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The future of the German hard-coal industry was given new life early in February. Shaped by a combination of hard bargaining by German Union IGBCE in a top-level national summit and a timely demonstration in D&uuml;sseldorf by 10,000 miners, a workable plan was achieved to preserve the industry until at least 2018, and possibly beyond. 
 
The summit was necessary after some federal politicians, as well as politicians from the coal-producing regions of Saarland and North Rhine-Westphalia proposed eliminating coal subsidies as German coal and industrial enterprise RAG becomes a publicly-traded company.
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&nbsp;IGBCE President Hubertus Schmoldt
&ldquo;Our central tenets have been fulfilled,&rdquo; declared IGBCE President Hubertus Schmoldt. &ldquo;Social compatibility, a legal financing mechanism until 2018, and keeping a future door open beyond that.&rdquo; Revenues gained from RAG&rsquo;s stock offering will be placed in a non-profit foundation for that purpose. 
 
&ldquo;We negotiated hard and at a crucial moment, our ability to mobilise materialised,&rdquo; said Schmoldt. He was referring to the 10,000 miners who left their workplaces on 1 February and protested in front of the state parliament building in D&uuml;sseldorf. Miners were demonstrating against North Rhine-Westphalia Prime Minister J&uuml;rgen R&uuml;ttgers&rsquo; proposal at the summit to stop all coal subsidies by 2014. IGBCE and mining industry works councils organised the protest. 
 
Schmoldt said it was that demonstration which blocked the R&uuml;ttgers plan. 
 
Now the Germany Bundestag will draft a hard-coal financing plan from the results of the summit. Coal industry aid will begin in 2009 from the newly-created foundation. The IGBCE and German mineworkers are pleased with several major features produced by the recent coal summit, and with one in particular: that in 2012, a full review of the coal industry will occur in order to sustain it beyond 2018.

German Coal Industry Preserved Until 2018, Possibly Beyond

<a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/RTnews[1].pdf">Rio Tinto Workers' Global Network Newsletter 1</a>
<a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/Issue2.pdf">Rio Tinto Workers' Global Network Newsletter 2</a>
<a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/Issue%20No%203.pdf ">Rio Tinto Workers' Global Network Newsletter 3</a>
<a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/Issue%20No%204.pdf ">Rio Tinto Workers' Global Network Newsletter 4</a>
<a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/Issue%20No%205.pdf">Rio Tinto Workers' Global Network Newsletter 5</a>
<a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/RioTintoNewsMay.pdf">Rio Tinto Workers' Global Network Newsletter 6</a>
<a href="http://www.cfmeu.asn.au/national/int_issues/20040513_Riotinto.html ">Rio Tinto Workers' Global Network Newsletter 7</a>&nbsp;

Rio Tinto Network Newsletter overview

ICEM affiliate in the United Kingdom, Transport &amp; General Workers Union (TGWU), began a ballot today for industrial action against Imerys among its members in the UK&rsquo;s South West. The balloting, over the French-based building materials company&rsquo;s intransigence in redundancy bargaining, will run until 23 February.
TGWU has scheduled meetings with workers and management on 27 February to release the results, and to discuss possible action.
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The ballot will have two questions: 
Are you prepared to take industrial action short of a strike? and 
Are you prepared to take part in strike action? 
 
In July 2006, Imerys announced it would make 900 workers redundant in its former English China Clay mining and processing operations, in the Cornwall and Devon regions of the UK&rsquo;s South West. Although TGWU and other unions representing Imerys&rsquo; workers negotiated job reductions down to just over 600, the company refused to negotiate an adequate redundancy packages. 
 
The ICEM believes that Imerys has demonstrated contempt for the social consultation process in the UK, and complete unfairness to industrial workers in the South West. The ICEM notes that the redundancy package put forward by the company is barely above the minimum British requirement, an amount commonly recognised as low. The 20-million-member ICEM believes that Imerys, one of the world&rsquo;s biggest and most profitable materials sector companies, must improve its social obligations to its workers in the South West. 

