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

Regional offices

About us

Global worker No1 2022

Global worker No2 2022

Publications

Resources

Press

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
In late September, the ICEM continued to carry out reinvigorated activities in its Middle East/North Africa Region (MENA) by organising a workshop for chemicals and petrochemical unions of the region. The two-day set of workshops, sponsored by the Friedrich-Ebert (FES) Foundation of Germany, were held in Beirut, Lebanon, on 28-29 September. 
 
Energy and particularly oil have been one of the major driving forces of the economies of the region, and of ICEM activities in MENA of late. But in addition, the region has increased its overall production capacity in petrochemicals, specifically ethylene and its derivatives such as polyethylene and ethylene glycol. 
 
The joint ICEM-FES workshops were entitled, &ldquo;A Seminar on Reinforcing Trade Union Representation, Industrial Relations, and Social Dialogue in the Petrochemical Industry in MENA.&rdquo; The seminar was chaired by Suleiman Hamdan, President of Chemical Workers Union of Lebanon. 

<img src="" width="332" height="89" alt="" />
It was attended by 30 participants from Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Palestine, Turkey, and France. Following a presentation by ICEM Chemicals and Rubber Officer Kemal &Ouml;zkan, entitled &ldquo;Main Developments and Global Challenges in the Global Chemical &amp; Petrochemical Industry,&rdquo; the seminar received reports from individual countries. 
 
The workshop was called &ldquo;Global Dimension of Industrial Relations: International Mechanisms, Social Dialogue, Global Framework Agreements, and Global/Regional Networks&rdquo;. Another session &ldquo;The Rising New Threat to Working Conditions: Precarious Employment,&rdquo; focused on the ICEM&rsquo;s global campaign on Contract and Agency Labour. 

<img src="" width="146" height="66" alt="" />
At the end of the meeting, the participants decided to create an &quot;ICEM MENA Region Chemical/Petrochemical Sectoral Network,&quot; with a series of suggestions for future follow-up activities. Those include social dialogue and industrial relations; labour legislation and international instruments; multinational companies in the sector; Contract and Agency Labour and precarious employment; and Health, Safety, and Environmental issues. 
 
&ldquo;This is a new area of work for the ICEM in the MENA Region,&rdquo; said &Ouml;zkan. &ldquo;The enthusiasm and readiness which participants displayed at this seminar shows there is great potential for a MENA network of petrochemical unions. Reinforcing activities in areas of industrial production and manufacture will be one of the priorities of ICEM in the region.&rdquo;

Middle East, North African Chemical Unions Form Network

<img alt="" src="" width="100" height="39" />
The Mexican government of President Felipe Calder&oacute;n Hinojosa surprised many nine days ago by sending federal agents and police in to take over the country&rsquo;s second largest electrical power distributor, Luz y Fuerza del Centro (LyFC) or Central Light and Power. Calder&oacute;n used an executive decree to dissolve the debt-ridden utility, but in doing so he also sacked the entire 60,000 LyFC workforce, and disbanded their union, the 95 year old, Mexican Electrical Workers&rsquo; Union (SME). 
 
The action to bust SME disturbed many in the global union movement, as well as activist groups that monitor trade union rights within Mexico, but did not come as a surprise, considering the repressive measures taken by Calder&oacute;n against trade unions. 

<img alt="" src="" width="329" height="210" />
In July, SME members re-elected Secretary-General Mart&iacute;n Esparza, but the government has refused to certify the election, citing voting irregularities. But the real reason for the government&rsquo;s elimination of SME is the union leadership&rsquo;s opposition to Calder&oacute;n&rsquo;s economic policies, specifically regarding privatisation of the utility. Not incidentally, Esparza&rsquo;s opponent in last summer&rsquo;s elections, Alejandro Munoz, has joined with Esparza in condemning the takeover and has pledged to resist the dissolution. 
 
In a joint letter last week to Calder&oacute;n by the ICEM and the International Metalworkers&rsquo; Federation (IMF), General Secretaries Manfred Warda and Jyrki Raina called the action &ldquo;retaliatory because the leadership of the union opposed your anti-worker, anti-societal economic policies.&rdquo; See the letter <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/67%20ICEM%20IMF%20letter%20to%20Mr%20Calderon%20-%20Mexico%20-%2015Oct09.pdf">here</a>. 
 
The non-affiliated SME, which has not taken many strides to join the global trade union movement, deserves the support of unions everywhere because it has now become a victim of the current Mexican government&rsquo;s systematic plan to eliminate any workers&rsquo; group which stands in the way of business interests and unencumbered markets. 

<img alt="" src="" width="310" height="212" />
The SME has vowed to resist through peaceful methods the late-night, 10 October takeover, which was carried out by military police. The government has already offered redundancy packages, with the maximum up to 33 months pay, and said it would recall 10,000 of the electrical workers. But the SME has urged workers to reject the packages, and to participate in peaceful manifestations, the latest of which occurred on 15 October, when 100,000 people marched through Mexico City and gathered in the City&rsquo;s main square the Zocalo. The full day of large scale demonstration passed without incident and was widely supported in the capital, including from the left-wing city government. 
 
