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<img height="39" alt="" src="" width="100" />
ICEM affiliate Paperiliitto of Finland and that country&rsquo;s Forest Industries Federation jointly announced a 22-month labour agreement, covering 22,000 workers at 70 pulp and paper mills. The new accord comes seven weeks before expiration of an existing agreement, with both sides commending the negotiations for meeting the challenges of the changing Nordic paper sector, while taking into account workers&rsquo; needs and development. 
 
&ldquo;The agreement includes numerous positive changes in workers&rsquo; conditions of employment,&rdquo; stated Paperiliitto President Jouko Ahonen. &ldquo;One important goal of the agreement is to increase real cooperation at the confederation and local level. I also consider it positive that we were able to reach an agreement in good time before the expiration of the current agreement, without outside assistance and without confrontation.&rdquo;
<img height="151" alt="" src="" width="180" />
&nbsp;Paperiliitto President Jouko Ahonen
The new pact will run from 1 June 2008 to 31 March 2010. 
 
Wage levels will rise annually by 4% each in the first two years. For the third year, an increase will be negotiated by the union and industry in an autumn 2009 set of talks. If the parties fail then to reach accord on the remainder of the pact, the agreement can be terminated. 
 
The pay system for Finnish paperworkers is being reformed in this collective agreement and their job security improved in the face of restructurings by the major paper companies. Workers made redundant due to financial or production-related reasons will be entitled to full pay for a paid-notice period, even if that worker gets a job with another employer. 
 
The re-employment obligation by companies for workers&rsquo; made redundant was extended from nine months &ndash; the applicable period by Finnish labour law &ndash; to 15 months, from the date of the employment termination relationship. Further, the employer is obligated to inform redundant workers of new vacancies for another nine months beyond that. 
 
Perhaps most importantly to Paperiliitto, is that terms and conditions for outsourcing and lay-offs remain unchanged.
<img height="164" alt="" src="" width="160" />
Paperworkers also gained a three-day sick period without proof of medical certificate, a first inside Finland&rsquo;s industrial sectors. The new agreement allows for flexible work time if workers and employers, with union approval, agree to it on the local level. The two sides can also agree on regular 10-hour work days. 
 
The new pay system to be implemented will promote multi-skilled jobs. It provides opportunities, incentives and personal training for diversity of tasks, and for workers to acquire new competencies. This agreement was also achieved outside of Finland&rsquo;s traditional tripartite incomes policy of employer association, national labour centres, and government, but leaves open the possibility to return to the national incomes policy in spring 2010. 
 
Toimihenkil&ouml;unioni TU, ICEM salaried workers&rsquo; affiliate in Finland, which represents white-collar workers in the pulp and paper sector, has currently just begun talks with the Finland Forest Industries Federation on a new labour agreement. That pact also expires 31 May 2008.

Paperiliitto, Finnish Pulp/Paper Industry Come to Amiable Terms

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Joining many others in the internet community, the ICEM is now also offering RSS news feeds on its website. Through this system of automatic (news headlines) links, ICEM news can be brought to you automatically via your RSS reader, or even via your website. 
 
RSS is a tool used in different ways for information distribution on the internet. It&rsquo;s most widespread usage is distributing news headlines. 
RSS (news) reader programmes allow you to easily check updates from your favourite (news) sites, or blogs. Headlines are brought to one centralised place (the RSS reader), and the user doesn&rsquo;t have to go to different websites directly. All that is necessary is to &ldquo;subscribe&rdquo; to the feed. A major advantage is getting the information you want, without spam, since the user doesn&rsquo;t need to provide his/her e-mail. 
<img height="128" alt="" src="" width="128" />
For those unfamiliar with RSS feeds, an easy way to find out more about the basics of RSS is this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0klgLsSxGsU">short three-minute video on YouTube</a>. Another, shorter introduction can be found through <a href="http://www.google.com/reader/view/#directory-welcome-page">Google Reader</a>, one of the most used &ldquo;RSS feed readers&rdquo;. A short explanation on RSS feeds can also be found <a href="http://www.akimedia.eu/web-agency/news/fils-rss.html">here</a> in French on the web-site of Belgian Akimedia. The various language sites of Wikipedia can also be a source to find out more about RSS feeds in your own language. 
 
RSS feeds can also be inserted into e-mail applications such as Microsoft Outlook 2007 (for more, click <a href="http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HA101595391033.aspx">here</a> - this page also includes general information on RSS feeds). 
 
There is one ICEM RSS feed per language used on the ICEM site, allowing you to only get the updates in the language that you are interested in. The ICEM web pages to go to in order to subscribe to the ICEM RSS news feed are as follows: 
English: <a href="/feed_en.rss">/feed_en.rss</a> 
French: <a href="/feed_fr.rss">/feed_fr.rss</a> 
German: <a href="/feed_de.rss">/feed_de.rss</a> 
Japanese: <a href="/feed_ja.rss">/feed_ja.rss</a> 
Russian: <a href="/feed_ru.rss">/feed_ru.rss</a> 
Spanish: <a href="/feed_es.rss">/feed_es.rss</a> 
Swedish: <a href="/feed_sv.rss">/feed_sv.rss</a> 
Turkish: <a href="/feed_tr.rss">/feed_tr.rss</a>
You can also click on&nbsp;<img height="14" alt="" src="" width="14" /> in&nbsp;the address line of your internet browser next to the ICEM address. (This may not be visible in certain older browsers). 
 
Through RSS feeds, there also is a possibility for your website to automatically publish ICEM news on one or more of your own web pages. You can easily have a part of your organisation&rsquo;s homepage, or of your international pages, to automatically carry ICEM news headlines. Once the system is set up, these pages will, through automatically renewed links, show the latest news headlines from the ICEM's homepage, in your prefered language, making the full ICEM articles available through a click of a button.