<img height="233" alt="" src="" width="350" />&nbsp;

TGWU Issues Strike Ballot at Imerys Today in UK

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USW women march against the Iraq war in Washington, DC, on 25 January 2007 
 
1. Bahrain &ndash; Women Are Still Badly Paid 
2. Canada &ndash; New Federal Policies Affect Women&rsquo;s Equality 
3. European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) &ndash; Gender Equality Report Released 
4. European Union &ndash; 2007 is Equal Opportunities Year 
5. International Monetary Fund (IMF) &ndash; Helping Women Helps the Economy 
6. India &ndash; SEWA Marks Achievements in 2006 
7. OECD &ndash; Women Scientists Wanted 
8. Palestine &ndash; Seminar Held on Democracy and Women&rsquo;s Rights 
9. South Africa &ndash; NUM and SINTIQUIGRA Have Women&rsquo;s Exchange 
10. Spain &ndash; The Government Legislates on Dependent Care 
11. Resources 
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1. Bahrain &ndash; Women Are Still Badly Paid 
The Bahrain Centre of Studies and Research has published findings which indicate that only 9.9% of women are in leadership positions, a fact which also has a bearing on their earnings. With gender bias still predominant, women&rsquo;s salaries are low in spite of their qualifications. Most women are in low-end jobs such as secretaries, receptionists, and clerks. Their main problems involve working time, holidays, working environment, and low pay. 
The women surveyed work in industry, tailoring, construction, finance and insurance, tourism, hospitality, and other services. A full 60.7% of the women surveyed had university degrees. Some companies were also surveyed, and their opinions of women employees in their employment were largely positive. 
Some 70% of those companies deny there was any discrimination on the basis of gender. The study found, &ldquo;&hellip;gender had no effect on a worker&rsquo;s productivity, continuation of work, ability to develop themselves and creativity in their companies.&rdquo; It also said that women&rsquo;s looks or attractiveness did not affect their ability to be hired. 
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2. Canada &ndash; New Federal Policies Affect Women&rsquo;s Equality 
 
The Canadian government enacted many changes in 2006 that adversely affect women&rsquo;s equality, including cutting and changing programmes that benefit women. The government rejected the recommendations from the Task Force on Pay Equity and refused to broaden maternity and parental leave coverage. The women&rsquo;s programme no longer speaks of equality. 
The Early Learning and Childcare agreements were cancelled with the provinces, instead of following recommendations to strengthen them. Housing subsidies were cut, and legal aid programmes were reduced for people who needed to fight against discrimination. In general, women now have less economic equality and less access to affordable childcare. Status of Women Canada saw its budget cut by C$5 million with the argument, &ldquo;women are already equal.&rdquo; 
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3. European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) &ndash; Gender Equality Report Released 
 
On 29 January, the European social partners ETUC, BUSINESSEUROPE, UEAPME, and CEEP released a report which showed progress in the field of gender equality. 
The social partners have integrated the gender equality actions defined in 2005 into their activities in 20 countries. Actions have been taken, such as negotiating collective agreements, discussing with authorities, designing gender equality projects, and developing projects to tackle equality gaps. Work-life balance was the theme of many of the activities. 
The work done in this area included introducing or extending care leave, preventing long working hours, promoting flexible and innovative forms of employment such as telework. 
Equal pay was one other area where information and guidance tools were developed, training schemes were carried out, studies and statistics were produced to deal with the pay gap. Labour market segregation and under-representation of women in decision-making were also contemplated. 
More follow-up actions are also planned at European, national, cross-industry, sectoral, and company levels. 
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4. European Union &ndash; 2007 is Equal Opportunities Year 
 
The aim of the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All is to make people aware of the right to equality, and to reinforce the message that all people have the right to equal treatment without discrimination on the basis of sex, ethnic or racial origin, religion or conviction, incapacity, age or sexual orientation. 
One other aim is to boost participation in society on the part of groups who have suffered from discrimination as well as to increase equal participation by women and men. The ultimate goal is to celebrate diversity and equality. All people have a positive contribution to make to society. Stereotypes must be eliminated as well as prejudices and violence. 
The European Year of Equal Opportunities for All was launched officially at the EU Equality Summit held on 30 and 31 January. In spite of the progress achieved so far at European level in eliminating discrimination and promoting equal opportunities, much remains to be done, and hopefully more positive steps will be taken in this year. For more information, see: 
<a href="http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/cha/c10314.htm">http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/cha/c10314.htm</a>.
<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
5. International Monetary Fund (IMF) &ndash; Helping Women Helps the Economy 
 