The huge manifestation of 15 October coincided with an international trade union forum on the issue of Multinational Corporations and their Protection Collective Agreements, sponsored by the Friedrich-Ebert (FES) Foundation of Germany. The contracts represent an enormous obstacle to free trade unionism in Mexico, and allow companies to sign &lsquo;collective&rsquo; agreements on work conditions and salaries, without including workers in negotiations, and without workers even being aware of the agreement made in their name. Calder&oacute;n&rsquo;s government encourages this practice and continues to block new democratic unions by repeatedly delaying official recognition for years, blacklisting trade unionists, and allowing company managements to act with impunity. The Forum issued a statement of solidarity with the SME. 

<img alt="" src="" width="324" height="180" />
A noteworthy statistic in Mexico is that 95% of companies have a collective agreement, whereas union membership in the country is at 10%, clearly the vast majority of collective agreements are signed with yellow unions. Many union leaders are millionaires, due to mafia-style deals with management. Visit the campaign website <a href="http://www.democraciaylibertadsindical.org.mex">here</a>.&nbsp; 
 
The Calder&oacute;n government has temporarily rolled LyFC&rsquo;s day to day operations into the country&rsquo;s largest utility, the Federal Electricity Commission, from which LyFC buys most of its generated capacity, but the speculation is that LyFC will now be sold to private sources. LyFC serves Mexico City and portions of the surrounding states of Mexico, Hidalgo, Morelos, and Puebla.

Mexican Government Shuts Major Electric Utility, Crushes Trade Union SME

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
The Global Labour University (GLU), together with the ILO, recently founded the International Centre for Development and Decent Work (ICDD). The centre announced last week that it is offering 20 PhD scholarships for students from developing and transition countries. 
 
The ICDD is an interdisciplinary and international scientific network, with headquarters at the University of Kassel, Germany, which works with partner universities in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. 

<img src="" width="98" height="91" alt="" />
The PhD school will offer three areas of research: Sustainable Value Creation for Decent Work; Instruments for Promoting Decent Work; and Strategies of Empowerment for Decent Work. 
 
Applicants for the scholarships are encouraged to apply soon, with a deadline scheduled for 15 November 2009. The start date for the programme is 1 March 2010. 
 
Visit GLU&rsquo;s website <a href="http://www.global-labour-univeristy.org">here</a>.&nbsp; 
 
Find more details, and the application form, visit the link <a href="http://www.global-labour-university.org/fileadmin/download/ICDD_Graduate_School_Call_for_Applications.pdf ">here</a>.

GLU’s Centre to Offer Decent Work PhD Scholarships

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
The ICEM Paperworkers&rsquo; Union affiliate in Indonesia, Federasi Serikat Pekerja Pulp dan Kertas (FSP2KI), 
conducted its Third National Meeting in Jakarta from 15-18 October, with generous support from Svenska Pappers, the Swedish Paperworkers Union. 
 
The six-year-old union, a federation of nine mill-level branch unions, identified future goals and objectives, and heard the parameters and expectations involved in a proposed three-year project sponsored by Pappers. Eleven executive-board members of FSP2KI attended, while four other delegates expected to attend from the Japanese-owned Marubeni pulp mill of Musi at PT Tanjunggenim Lestari in South Sumatra were detained by management and ordered to undertake military training near the mill. 
 
Besides a representative from Pappers, Mikke Sterbeck, other union guests included Bala Somahsundram from the Paper and Paper Products Manufacturing Employees&rsquo; Union of Malaysia (PPMEU), Alex Millar and Tim Woods of the Pulp and Paperworkers Branch of Australia&rsquo;s Construction, Forestry, Mining, and Energy Union (CFMEU), Dave Schaub of the Communications, Paperworkers, and Energy (CEP) Union of Canada, and representation from the ICEM. 

<img src="" width="276" height="207" alt="" />
A featured speaker at the meetings was D. Patombong Saiful, President of the ICEM-affiliated Chemical, Energy, Mine, Gas Workers&rsquo; Union (FSP-KEP) of Indonesia. Brother Saiful gave an in-depth review of the Indonesian labour situation, specifically the difficulty to implement labour laws already in place and the problems brought on by flexible labour markets. 
 
Saiful said of 34 million workers in Indonesia, only five million are union members, with the number of labour federations &ndash; 93 &ndash; &ldquo;too many,&rdquo; and a definite need to consolidate. He said the world financial institutions have pushed for flexible labour markets, with the result being a rise in fixed-term contracts, subcontracting, and labour suppliers or agencies. 
 
The ICEM asked leaders of FSP2KI to join either one of two of the three labour confederations in Indonesia, and all pulp and paper guests at the meetings encouraged FSP2KI to further develop its internal structures and forge ties with other pulp and paper unions of Indonesia. The proposed Pappers project for 2010 to 2012 has established a goal of increasing the number of branch unions to 19, and growing the current 14,600 membership to 19,600. 
 