ICEM Introduces RSS News Feeds from its Website

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ICEM French affiliate Chemical and Energy Workers Union, FCE-CFDT, hosted a group of 15 Japanese trade union leaders and five managers from Kansai Electric Power Co. (KEPCO) in France last week. The two-day visit, organised by the ICEM, followed a day-long orientation at the ICEM offices on 5 February in Brussels. 
 
The French portion of the trip tightened the bonds of unity between French trade union leaders in the energy sector and their Japanese counterparts. The 20-member Japanese delegation visited two worksites of Groupe V&eacute;olia, a global waste management concern, and received extensive briefings on a number of labour and French social issues in the offices of FCE-CFDT.
<img height="187" alt="" src="" width="280" />
Japanese, French trade unionists at FCE-CFDT offices&nbsp;
Besides presentations on French social legislation and collective bargaining relations, participants discussed European energy concerns for the future and the corresponding social aspects that are at stake. The Japanese delegation posed queries on workers&rsquo; rights inside energy companies, as well as on the union rights of FCE-CFDT members at these companies. 
 
The Japanese delegation also asked questions regarding women&rsquo;s rights at work, as well as their work-life balance in French society. 
 
Following the discussions, the delegation toured, with FCE-CFDT delegates from Groupe V&eacute;olia, two plants in the greater Paris area. Workers at these plants tear apart and recycle electric appliance components.
<img height="210" alt="" src="" width="280" />
Tour of Applicance Recycling Plant
The sites are located in Saint Ouen l&rsquo;Aum&ocirc;ne and Gonesse. &ldquo;With respect for the environment and sustainable development, the recycling of appliances is seen as a value to the communities,&rdquo; said FCE-CFDT Representative Jacques Caltot. 
 
Groupe V&eacute;olia is a world leader in water, waste, and energy transformation, with some 270,000 employees in 64 countries. Osaka-based KEPCO is Japan&rsquo;s second largest utility, and employs 30,000 workers. The company operates over 150 hydro, fossil fuel, and nuclear energy plants in Japan.

FCE-CFDT Hosts Japanese Kansai Electric Power Leaders in France

<img height="39" alt="" src="" width="100" />
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) of the US is seeking a rare 10(j) court injunction, under the country&rsquo;s labour code, to compel Massey Energy Co. to re-hire 85 members of ICEM affiliate United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) at a mine in the state of West Virginia. The 85 were fired for their union affiliation in 2004 when Massey purchased the Cannelton Mine from Horizon Natural Resources after Horizon went into bankruptcy. 
 
The NLRB filed for the injunction on 31 January in a federal district court in Charleston, West Virginia. If the injunction is granted, not only must anti-union Massey rehire the 85, but it would require the Richmond, Virginia-based company to recognise the UMWA as lawful representative for all miners at its Spartan Mining subsidiary. It would also have to adhere to terms of the 2002 national bituminous coal agreement, and begin renewal negotiations with the UMWA.
<img height="100" alt="" src="" width="100" />
&nbsp;UMWA President Cecil Roberts welcomed the labour board&rsquo;s effort to take immediate remedial action. &ldquo;As workers know too well, the appeals process in labour cases can take years, while workers who have been harmed by a company&rsquo;s action get no relief,&rdquo; he said. 
 
&ldquo;But this time, things are different. We belief the NLRB&rsquo;s case for injunctive relief is a strong one, and we believe a judge will quickly see that and grant the injunction,&rdquo; said Roberts. 
 
In late November 2007, an administrative law judge of the NLRB ruled that Massey must re-hire the miners, pay backpay, and recognise the UMWA. Massey immediately said it would appeal that decision to the top five-member panel of the NLRB in Washington, DC, which could take years, and even further to the US Circuit Court of Appeals if the labour board panel rules against the company.
<img height="88" src="" width="200" alt="" />
In September 2004 when Massey took over Horizon&rsquo;s mine, it fired all 160 miners at the unionised operation, stating that it would seek better qualified workers. A bankruptcy judge also nullified the collective agreement, but the UMWA filed unfair labour practice charges before the NLRB. 
 
On two occasions, Massey was hit with unfair labour practice citations by the labour board, and the 21 November 2007 decision of Administrative Law Judge Paul Bogas verified the company&rsquo;s intent to discriminate against UMWA members &ldquo;on the basis of their membership in the predecessor&rsquo;s bargaining unit and their pro-union sentiments. 
 
Massey is the US&rsquo;s fourth biggest coal producer who&rsquo;s Chairman, CEO, and President, Donald Blankenship, is the most anti-union coal executive in America. Massey has renamed the Cannelton Mine and now calls it Mammoth Mine.

US Labour Board Wants Court Order to Force Massey to Re-hire Unionised Mineworkers

South Korea faces a nationwide power strike from 24 November over plans to privatise the electricity sector. 
 
Notice of industrial action has already been served by the Korea National Electricity Workers' Union (KNEWU), which will ballot members tomorrow. The union says it will launch the action if the Korean parliament presses ahead with legislation to split up and privatise the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO). 
 
The parliament's Standing Committee on Industry and Energy is due to consider the draft law by 23 November. The KNEWU has publicly opposed the plans from the outset. A recent opinion poll showed 90.8 percent of KEPCO employees ready to take part in protests, and the scheme has also run into growing opposition from the public at large. In fact, the restructuring is already behind schedule because parliament pulled back from adopting the legislation last year. 
 