A recent IMF study indicates that gender inequality hinders economic growth. Higher rates of economic growth and macroeconomic stability will stem from greater gender equality. Lowest-income countries with the highest degrees of gender inequality should take the benefits of policies into account, which reduce inequality. 
The United Nations&rsquo; Millennium Development Goals expressly link economic progress to the realization of equal opportunities for women. Women&rsquo;s status should be raised, and the gaps between men and women must be eliminated. 
Women&rsquo;s and men&rsquo;s economic behaviour differ. For example, women tend to spend more on a household&rsquo;s basic requirements and to make the most of children&rsquo;s potential. Women save more and invest in more productive ways. Women&rsquo;s lack of education, health care, and economic and social opportunities hinders economic growth. 
The study suggests that when women&rsquo;s access to education, health care, employment and credit are improved, and when differences between men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s opportunities are narrowed, the pace of economic development speeds up and poverty is reduced. 
For more see the IMF Working Paper No. 06/232, &ldquo;Gender Budgeting,&rdquo; and No. 06/233, &ldquo;Gender and Its Relevance to Macroeconomic Policy: A Survey,&rdquo; both available at <a href="http://www.imf.org">www.imf.org</a>.
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6. India &ndash; SEWA Marks Achievements in 2006 
 
The Self-Employed Women&rsquo;s Association (SEWA) of India held its annual meeting from 10 to 12 January, and was able to celebrate victories in 2006. To start with, the union grew to 965,000 members with membership growing in various states. 
SEWA managed to win legal battles for vendors in Gujarat and Indore, obtained identity cards for paper picker women, made gains in SEWA insurance, launched a new pension scheme by SEWA Bank, among other achievements. 
At a conference, the Prime Minister of India agreed to establish a national policy for home-based workers. Nevertheless, the government of Gujarat state continues its repression and intimidation of SEWA. SEWA is not clear about the reasons for the attacks by the government, except that the union speculates that the government does not like a growing and empowered organisation of poor working women who believe in the Gandhian ideology of unity across castes and religions. 
Ela Bhatt, the founder of SEWA, was honoured with a series of international awards throughout 2006.
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7. OECD &ndash; Women Scientists Wanted 
 
OECD science ministers are trying to get more women into research. Women make up only some 30% of researchers. It is increasingly important to attract, recruit, and retain women scientists because of the need for more scientists and technology specialists, the ageing workforce and youth&rsquo;s lack of interest in science. 
One reason why women are not attracted to science jobs is because of trouble with work-life balance. One major problem is the requirement for mobility in early years. 
About one-third of US university professors are women, but the figure is lower in the EU, Australia, and Korea, where it is 14.5%. Women make up less than 20% of senior academic staff in the EU, which means that there are not enough role models to encourage women to embark upon similar careers. 
The number of women researchers is on the rise, however. In the EU, the number of men in science and engineering increased by 4.9% from 1998 to 2002, while the number of women rose by 4.2%. Women tend to work more in biology, health, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals, with lower numbers in physics, computing, and engineering. Most women researchers in OECD countries work in the public sector, while men work in industry. 
Only 17.5% of women researchers in the EU and 6% of women in Japan work in business, yet nearly two-thirds of women researchers in the US work in industry or business.
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8. Palestine &ndash; Seminar Held on Democracy and Women&rsquo;s Rights 
 
Twenty women participated in the seminar organized by ICEM affiliate General Union of Petrochemical, Mining, and Chemicals Workers in Palestine (GUPMCWP) on democracy and women&rsquo;s rights. 
Dr Nuza, head of the women&rsquo;s committee, explained that the seminar continues the union&rsquo;s education programme to raise women&rsquo;s consciousness and to encourage women to participate in the political and economic fields, thus enabling them to reach decision-making levels. The union started such training programmes for women in all areas, and Dr Nuza called upon the women to participate more and more. 
Women&rsquo;s creativity is important for their participation. The participants stressed the importance of the training and called for it to be extended.
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9. South Africa &ndash; NUM and SINTIQUIGRA Have Women&rsquo;s Exchange 
 
This project was conceptualized in 2003. The Secretariat of both unions met in Mozambique and discussed common issues that affect them both. Out of that, what was agreed upon between the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in South Africa and Sindicato Nacional Dos Trabalhadores Da Industria Quimica, Borracha, Papel e Grafica (SINTIQUIGRA) was a program of action for three years, which included an exchange programme of women structures from the two unions. 
 
