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An ICEM News release on 3 February mentions current Belgian political debate on the legal status of a trade union. It said Swedish-Finnish paper company Stora Enso has now joined that debate on the side of right-wing political parties to re-classify unions across Belgium. 
Something basic and fundamental is at play at Stora Enso’s Langerbrugge mill in Gent. The company is systematically attempting to carve further job rights from workers at Gent’s Langerbrugge mill. 
Intimidations, bullying and divide-to-conquer tactics are the means. The company’s intention is for the 300 members at Langerbrugge to concede 70 jobs to subcontractors, to agree on flexibility at the expense of working conditions, and to give up their long-term right to 1 January as a shutdown day. 
That is reason enough to march in Gent tomorrow night (7 February, 19h00) to condemn Stora Enso’s intentions. The ICEM News release can be found at <a href="/?id=77&doc=1638" type="internal">/?id=77&doc=1638</a>.

Stora Enso Readies Itself for More Cuts at Belgian Paper Mill

The 20-million-member ICEM, the Global Union Federation for electric power industry trade unions, is calling on state-run Swedish utility Vattenfall AB to intervene with its German subsidiary to resolve a labour dispute with three German unions affecting 20,000 workers. 
 
The unions, ICEM affiliate IGBCE, and IG Metall and Ver.di, are seeking a common collective agreement with Germany’s third largest utility in order to remove wage disparities and harmonise all terms and conditions. The three unions will stage a mass protest tomorrow, 1 March, in Berlin at the annual general meeting of Vattenfall Europe AG, the German subsidiary. (Smaller rallies by the three unions have been held at three sites since 21 February in protest to the deadlock in negotiations.) 
 
 

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21 February 2006 : rally in Cottbus, Germany 
“We feel the time is now that the Swedish parent step in and grant equitable wages and conditions to all its German employees,” stated ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs. “Vattenfall has integrated its acquisitions throughout Germany over the past few years, now it must harmonise wages and conditions.” 
 
The three unions have been negotiating for a common accord with the Swedish subsidiary for two years. Besides bringing pay equity and uniform work conditions to workers, the unions are seeking an agreement from Vattenfall Europe AG that sale of any operations to another company will include the common collective agreement. 
 
IGBCE’s Jobst Weissenborn, the union’s chief negotiator in the energy sector, said the company’s bargaining posture has provoked the rallies. He said the unions are prepared to take whatever steps necessary to ensure that the social standards of all Vattenfall workers in Germany come under a common agreement. 
 
 

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21 February 2006 : rally in Cottbus, Germany 
 
ICEM affiliate IGBCE is the dominant union in east Germany’s power generation and distribution units, including the company’s lignite mines and the former LAUBAG enterprise, now held by Vattenfall. In the 1990s, Ost-Bewag came under control of Bewag, which has been 90% owned Vattenfall since 2002. 
 
In 2001, Vattenfall acquired a majority stake in HEW, the Hamburg electric company that had previously been held by E.ON’s Bewag subsidiary. IG Metall is the primary union in Hamburg. Vattenfall also acquired its Berlin operations through buy-up of Bewag, giving it control of over 80% of the power market in Berlin, as well as 30% of the heating market. The company also has telecommunications, water and gas interests in Berlin, and public-service union Ver.di is the dominant union there. 
 
Vattenfall’s Europe division also includes utility holdings in Poland and The Netherlands. The company is a major electric and power producer and provider in the Nordic countries. 
 
Protests last week leading up to tomorrow’s major demonstration in Berlin saw 2,000 workers take to the streets on 21 February. Anther demonstration was held in the east German mining community of Cottbus on the same day, while on 23 February, over a thousand protested in Hamburg.

ICEM Supports Common German Contract for Vattenfall Utility Workers

International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers 
 
On 28 April, the trade union movement remembers over two million workers who die and millions more who are injured, or who fall sick each year due to unsafe, unhealthy or unsustainable work and workplaces. 
The slogan for this year’s 28 April Commemoration Day is “Union Workplaces – Safe Workplaces” and the selected themes are: The Global Union Ban Asbestos Campaign, HIV/AIDS – workplace aspects and implementation of programme response, and ILO Conventions and Instruments that relate to Occupational Health and Safety. 
 
