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Months of dispute were brought to an end last week when workers at the Sellafield nuclear energy site in Cumbria, UK, voted to accept a pay offer. 
 
Two UK ICEM affiliates, Unite the Union and GMB, voted by a three-to-one margin to accept terms similar to what a third UK union, Prospect, accepted in mid-September. Unite and GMB had been engaged in limited industrial action at the British Nuclear Decommissioning Authority&rsquo;s (NDA) site as it prepares to sell the last state-owned nuclear assets. 
 
Although the union Prospect accepted a 2.5% pay increase plus a 2.5% bonus in mid-September from Sellafield Ltd., operator of the facility, members of the two ICEM affiliates, Unite and the GMB, rejected the offer as the pay increase was below inflation. 

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The 5,000 of 10,000 Sellafield workers who are represented by Unite and GMB received four months back pay, and two separate bonus schemes of &pound;600 each. An added incentive in the negotiated proposal was a &pound;1,500 &ldquo;goodbye bonus&rdquo; as the NDA prepares to sell its nuclear assets to Nuclear Management Partners, a consortium of French, American, and British energy interests. That sale is scheduled to be finalised on November 24. 
 
During October, Unite and GMB members had strictly performed only work in their own job classifications, refusing to attend meetings on efficiencies, and refusing cross-departmental work. 
 
The Sellafield site, with a technical facility in Risley and a former uranium enrichment site in Capenhurst, will now undergo a massive multi-year reprocessing and clean-up project, estimated to cost &pound;1.3 billion a year.

Unite, GMB Avoid Further Industrial Action at Sellafield Nuclear in the UK

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Meeting on 6 November in Geneva, eight days before an economic summit for the world&rsquo;s political leaders to address a financial crisis that already has caused great social pain, the ICEM Presidium passed a resolution, declaring the recent collapse &ldquo;a turning point in history&rdquo; and proof that &ldquo;the current system of capital has not worked.&rdquo; 
 
After some debate, ICEM Vice Presidents agreed that the current market system has malfunctioned and that &ldquo;creation of a new and fairer system of global capital&rdquo; must &ldquo;contain stringent financial oversight and governance, including a new set of global regulations.&rdquo; 
 
The resolution emphasizes the fact those citizens of the world least responsible for the collapse are the &ldquo;most vulnerable, worst affected, and the least able to cope in the aftermath of the crisis.&rdquo; 
 
The resolution can be read <a href="/index.php?id=3&amp;doc=2856">here</a>.

ICEM Presidium Discusses, Passes Resolution Addressing Financial Crisis

Statement of Xstrata Union Leaders 
 
We as leaders of unions representing workers at Xstrata have met in Montreal, Quebec on October 15 and 16, 2008. 
 
We have exchanged information and discussed our experiences. 
 
We are concerned that Xstrata&rsquo;s actions are having a negative impact on workers and communities around the world. We expect Xstrata to operate at the highest labour and environmental standards around the world. 
 
We agreed as follows: 
&bull; To support members of CAW 599 in their struggle in Timmins, Ontario, Canada with the company. 
&bull; To find concrete ways to offer stronger support to each other during collective bargaining, especially for unions entering into bargaining in 2008 and 2009 (including among others: the Falconbridge Workers Union in the Dominican Republic; Altonorte Smelter Workers Union, in Chile, and Antamina Workers Union, in Peru). 
&bull; To promote worker exchanges to promote solidarity and build awareness on workers&rsquo; issues. 
&bull; To improve communication between us. We need fast and effective communication as the foundation of our work. We will establish a communications network through the internet. 
&bull; To consult with and educate our members in our local unions. 
&bull; To endorse the campaign of the CFMEU in Australia on workers&rsquo; right to be represented by trade unions. We will participate in that campaign through coordinated action. 
&bull; To meet again and bring together more unions representing Xstrata workers. To work with the ICEM and its affiliates. 
&bull; To develop strategies, including media strategies, to advance union campaigns. 
&bull; To establishing an International Solidarity Fund that would provide us with the resources to undertake joint projects and support each other at the appropriate times 
&bull; To work toward: 
&bull; establishing a Workers&rsquo; World Council 
&bull; engaging the company in the establishment of common international minimum standards on occupational health, safety and environment. 
 