KEPCO is one of South Korea's biggest public enterprises. By law, the government currently holds 52.6 percent of its equity. The corporation accounts for about 94.2 percent of the country's power generation, and has 44 GWh of installed capacity. It transmits, distributes and sells all of South Korea's electricity. In June this year, it employed 34,146 people. 
 
The government has tabled a four-phase privatisation plan, starting with a split-up of KEPCO's generation side from this year onward and full privatisation of generation by 2002. Full competition would be introduced into the wholesale electricity market in the period 2003-2008, and the retail side of the business would be sold off. Competitive retailing of electricity would be brought in from 2009 onwards. 
 
KEPCO's thermal and hydro generation units are already being hived off into five separate subsidiaries, as a prelude to privatisation. Its nuclear capacity will be kept as a wholly-owned KEPCO subsidiary for the foreseeable future. As in power sell-offs elsewhere, there may be few or no takers for the nuclear stations. 
 
One issue is the debts run up by KEPCO, but the union points out that these are the result of the government's own policy of providing cheap electricity to industry and to low-income households. KEPCO has a public service ethic which includes support for rural communities, small and medium-scale enterprises and the domestic coal industry. 
 
The union's fight against privatisation is &quot;not just a matter of job security,&quot; said KNEWU representative Kim Chae-Ro. &quot;Resolving KEPCO's debts through asset sales will destroy the company. The changes will lead to an industry where suppliers wield the sword.&quot; 
 
Globally, the KNEWU is affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), which has declared full support for the Korean union's action. 
 
&quot;Your powerful campaign has so far prevented the sell-off of your national utility,&quot; ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs emphasised in a message to KNEWU President Oh Kyung-Ho today. &quot;In Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Africa, we are helping our unions to fight against destructive privatisation which has led to huge job losses, higher prices and declining health and safety conditions everywhere it has been carried out. In countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, Hungary, Uruguay, Paraguay and Thailand, unions have campaigned successfully in favour of alternative models which safeguard the interests of workers, their families and the citizens. The ICEM strongly believes that energy is a social product. It should be produced and distributed for the good of all citizens, not just for the benefit of the few.&quot; 
 
At special ceremonies across South Korea today, KNEWU officers had their hair trimmed down to a monkish minimum. It was a token of their readiness - and a cutting comment on a sell-off that could leave Korea shorn.

Korean Power Strike Over Privatisation

How can workers face up to the might of the global corporations? 
	 
	By organising globally.

	That is why more than 20 million workers worldwide are already members of the ICEM, the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers&#039; Unions. 
	 
	The ICEM is a rapidly growing industry-based world labour federation dedicated to practical solidarity. It unites trade unions in its sectors on all continents. Its aim is to become a truly global trade union.

	<img alt="" height="43" src="" width="50" />

	Its main focuses are:
<ul>
	<li>
		<div align="justify">
			negotiating and monitoring global agreements with multinational companies - mainly on workers&#039; rights, equality at work and the highest standards of health, safety and environmental protection worldwide</div>
	</li>
	<li>
		<div align="justify">
			networking trade union reps within global corporations</div>
	</li>
	<li>
		<div align="justify">
			coordinating solidarity and support for member unions during disputes</div>
	</li>
	<li>
		<div align="justify">
			union-building in countries where unions are weak or non-existent</div>
	</li>
	<li>
		<div align="justify">
			providing information and expertise on topics ranging from collective bargaining to health and safety standards</div>
	</li>
	<li>
		<div align="justify">
			representing workers&#039; interests within the UN, its agencies and other intergovernmental bodies</div>
	</li>
	<li>
		<div align="justify">
			skills training and development work with trade union officers and rank-and-file union members.</div>
	</li>
</ul>

	 
	The ICEM organises in a wide range of industries: 
	 
	Energy 
	Exploration, production, generation, refining and distribution of all types of primary and secondary energy. 
	 
	Mining and Quarrying 
	Exploration, extraction and processing of hard coal and lignite, metallic and non-metallic minerals, clays, sands, gravels and gems. 
	 
	Chemicals and Bioscience 
	Research, production and refining of chemical elements, compounds and products, pharmaceuticals, chemo-technical products, petrochemical products, agrochemicals, plastics, plastic products and composites and artificial fibres. Research and manufacture of products and materials resulting from biotechnical methods or genetic engineering techniques. 
	 
	Pulp and Paper 
	Research, production and conversion of pulp, paper, board, kraft, paper packaging and other paper and board products. 
	 
	Rubber 
	Research and production of synthetic rubber and composites and fabrication of both natural and synthetic rubber products. 
	 
	Diamonds, Gems, Ornaments and Jewellery Production 
	Diamond and gem sorting, cutting and polishing; pearl farming and setting; ornament and jewellery manufacture. 
	 
	Glass, Ceramics, Cement and Associated Industries 
	Research, production and fabrication of flat glass, container glass, glass fibres, household glass, technical glass and all other glass products; all types of pottery, clay and ceramic materials, composites and products; cement, non-metallic minerals, composites and products. 
	 
	Environmental Services 
	Waste disposal and recovery, pollution control, recycling, cleaning and maintenance, laundry, dry cleaning and hygiene services, porterage and security and associated activities. 
	 
	Service and Miscellaneous Industries 
	Service and miscellaneous industries not falling within the scope of other International Trade Secretariats. 
	 
	 
	The ICEM membership includes all employee categories within its sectors.

	By March 2012, the ICEM represented 355 industrial trade unions in 115 countries. Enquiries are welcomed from other unions in ICEM sectors worldwide. 
	 