The activity, held 22-26 January, was the second leg of the exchange programme in which 31 women and one man participated. Fifteen of the participants were from Mozambique. 
The objective of the workshop was to strengthen women&rsquo;s understanding of labour law, health and safety, and employment equity, as well as transformation issues in the mining and energy sectors. At the political level, the African National Congress&rsquo; Women&rsquo;s League secretary general made a presentation on the challenges facing women, particularly working class women in South Africa. 
What was concluded was that the third leg of the exchange will take place in the last week of August 2007, where the South African women will be hosted in Mozambique. What was agreed was that in between, the two unions will invite each other when they have activities on labour law, occupational health and safety, HIV/AIDS, and women&rsquo;s empowerment.
<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
10. Spain &ndash; The Government Legislates on Dependent Care 
 
The number of dependent individuals in Spain is increasing rapidly. The growing demand for dependent care is largely related to the rapid aging of Spain&rsquo;s population: 30 years ago, 9.7% of Spain&rsquo;s population was over 65 years of age (3.3 million), where today, that percentage has increased to 16.6% (6.6 million). 
Furthermore, the number of Spaniards over 80 has doubled over the past 20 years. Thirty-two percent of the population over 65 years of age has some kind of disability, as compared with 5% of the remaining population. 
In 1999, taking into account all age groups, approximately 9% of the Spanish population had some degree of disability that required special care. Traditionally, this care has been provided by family members, particularly women. The growing participation of women in the work force, together with the breakdown of the extended family, has sharply increased the social service requirements of this dependent population. 
 
Comisiones Obreras comments on the new legislation as follows: &ldquo;It establishes the right to care, and co-financing (central government, regional government, and the individual with dependency if his earnings/properties are sufficient). 
But the specific mechanisms by which the system will work have yet to be established &hellip;The system will create many new skilled and unskilled jobs, and be good for employment. However, its application requires more trained personnel in the social service sector than what schools are currently providing &hellip;The Law barely touches the need for coordination with the health system, in spite of its importance. 
 
&ldquo;We are aware of the fact that we will have to put a lot of work into the application of this law, and pressure on administrations to make sure they take it seriously and get it right. Nevertheless, we consider that this legislation is a huge and necessary step in the right direction.&rdquo; 
<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
11. Resources
The State of the World&rsquo;s Children 2007, see <a href="http://www.unicef.org/">www.unicef.org/</a>. 
 
For books on women and development, see <a href="http://www.womenink.org">www.womenink.org</a>. 
 
Human Rights Watch 2007 Report, <a href="http://www.hrw.org/wr2k7">www.hrw.org/wr2k7</a>.
Women&rsquo;s Learning Partnership for Rights, Development and Peace, <a href="http://www.learningpartnership.org/news/events/2007/wsfjan21panel">www.learningpartnership.org/news/events/2007/ 
wsfjan21panel</a>.
<a href="http://www.genderaction.org">www.genderaction.org</a>&nbsp;highlights the gendered impacts of World Bank and IMF policies, including news about oil&rsquo;s gender impacts in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Sakhalin.

ICEM WOMEN’S BULLETIN 19

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The Finnish Electrical Workers&rsquo; Union succeeded in a four-month campaign, winning &euro;700,000 in backpay and reciprocity for 88 Polish electricians. The electricians worked on construction projects in Finland. 
 
The union discovered that a Gdansk, Poland-based contractor, MSB, was violating Finnish pay guidelines at a huge construction site near Tampere in November 2006. 
 
The electricians were earning &euro;5-per-hour, while the average electrician&rsquo;s pay in Finland is about &euro;14-per-hour.
<img height="285" src="" width="280" alt="" />
When the Electrical Workers&rsquo; Union sought information from MSB on working conditions in November, the company did not respond. The union then commenced a blockade against MSB, preventing the Polish company from performing any work in Finland. The union demanded that all companies, and their workers, abstain from working with MSB on any construction project. 
 
The Electrical Workers&rsquo; Union also pressed Finnish state authorities to intervene in the company&rsquo;s illegal work practices, as well. 
 
The pressure campaign worked. In early February, MSB came to agreement with the union on the process for paying wage arrears, as well as social security and tax reciprocation with Poland&rsquo;s government. Last week, Trade Union News from Finland reported that the agreement calls for wages to be brought up to levels common in Finnish collective agreements &ndash; &euro;12.30- to &euro;14-per-hour &ndash; and that of the &euro;700,000 sum, &euro;330,000 will be transferred to the Polish tax and social security authorities. 
 