The following unions and union federations participated in the meeting and endorse this statement. 
 
ICEM - International Federation of Chemical, Energy, and Mining and General Workers&rsquo; Unions 
 
From Australia &ndash; 
Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union (CFMEU) &ndash; Australia, including: CFMEU branches at: 
&bull; Xstrata Newlands Coal 
&bull; Xstrata Oaky North Coal 
&bull; Northern District Branches 
 
From Germany - 
IG Metal, Nordenham, Germany 
 
From Canada &ndash; 
United Steelworkers (USW), including: 
&bull; USW Local 2020 &ndash; Xstrata Nickel, Sudbury, Ontario 
&bull; USW Local 4614 - Fonderie Generale &ndash; Montreal, Quebec 
&bull; USW Local 5385 &ndash; Brunswick Mining &amp; Smelting, Bathurst, New Brunswick 
&bull; USW Local 6887 &ndash; CCR, Montreal, Quebec 
&bull; USW Local 6486 &ndash; CEZinc, Montreal, Quebec 
&bull; USW Local 9449 - Raglan, Qu&eacute;bec 
&bull; USW Local 7085 &ndash; Brunswick Mining &amp; Smelting, Bathurst, New Brunswick 
 
From Chile &ndash; 
Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Fundidora Altonorte, Antofagasta, Chile 
 
From the Dominican Republic &ndash; 
SUTRAFADO, Falconbridge Workers Union, Dominican Republic 
 
From Peru &ndash; 
FNTMMSP, National Federation of Mine and Metalworkers of Peru 
SUTRACOMASA, Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Compa&ntilde;&iacute;a Minera Antamina, Peru

XSTRATA UNIONS GLOBAL NETWORK - October, 2008

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Japonya, Endonezya, Hindistan, Malezya, Tayland ve Vietnam'dan kau&ccedil;uk iş&ccedil;ilerini &ouml;rg&uuml;tleyen yirmi beş sendikanın temsilcileri 27 Ekim g&uuml;n&uuml; Endonezya'nın Cakarta kentinde bir araya geldiler ve ICEM Asya-Pasifik Kau&ccedil;uk Sendikaları Ağı'nı kurdular. Friedrich Ebert Vakfı'nın desteklediği ve ICEM &uuml;yesi Kimya Maden ve Enerji İş&ccedil;ileri Sendikası'nın (FSP KEP) evsahipliğini yaptığı toplantıya Japonya'dan ICEM-JAF sendikası ve ICEM Sekretarya kadrosu da katıldı. 
 
FSP KEP Başkanı D. Pataobong Sjaiful a&ccedil;ış konuşmasında ş&ouml;yle dedi: &ldquo;D&uuml;nyada s&uuml;r&uuml;p giden ekonomik kriz koşullarında ve Asya-Pasifik B&ouml;lgesi'ne &ouml;zg&uuml; zorluklar karşısında, ICEM'in kau&ccedil;uk işkolundaki sendikaları bir ağ &ccedil;er&ccedil;evesinde bir araya getirme girişimi son derece &ouml;nemli. Ağır koşullarda &ccedil;alışan &uuml;yelerimizin haklarını daha iyi korumaya y&ouml;nelik bu birlikteliğe ihtiyacımız var.&rdquo; 
 
Toplantıda ICEM Kimya ve Kau&ccedil;uk B&ouml;l&uuml;m&uuml; Sorumlusu Kemal &Ouml;zkan k&uuml;resel kau&ccedil;uk sekt&ouml;r&uuml;ndeki &ouml;nemli gelişmeler ve zorluklar konusunda bir sunum yaptı. Toplantıdan &ouml;nce dağıtılan soru formları sayesinde, verilen &uuml;lke raporlarının ve sendikaların durumuyla ilgili tartışmanın sağlam verilere dayanması sağlanmış oldu. 
Toplantıda ICEM'in k&uuml;resel ve b&ouml;lgesel şirket ağları ve k&uuml;resel &ccedil;er&ccedil;eve s&ouml;zleşmeler &uuml;zerinde de duruldu. K&uuml;resel s&ouml;zleşmelerin &ouml;rg&uuml;tlenmede ara&ccedil; olarak kullanılması enine boyuna tartışıldı. Şirket ağlarının ise dayanışma &ouml;rg&uuml;tlemede ve bilgi alışverişinde hayati ara&ccedil;lar olduğu vurgulandı. 
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Şirket ağları konusu toplu pazarlık, iş sağlığı ve g&uuml;venliği, istihdam ve genel &ccedil;alışma koşulları bağlamında da ele alındı. 
 