	The ICEM unites workers irrespective of race, nationality, gender or creed. It supports sustainable industrial development. The ICEM campaigns for the highest levels of health and safety at the workplace, and for environmentally responsible industrial products and processes. The ICEM is also committed to the global application of the best possible standards and practices - especially within multinational corporations.

	&nbsp;

	 
	Principal officers of the ICEM

	&nbsp;

	 
	<img alt="" height="198" src="" width="160" /> 
	 
	President 
	Senzeni Zokwana 

	&nbsp;

	<img alt="" height="169" src="" width="160" /> 
	 
	General Secretary 
	Manfred Warda

	 
	The ICEM promotes modern techniques of information exchange between affiliated trade unions, including computer networking. In particular, it is expanding trade union contacts and cooperation within the worldwide operations of the major multinational companies in its industries. 
	 
	As a clearing house for trade union expertise, the ICEM draws on a pool of specialists from its affiliated trade unions around the world. Its own staff provide rapid responses to unions&#039; specific questions on, for example, collective bargaining trends, company structures or the health hazards of a new industrial chemical. 
	 
	The ICEM believes that its policies must be locally &quot;owned&quot; by its rank-and-file membership - not handed down from above. These policies must be relevant to the day-to-day needs of its affiliated trade unions. The ICEM&#039;s union-building programmes carefully avoid the creation of client organisations. Its assistance to newly emerging industrial trade unions is on the basis of help for self-help. 
	 
	While maintaining its global unity, the ICEM has devolved some of its decisions and action to the world&#039;s different regions. 
	 
	Special provisions ensure that women workers throughout the world are properly represented within the ICEM, which runs programmes to meet their particular concerns. 
	 
	The ICEM issues a range of general and specialised publications, both in print and via the Internet. It also voices workers&#039; concerns within the world media. And its website at www.icem.org is first with the unions&#039; news and views. 
	 
	The ICEM often makes representations on workers&#039; behalf to national authorities and international bodies. These include the relevant specialised UN agencies, such as the International Labour Organisation and the World Health Organisation. 
	 
	The ICEM maintains close contact with the trade union movement&#039;s other sector-by-sector Global Union Federations (GUFs), with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), with regional trade union bodies of all continents and with other organisations campaigning on issues that directly affect its members (for example, the environment and human rights). 
	 
	The world&#039;s major employers are now organised globally. Trade unions cannot lag behind. The ICEM believes that industrial trade unionism worldwide must concentrate on its main tasks - improving workers&#039; pay and conditions and recruiting new members.

The ICEM - who we are, what we do

Global Solidarity 
A newsletter for unionised Goodyear workers world-wide
 
Global Network Links Workers across Borders 
 
When more than 100 labor leaders and trade union representatives from 16 countries gathered in Cleveland, Ohio in March 1999, they decided to form a global network for Goodyear workers around the world. The goal was to open lines of communication worldwide and to share information of mutual interest. 
 
Publishing Global Solidarity is one facet in the creation of a network that builds international worker solidarity within a multinational corporation. With the continuing consolidation of the world tire industry, workers need a united global front to address common problems. 
 
The Cleveland conference and the establishment of a global network was a direct result of an agenda established during an ICEM rubber industry conference held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in June 1998. 
 
The delegates at the Cleveland conference elected a network steering committee comprised of Richard Davis (United Steelworkers of America), chairman; Yoshihiko Sawada (Gomo Rengo, Japan); Bill Holmes (Manufacturing Science &amp; Finance, U.K.); Carlos Antonio da Silva (Frente Unica de Borracha, Brazil); Thabang Nchele (National Union of Metalworkers, South Africa); and Peter Schmitt, (ICEM). 
 
The Steering Committee met in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on January 25, 2000 to set the network&rsquo;s direction. Among other things, the network held an initial meeting with senior Goodyear executives and proposed that a joint agreement on health and safety be negotiated. 
 
 
U.S. Steelworkers Win Contract Improvements 
 
On November 15, 2000, the Goodyear/Kelly Springfield/Dunlop Policy Committee of the United Steelworkers of America announced member ratification of changes to the Master Contract. The contract improvements are consistent with the industry pattern agreement established in the 2000 Bridgestone negotiations. 
 
Union workers at Goodyear and subsidiary plants in the U.S. will receive wage, cost-of-living and pension increases as well as language improvements in several areas, including preferential hiring and outside contracting. The agreement covers 12,000 employees at nine Goodyear locations, 5,700 workers at three Kelly plants and 2,600 workers at two Dunlop facilities. 
 
Negotiations between Goodyear and the Steelworkers began in March. Re-opener discussions were suspended March 10, about a month after the Steelworkers chose Bridgestone as its target company for pattern bargaining. When negotiations between Bridgestone/Firestone and the union concluded successfully in September, talks between the Steelworkers and Goodyear resumed. 
 
 
Asia/Pacific Unions Hold Regional Conference 
 
The ICEM hosted the Asia/Pacific Goodyear Network Workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on July 25-26, 2000. The workshop resulted from actions taken at the ICEM World Rubber Conference of June 1998 and the ICEM-USWA Goodyear World Conference of March 1999, which directed Goodyear steering committees in all regions to conduct sessions. 
 
Yoshihiko Sawada, president of the Japanese Rubber Workers Union Confederation (Gomu Rengo, Japan) chaired the workshop that included 18 participants from five countries. Participants also came from SP KEP Goodyear Union, Indonesia; National Union of Workers, Australia; National Union of Employees in Companies Manufacturing Rubber Products, Malaysia; Centre of Indian Trade Unions; as well as ICEM-JAF and the ICEM. 
 
In addition to developing ways to network and communicate better, work groups discussed issues such as industrial health and safety, occupational diseases, and training and education programs. 
 