&ldquo;This case is a strong message to companies that employ foreign labour,&rdquo; the Electrical Workers&rsquo; Keijo Rimmist&ouml; told Trade Union News. &ldquo;Respect, voluntarily, the Finnish collective agreements, as, in case you don&rsquo;t, our union will compel you to pay the arrears payments. Letting things go &hellip; you not only risk your reputation, but also risk waking the interest of the police.&rdquo;

Boycott Pressure Forces Polish Firm to Pay Back-Wages in Finland

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The deadly 19 March methane explosion at the Ulyanovskaya coal mine in Russia is still under review, with dozens of possible causes being prematurely suggested. The safety technical inspectorate of Russia will issue a report on the tragedy in April, two weeks after the official on-site inquiry ends. 
 
Meanwhile, the inspectorate, early in April, closed 29 other coal mines in the Kutnetsk coal fields of Kemerovo region, as well as four other collieries in the Rostov region. Several of the mines belong to Yuzhkuzbassugol, owner of the Ulyanovskaya mine and Russia&rsquo;s largest coal producer. Others belong to Sibirsky coal.
<img height="155" src="" width="280" alt="" />
&quot;Danger Zone&quot; (entrance at Ulyanovskaya mine)
&nbsp;The head of the state inspectorate agency ordered work at the 33 mines halted for five days, so the agency could check for compliance of technological documentation per estimated project capacity, as well as safety regulations and changes in project designs. 
 
The Ulyanovskaya mine disaster of 19 March 2007 is Russia and the Soviet Union&rsquo;s worst in decades. It has claimed 110 lives. Recovery efforts have found the bodies of 108 miners, while two others remain deep inside mine shafts. 
 
The Ulyanovskaya mine is recognised as having the most current and sophisticated gas control equipment of any coal mine in Russia. Some 20 senior managers and technicians were inside the mine when the blast occurred, killing all of them. Included among them was a British technician of the company that designed the system, and his interpreter.
<img height="164" src="" width="140" alt="" />
ROSUGLEPROF President Ivan Mokhnachuk
Nearly all of the 1,068 miners employed at Ulyanovskaya are members of ICEM Russian affiliate Independent Coal Miners&rsquo; Union (ROSUGLEPROF). The union&rsquo;s vice president, Ruben Badalov, served on the official investigation team of the Russian state commission at the mine site. He recently returned to Moscow, and the investigative report on the cause of the tragedy is due in the coming weeks.

Cause of Russian Coal Mine Deaths to be Announced Shortly

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ICEM Belgian affiliates CG-FGTB and SETCa-FGTB have warned Japanese-owned Asahi Glaverbel Glass that further restructuring at the AGC Automotive glass plant in Fleurus, Wallonia, or other AGC worksites, can only be done through strict adherence to solutions already put forward by the unions. 
 
On 29 March, Asahi Glaverbel announced possible redundancies of 380 jobs at Fleurus, Zeebrugge, and Lodelinsart in Belgium. This restructuring occurs a short two years after Belgian unions mounted a 105-day strike at the Fleurus plant. That strike, from December 2005 to March 2006, came about because of Asahi&rsquo;s failure to come to meaningful social dialogue over an irrational restructuring plan.
<img height="224" src="" width="220" alt="" />
That restructuring exercise cost some 280 jobs at Fleurus then, and other job losses occurred a year later at Asahi Glaverbel&rsquo;s Zeebrugge flat-glass plant. 
 
&ldquo;In all three plants,&rdquo; said the CG-FGTB in a press release, &ldquo;the workers of Glaverbel have made major efforts in terms of productivity, flexibility, and efficiency. The management of AGC-Fleurus recognises this fact today, and this is also evident by investments&rdquo; made in other Belgian operations of Glaverbel. 
 
&ldquo;The workers of Glaverbel-ACG do not deserve&rdquo; further redundancies, stated CG-FGTB. 
 
The unions did enter social dialogue with the company late in March, and a second meeting was scheduled for 3 April. CG-FGTB and SETCa-FGTB are insistent that they will be thoroughly involved in any business plan put forward this time by the company.
<img height="78" src="" width="120" alt="" />
CG-FGTB and SETCa-FGTB say their first priority will be to save all the jobs, and they will not tolerate outright sackings. If necessary, transfers for workers between Glaverbel worksites, or voluntary and pre-pension arrangements will be put negotiated. 
 
&ldquo;Industrial managers (of Asahi) and the political community made promises in the past,&rdquo; stated the two unions, referring to the negotiated outcome in 2005. &ldquo;Today, they must honour those pacts. They must listen to the solutions that we have proposed, and support the industrial projects at Glaverbel-ACG that are worthy of solid, job-sustaining initiatives.&rdquo;

Belgian Unions Declare Strong Intent to Save Asahi Glass Jobs

<img height="35" alt="" src="" width="25" />
NUPENG in the Forefront for VCT.&nbsp; &nbsp;
ICEM&rsquo;s blue-collar oilworkers&rsquo; affiliate in Nigeria, the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), has made good use of the ICEM grant for national activities under the LO/TCO-FNV Mondiaal project. 
 