Unions the world over are called upon to mobilise workers to seek government and employer support of a total ban of asbestos; to promote action on HIV/ADS as a workplace issue and to convince the next G8 summit to establish a permanent working party on HIV/AIDS; and to encourage governments to ratify key ILO occupational health and safety instruments. 
 
A 28 April guide, issued by the Global Unions, can be accessed <a href="http://www.global-unions.org/pdf/ohsewpH_3d.EN.pdf">here</a>. The backgrounder provides a history of 28 April and points to a wide variety of activities that trade unions can implement on the day itself. Specifically on HIV/AIDS, we draw your attention to the trade union country profiles. these can be found <a href="http://www.global-unions.org/pdf/ohsewpT_4a.EN.pdf">here</a>. 
 
 
New UNAIDS Website 
 
UNAIDS has launched a new version of its website complete with a new navigation, branding and logo <a href="http://www.unaids.org/">www.unaids.org</a>. The website, which will also be available in French, Spanish and Russian, provides content specifically chosen for each audience group: business and labour; civil society; donors; media; people living with HIV/AIDS; policy-makers; researchers; the UN family; and women, as well as an easier more intuitive navigation structure. 
 
The new focus of the website is to include all the relevant documentation and publications but also to highlight the impact of UNAIDS’ work through its cosponsors and partners. Each of the new sections provides additional background information, relevant publications and links to outside sources. 
 
At <a href="http://www.unaids.org/en/mediacentre/newsletter">www.unaids.org/en/mediacentre/newsletter</a> you can find the new UNAIDS quarterly newsletter. The first issue features a letter from the UNAIDS Executive Director, information on a regional consultation on universal access in Latin America and UNAIDS support to Kenya. Future issues will be available in French, Spanish and Russian. Subscriber information is available online at <a href="http://www.unaids.org/Services/Subscribe.aspx">www.unaids.org/Services/Subscribe.aspx</a>. 
 
 
World AIDS Campaign Calls for Greater Accountability 
 
Governments and international agencies are coming under pressure to answer for the specific HIV and AIDS commitments and promises they have made. In a new report, the World AIDS Campaign (WAC) closely examines statements, commitments and declarations made by governments and intergovernmental organisations in the past five years, and asks how they hold up under scrutiny as genuine promises. 
 
The WAC Report, entitled “Promises, Promises ….” reveals the growing gap between what governments say they will do about HIV and AIDS and what is actually achieved. It argues that the most significant promises were made during the special session of the UN General Assembly in June 2001 when the Declaration of Commitment was solemnly adopted by all member states of the UN. 
A review of the progress on the Declaration will be made at a special session in June 2006 (see e-bulletin No. 5, February 2006). For the full WAC report, go to <a href="http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/">www.worldaidscampaign.org</a>. 
 
 
Pakistan Labour Federation Holds Seminar 
 
The Pakistan Labour Federation organised a one-day seminar in collaboration with UNAIDS on the responsibilities of trade union leaders in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Atia Saleem, Chairperson of PFL’s Women’s Wing, stressed that HIV/AIDS should not be an issue discussed only once a year. 
From the first cases reported in 1987, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS has soared. Trade unions, with their presence at the workplace, have an important role to play in implementing anti-discrimination policies and they can contribute to home and community care. 
(Source: PLF News Release) 
 
 
Generic Drugs 
 
A deal between Bristol-Myers Squibb and two generic drug makers (Aspen Pharmacare in South Africa and Emcure Pharmaceuticals in India) will allow cheaper versions of its newest AIDS drug to be made available in sub-Saharan Africa and India. The agreement includes the transfer of technology covering manufacture, testing, packaging, storage and handling of the drug’s active ingredient. 
(Source: Business Day, Johannesburg, 17 February 2006) 
 
 
Product RED to Fight AIDS in Africa 
 
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Bono announced Product RED, an economic initiative designed to deliver a sustainable flow of private sector money to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM). Leading brands have made a commitment to channel a portion of profits from sales of specially-designed RED products to the GFATM to support AIDS programmes in Africa with a focus on women and children. 
 