Yeni kurulan Asya-Pasifik Kau&ccedil;uk İş&ccedil;ileri Ağı'nın başkanlığına Japon Kau&ccedil;uk İş&ccedil;ileri Sendikası (GOMU-RENGO) Başkanı Toshiaki Hojo se&ccedil;ildi. Toplantıda, ayrıca, izleme &ccedil;alışmalarıyla ilgili bir eylem planı da kabul edildi. Eylem planı d&uuml;zenli bilgi dolaşımını &ouml;ng&ouml;r&uuml;yor ve Kore merkezli Hankook ve Kumho ile Hindistan'dan Apollo gibi &ccedil;okuluslu şirketleri hedefliyor. 
 
Asya'da kau&ccedil;uk işkolunda hızla yaygınlaşan taşeron iş&ccedil;iliği de toplantının g&uuml;ndeminde yer alıyordu. İş&ccedil;ilerin k&uuml;resel &ouml;l&ccedil;ekte karşı karşıya bulunduğu bu soruna ilişkin &ccedil;alışmanın geliştirilmesine karar verildi.

Asya-Pasifik Kauçuk İşçilerinin Sendikaları Bölge Ağı Kurdu

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The ICEM&rsquo;s Global Framework Agreement with the Freudenberg Group, a German-based rubber, auto accessories, nonwovens, and engineering company, was improved recently to include neutrality on union organising. Together with Michael Mersmann, International Director of the German union, IGBCE, ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda and ICEM Chemicals and Rubber Officer Kemal &Ouml;zkan met with Lorent Freudenberg, Human Resources Director, and Dr. Dirk Mahler, counsel of Freudenberg, to review and update the agreement with Freudenberg. 
 

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Meeting in Pittsburgh. UE's Bob Kingsley and John Hovis, USW's Leo Gerard and Gerald Fernandez 

Regarding proposals put forth to the privately-held company by the ICEM, it was agreed to continue discussions on most of those issues. But the company did accept a clause in the agreement on neutrality with immediate effect. 
It reads: 
 
&ldquo;The Freudenberg Group respects the right of its employees to freely decide whether or not to establish or to associate with any legitimate trade union of their choice. The Freudenberg Group shall remain strictly neutral concerning its employees&rsquo; choice in the matter.&rdquo; 
 
The agreement also contains a provision, stating, &ldquo;ICEM and IGBCE agree to use their best efforts to promote constructive approaches in local organising drives in the spirit of social dialogue and to achieve positive labour relations as expressed in this Agreement.&rdquo; 

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From left, CEP's Alan Tate, UE's Robin Alexander, ICEM Gen. Sec. Manfred Warda, and Lorent Freudenberg and Dirk Mahler of Freudenberg Group.
To establish the mutual trust and constructive approach in labour relations, the ICEM helped to arrange a US meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 1 October that brought managers of Freudenberg together with some of ICEM&rsquo;s North American affiliates, including the United Steelworkers (USW), United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE), and the Communications, Energy, Paperworkers (CEP) Union of Canada. 
 
The meeting was headed by USW President Leo Gerard and UE President John Hovis and following discussions that both labour and management termed honest and constructive, it was agreed that a model case would be implemented and executed regarding social dialogue procedures based on neutrality. 
 
The agreement between ICEM and Freudenberg was signed in June 2000, and was the ICEM&rsquo;s second such Global Framework Agreement at that time.