FSP2KI&rsquo;s largest membership currently comes in Asia Pulp and Paper&rsquo;s (APP) PT Pinto Deli mills in Karawang, APP&rsquo;s PT Indah Kiat tissue mill in Tangerang, West Java, Asia Pacific Resources International&rsquo;s (APRIL) PT Riau mills, the PT Lontar tissue mill in Jambi, Sumatra, and Marubeni&rsquo;s mill in Kab. Muara Enim, South Sumatra.

FSP2KI Pulp/Paper Union in Indonesia Holds National Meeting

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
On 27 October in Oslo, Norway, the ICEM, together with affiliate Fellesforbundet, conducted a review of the Global Framework Agreement (GFA) with Norske Skog, the global publication and coated papers producer. Signed initially in June 2002, the agreement is considered one of the better ones that the ICEM is signatory to. 
 
No changes were made regarding the language of the GFA last week, but the three partners did discuss several industry specific items, including company efforts to reduce operating costs of mills. Over the past 14 months, Norske Skog idled a number of paper machines and sold off entire mills, including four in China and Korea. 

<img src="" width="260" height="207" alt="" />
Christian Rynning-T&oslash;nnesen and Manfred Warda at the signing
Due to decreased demand of newsprint and directory papers, the company since 2007 has reduced its employment rolls from 10,000 to 6,000 workers, with five fewer pulp and paper mills than the 18 it had then. The company did say that at one such shutdown, the &Scaron;teti mill in the Czech Republic, it succeeded in placing 70% of the 225 furloughed workers in similar paying jobs. 
 
ICEM, Fellesforbundet, and senior Norske Skog leadership, including President and CEO Christian Rynning-T&oslash;nnesen, did discuss new bio-fuels business opportunities that the company is working toward, as well as the upcoming, March 2010, Global Employee Forum at the firm&rsquo;s headquarters in Lysaker, Norway, near Oslo. 

<img src="" width="260" height="132" alt="" />
From left: Norske Skog Chief Steward K&aring;re Leira, Fellesforbundet; Axel Thuve and Kristin Klitzing, Norske Skog Vice Presidents; President and CEO Christian Rynning-T&oslash;nnesen; the ICEM&rsquo;s Warda; and Hans-Christian Gabrielsen, Second Vice President, Fellesforbundet 
The agreement contains specific language respecting freedom of association and collective bargaining, health and safety, as well as language regarding placing a priority on permanent employment, with temporary and part-time employment based on &ldquo;the same relative terms and conditions as fulltime permanent employees.&rdquo; 
 
The only change reflected the ICEM&rsquo;s change of office headquarters from Brussels to Geneva. The full agreement, in English, can be viewed <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/Norske%20Skog%20agreement%2009.pdf">here</a>.

ICEM Re-Signs Global Agreement with Paper Company Norske Skog

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
The ICEM held a regional conference in S&atilde;o Paulo from 27-29 October to consolidate activities in the region. The conference was called &ldquo;ICEM &ndash; A Modern, Dynamic and Efficient Organisation,&rdquo; and was attended by 25 trade union leaders from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Uruguay, and the Dominican Republic. 
 
One of the aims of the conference was to integrate the unions of the former World Federation of Industrial Workers (WFIW), who had joined ICEM at the 2007 Congress. The other aim was to develop programmes for young workers and women. 

<img src="" width="220" height="125" alt="" />
Italo Rodomonti, centre
Italo Rodomonti, ICEM Vice-President, gave a presentation on trade union democracy and representation, which explained why strengthened trade union structures are a question of democracy. It cannot be that those who are dissatisfied with one union find another, he said. Democracy is not advanced by a proliferation of trade unions, but by the idea to have fewer and better and stronger trade unions. Trade union leaders must never forget those whom they represent, said Rodomonti. 
 
Working groups met on the topic of trade union democracy and came up with the following conclusions: 
&bull; Women and young people must be incorporated in greater numbers in ICEM and its affiliated unions; 
&bull; Training and education continue to be important, and train the trainer programs must be given priority. Every union must have its own education programme; 
&bull; Neoliberalism and multinationals continue to dominate the agenda. Neoliberalism had nefarious effects on young people because they are more individualistic and have no relation to trade unions. Overcoming these trends is part of the challenge that has to be met in attracting young people to join unions; 
&bull; Trade unions continue to be weak. Emphasis still has to be put on recruitment. Trade unions still suffer from financial weaknesses and non-payment of dues. These challenges must be overcome; 
&bull; Migrant and workers employed in the informal sector are more and more present, and ICEM must develop policies to address issues faced by workers in these groups; 
&bull; Communication has to be improved; meetings and communication with the assistance of SKYPE are being investigated for the regional committee. 

<img src="" width="120" height="180" alt="" />
Sergio Novais
ICEM Vice-President for Latin America and the Caribbean, Sergio Novais, made a presentation on ICEM programmes and structures. One of the main priorities in the region is on workers&rsquo; networks. The networks are one way of controlling multinationals which have become more powerful than some governments in the region. 
 