The GFATM has welcomed this new initiative. Through RED and other initiatives it hopes to increase the private sector share of income from less than one percent currently to ten percent or more in the long term. Nelson Mandela added, “We must all come together in supporting the Global Fund and the fight against AIDS. RED carries the promise of capturing the world’s attention to do just that and I applaud RED and its partners for their vision and commitment.” 
 
Go to <a href="http://www.joinred.com/">www.joinred.com</a> to find out more. 
 
 
Joint publication on co-investment and public-private partnerships (PPP) 
 
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), the Global Business Coalition on AIDS (GBC), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), the ILO and the World Bank have joined forces to produce “Making Co-investment a Reality – Strategies and Experiences.” The publication explains how co-investment can strengthen HIV/AIDS workplace programmes and extend them into the community. It gives examples and lessons learned on PPP and co-investment. 
The publication can be accessed at 
<a href="http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/trav/aids/publ/gtzgbccoinvest.pdf">http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/trav/aids 
/publ/gtzgbccoinvest.pdf</a>. 
 
 
Update from ILOAIDS 
 
At the beginning of the year, ILOAIDS has released a number of new publications. Most important of these is the booklet “Workplace Action on HIV/AIDS – How to Access Funds at the National Level,” which you can find at <a href="http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/trav/aids/publ/resmob.pdf">http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/trav 
/aids/publ/resmob.pdf</a>. 
The booklet contains a set of fact sheets to help workers’ and employers’ organisations identify sources of funding and understand the mechanisms necessary in order to apply for them. 
A complementary guidance note for proposal writing is in preparation. This will be posted on the ILOAIDS website <a href="http://www.ilo.org/aids">www.ilo.org/aids</a>, where you can also find the other recently released publications such as “The Impact of HIV/AIDS on the Labour Force in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Preliminary Assessment,” and “ILO/AIDS Brief on Women, Girls, HIV/AIDS and the World of Work,” which is now also available in French and Spanish. 
 
Reminder: In the first issue of our e-bulletin, October 2005, we drew your attention to the ILOAIDS 24-hour News Service. You can register under <a href="http://campo.ilo.org/cmdb-access">http://campo.ilo.org/cmdb-access</a> and indicate your language preference. For up-to-date daily news on HIV/AIDS and the world of work this new website is highly recommended (it will take you no more than 3 minutes to register). 
 
 
This ICEM HIV-AIDS Newsletter – How to Subscribe or Translate? 
 
To subscribe to the e-bulletin, send an email to <a href="mailto:press@icem.org">press@icem.org</a>. Please put “subscribe ICEM HIV/AIDS e-bulletin” in the subject line. 
 
Unfortunately, the e-bulletin can only be published in English. For a free automated (non-ICEM) translation of this HIV-AIDS bulletin into other languages, you may want to try <a href="http://babelfish.altavista.com/tr">http://babelfish.altavista.com/tr</a> or <a href="http://www.google.com/language_tools">http://www.google.com/language_tools</a> and insert the following URL into the window “Translate a Web page“: <a href="/?id=72&doc=1673" type="internal">/?id=72&doc=1673</a>.