At the end of last year, NUPENG organised, in cooperation with the senior staff oilworkers&rsquo; union PENGASSAN (also an affiliate to the ICEM), a massive &ldquo;Know your Status&rdquo; campaign in petroleum refineries in the Port Harcourt area. In a three-day period, about 4,500 people were counselled, and 2,785 agreed to be tested at a mobile VCT facility. This followed a campaign among petrol tanker drivers, also NUPENG members, earlier in 2006. 
 
NUPENG sourced additional funding at national level from AED/SMARTwork for a follow-up round of voluntary counselling and testing in February 2007. A total of 3,200 people were counselled and 885 agreed to be tested. The average rate of people who tested positive was between 5-6%. That is above the national prevalence rate of 3.9%, among adults aged 15 to 49. 
 
Speaking to the ICEM Global HIV/AIDS Coordinator in Abuja, NUPENG&rsquo;s HIV/AIDS Coordinator Olawale Afolabi expressed great concern that post test programmes are almost unavailable. Those tested positive are sent to referral hospitals. One of these hospitals, in Port Harcourt, the Braithwaite Memorial Hospital, is open only one day a week for PLWHA. They are left to wait from dawn to dust in an open space, clearly marked as HIV/AIDS patients section. 
 
There is a complete absence of confidentiality, and a lack of care as medical staff often does not turn up. If they are attended to, they are made to pay exorbitant fees for services which should be free, or only have a nominal fee. 
 
In Afolabi&rsquo;s words, &ldquo;Patients are left to die in instalments. The only way out is suicide or further spread of the disease.&rdquo; 
<img height="35" alt="" src="" width="25" />
Global Union G8 Campaign 
 
As a follow-up to the article in the March issue of ICEM HIV/AIDS e-bulletin, we give you the links to model letters to be delivered to German embassies before or on 28 April, International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers, or Workers Memorial Day. These letters exist in English, French, German, and Spanish. 
Deutsch <a href="http://www.global-unions.org/pdf/ohsewpT_9Ba.GE.pdf">http://www.global-unions.org/pdf/ohsewpT_9Ba.GE.pdf</a>&nbsp; 
English: <a href="http://www.global-unions.org/pdf/ohsewpT_9Ba.EN.pdf">http://www.global-unions.org/pdf/ohsewpT_9Ba.EN.pdf</a> 
Fran&ccedil;ais: <a href="http://www.global-unions.org/pdf/ohsewpT_9Ba.FR.pdf">http://www.global-unions.org/pdf/ohsewpT_9Ba.FR.pdf</a> 
Espa&ntilde;ol: <a href="http://www.global-unions.org/pdf/ohsewpT_9Ba.SP.pdf">http://www.global-unions.org/pdf/ohsewpT_9Ba.SP.pdf</a> 
<img height="35" alt="" src="" width="25" />
C&ocirc;te d&rsquo;Ivoire on the Right Track 
Following the 4th Regional Workshop in Johannesburg in December 2006, affiliates in C&ocirc;te d&rsquo;Ivoire have lost no time to put the conclusions of the workshop into practical work on the ground. 
 
Under the able guidance of the National Coordinator, Charlotte Nguessan, numerous meetings have been held with potential partners at national level and from international organisations during the first quarter of 2007. 
 
An analysis of the HIV/AIDS situation, based on a questionnaire to companies, is being completed. In cooperation with the newly-formed Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, which is supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft f&uuml;r Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), a sustainable development organisation that does work with the German federal government, and the respective ministries, as well as the national Country Coordinating Mechanism, a project is being elaborated. 
The project will focus on workplace interventions with emphasis on awareness, education, voluntary counselling, and testing and treatment. 
 
The progress so far underlines the importance of having a full-time coordinator in focus countries. This was part of the conclusions of the 4th Regional Workshop and is supported by the LO/TCO-FNV Mondiaal project in 2007-2008. 
<img height="35" alt="" src="" width="25" />
EU Presidency Conference on HIV/AIDS 
Responsibility and Partnership &ndash; Together Against HIV/AIDS was the theme of the EU Presidency Conference on HIV/AIDS in Bremen, 12-13 March 2007. 
 