ICEM must attempt to tackle the areas where it does hold power to change things, leaving the general work with governments up to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). As always, sub-contracting and outsourcing were major themes of discussion. 
 
A new project is soon to be launched with the help of the Spanish ISCOD to train 60 women across the region in negotiating skills. The pulp and paper project sponsored by Finnish SASK for the Mercosur countries of Latin America also was discussed. 
 
It is worth remembering that the process of trade union consolidation is ongoing &ndash; the process begun with the merger between the ICFTU and the WCL is continuing. The ICEM is leading the work to consolidate the international trade union federations with work on cooperation with the International Metalworkers Federation (IMF) and the International Textile, Garment, and Leather Workers&rsquo; Federation (ITGLWF). The WFIW&rsquo;s regional organisation, FLATIC, will be joining the ICEM regional committee with six additional members, two of whom will be women. 

<img src="" width="80" height="104" alt="" />
The meeting expressed its concern over the disregard on behalf of the provincial government in Chubut, Argentina, on the collective agreement with the utility union, Luz y Fuerza. The provincial government is defying all national and international standards and agreements governing freedom of association and the right to collective bargain. 
 
The meeting also adopted the following resolution on Honduras. It reads, in part: 
 
&ldquo;ICEM regional committee, meeting in S&atilde;o Paulo, Brazil, aware of the political situation prevailing in the sister republic of Honduras in the wake of the reactionary military coup which overthrew the democratically elected government of Honduras, denounces the following: 
 
&ldquo;The majority will of the people has been attacked in the service of obscure economic interests that are hostile to the country. Workers and their trade unions and popular organizations have been repressed. 
 
&ldquo;Therefore the regional committee, representing delegates from eight countries, agrees the following: 
 
&ldquo;To call upon all democratic countries in the international community to not recognize the de facto government nor the elections called by it; to pass on our militant solidarity to the men and women workers and their trade unions; to promote a campaign of concrete solidarity with the people of Honduras and to denounce this situation at the ILO and before other workers&rsquo; organizations, ensuring that a copy of these declarations are sent to the trade unions in Honduras.&rdquo; 
 
Finally, on 29 October, a meeting was held to discuss the new energy project which will soon start with the support of the Spanish foundation Paz y Solidaridad. The meetings in S&atilde;o Paulo were held in a spirit of camaraderie and solidarity. Many thanks to the Dutch FNV, as well as to Belgian affiliate CSC Energie Chimie for their support of the meetings.

ICEM’s Latin America/Caribbean Regional Delegates Meet in São Paulo Last Week

<img alt="" src="" width="100" height="39" />
The ICEM&rsquo;s Sub-Sahara Africa Regional Organisation (SSARO), with the support of Germany&rsquo;s Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES), conducted a very successful workshop on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Lusaka, Zambia, on 19-20 October. Participants from 12 countries, representing unions organising in the extractive industries, shared information on the impact of FDI in the mining and energy sectors. 
 
The participants were enriched with the input of a number of presenters, mainly from Zambia who gave excellent presentations on the subject. Trade unionists agreed on the need for FDI in the region, but realised that such investment, left unchecked, can do more damage than good if trade unions do not engage both Chinese and western-based multinationals on the inherent need to respect workers&rsquo; rights, communities, the environment, and to ensure that governments &ndash; on behalf of the population &ndash; benefits from FDI. 
 
It was further realised that unions and other stakeholders must guide against FDI corrupting governments and political leaders. 

<img alt="" src="" width="250" height="115" />
The workshop undertook to examine the shortfalls stemming from a similar ICEM workshop held in 2008 in Accra, Ghana. The failures were mainly on the issues of implementation and lack of communication, thus October&rsquo;s Zambian workshop undertook to do better in those areas. This recent workshop pledged to follow through with the resolutions adopted at the Ghana workshop, and further resolved to undertake the following: 
 
Data: All participating unions and other unions must send data to the SSARO regional office in Johannesburg with the following information: companies organised, sectors involved, ownership of companies, numbers of members in that company, unorganised workers in that company, and does the union have an agreement with the company? 
 
Legislation: Is there any legislation governing multinationals in the respective African countries? Is the legislation implemented and acted upon by the companies? Are the laws being reviewed, and if yes, when and are the difficulties? Are unions involved in the review? If not, why? If yes, how often does the review take place, and how do unions influence. All affiliates of the ICEM must take part in the reviews and try to influence the direction of the review and the outcome. 
 
Pan-African Standards: There must be Pan African Standards set that will be enforced by all countries in the region. There must be a model that will be applicable to regulate the operations of FDI, specifically Chinese investments. Efforts must be made by ICEM affiliates to ensure uniformity in terms of working conditions and economic emancipation. There is also a need for ICEM affiliates to promote effective networks in terms of information sharing, joint campaigns, and solidarity. There should be social dialogue between civil society, government, communities, and other stakeholders by assuring that there is adherence to all the laws governing FDI. 
 
