact on mine safety and health 1 December with the Chinese State Administration of Work Safety, a Chinese labour union, and other Chinese industrial groups, the worst coal mine disaster in over four years occurred in China killing 166 miners. A gas explosion at the state-owned Chenjiashan mine in Shaanxi Province caused the 28 November catastrophe.

Worst Coal Mine Disaster in Four Years Occurs in China

ICEM&rsquo;s North American Regional Coordinating Committee, chaired by PACE Vice President Don Langham, elected one trade unionist to the GUF&rsquo;s Presidium and another to the Executive at a meeting in the US 10 November. Ken Neumann, National Canadian Director of the United Steelworkers of America (USWA), replaces the retiring Lawrence McBrearty of the USWA on the Presidium while Terence O&rsquo;Sullivan, General President of the Laborers&rsquo; International Union of North America (LIUNA), takes a seat on the Executive Committee.

ICEM’s North American Region Elects New Presidium Member

Engineering, Printing &amp; Manufacturing Union National Secretary Andrew Little said New Zealand&rsquo;s current high growth, healthy company profits, and a tight skilled-labour jobs market make &ldquo;the perfect conditions for wage growth.&rdquo; In calling for more and better levels of collective bargaining, Little said with economic growth nearing 4%, &ldquo;working people should be getting pay raises of at least that much. Instead, they&rsquo;re getting 2.5%.&rdquo;

EPMU Charts Wage Growth Course in New Zealand

Durban Roodeport Deep (DRD), the anti-worker South African gold producer, rejected out of hand affiliate NUM&rsquo;s viable plan to save jobs and create opportunities at the East Rand Proprietary Mines (ERPM). The union proposed to switch to high volume at the ore-rich mines near Boksburg. The mine operator, citing the high Rand, is intent on phasing out operations over the next ten months, affecting the livelihoods of 2,600 miners. DRD has already reduced pumping operations which could endanger the surrounding area. DRD is the managing partner and 40% ERPM stakeholder in the enterprise called Crown Gold Resources Ltd. With Khumo Bathong Holdings as majority holder.

Durban Deep Rejects NUM’s Plan for Job Preservation

Russian unions took to the streets 10 June in dozens of cities to demonstrate against proposed legislation to replace health care, utility and transportation benefits for retirees and disabled citizens with nonindexed cash payouts. Hundreds of concerned groups, led by the Federation of Independent Unions, fear the proposed added monthly supplement will be eaten away by inflation and price hikes to essential services. The measure will receive a first reading in the State Duma 2 July, and more protests are assured including a possible national strike in September if the proposal isn&rsquo;t defeated.

Russian Unions Protest Social Cutbacks

Ecuadorian management of Swiss-based cement producer Holcim Group fired 90 workers for attempting to form a union in the South American country. The sacked workers are seeking international help in asserting their right to organize, both with government officials and with the company. ICEM is coordinating action with Swiss affiliate Syndicat Industrie &amp; B&acirc;timent (SIB).

Cement Giant Holcim Sacks Workers in Ecuador

Trade union leaders from ten sub-Saharan African nations met at the NUM&rsquo;s Elijah Barayi Training Center outside Johannesburg in May to discuss forming a Workers&rsquo; Network of Eskom employees. Utility union leaders from Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe&mdash;along with representatives of the electricity provider&mdash;were present. Agreement was reached to launch a study tour to the countries to determine actual working terms and conditions of Eskom workers in each nation.

African Unions Formulate Plans for Eskom Utility Network

ICEM sent condolences to Pakistan affiliate WAPDA Labour Union over a gas explosion 25 May that killed 17 miners at the Sunjidi coal mine in Balachistian province. The area is rich in coal reserves, but the mines have notoriously poor safety records. A private company which leases land from the government operates the Sunjidi mine. ICEM is calling on the Pakistani government to put in place more stringent health and safety controls.

Gas Blast in Pakistan Coal Mine Kills 17

A strike by North American affiliate USWA has shut operations at a Michelin plant in Canada. The strike, begun 1 June by 1,000 members of USWA Local 677 in Kitchener, Ontario, is over company proposals to cut pay and health benefits of current workers and future retirees at the profit-making auto and light-truck tyre plant. The facility is a former B.F. Goodrich tyre plant, which French-based Groupe Michelin purchased in 1986.

USWA Members in Canada Strike Michelin

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