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In Brazil, the chemical workers union FEQUIMFAR in Sao Paulo, affiliated with CUT, won a reduction in weekly work time from 44 to 42 hours. The agreement was signed 8 March with pharmaceutical and other companies, and also includes a 2% increase in real wage terms for workers in chemicals, plastics, cosmetics, fertilizers and other industries. “This is the first step toward a 40-hour week, which is our goal for all workers in all industries,” declared FEQUIMFAR President Danilo Pereiro.

Chemical Workers in Brazil Win Gains Through Union

ICEM affiliate General Workers’ Union of Malta is protesting that government’s introduction of legislation aimed at eliminating all public holidays that fall on weekends. This means workers—if the bill is passed as an amendment to Legislation on Public Holidays—will not get an additional leave day for holidays occurring on weekend days, as mandated in Malta’s Industrial and Employments Relations Act. In 2005, if passed, workers will lose three holidays, including the 1 May holiday and Christmas Day.

Maltese Union Protests Government’s Public Holiday Elimination

Forest Industries Federation of Finland has provoked an industrial dispute with paperworkers represented by affiliate Paperiliitto. Since late in 2004 when the employers’ federation dropped from the national incomes policy agreement, it has engaged in a consistent pattern of intentionally not coming to any deal with the union. The foot-dragging has caused Paperiliitto to issue an overtime ban, which began 30 March. The union represents 29,000 paperworkers in the sector. Paperiliitto has charged employers with breaking a “principle on equality” commitment in negotiations.

Finnish Paper Employers Provoke Industrial Dispute

The ICEM expressed its relief to the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) on learning of the 1 February release of Talib Khadim Tayee, president of the Iraqi Mechanics, Metalworkers and Printworkers Union. Talib Khadim was abducted 27 January when armed gunmen burst into a paper factory in Baghdad where he was conducting union business. He was beaten repeatedly by the gun butts of his assailants before being dragged off. This criminal act was done in front of workers, and occurred just 23 days after the senseless assassination of Hadi Saleh, IFTU International Secretary.

Kidnapped Iraqi Trade Union Leader Free

Australian affiliate CFMEU condemned the legal recourse two mining companies are taking over their criminal convictions to health and safety laws. The two, Xstrata and Centennial Coal, say they will challenge to overturn a statute in New South Wales calling for criminal prosecutions of serious health and safety violations. Both have been convicted of such offences. CFMEU says there will be no compromise on the statute. “Let these companies tell the miners face to face why they consider their health and safety not worth the protection of the law and why they consider their lives of no value,” said Tony Maher, the union’s Mining and Energy General President.

Mining Companies in Australia Seek to Overturn Convictions

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

UPM Kymmene, one for world’s leading papermakers, is causing job loss and social destruction in its homeland—Finland—as well as in Canada. Last week, two 24-hour strikes shut production at both the firm’s wood operations and papermaking mills in Finland. A strike on 4 November by 7,500 paperworkers called by ICEM affiliate Paperiliitto and one two days earlier by 3,500 woodworkers was caused by UPM’s decision to retrench 672 jobs in the Finnish woodworking sector by closure of three operations and production curtailments at another two. Paperiliitto is also battling UPM’s hard wage and other talks in the paper sector.

UPM Kymmene Bringing Labour Unrest Home to Finland

The ICEM registered a strong letter of protest last week with the government of Serbia-Montenegro over the police beating of Electric Power of Serbia (EPS) Trade Union member Dragan Teofilovic. The trade unionist for the Electric Power Distribution Company of Belgrade was summoned 8 November to a police station where he was questioned over his participation in a strike last summer. Teofilovic then suffered head and arm injuries at the hands of a police inspector. EPS Trade Union said the incident is further proof that the government systematically violates human and trade union rights.

ICEM Protests Serbian Police Brutality over Electric Industry Strike

Swedish affiliate Sif held its Congress in Göteberg on 15-18 November and used a novel working method to discuss issues that replaced lengthy plenary sessions common to many congresses. The 180 delegates attending participated in 11 detailed consultative sessions that were aided by networked computers. The system, first introduced at the 2000 Congress but further refined at last week’s event, facilitated much greater delegate participation in producing consultative documents and summaries of spontaneous discussions. These were then put to a final plenary for approval. Delegates also re-elected President Mari-Ann Krantz and elected two new Vice Presidents, Peter Hellberg and Stefan Carlsson.

Sif of Sweden Holds Congress

China’s coal mines have come under global scrutiny due to weekly disasters that claim the lives of thousands of miners each year. But yet another mine disaster this past weekend has gained headlines. On 20 November, a mass fire spreading across five iron ore mines in Shahe city, Hebei province, claimed the lives of 57 miners with another three still missing. The fire in the privately-run mine was caused by an electric cable that ignited and then spread when flames engulfed wood pillars.

Chinese Iron Ore Operations Latest to Face Safety Deaths

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