Organising and Building Power: Strengthening our collaboration with NGOs to forge links and cooperation to confront the challenges posed by FDI /Chinese investments. Strengthening solidarity campaigns in terms of confronting the challenges. A need to strengthen the coordination mechanism of the ICEM in the region to effectively coordinate campaigns and solidarity, and to lobby our governments to support the position of labour and communities on these campaigns. 
 
Promote Corporate Social Responsibility and Awareness: To establish buy-in by the community and promote networking among trade unions. 
 
Campaigns: Determining which campaigns to take up and when, and when doing so, to lobby governments for direct involvement of trade unions in negotiation of agreements aimed at acquisition of raw materials and mineral rights; to lobby for transparency in these agreements; to lobby and demand labour rights, human rights, community and environmental standards in these agreements. 
 
In doing such, it is important to monitor International Finance Corporation/World Bank Performance standards, the ILO core labour standards, and standards set by the employer-based International Council of Mining and Metals (ICMM). As well, there must be a commitment to follow through with the resolutions adopted by SSARO, such as letter to CEOs and the lobbying of governments. 
 
As an example of such campaigns, a day of mobilisation at Chinese embassies in Africa was suggested. This would include coordinated press conferences and protests on specific practices of Chinese employers and it would encompass support to ICEM affiliates which undertake actions against mining employers. (As an example, support to the Mineworkers&rsquo; Union of Zambia in its efforts to organise a Chinese mine. As well, the ICEM will develop a model labour standard to be incorporated into agreements to acquire raw materials.

Sub-Saharan Africa Region of ICEM Holds Workshop on Foreign Direct Investment

<img alt="" src="" width="100" height="39" />
Tens of thousands of Nigerian citizens took to the streets in the federal capital territory of Abuja on 29 October in a visible display at protest over the government&rsquo;s plan to deregulate the downstream oil sector. The manifestation was led by the nation&rsquo;s two national labour centres, the blue-collar Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the white-collar Trades Union Congress (TUC). 
 
Both ICEM trade union affiliates in the energy sector, NUPENG and PENGASSAN, were forefront in the manifestation, turning out thousands of members. The government&rsquo;s plan to deregulate also would end fuel subsidies to the nation&rsquo;s citizenry, an insensitive move that would &ndash; the labour federations claim &ndash; immediately lift fuel costs from 65 naira per litre (US$.43) to 95 naira (US$.63). 

<img alt="" src="" width="160" height="239" />
Three Arms Monument at the National Assembly
Such an increase on heating, cooking, and transport fuel costs would drive millions of people in Africa&rsquo;s most populous country deeper into poverty. 
 
Last Thursday&rsquo;s protest culminated at the Three Arms Zone in front of the National Assembly, where union and civil society leaders delivered a letter intended for President Umaru Musa Yar&rsquo;Adua. It called on the government to conduct a citizens&rsquo; referendum on the question of deregulation. 
 
The letter was jointly signed by NLC President Abdulwahed Omar, TUC President Peter Esele, and Dr. Dipo Hasfhina, co-chairman of the Labour and Civil Society Coalition. The manifestation started at Berger Junction in Abuja and marched passed several key buildings, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC) Towers, the Court of Appeals, and the Nigerian Television Authority, locations where the march halted for rallying speeches. 

<img alt="" src="" width="320" height="213" />
Both NUPENG and PENGASSAN believe that deregulation can only occur when there is increased local refining capacity from Nigeria&rsquo;s five oil refineries. NUPENG President Peter Akpatason said deregulating the downstream sector would allow shadowy marketers to limit supplies, thus boosting prices and their profits, &ldquo;spelling misery to the teeming poor of the country.&rdquo; 
<img alt="" src="" width="120" height="90" />
NUPENG President Peter Akpatason
Withdrawing fuel subsidies, he added, when the domestic market is dependent on 80% imported supplies is a recipe for civil strife. The country&rsquo;s refineries have a combined stated capacity of 445,000 barrels-per-day, but have never operated at that due to neglect, negligible NNPC and government capitalisation, and lack of reliable feedstock supplies. Even if run at full optimisation, the refineries would produce just barely half of the 32 million litres of petrol, kerosene, and other fuel products demanded daily. 
 
PENGASSAN President Babatunde Ogun also expressed skepticism at the current government process toward deregulation. &ldquo;We vehemently reject import-driven deregulation. We need the free and uninterrupted flow of petroleum products across the country,&rdquo; he said, adding that means the government must focus on developing more domestic refining capacity and creating jobs for Nigerians. 

<img alt="" src="" width="140" height="210" />
PENGASSAN President Babatunde Ogun
A major complaint by labour and civil service leaders is the arrogance of Rilwanu Lukman, Nigeria&rsquo;s Minister of Petroleum Resources, who has concluded publicly that deregulation and the end of price subsidies is now irreversible. His neo-liberal thinking, some believe, is tied to his own relationships with marketers. 
 
