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More killings to Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) leaders happened in Baghdad late in February. The ICEM condemns these cowardly acts and expresses support and sincere condolences to the IFTU. On 18 February, Ali Hassan Abd (Abu Fahad), a leader of the Oil and Gas Workers&rsquo; Union at Baghdad&rsquo;s Al Doura refinery, was shot and killed in front of his young children outside his home. On 24 February, gunmen attacked and killed Ahmed Adris Abass of IFTU affiliate Transport and Communications Union in Martyr&rsquo;s Square.

ICEM Condemns Murders of Iraqi Trade Unionists

A near-fatal death attempt in Colombia on the life of another trade union leader occurred 2 March. Rafael Cabarcas Cabarcas, a key leader of ICEM ally Uni&oacute;n Sindical Obrera de la Industria Del Petr&oacute;leo (USO), was seriously injured when assassins riding a motorcycle opened fire on him and a bodyguard outside Funfedhin Institute of Education in Cartagena. A bullet entered the neck of Cabarcas and lodged in his jaw, while the bodyguard was shot in the abdomen. Cabarcas had been a member of the National Executive of USO during last spring&rsquo;s successful strike against Ecopetrol, a strike in which ICEM spearheaded international support and attention. USO had warned the government of death threats against its leaders since the end of that strike and despite the fact that the Organisation of American States had recommended security tighter measures for USO leaders, none were put in place.

Assassination Attempt on Colombian Oil Union Leader

In Canada, affiliate Communications, Energy and Paperworkers (CEP) is holding a rally today in the New Brunswick town of Miramichi over UPM Kymmene&rsquo;s September announcement that it would shutter a kraft pulp mill at year&rsquo;s end, thus costing 400 workers their jobs. CEO contends the Finnish firm has a legal responsibility to operate the mill it purchased in year 2000 because of a signed agreement to preserve manufacturing jobs in exchange for three Crown licenses granting the firm harvesting rights on government timberlands.

CEP Intent on Keeping Canadian Pulp Mill Open

The latest development in the paper strike in Miramichi, New Brunswick, Canada is that a two-day blockade by 500 picketers at the mill ended 16 February when the number of picketers was scaled back again to six, as before. The dispute is between Finland&rsquo;s UPM Kymmene and 770 members of ICEM affiliate Communications, Energy and Paperworkers (CEP) Union, who have been on strike since 16 December 2004. The workers sought to maintain pressure on the company to delay dismantling of an economically viable kraft pulp mill across the Miramichi River from the paper mill. Some 65 managers claim they were trapped inside the mill for over 24 hours, even though CEP local 689 maintains strikers never refused anyone wishing to exit the mill to leave, as long as they did so on foot. A day after the action on 17 February, a company representative stated demolition of the pulp mill would begin early this week.

Strikers Block UPM Kymmene’s Pulp Mill in Canada

The ICEM has written to French-based energy concern Total asking the company to rethink its position concerning investment in Burma. As one of the few remaining large foreign investors in Burma, Total&rsquo;s business enterprises prop the country&rsquo;s dictatorial junta behind a constant flow of foreign currency. Burma is a country that spends over 40% of its national budget on military expenditures, while 0.4% of GDP is spent on health and education. The letter anticipates an upcoming high profile NGO campaign against Total because of its links with Burma.

Total Must Disinvest from Burma’s Military Junta

The ICEM's North American Regional Coordinating Committee on 17 February pledged its support to the USWA in these talks. The ICEM will urge the company to negotiate a new contract consistent with the standards already set with other tyre makers, and will take global action to support the USWA in win a fair and just labour agreement. The ICEM NA committee also took action urging German rubber company Continental to back down from its concessionary agenda in mid-term reopening contract talks with the USWA. The ICEM is calling on Continental to also face its contractual obligations on pay and benefits over the company's plant closing of a Mayfield, Kentucky, tyre facility.

North American ICEM Region Takes Action Over Tyre Stalemates

Leaders from the Botswana Mining Workers&rsquo; Union face continued legal harassment by Debswana, the diamond-mining joint venture between DeBeers and the government of Botswana. The union faces a 15 October deadline to file affidavits on why leaders should not face jail terms. Debswana is seeking jail sentences of the leaders over a two-week strike staged by some union members at Debswana despite a BMWU plea to continue bargaining. Debswana had received a positive ruling from a Botswana&rsquo;s Industrial Court in early August declaring any strike illegal. The ruling came at the peak of a bitter wage dispute.

Debswana Taking Hard Line Against Botswana’s Miners

Malaysian ICEM affiliates together with national center MTUC conducted nationwide pickets on 28 September protesting the government&rsquo;s lack of response over complaints on failure to implement ILO Convention 87. Malaysian unions have been beset by undue court delays over union recognition and collective bargaining cases, and by ministerial delays over trade union disputes that include worker discharge cases. The government has ignored the calls for response and instead has introduced further restrictions on trade union activity.

Malaysian Unions Protest Government’s Labor Rights Abuses

Shell Employees Union of Batangas, an independent and fearless rank-and-file trade union at Shell in the Philippines, threatened to strike a refinery in Batangas Province over the company&rsquo;s proposal to place a moratorium on wage increases. In mid-September, the Philippines labour secretary took jurisdiction of the dispute, a move objected to by the 100-member union. Shell has placed the future of the 100,000 b/d refinery in jeopardy and the refinery&rsquo;s general manager said at the weekend that it suffers from insignificant investment by the super-major. Shell&rsquo;s Tabangao refinery is one of only two refineries in the Philippines.

Philippines Union Threatens to Take On Shell Over Wages

<p>
	Dutch citizens are expressing themselves in mass dissent at the center-right coalition government&rsquo;s austerity measures that targets valued social programs. Led by trade unions such as ICEM affiliate FNV Bondgenoten, some 300,000&mdash;better than three times the expected number&mdash;protested in Amsterdam 2 October. A full spread on the protests in NL will be featured in the upcoming issue of the ICEM print magazine Global-Info.</p>

300,000 Dutch Citizens Turn Out to Say &#039;No&#039; to Social Cuts

Archive

ICEM Condemns Murders of Iraqi Trade Unionists

Assassination Attempt on Colombian Oil Union Leader

CEP Intent on Keeping Canadian Pulp Mill Open

Strikers Block UPM Kymmene’s Pulp Mill in Canada

Total Must Disinvest from Burma’s Military Junta

North American ICEM Region Takes Action Over Tyre Stalemates

Debswana Taking Hard Line Against Botswana’s Miners

Malaysian Unions Protest Government’s Labor Rights Abuses

Philippines Union Threatens to Take On Shell Over Wages

300,000 Dutch Citizens Turn Out to Say 'No' to Social Cuts

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