The German Government has chosen HIV/AIDS as the main health policy topic for the German EC Presidency. Angela Merkel gave the keynote speech. HIV/AIDS is &ldquo;Chefsache,&rdquo; meaning a topic at the highest level. 
 
The Conference brought together health ministers and health ministry officials from EU countries as well as NGOs and the private sector &ndash; notably Daimler Chrysler South Africa &ndash; and major pharmaceutical companies (Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck and Gilead) as well as the ILO, the Global Fund, and other international organisations. As happens so often, trade unionists were not invited. The ICEM Global HIV/AIDS Coordinator was the only active trade unionist among more than 600 participants. 
 
Important (and understandable because of the German double presidency) was the repeated reference to the G8 Summit. The Chancellor has put HIV/AIDS on the agenda of the Summit. &ldquo;We will make headway in Heiligendamm,&rdquo; Merkel promised. A press release from the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) stated that, under the German G8 Presidency, the first ever report on the efforts of the G8 countries in connection with the global fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria will be elaborated. 
 
The Bremen Declaration is available at <a href="http://www.bmg.bund.de/EN/">www.bmg.bund.de/EN/</a>. It does make reference to trade unions in the last article: &ldquo;We invite the employers and trade unions to ensure non-discriminatory policies for people living with HIV/AIDS and vulnerable groups in the workplace and to reduce fears of infection, stigma and discrimination among staff by providing objective, evidence-based information, and access to prevention, testing, treatment and care according to the ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the world of work&rdquo;. 
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Global Union Programme in Abuja 
Some 20 unionists from Ghana and Nigeria took part in a sub-regional Workshop in Abuja, capital of Nigeria, from 19-21 March. The workshop was organised by the Global Union Coordinator, Clementine Dehwe and the HIV/AIDS Coordinator of the national centre NLC, Maureen Onyia. The ICEM Global HIV/AIDS Coordinator participated on behalf of the GU Steering Committee. 
 
Emphasis in the programme was on group work. Mixed groups discussed activities presented in country reports and the impact of elements of global programme at national level. 
 
Following a presentation by the ICEM Global HIV/AIDS Coordinator on resources and funding, country groups debated country initiatives in place (Global Fund, UNAIDS, WHO, ILO, etc.) and key country programmes by National AIDS Commissions, NGOs, faith-based organisations, and others. These working groups also assessed the role of potential partners and obstacles to work with them. 
 
On the third day, country working groups discussed establishing national coordinating committees and their terms of reference and programmes and initiatives with a plan of action. 
 
Together with the outcome of previous sub-regional workshops organised by the Global Union programme, and the African Consultative and Planning Workshop in Johannesburg, the results and conclusions of the working groups in Abuja have to be analysed, and key elements pulled together and shaped into country programmes for future funding. 
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South Africa Unveils New 5-Year Plan to Fight HIV/AIDS 
 
South Africa unveiled a new five-year plan on 14 March to fight HIV/AIDS, hoping to turn the tide against the disease that affects some 5.5 million of the country&rsquo;s 47 million people. 
 
The plan will be implemented by the South African National AIDS Council under the leadership of Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. 
 
The plan aims, among others, at reducing new infections by 50% and bringing treatment, care and support to 80% of all HIV-positive people and their families. Availability and uptake of voluntary testing and counselling services is to be increased massively and anti-discrimination and stigma-reduction efforts are to be strengthened. 
 
A report, published in February by the University of South Africa and the market research institute Markinor, showed some unexpected results. The epidemic is not spreading fastest among the poor and the youth, but among the 30- to 34- year-olds of the well-educated middle and upper classes. New wealth, carelessness to practice safe sex, and misguided statements by the government have contributed to this development. 
 
(Source: Reuters World Report, 14 March 2007 and NZZ Switzerland, 1 February 2007) 
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India: Government proposes five fold Increase in HIV/AIDS Funding 
 
According to a recent report in the Hindustan Times, India&rsquo;s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has proposed a more than fivefold increase in funding for HIV/AIDS programmes in the country. The proposed $2.6 billion in funding will be administered by the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) under the third phase of the country's National AIDS Control Programme. The money will be allocated over the next five years for HIV/AIDS prevention, care, support, and treatment. 
 
The large increase is made possible by massive funding from the World Bank, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. 
 