The mass number of Nigerians who assembled last week in Abuja resent the government&rsquo;s fast-track effort to deregulate oil supplies. As NLC President Abdulwahed Omar said at one rally stop, &ldquo;Nigeria belongs to all of us and if the government is for the people, then the voice of the people must count. If they think that deregulation is a popular policy, let them subject it to a referendum and let Nigerians decide.&rdquo; 
 
Although the government has been silent on the exact date that liberalisation would occur, indicators such as vessel arrivals and ramping up supply access signal that perhaps it will be soon. But following last week&rsquo;s mass mobilization, the government may very well have backed off immediate deregulation and an end to subsidies until more public discourse is heard.

Nigerian Labour, Citizenry Protest to Fuel Oil Deregulation

<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
In this issue of the ICEM HIV/AIDS newsletter, we call on ICEM affiliates to get involved in activities on World AIDS Day (1 December) and report, among others, on the International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific and the road towards an ILO instrument on HIV/AIDS and the world of work. 
 
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 

<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
World AIDS Day 2009 &ndash; Call on ICEM Affiliates to be Active 
 
As every year, World AIDS Day will be held on 1 December. ICEM affiliates must plan their participation in national activities now. 
 
The theme of this year&rsquo;s World AIDS Day is Universal Access and Human Rights. Campaign material is designed with the &ldquo;I AM&rdquo; theme, adopting the key slogans: I am accepted; I am safe; I am getting treatment; I am well and I am living my rights. 
 
Supporting material &ndash; four posters and two postcards &ndash; has been made available by the World AIDS Campaign. These can be downloaded from their website <a href="http://www.worldaidscampaign.org">www.worldaidscampaign.org</a>. Hardcopies, which are available in English, Spanish, French, and Russian, can also be ordered from the ICEM. Please send an email to <a href="mailto:hiv.aids@icem.org">hiv.aids@icem.org</a> indicating language and number of copies (deadline 23 October). 
<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
HIV/AIDS and the World of Work &ndash; ILO Consultations 
 
The ILO has recently transmitted to Governments the text of the proposed new Recommendation on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work. The text is contained in the Third Report and it has been prepared by the ILO on the basis of the first discussion at the 98th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) in June 2009. The Governments are now requested to inform the ILO about amendments to suggest, or comments to make, and to inform the ILO whether they consider that the proposed text provides a satisfactory basis for the second discussion by the Conference at its 99th Session in June 2010. The deadline for reply is 19 November 2009. 
 
A Government is supposed to contact and consult national trade union centres before finalizing its reply (pursuant to Article 39, paragraph 6, of the Standing Orders). ICEM affiliates are urged to get involved in the inputs from their national centres. The ILO document, the so-called Brown Report (because of the colour of its cover), Report V (1), ILC 99th Session 2010 can be found <a href="http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_112365.pdf ">here</a>. 
 
(Source: ITUC Circular no. 55 of 25 September) 

<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) 
 
The 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific took place in Bali, Indonesia, in August under the theme, &ldquo;Empowering People, Strengthening Networks.&rdquo; It brought together more than 3,000 participants, including representatives from the Global Unions and local unionists. 
 
In the workplace, stigma and discrimination are the major barriers for workers infected with HIV. They are often blamed for their condition, discriminated in employment and fired because they are living with HIV/AIDS. During a satellite session on workplace intervention, Dr Syed Asif Altar, Global HIV/AIDS Coordinator of the International Transport Workers&rsquo; Federation (ITF), spoke on the role of trade unions in reducing risky behaviour among transport workers &ndash; transportation having been identified, together with mining and the fisheries industry, as the most vulnerable sectors in Asia. In the symposium on the impact of the financial crisis on labour migration and HIV, Christopher Ng, APRO Regional Secretary of UNI Global Union called on governments to utilize various types of overseas workers&rsquo; funds to assist migrant workers and their families including access to HIV services in the country of origin and country of destination. 
 
A UNAIDS report released at the Congress, claimed that an estimated 50 million women in Asia are at risk of contracting HIV from male partners who engage in risky sexual behaviour. The report, &ldquo;HIV Transmission in Intimate Partner Relationships in Asia,&rdquo; states that of the 1.7 million women now living with HIV in Asia, more than 90% have acquired the virus from their husbands or long-term boyfriends. 
 
(Source: Information from participants, the ILO website and Jakarta Post of 15 August) 

<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
Global Fund Meeting on Public/Private Partnerships and Co-Investments 
 
In an effort to re-establish a dialogue between the Global Fund and organisations involved in public/private partnership co-investment projects, the Global Fund organised an inter-agency meeting on 14 September. 
 
Such projects benefit from input of the private sector such as clinics, medical staff and management expertise. The private sector in turn can expand HIV/AIDS interventions and services with GF grants channelled through the public sector or as direct recipient of such grants. In remote areas, which is especially the case for mining, with an insufficient public health service, companies can close the gap by extending HIV/AIDS and other health services to the wider community in which they operate in. 
 