ICEM HIV/AIDS e-bulletin - No. 6

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ICEM Turkish affiliate Petrol-Īş’s efforts to block, through several lawsuits, the 51% sale of state-owned oil refiner Turkiye Petro Rafinerisi AS (TÜPRAS) produced another court victory on 23 May. 
The Ankara Administrative Court cancelled sale of the 14.76% minority stake to Israeli investor Sami Ofer on the grounds that the sale did not benefit the “public good.” Ofer’s bid of US$446 million last year for a minority stake in TÜPRAS had ballooned into a potential US$1.2 billion investment due to the revaluation of the state company. 
<img height="66" alt="" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/TurkeyFlag.gif" width="100"/>
On 2 February 2006, a preliminary ruling by the Council of State judiciary panel blocked the controlling stake in a privatised TÜPRAS when it ruled against the purchase by a consortium made up of Turkey’s Koc Holdings and Royal Dutch Shell. That ruling was issued on the basis that privatisation laws had not been adhered to. 
The ruling, however, was vacated when no further court action occurred by a 29 March deadline. Petrol- Īş will now challenge this privatisation matter before the General Council of Administrative Courts. 
 
The union will also continue its public campaign against the sale of TÜPRAS, and likely will engage in further industrial actions at the company’s four refineries and petrochemical plant. Petrol- Īş has also made application on the matter before the European Court of Human Rights.

Petrol-Īş Wins Yet Another Court Round Involving TÜPRAS Privatisation

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Exactly one week after the Howard government’s WorkChoices legislation in Australia went into effect, labour unions across the country have mounted campaigns to alert workers of the dangers. The unions also are preparing to oust Prime Minister John Howard from office at the time of next elections in 18 months. Several unions have established websites where workers can post and respond to employer abuses. 
The new law went into effect on 27 March and, in short, dismantles collective bargaining in favour of a system of individual contracts and exempts employers with fewer than 100 workers from unfair dismissal claims. 
In the first week alone, Australian unions have noted a rash of abuses. For instance, in South Australia, a hotel has announced a restructuring plan in which it will half its workforce, and place all staff on individual contracts with longer work hours. At another business in New South Wales, a company sacked all 29 of its employees and invited them to apply for 20 jobs based on individual contracts with salaries of A$180 per week less. 
<img height="100" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/AUSTRALIAAMWU.jpg" width="100" alt=""/>
ICEM affiliate Australian Manufacturing Workers Union has begun a campaign entitled “WhatChoice?” and the Australian Council of Trade Unions, in conjunction with several states, is bringing legal action to reverse the law.

Australia’s Labour Reform Strips Workers of Protections

Señor Alvaro Uribe Vélez 
Presidente de la República 
Palacio Nariño 
Carrera 8 No. 7-2 
Bogotá 
 
By Fax: ++57-1-337.58.90 and ++57-1-566.20.71 
 
 
Mr. President, 
 
I am writing on behalf of the 20 million workers worldwide of the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions to express our horror and disgust at the brutal murder of brother Daniel Cortez Cortez, a member of Sintraelecol, ICEM affiliate in Colombia. 
 
Brother Cortez was assassinated at night in Puerto Parra, near Barrancabermeja, on Sunday April 2nd, reportedly by a group of paramilitary members. He was shot in the face and died instantly. Brother Cortez leaves behind a wife and four children. He had been working for 16 years at the Empresa Electrificadora de Santander and had been an active trade union member. 
 
His death is the latest expression of the fact that the seemingly endless series of human and trade union rights violations in Colombia has far from ended. Your country remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world for trade unionists to do their work. On top of that, most murders of trade union members go uninvestigated and unpunished. 
 
As to the assassination of Daniel Cortez, a full and open investigation into this murder needs to be started as a matter of urgency. Those responsible for this hideous crime need to be brought to justice without delay. 
 
In addition to that, I repeat that it is up to the Colombian government to guarantee a safe working place for trade unionists. It is high time to deliver on earlier promises and provide effective protection for trade unionists in Colombia. 
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
Fred Higgs 
 
General Secretary 
ICEM 

CC: 
Francisco Santos, Colombian Vice-President, 
Jorge Alberto Uribe, Colombian Minister of Defence, 
Dr Carlos Franco, Head of the Presidential Human Rights Program 
Colombian Embassy in Brussels

ICEM letter to Colombia on murder of trade union member Daniel Cortez

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National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) affiliated workers demonstrated in South Africa on April 4, protesting against potential plans by DeBeers to close its Koffiefontein mine in the southern Free State.
Handing a memorandum to the management of the mine, the workers were given a promise by the employer that they would be answered. According to the NUM Chairperson, Joseph Botile, closing the mine would mean making Koffiefontein into a ghost town. DeBeers is virtually the only employer in the area, providing income for almost 600 people and their families. With all these jobs gone, it would become impossible for the NUM Workers to support their families.

