20 January, 2012The complaint of the Mexican Electrical Workers' Union (SME) against their government will be considered in both Canada and the United States under North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) side agreement on labour cooperation.

11 January, 2012Workers at the Caterpillar-owned Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) plant in Ontario, Canada were locked out on New Year's Eve when the union contract expired, after they overwhelmingly voted to authorize strike action unless management withdrew drastic concession demands.

11 January, 2012At the end of December 170 IF Metall union reps from working sites across Sweden agreed to a new 14 month contract with employers' associations, starting February 1, 2012, and running up to March 31, 2013. Salaries will be increased by 3 per cent.

17 January, 2012Thanks to national and international trade union solidarity, the Ecopetrol president has reinstated USO president Rodolfo Vecino and revoked the ten-year ban on holding office also placed on him by the company.

17 January, 2012As UK industrial production fell 3.1 per cent on the year up to November 2011 -- and clocked up the ninth consecutive monthly fall, Unite the union relaunches its strategy to help rebuild and revive UK manufacturing, called "2020 Vision".

29 December, 2011On December 19-20 the two largest Russian union federations held a conference in support of the bill to completely ban agency labour.

23 December, 2011German trade unionists picket GEA headquarters demanding justice for 62 GEA workers in Turkey locked-out since July. It is the 4th action in recent months to demand respect for labour norms by the multinational.

25 January, 2012On January 1, 2012, Rio Tinto's aluminium subsidiary Alcan locked out 780 members of United Steelworkers at its smelter and refinery in Alma, Québec. The company refuses to negotiate limits on contract work.

24 January, 2012Despite an improved performance in 2011 the Joint Global Health and Safety Committee (JGHSC) in ArcelorMittal plans to increase its efforts in 2012.

8 December, 2011Trade union leaders from Australia, India, Great Britain, New Zealand and North America continue to develop their strategy to organize and promote workers rights through a Tata Steel Network. The unions, meeting in Jakarta on December 7, agreed to an action plan that will see increasing cooperation before a Network meeting in 2012.