The ICEM welcomes this re-engagement. One of the objectives of the meeting was to discuss ways in which employer and employee organisations can access Global Fund grants. The fact that employee organisations are included is a step forward. The ICEM HIV/AIDS Consultant, who was the only unionist participating in the meeting, insisted that in future considerations of co-investment projects, unions be given their rightful role. He stressed that for the ICEM, as a Global Union Federation, the private sector is business and organised labour comprises trade unions. HIV/AIDS interventions that are only management driven are not likely to succeed. 
<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
Treatment Time Bomb 
 
The goal of achieving universal access to treatment by 2010 has preoccupied the global AIDS community in recent years, but a new report warns that not preparing for the changing treatment needs of people living with HIV will doom the sustainability of treatment programmes in developing countries. Over the next decade an increasing number of patients on inexpensive first-line antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in low-income countries will need second-line ARVs, which currently cost at least seven times more. 
 
&quot;The Treatment Timebomb,&quot; released this month by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on AIDS, a group of UK MPs, argues that action is needed now to bring down the price of second-line and less toxic first-line ARVs if a crisis later is to be averted. 
 
Low-income countries can afford to buy older-generation ARVs largely because multiple manufacturers are producing generic versions of them at a fraction of the original cost, but most of the newer drugs are being produced under patents that prevent generic manufacture. The AAPG report points out that safeguards in the World Trade Organization's Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) allow countries to override patents - for public health purposes - by issuing &quot;compulsory licenses&quot; that enable the generic manufacture of drugs still under patent. However, few developing countries have exercised this right. 
 
The Clinton Foundation announced that it had reached agreements with two major drug companies to bring the cost of second-line ARVs to under US$500 per person annually. As an example, at present, second-line ARVs in Kenya cost around US$1,000 per person per year, while first-line ARVs cost under US$100. 
 
(Source: IRIN PlusNews, 28 July and 7 August) 

<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
Canadian Labour Congress Signs Agreement with ITUC Africa 
 
The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) signed an HIV and AIDS advocacy agreement with the African regional organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC Africa). The agreement, for an initial period of two years, creates a partnership approach to addressing HIV and AIDS and promotes universal access to prevention, treatment, and care of infected workers and their families. 
 
The accord is not limited to training and education but includes joint political lobbying on HIV/AIDS at international bodies, such as the G8, which will be hosted by Canada in the summer of 2010. It covers strengthening of workplace initiatives and reaching agreements with employers. As these are within the domain of industrial and sectoral unions affiliated to national centres, the partnership contains a provision for other sectors to join the exercise. 
 
(Source: CLC Press Statement, 1 September) 

<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
Global Fund Five-Year Evaluation Completed 
 
Launched in November 2006, when the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria was approaching its fifth anniversary, the Five-Year Evaluation has been completed after more than two years of work. It would go beyond the scope of this e-bulletin to go into the findings of all three study areas of the evaluation, of which the third one &ndash; Health Impact &ndash; alone cost US$11.7 million. 
 
Not surprisingly, the main finding is that the rapid increase in funding from all partners for the three diseases has resulted in a major expansion in access to services in these countries and has improved coverage of interventions, which will likely impact disease burden. 
 
More specifically, on HIV/AIDS the evaluation found a dramatic increase in the coverage of antiretroviral treatment. That was to be expected as the major thrust of Global Fund grants in the first years was treatment. Other findings include major gaps in basic requirements, such as trained personnel, guidelines, medicines, and equipment, which negatively impact on the quality of services. The evaluation also found that there was little evidence of behaviour change among the most at risk. 
 
It has to be noted that the impact study extended to only 18 countries of the 136 which had received grants at the time of the evaluation. 
 
(Source: Global Fund Observer, Issue 106, 19 August. GFO is a free service of Aidspan (<a href="mailto:www.aidspan.org">mailto:www.aidspan.org</a>). To receive GFO, send an email to receive-gfo-<a href="mailto:newsletter@aidspan.org">newsletter@aidspan.org</a>. 

<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
This ICEM HIV-AIDS Newsletter &ndash; How to Subscribe 
 
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.

ICEM HIV/AIDS e-bulletin - No. 49 October 2009

<img alt="" src="" width="79" height="75" /><img alt="" src="" width="87" height="75" /><img alt="" src="" width="75" height="75" /><img alt="" src="" width="77" height="75" />
Four days before the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund officials meet with the Turkish Government, Global Unions met with Turkey&rsquo;s Minster for Labour, and lent their support to President Abdullah G&uuml;l&rsquo;s veto of a bill giving &ldquo;Private Labour Offices&rdquo; broad rights to place temporary workers in enterprises and warned of the dangers that precarious employment poses for society. 
 
Representatives of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine, and General Workers&rsquo; Unions (ICEM), the International Textile, Garment, and Leather Workers&rsquo; Federation (ITGLWF), and the International Metalworkers&rsquo; Federation (IMF) reported to the Labour Minister that contract and agency labour and precarious forms of employment have been exploding around the world, bringing with it two categories of workers: one with good secure jobs and another category of workers faced with short term jobs, low wages, no social protection and a loss of rights. 
 