South African NUM Workers Demonstrate at DeBeers Koffiefontein Mine

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On 24 May, tens of thousands of Ukrainian workers, led by their trade unions, took to the streets of Kiev. Led by Alexander Yurkin, former ICEM Vice President, who now leads the Ukrainian Trade Union Federation (FPU), workers gathered in six main city squares and marched to Maydan Square, site of the 2004 Orange Revolution in the country.
In front of one of those squares, Mariyinskyy Park, some 500 trade union leaders picketed the Cabinet of Ministers’ building over the rapid and unjustified hike to both prices and tariffs on consumers’ utility rates. 
 
 
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Yurkin, addressing an estimated 50,000 protesters at Maydan Square, said the government has violated the trust of Ukrainian citizens by “arrogantly and irresponsibly” making a unilateral decision to increase utility pricing, thus breaking a General Agreement with trade unions. Trade unions insist that any increase in prices or tariffs must be preceded with definitive social protection measures.
A day before the 24 May demonstration, the country’s National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) again raised tariffs on natural gas and electricity distribution, this time by 41%, effective 1 June.  
 
NERC and the Ukrainian government already had hiked tariffs on gas and electricity distribution by 25%, and yet another round of increases is scheduled for 1 July. The FPU is demanding a rollback in prices and tariffs, and is insistent that the government start immediate negotiations with trade unions in order to introduce social protections.

Ukrainian Labour Protests Hikes in Utility Tariffs

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Contract workers for Goodyear Tire & Rubber in Bangkok, Thailand, won another victory for fairness and justice recently. Goodyear was ordered by the country’s Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) to reinstate 18 contract workers—some working up to 10 years under single-year term agreements—who were sacked last year for attempting to exert collective bargaining rights. The contract workers are members of the Tyre Makers Union, which is affiliated to ICEM member Chemical Federation of Thailand (PCFT). 
<img height="100" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/ICEMrubber.JPG" width="100" alt=""/>
The workers, employed in rubber stock and warehouse operations of Goodyear’s 40-year-old factory in Bangkok, now will press again for collective bargaining rights. A hearing on that matter was held in a separate court on 26 April, but an outcome was delayed by a new judge who was just assigned to the case. 
 
Goodyear found itself under considerable pressure last October when it discharged the contract workers, in spite of deducting union dues from them through a check-off system for as long as four years. In an effort to correct its mistake, the American-based company halted direct employment of contract workers, and brought in a labour agency to handle employment. 
 
Eighteen of 25 contract workers refused employment with the agency, preferring instead full-time employment with Goodyear. The IRC ruling in early April calls for Goodyear to reinstate the workers. Two of the 18 contract workers cited in the victory have passed away in the meantime, one due to heart disease in 2005, the other of cancer the day before the IRC issued its ruling.

Contract Workers Triumph at Goodyear in Thailand

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With the supply of European energy sources becoming increasingly political, German affiliate IGBCE has called on the EU to update its coal regulatory policies in order to become less reliant on imported resources. In a letter to the European Commission calling on consultation to begin on re-working a 2002 regulation on coal mining, IGBCE said it is strategically important for the EU to have access to domestic raw materials. 
 
“The development of world energy markets with dramatic price increases and increasing energy use,” said IGBCE President Hubertus Schmoldt, “makes it clear that Germany and Europe cannot let go of its own energy sources.” The union continues to advocate for a balanced energy mix, but says the Commission’s regulation must include promotion of domestic hard coal beyond the year 2010.

IGBCE Calls on EU to Develop Domestic Energy Sources

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