 
Goodyear Pushes to Bust Union in Colombia 
 
Despite extensive efforts over the past months to work with the company to reduce production costs at the Santiago de Cali plant, Goodyear management in Colombia is engaged in a blatant effort to undermine its collective bargaining relationship with the tire workers union SINTRAINCAPLA. 
 
The company unilaterally violated the union contract by hiring temporary workers in the production and maintenance departments. The collective bargaining agreement explicitly prohibits the use of temporary or contract workers unless the company and union agree. 
 
Workers at the plant have already accepted a number of concessions pursuant to collective bargaining negotiations with management aimed at saving jobs and keeping the plant open. 
 
 
Canadian Workers Reject Company Proposal 
 
Members of a Salaberry-De-Valleyfield, Quebec union, already on strike for six months, rejected a five-year contract proposal from Goodyear on November 15. Wage and job security issues were the reasons that members of Steelworker Local 919 overwhelmingly rejected the offer. The 76-member local, mainly office and technical workers at Goodyear&rsquo;s Valleyfield passenger radial facility, have been on strike since April 27, 2000. 
 
Local members have been working without a contract since July 1996. The union and the company have fought within Quebec&rsquo;s labor department over alleged exclusion of certain jobs from unionization. Initially the local was prevented by provincial law from striking, but regained that right earlier this year. 
 
The exclusion of jobs from bargaining units has continued to be an issue during the negotiations. Management&rsquo;s desire to turn union into non-union work, continued layoffs of Local 919 members, and increased use of subcontracting has reduced union employment by about 40% over the past decade. The Communications, Energy &amp; Paperwork Union represent production and maintenance workers at the plant. 
 
 
Indonesian Union Makes Proposal to Company 
 
In November, the SP.KEP Goodyear Indonesia (Chemical, Energy and Mine Workers Union at Goodyear Indonesia) 
 
initiated negotiations with PT. Goodyear Indonesia Tbk. The union is looking to improve wages, working condition and safety for its members. 
 
 
Goodyear Reneges on UK Union Agreement 
 
The company has mounted a major attack on two ICEM-affiliated unions in the United Kingdom. The Transport and General Workers Union and the MSF are battling to protect its members&rsquo; terms and conditions of employment as well as their ability to effectively represent membership. 
 
Goodyear has already announced layoffs (redundancies) of 540 workers at its Wolverhampton facility. More troubling is the way the company is handling the matter. In addition to the redundancy notice, the company has delivered 90 days notice that it is unilaterally canceling the long established employment security and severance payment agreement. 
 
ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs and Goodyear Network chairman Dick Davis have urged the company to honor its commitments. 
 
The agreement, first signed in 1985, was revised and renegotiated as recently as October 1999. In September 2000, a Goodyear senior vice president promised the workers at Wolverhampton that the company would honor all existing agreements, including the Security of Employment Agreement. 
 
 
Operating Engineers Ratify Contract 
 
Striking workers at Goodyear&rsquo;s chemical plant in Houston, Texas overwhelmingly ratified a new contract in mid-December. The new agreement provides pension improvements and a first-year lump sum wage increase. 
 
Union solidarity was key in fighting Goodyear&rsquo;s demand for concessions on seniority rights, contracting out, health benefit cuts and wage reductions. Members of Local 347 of the International Union of Operating Engineers walked out on October 10 after rejecting the company&rsquo;s proposed new agreement. 
 
International unions representing Goodyear workers in France, Germany, Guatemala, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Australia and the U.S. registered protests with the company and lent support to Local 347. 
 
In early November, the workers rejected by a 2-to-1 margin another company offer that called for contracting out 139 jobs or across-the-board pay cuts. Wages would have automatically been cut by 33%, health care cost would have increased and a number of jobs would have been phased out over a two-year period. 
 
The settlement covers 350 workers at a plant that manufactures emulsion styrene butadiene rubber, a material used in tire production. 
 
 
Anti-Union Tactics in Guatemala 
 
The ICEM reported last year that Goodyear has targeted workers in Guatemala with anti-union practices. Forty-eight production employees, members of STGINSA, at the Guatemala City plant were fired without just cause and two executive committee members of the union were suspended. 
 
The union said the action breaches the collective bargaining agreement, the labor laws of the country and the international labor conventions ratified by the government of Guatemala. Ron Hoover, USWA Goodyear Coordinator in the U.S. urged the company to &ldquo;take the necessary steps to restore the proper integrity to the collective bargaining process (in Guatemala) and protect the company&rsquo;s &ldquo;Good Name.&rdquo; 
 
 
European Unions Stand Up for Goodyear Workers 
 
The IGBCE of Germany and the FCE-CFDT of France have recently written support letters on behalf of Goodyear workers in Wolverhampton, UK, Houston, U.S. and Colombia, South America. The letters were written to Goodyear Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Samir Gibara. 
 
Both letters proclaimed support for the Houston workers&rsquo; fight for a new contract and condemned Goodyear&rsquo;s management for undermining negotiations in Colombia, as well as terminating a job security agreement in the U.K. 
 
IGBCE president Hubertus Schmoldt also cited serious problems with Goodyear at its Philippsburg, Germany factory. Schmoldt criticized the company for trying to wreck the collective agreement and for not reinvesting in the facility. 
 
Both unions appealed to the company to take a civilized approach of discussing and negotiating changes with both the workers and their unions. 
 
 
ICEM &amp; FUTINAL Host International Conference 
 
Leaders of 25 unions from Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru Chile and Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and the United States, gathered in Praia Grande, Brazil in November 2000 to participate in a conference hosted by the ICEM and the Latin American United Tire and Rubber Industry Workers Front (FUTINAL). 
 