At a press conference in Istanbul today, Manfred Warda, ICEM General Secretary, said, &ldquo;Globally, the massive shift away from regular employment into temporary work or jobs through agencies and labour brokers is having a deep impact on all workers, their families, and on society. Erosion of the employee-employer relationship, often the basis of labour law, is leading directly to a growing number of violations of workers&rsquo; rights.&rdquo; 
 
&ldquo;There is a connection between international &lsquo;policy changes&rsquo;, those inspired by the international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, which have encouraged work flexibility and brought with it a lowering of work conditions at national levels,&rdquo; added Warda. &ldquo;Such changes reflect clear employer strategies to weaken collective bargaining through part-time and agency work, and the ICEM will resist this in every way possible.&rdquo; 
 
Guy Ryder, ITUC General Secretary, reiterated today a message delivered by the global unions to the G-20 Summit last week, stating &ldquo;The expansion of precarious forms of work and deregulation of the labour market are not the answer to the employment crisis &ndash; in fact, the insecurity of working people over recent decades was a significant contributor to the recession. It is no coincidence that precarious work and fragile financial markets have both been developing in recent decades.&rdquo; 
 
&ldquo;The way forward must be based on sustainable, not precarious development - a sustainable economy where the financial sector is at the service of the real economy. We need social justice and environmental sustainability to reverse the damage done to our planet in a way that provides good, steady and secure jobs,&rdquo; added Ryder. 
 
Neil Kearney, ITGLWF General Secreatry said, &quot;Agency hires and temporary contracts destroy job security and undermine all other rights and promote gross exploitation of both the temporary worker and the permanent employee working alongside them.&rdquo; 
 
&ldquo;In Turkey, ITGLWF affiliate Teksif is locked in battle with Ederne Giyim where workers employed on an agency type arrangement with inferior wages and conditions are being used to reduce and eventually eliminate a permanent workforce of long standing. Union resistance to the worsening conditions has resulted in mass firings of union members,&rdquo; Kearney added. 
 
&ldquo;Elsewhere in Turkey, ITGLWF affiliates are in daily conflict with textile, clothing and leather industry employers using every means, including sub-contracting, undeclared labour and short-term contracts to prevent unionisation and the protection of workers' rights. Government action is urgently needed to restore worker protection against this onslaught,&quot; demanded Kearney. 
 
Jyrki Raina, IMF General Secretary, said &ldquo;Permanent jobs are being eroded by an increasing reliance by employers on labour hire via employment agencies. In some plants we are now finding that more than fifty per cent of the workforce are agency workers.&rdquo; 
 
&ldquo;The financial crisis has delivered a further blow to precarious workers. Hundreds of thousands of them have been the first to lose their jobs, because dismissing workers with no rights to severance pay or notice periods is a cheap and easy way for employers to reduce their workforces. The crisis has had significant and far reaching impacts on employment,&rdquo; he added. 
 
&ldquo;Here in Turkey, IMF affiliate Birlesik Metal Is has been supporting 350 workers who were dismissed last year by Sinter Metal for exercising their right to join a trade union. The company alleges that the dismissals were a necessary response to the financial crisis, but the evidence shows that this is no more than a weak excuse to dismiss union members and prevent workers from protecting their jobs,&rdquo; he said. 
 
Over the next week, metal worker unions around the world will be mobilizing against precarious work and will be joining with other national and sector unions around the globe in a World Day for Decent Work on Wednesday 7 October. 
 
The ICEM will focus World Day for Decent Work activities on its Contract and Agency Labour campaign in Thailand and Turkey. 
 
&ldquo;A sustainable recovery will not be built on precarious and substandard jobs. That&rsquo;s why around the world today, unions and their members are united in their demand for secure jobs and equal rights for all workers, &ldquo; said Jyrki Raina. 
 
The ITUC represents 170 million workers in 157 countries and territories and has 312 national affiliates; the ICEM represents 467 trade unions in 132 countries; and the IMF covers over 200 trade unions in 100 countries. 
 
Notes to editors: 
1. More information about the World Day for Decent Work can be found <a href="http://www.wddw.org/">here</a>. 
 
2. More information on the IMF campaign against precarious work can be found <a href="http://www.imfmetal.org/index.cfm?n=696&amp;l=2">here</a>. 
 
3. More information on the ICEM contract and agency labour campaign can be found <a href="http://cal.icem.org">here</a>. 
 
4. More information on the dispute at Sinter Metal can be found <a href="http://www.imfmetal.org/index.cfm?n=692&amp;l=2">here</a>. 
 
________________________________ 
For further information, please contact: 
Mathieu Debroux, ITUC, +32 2 224 0210 
Dick Blin, ICEM, +41 22 304 1842 
Neil Kearney, ITGLWF, +32 2 512 2606 
Anita Gardner, IMF, +41 22 308 5032

Global Unions Warn of Dangers in Contract, Agency Work

Archive