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China was regrettably not alone in mining disasters of late. In Russia as well, mining accidents are the order of the day. Here too, they are frequently the consequence of aging equipment, lack of safety regulations and economic pressures. On 9 February, 22 miners died in the Yesaulskaya mine in the Kemerovo region in Siberia where an explosion in a mine was fatal for most of the 30 workers that were present in the shaft at the time.

Gas Blast Kills 22 in Siberian Mine

South Africa affiliate NUM has called the Harmony/Gold Fields decision by the South Africa Competition Commission last week “heart warming”, as it took a number of the union’s concerns to heart. As part of an ongoing saga featuring two South African gold companies, where the Harmony Gold Mining Company wants to take over Gold Fields, the Commission set a condition for the merger: it shall eliminate no more than 1,500 managerial or supervisory jobs. “The recommendation to save jobs, particularly at the bottom of the ladder, is most comforting”, said NUM.

Preserving Jobs Chief Concern to Harmony’s Goldfields Takeover

An eight-day lockout of CFMEU miners at an Xstrata coal mine operated by Thiess Contracting Pty. ended a week ago when Thiess and the union agreed to a three-year deal. CFMEU won 4% pay hikes for the 250 miners in each year, higher superannuation increases and a payout to workers living in their own homes in Collinsville, Queensland. The miners were locked out after they had planned a four-day strike.

Lockout of CFMEU Members at Australian Coal Mine Ends

ICEM Belgian affiliate CG-FGTB has condemned Glaverbel Glass and its Japanese parent Asahi Glass in management’s continued refusal to engage in dialogue on irrational restructuring at AGC Automotive Fleurus in southern Belgium. The union, along with white-collar SETCa-FGTB, has been on strike now for three months after the company announced in December 284 job cuts at the 840-worker flat glass factory. Glaverbel has unilaterally said it would relocate some production from Fleurus, drastically rationalize both production and maintenance, insert forced flexibility by use of agency labour, and now has discredited and even blacklisted union delegates in their efforts to achieve dialogue over the restructuring. CGFGTB insists that only through real consultation with workers and their delegates will the operation become “liveable, profitable and productive.” ICEM is applying maximum pressure on the Japanese company to resolve the strike and begin good-faith dialogue with the Belgian unions.

Belgian Union Resisting Asahi’s Glass Plant Restructuring

The USWA again used union-friendly language in it’s Goodyear tyre contract to win card-check union recognition for workers. A majority of 158 production and maintenance workers at a textile cord factory in Utica, New York, said they want USWA representation and Goodyear is now obligated to negotiate a first collective agreement. The Utica operation is a joint venture between Goodyear and Sumitomo Rubber Industries. The union has now won four card-check recognitions at Goodyear’s US plants since the agreement took effect late last year.

Goodyear Workers in US Win Unionisation with USWA

The ICEM’s North American Women’s Committee was prominent in Ottawa, Canada, at a rally and march aimed at forcing the government to maintain Canada’s public, non-profit health care system. The ICEM women, meeting in Ottawa, were asked to deliver a live webcam message on the issue.

North American Women’s Committee at Canadian Health Care Rally

Members of ICEM oil workers’ affiliate NOPEF in Norway have given leaders of the union a mandate to begin merger negotiations with the Norsk Kjemisk Industriarbeiderforbund, the country’s Chemical Workers’ Union, also an affiliate of the ICEM. Merger discussions between the two leading trade unions of Norway are expected to begin by late summer.

NOPEF Given Vote to Begin Merger Dialogue in Norway

US affiliates United Steelworkers (USWA) and PACE will conduct concurrent conventions next week in which PACE members will vote on a merger agreement with the USWA. But continuing the unions’ two-year-old joint strategic pact developed to take up political and strategic social issues, USWA and PACE targeted 60 Weyerhaeuser forest products worksites last week in the US and Canada with the union message. PACE and the USWA are the ranking one, two North American unions representing Weyerhaeuser workers in forestry, solid wood products, pulp, paper and paperboard worksites. “We are stronger as workers when we work together, and we are demonstrating that strength to (Weyerhaeuser),” said Gerald Johnston, PACE Regional Vice President and Weyerhaeuser Union Council Chairman.

PACE, USWA in US Braced to Merge

Yet another Colombian oilworkers' leader has been kidnapped. 
 
Gilberto Torres was abducted on Monday evening, as he was on his way home from his office. Torres is the General Secretary of the pipeline section of the Colombian oilworkers' federation USO. 
 
This is "one more act of violence," says the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) in a protest message to Colombia's President Andrés Pastrana. 
 
"Time and again," the ICEM reminds Pastrana, "we have asked your government to take steps to punish those responsible for the persecution and murder of trade union leaders." The ICEM says that the Colombian authorities have allowed the murderers and those behind them to go unpunished. "Since the beginning of this year alone, more than 20 trade unionists have been murdered," the ICEM points out. It calls on the Colombian government to "take effective measures to track down, judge and punish those responsible for this crime." 
 
Colombia is the world's most dangerous country for trade unionists. Last year, more than 130 union activists were murdered there.

Colombian Oil Workers' Leader Kidnapped

Trade unions across Russia are to hold a day of protest on 9 April under the slogan Wages! Employment! Legality! A prominent part will be played by affiliates of the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM). 
 
Top of the Russian unions' concerns is unpaid wages. The total pay backlog owed to Russian workers has now reached 57 billion new roubles (about 9.5 billion US dollars), unions and Russian TV say. The protesters will also be demanding an increase in the minimum wage and new labour legislation to protect workers' rights. 
 
ICEM-affiliated electric power workers' union Electrounion will be in the thick of the action on 9 April. The union already has confirmation that more than 18,000 members will be taking part in meetings, demonstrations, pickets and negotiations with city administrations in 53 regions of Russia. Workplace meetings are planned by 435 local trade union committees - a number likely to increase by Thursday. 
 
In Moscow, members of Electrounion will be joining a picket in front of the "White House", the seat of government. Electrounion's action will not be limited to pickets and demonstrations. The ICEM has received reports of major strikes being planned, involving thousands of workers in Dagestan and Buriatia. 
 
Meanwhile, nuclear workers in the Urals have sent an open letter to President Boris Yeltsin, pointing out that his presidential decree on priority funding for nuclear centres and "radiation facilities" has not been implemented. Nuclear workers are preparing to join the day of action. The staff of the Snezhinsk nuclear centre, for example, have not been paid for 3-4 months. They often go to work hungry. 
 
As the action inside Russia mounts, the ICEM is further stepping up its "cybercampaign" in support of Russia's workers. From special pages on the ICEM website, supporters worldwide can get news on the action as it is received, plus a full range of hyperlinks for actively backing the Russian workers' campaign.

Russians' Pay Protest Set For 9 April

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