The tire and rubber worker trade unionists examined trends in the world industry as well as national, regional and global concerns. Measures were adopted that will improve the exchange of information between workers of different global tire companies that operate in the region. 
Several motions were passed that extended solidarity to Goodyear workers in the region. Members Guatemalan Goodyear union STGINSA received a pledge of support from the conference in their battle against the company&rsquo;s anti-union practices. 
 
A resolution condemning Goodyear&rsquo;s union busting attempts in Colombia was passed, as was a motion directed to the Colombian government that denounced death threats by right wing groups to labor leaders. 
 
A motion to offer international solidarity to the Titan Tire workers in Uruguay, members of FUNSA, also passed. This action denounced the recent agreement between Titan and Goodyear that reduces tire production in Uruguay and promotes the imports of Goodyear products. 
In an act designed to strengthen the links between workers across borders, it was decided that an international delegation of rubber workers would visit in early 2001 all the countries of the Americas affiliated with FUTINAL. Next year&rsquo;s conference will be held in Argentina. 
 
 
Goodyear-Pacific Dunlop Announces Restructuring 
 
South Pacific Tyres Ltd. is cutting production at one site and laying off workers at another in Australia. The joint venture of Goodyear and Pacific Dunlop looks to reduce costs and reverse company losses within six months. 
 
Heavy truck production will be halted at the Somerton plant and passenger and light tire production will be reorganized. The company also plans to lay off 500 workers at its Melbourne plant and reduce the product line at that facility. 
 
The National Union of Workers represents workers at these plants. 
 
 
Aircraft Tire Production Resumes in Brazil 
 
After a seven-year hiatus, Goodyear has resumed production of aircraft tires at its Sao Paulo, Brazil facility to meet increased demand. The company manufactured aviation tires at the plant from 1943 until 1992, when it suspended production. 
 
About 30 percent of the tire output will be for the Brazilian market while the rest will be exported to North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and other Latin American countries. 
 
Brazilian airplane manufacturer Embraer-Empresa Brasiliera de Aeronautica, the world&rsquo;s fourth largest producer of airliners and a Goodyear customer since 1969, is building a new domestic plant that the company will supply. 
 
 
Global Goodyear 
 
Goodyear is the world&rsquo;s largest tire company. In addition, it manufactures and markets worldwide several lines of belts, hoses and other rubber products for the transportation industry, as well as various industrial and consumer products. 
 
Goodyear operates 92 plants in 27 countries around the world. Thirty-two plants are located in the US, eight in Canada, 20 in Europe, two in Africa, 13 in Latin America and 17 in Asia. With the addition of its Dunlop tire joint ventures, Goodyear employs more than 100,000. 
 
Last year, Goodyear posted net sales of $12.9 billion and net income was $241.1 million. For the nine months ending September 2000, net sales increased 12%. 
 
Goodyear is the No. 1 tire maker in North America and South America and the largest in Europe. Chairman and CEO, Samir Gibara, earned $1.6 million USD in salary last year and exercised options worth another $216,000 USD during that time. 
 
 
Send Your News! 
 
Global Solidarity is published by the United Steelworkers of America, Five Gateway Center, Pittsburgh, PA. 15222, USA. 
 
If you have news and information for the next issue of Solidarity News, please send it to Don Faulkner by: 
 
Fax + 1 412 562 2520 or 
 
E-mail mailto:dfaulkner@uswa.org

Goodyear network Global Bulletin - English version

A grim New Year faces the Ukraine's unpaid miners and their families. 
 
40,000 miners have now launched an indefinite strike at the call of the Miners'Indepedent Trade Union of Ukraine (MITU). 
 
They have two demands: 
<ul>
 <li>
 <div>Payment of the wages owed to them. Wages and other social payments are now 11 months in arrears. The miners are owed more than 800 million US dollars. 
 </div>
 </li>
 <li>
 <div>Provision in the 1999 budget for state subsidies to the coal mines. </div>
 </li>
</ul>
Miners who see their families going hungry are now turning to acts of despair. 
 
This Monday, a MITU miner picketing the Lugansk state administration tried to burn himself to death. Alexandre Mikhalevich is in critical condition after suffering 45 percent burns to his body and lungs. 
 
Three other miners say they will resort to self-immolation unless the wage backlog is paid. 
 
At the global level, MITU is affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM). 
 
&quot;The desperate act of Alexandre Mikhalevich reminds us immensely and painfully of the limits of what humans can endure,&quot; writes ICEM General Secretary Vic Thorpe in a solidarity message to MITU Chairman Mikhail Volynets. &quot;The sheer enormity of the wages and social payments due to workers cannot distract us from the thought that behind these figures are tens of thousands of men, women and children suffering in their limbs and souls. We realise that entire communities must feel that they have been brutally robbed of their past and of their future.&quot; 
 
But, Thorpe warns, &quot;our compassion cannot distract us from the firm belief that the response of organised workers lies in struggle - not self-annihilation. Yes, there are moments when we are overwhelmed by the complexity and magnitude of the problems in front of us, but the bitter experience of the ICEM's members is that there are no alternatives than to continue to fight for justice, dignity and solutions.&quot;

Grim New Year For Ukrainian Miners

GLOBAL AGREEMENT 
 
between
ANGLOGOLD LTD. (AngloGold) 
 
and 
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF CHEMICAL, ENERGY, MINE AND GENERAL WORKERS' UNIONS (the ICEM) 
 
on 
 
THE PROMOTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF GOOD HUMAN AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS IN ANGLOGOLD OPERATIONS WORLDWIDE 
 
1 PREAMBLE 
 
1.1 AngloGold is a South African based gold mining company with business operations in several countries around the world. The ICEM represents trade unions that organise workers in the mining industry worldwide. 
 