ICEM’s Freudenberg Global Accord Improved to Include Organising Neutrality

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Halliburton, the US construction and oil services company, continues to restrict union representation of the unaffiliated Chemical, Energy, Mines, Oil &amp; Gas, and General Workers&rsquo; Union (FSP KEP) in Jakarta, Indonesia.
&nbsp;The company is attempting to withdraw certification of the Jakarta branch union of FSP KEP because branch leaders elected include workers from the information technology department. Halliburton Energy Services of Indonesia claims IT workers have access to sensitive company data, thus should not be eligible to hold union office.
Halliburton delayed a collective agreement for FSP KEP members for a two-year period up until recently because of management turnover and attempts to cut workers&rsquo; benefits. Halliburton is deployed as a contract services provider to several multinational oil companies doing business in Indonesia, including state-run Pertamina, the Chinese government&rsquo;s CNOOC, ConocoPhillips, BP, Total and Caltex.

Halliburton Interferes with Indonesian Union’s Elected Officers

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The USW in the US supports the decision by the federal Labor Department to refer the consequences of BP&rsquo;s fatal 23 March 2005 explosion at an oil refinery in Texas City, Texas, to the US Justice Department for possible criminal indictments.
Fifteen workers&mdash;all contract employees&mdash;were killed and another 170 were workers injured when the blast occurred during start-up of an isomerisation unit at the former Amoco refinery. BP issued its final report on the US&rsquo;s worst industrial disaster in two decades last week by identifying root causes, including &ldquo;Processs safety &hellip; had not been set and consistently reinforced by management.&rdquo;
In September, the US Labor Department&rsquo;s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the firm with over 300 &ldquo;egregious and willful&rdquo; violations and fined the British firm US$21.4 million.

BP’s Texas Oil Refinery Blast May See Criminal Indictments

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The United Steelworkers (USW) in Canada has endorsed the mega-mining merger of Inco Ltd. and Falconbridge Inc., two Canadian mining houses that combined would comprise the world&rsquo;s largest nickel producer.
The C$13 billion friendly takeover was given approval at a USW press conference in Sudbury, Ontario, on 7 December with the announced formation of a Steelworker Inco/Falconbridge Council made up of 8,500 workers at 15 USW bargaining units.
USW said the merged company will be &ldquo;good for Canada, good for communities and good for building bargaining power across the continent.&rdquo;
The merger is threatened by a possible hostile bid by Swiss-based Xstrata Plc., the Glencore International-controlled mining giant which purchased a 20% stake in Falconbridge in August. Inco has extended to 27 January its offer to Falconbridge shareholders, who must sell at least two-thirds of the company&rsquo;s outstanding shares to Inco before the deal becomes final.

USW in Canada Endorses Inco, Falconbridge Mining Merger

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&nbsp;Electricit&eacute; de France (EDF) announced last week that it would eliminate 6,500 jobs through the end of 2007 in an apparent attempt to boost the share price of the newly privatised company.
The French government placed shares totalling 15% of the company on the Paris bourse 21 November in hopes of raising capitalisation of &euro;7 billion. It offered EDF shares at &euro;32 to small investors and &euro;33-per-share to institutional investors.
On 7 December, prior to the job cuts announcement, EDF stock was selling at &euro;31.66. EDF said the jobs would be lost by not replacing roughly 70% of the 9,000 workers expected to retire by the end of 2007.

EDF Announces Job Cuts to Boost Share Price

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German affiliate IGBCE focuses its attention even harder on Continental&rsquo;s broken promises. On 6 December, 30,000 workers of the tyre maker held stop-work meetings at 26 locations throughout Germany to protest the announced closure of the St&ouml;cken plant in Hannover and the resulting loss of 320 jobs by year-end 2006.
IGBCE agreed with Continental on more flexible working rights, including work weeks of 40 hours without additional pay, in exchange for a pledge of no job cuts. Continental Chief Executive Manfred Wennemer broke that pledge last month with the announcement on the fate of the St&ouml;cken plant.
IGBCE will now terminate ten programmes inside Continental that were established jointly with the company to save some &euro;42 million annually.

IGBCE Rescinds Cooperation Efforts with Continental Tyre

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