1.2 AngloGold and the ICEM record their mutual interest in the development and sustainability of the gold mining industry worldwide, and in good human resources and industrial relations practice. 
 
1.3 AngloGold and the ICEM agree to give practical effect to their common interest, and accordingly enter into this agreement to: 
 
&middot; create an effective channel for an ongoing dialogue between them to protect and advance their mutual interests; 
 
&middot; affirm the principles and values of internationally accepted labour relations and human resource practice;and 
 
&middot; establish a procedure for the resolution of disagreements that may arise from time to time. 
 
1.4 In pursuance of this objective and of advancing the interests of all stakeholders in the gold mining industry the parties seek to promote an industry that is safe, humane and productive. 
 
 
2 APPLICATION 
This agreement is intended to apply to operations, wherever situated, over which AngloGold has direct managerial control.The parties agree that no additional processes or rights other than those specified in this agreement will be imposed by the application of the agreement by ICEM affiliates. 
 
 
3 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES AND VALUES 
 
The parties respect the following principles and values: 
 
&middot; the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race, gender, language, national extraction, social origin, political opinion or religion; 
 
&middot; the rights of freedom of association with due regard to the principles underlying ILO Convention 87; 
 
&middot; the determination of the terms and conditions of employment through appropriate mechanisms, with due regard to the principles underlying ILO Convention 98; 
 
&middot; the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour as proscribed by ILO Conventions 29 and 105; 
 
&middot; the effective abolition of child labour as proscribed by ILO Conventions 138 and 182; 
 
&middot; the elimination of discrimination and the promotion of employment equality in respect of employment policies and practices, with due regard to ILO Conventions 100 and 111; 
 
&middot; the provision of a safe and healthy working environment by the application of industry best practice; 
 
&middot; the conduct of mining operations with proper regard for the environment and for the health and safety of all those involved, and the public at large; 
 
&middot; the promotion of good relationships with local communities and a positive and meaningful contribution to community activities; and 
 
&middot; those principles and values referred to in the UN General Secretary's initiative, the Global Compact. 
 
 
4 IMPLEMENTATION 
 
4.1 Review and Application 
 
The parties agree to meet as often as is necessary, but at least annually, to review past practice and to preview future plans relevant to their interests, and to discuss the terms of this agreement. A sub-committee will be established to consider plans and proposals placed before it by either party following any alleged breach of accepted standards of conduct that could not be resolved at the level of local and national operation. 
 
4.2 Information Sharing and Training 
 
The parties agree to distribute copies of this agreement throughout their organisations to each appropriate level and area, and to advise the parties of their rights and duties under this agreement. 
 
 
5 ADMINISTRATION AND DURATION 
 
5.1 The General Secretary of the ICEM or a designated nominee and the Chief Executive Officer of AngloGold or a designated nominee is responsible for the administration of the agreement. 
 
5.2 The agreement will come into effect once signed and remains in force unless otherwise agreed or amended, or terminated by either party giving three calendar months&rsquo; notice, in writing, to the other. 
 
 
Signed by 
 
 
Fred Higgs, General Secretary, ICEM 
Bobby Godsell, CEO, Anglogold 
Senzeni Zokwana, President, NUM

Text of the Global Agreement between ICEM and AngloGold

The exchange of information and the development of good working practice within StatoilHydro worldwide operations. 

 
1 PREAMBLE 
 
This agreement is set up by Industri Energi, as the central bargaining union for StatoilHydro operations in Norway and Industri Energi on behalf of ICEM (International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers&rsquo; Unions) which represents trade unions organising StatoilHydro employees in the Company world-wide and StatoilHydro. 
 
The purpose of the agreement is to create an open channel of information between Industri Energi /ICEM and StatoilHydro Management about industrial relations issues in order to continuously improve and develop good work practices in StatoilHydro's worldwide operations. 
 
This agreement covers all activities where StatoilHydro has direct control. Where StatoilHydro does not have overall control, it will exercise its best efforts in order to secure compliance with the standards set out in this agreement. StatoilHydro will notify its subcontractors and licensees of this agreement and encourage compliance with the standards. 
 
Based on the Parties&rsquo; common recognition of fundamental human rights and StatoilHydro's own values, the purpose is to monitor the practical application of the agreed principles and to discuss any improvements in the working practices or any positive contribution the Parties may make to the eradication of poverty through economic and social progress. 
 
2 HUMAN RIGHTS, INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND HSE ISSUES 
 
StatoilHydro and Industri Energi/ICEM affirm their support for fundamental human rights in the community and in the place of work. Furthermore, the Parties recognise the importance of protecting safety, health and well being at work and share the concern about the impact of exploitation that production, use and disposal may have upon the natural and human environment. This agreement is intended to ensure the best possible standards of protection for those employed in our business. 
 
The respect of human rights includes: 
 
&bull; The right of every employee to be represented by a union of his or her own choice and the basic trade union rights as defined by ILO Convention 87 and 98 covering freedom of association and the right to organise, as well as the right to engage in collective bargaining. StatoilHydro therefore agrees not to oppose efforts to unionise its employees. 
 
&bull; A commitment not to employ forced or bonded labour as proscribed in the IL0 Conventions 29 and 105 or otherwise. 
 
&bull; A commitment to employ no child labour as proscribed by IL0 Convention 138. 
 
&bull; A commitment to exercise equality of opportunity and treatment in recruitment, employment, training and career development, including equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, and the prevention of discrimination*, in respect of employment and occupation as required by ILO Conventions 100 and 111 respectively. 
 
&bull; A commitment to pay fair wages and benefits according to good industry standards in the country concerned. 
 
&bull; A commitment to provide a safe and healthy work environment, deploying common &quot;best practice&quot; standards. 
 
&bull; Ensure that the company provides a clear and supportive policy on HIV/AIDS and that this policy is effectively implemented throughout StatoilHydros operations. 
 
 
* Discrimination is defined as any distinction, exclusion, or preference made on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin, which has the effect of nullifying or impairing equality of opportunity or treatment 
 
3 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 
 
StatoilHydro and Industri Energi/ICEM will cooperate to ensure that StatoilHydro activities are carried out with the fullest possible regard for the environment in particular this will include: 
 
&bull; Supporting a precautionary approach to environmental challenges. 
 
&bull; Undertaking initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility. 
 
&bull; Encouraging the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies. 
4 IMPLEMENTATION 

4.1 Annual Meeting 
 
StatoilHydro and Industri Energi/ICEM will meet annually to review practice in the area of the agreed principles and follow up this Agreement. The purpose shall be to discuss the issues covered by this agreement with a view to jointly agreeing actions that will further develop good working practices. In addition to the general industrial issues and HSE-matters, the following topics may be addressed: 
 
&bull; General corporate policy on employment, occupational health, safety and environmental issues affecting within the company and, as appropriate, between the company and its related companies including suppliers and subcontractors. 
 
&bull; The economic and financial position of the company and the development of its business and related activities. 
 
&bull; Training matters. 
 
&bull; Issues affecting the exercise of trade union rights. 
 
&bull; Any other issues mutually agreed upon. 
 
Participants at these annual meetings will normally be 4-5 senior officials from Industri Energi/ICEM and relevant managers from StatoilHydro. 

StatoilHydro and Industri Energi/ICEM will meet annually to review practice in the area of the agreed principles and follow up this Agreement. The purpose shall be to discuss the issues covered by this agreement with a view to jointly agreeing actions that will further develop good working practices. In addition to the general industrial issues and HSE-matters, the following topics may be addressed: &bull; General corporate policy on employment, occupational health, safety and environmental issues affecting within the company and, as appropriate, between the company and its related companies including suppliers and subcontractors. &bull; The economic and financial position of the company and the development of its business and related activities. &bull; Training matters. &bull; Issues affecting the exercise of trade union rights. &bull; Any other issues mutually agreed upon. Participants at these annual meetings will normally be 4-5 senior officials from Industri Energi/ICEM and relevant managers from StatoilHydro.
4.2 Local Industrial Relations practice 
 
The agreement between the Parties shall be applied consistently throughout StatoilHydro operations but is not intended to replace or interfere with local industrial relations practice related to information, problem solving and negotiations. The Parties to the agreement respect the principle that industrial relations issues are best resolved as close as possible to the place of work. 

4.3 Training Programmes 
 
Industri Energi/ICEM and StatoilHydro will cooperate in developing joint training arrangements covering those issues &ndash; and their implementation - dealt with in this agreement. This will include appropriate training in health, safety and environmental best practice for union delegates from countries where StatoilHydro is the operator. It will also include Management training programmes within StatoilHydro. The cost of Industri Energi/ICEM involvement in StatoilHydro training programmes may be covered by StatoilHydro, subject to agreement. 

4.4 Union delegates 
StatoilHydro will refrain from dismissing or otherwise discriminating against union delegates, identified as such by the Parties, or employees providing information relevant to the observance and implementation of this Agreement. All union delegates must agree to respect the commercial confidentiality of information disclosed in the exercise of their duties. 
 
StatoilHydro will assist union delegates in the performance of their functions by making available relevant information and other agreed facilities. When it is necessary to take time off from work to perform these functions this will be agreed upon locally and may be given as paid time off within the framework of local agreements. 
 
StatoilHydro may also facilitate the opportunity for union representatives from StatoilHydro operations to meet as necessary to discuss the application and future development of this agreement. 

StatoilHydro will refrain from dismissing or otherwise discriminating against union delegates, identified as such by the Parties, or employees providing information relevant to the observance and implementation of this Agreement. All union delegates must agree to respect the commercial confidentiality of information disclosed in the exercise of their duties. StatoilHydro will assist union delegates in the performance of their functions by making available relevant information and other agreed facilities. When it is necessary to take time off from work to perform these functions this will be agreed upon locally and may be given as paid time off within the framework of local agreements. StatoilHydro may also facilitate the opportunity for union representatives from StatoilHydro operations to meet as necessary to discuss the application and future development of this agreement. 
4.5 Information 
 
Industri Energi/ICEM will distribute copies of this agreement to all its member unions that organise employees in StatoilHydro companies around the world, and will broadly publicise the existence of the agreement and explain its implications to its unions in the Company. 
 
StatoilHydro will in the same manner distribute copies of this agreement to all StatoilHydro offices in local languages of the countries concerned and will inform local management of the existence and contents of this Agreement. 
 
Any external information about this agreement shall be mutually agreed by the Parties. 

4.6 Administration 
 
The President of Industri Energi on behalf of ICEM or person authorised by him, and the Vice President Labour Relations in StatoilHydro are responsible for the administration of this agreement. 
 
5 DURATION AND EVALUATION 
 
The duration of this agreement is two years, until 1st September 2010, after which this agreement will be evaluated and may be prolonged for a new period. 

 
Gen&egrave;ve, Nov 13th . 2008 

 
Lars Myhre on behalf of Leif Sande Industri Energi
Erling Brevik StatoilHydro&nbsp; 
Manfred Warda ICEM

Text of the Global Agreement between the ICEM and StatoilHydro

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