About one-third of the $2.6 billion in proposed funding will be allocated for HIV/AIDS care, treatment, and support, while the remaining funds will be allocated for awareness about the disease. Some HIV/AIDS advocates said that although they welcome the increase in funding for HIV/AIDS awareness, the funding allocated for HIV/AIDS treatment is inadequate. The HIV/AIDS control programme's third phase will focus on six states with high HIV prevalence: Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Manipur, and Nagaland, although district level allocations will be modified to ensure that other states receive adequate funding as well. 
 
(Source: Article adapted from the ITF HIV/AIDS Update 17, 15 March 2007) 
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News from Global Union Federations 
The International Transport Workers&rsquo; Federation (ITF) has published the first edition of Agenda, an annual publication on HIV/AIDS and transport workers entitled, &ldquo;How unions can help close the door on HIV.&rdquo; The objective of the publication is to help affiliates and other relevant stakeholders to develop a trade union perspective of the epidemic. 
 
The publication can be accessed at <a href="http://www.itfglobal.org">www.itfglobal.org</a>. 
 
Since 1994, the Education International (EI) has recognised the urgency for a broad and strong response to HIV/AIDS through schools. It has worked with its affiliates and international organisations to prevent the further spread of the disease. For information on EI&rsquo;s activities, including its regular bulletin, please visit the website <a href="http://www.ei-ie.org/efaids">www.ei-ie.org/efaids</a>. 
 
Two other Global Union Federations with websites and regular newsletters on HIV/AIDS include the ITF&rsquo;s (see above) and the ICEM&rsquo;s at <a href="http://www.icem.org">www.icem.org</a>.

ICEM HIV/AIDS e-bulletin - No. 19

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A report issued by the Australian Mines and Metals Association (AMMA), an employers grouping, says that reversing the Howard government&rsquo;s WorkChoices law related to individual work agreements will reduce mining productivity, and cost Australia A$6 billion in exports. 
 
But labour unions contest that assertion, claiming mining employers are &ldquo;scaremongering&rdquo; while anticipating that a victory by the Labour Party in federal elections this year will reverse Prime Minister John Howard&rsquo;s radical changes to industrial relations law. The worst of those changes, called the Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs), or individual work pacts that replace enterprise agreements, took effect a year ago. 
 
The erroneous report, issued at the AMMA&rsquo;s resources conference in Perth last week, states that 80% of all workers in the resource sector are on AWAs. It also falsely claims that AWAs have not been detrimental to workers&rsquo; employment conditions.
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ACTU Sec. Greg Combet
&ldquo;The AMMA&rsquo;s arguments don&rsquo;t stack up,&rdquo; said Australian Council of Trade Unions Secretary Greg Combet. &ldquo;The suggestion that getting rid of AWAs will hurt the economy is scaremongering, and all that we&rsquo;re seeing is big business getting between the Howard&rsquo;s government&rsquo;s industrial relations laws.&rdquo; 
 
Combet refuted the AMMA study by stating that the coal sector, which is overwhelmingly comprised of enterprise or collective labour agreements, has far outpaced productivity in metals mining over the past ten years. 
 
&ldquo;We are opposed to AWAs for a very good reason,&rdquo; said Combet. &ldquo;They have been used to exclude people being represented by a union.&rdquo;

Mining Bosses ‘Scaremongering’ to Preserve Australian Individual Work Agreements

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Miners of the United Steelworkers (USW) in Canada are on strike at the Iron Ore Co. of Canada for better workplace protections and reductions to subcontracting. The strike, by 1,300 USW members at a mine and pellet plant in Labrador City, Newfoundland, and an export water facility at Sept-Iles, Quebec, also involves wages and benefits. 
 
Major mining house Rio Tinto owns 59% of Iron Ore Co. of Canada.
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USW members in Labrador City, over 1,000 strong, walked out on 8 March, while port workers of another USW branch union joined the strike last week. The two sides have not held talks since the strikes began. 
 
Management forced the strike with an inadequate pay package, and refusal to address the contractors&rsquo; issue, a matter that has brought hundreds of grievances by maintenance staff and production workers alike. 
 
&ldquo;The tipping point in this dispute included such fundamental issues as seniority rights,&rdquo; stated USW District 6 Director Wayne Fraser. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s all about corporate control. Workers deserve to have their most basic rights respected.&rdquo;
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USW Disrtict 6 Director Wayne Fraser
Just minutes after the strike deadline on 8 March, management slid a revised offer under the office door of the branch unions&rsquo; bargaining committee. The company did move some on wages, and dropped its unfettered right to contract out any job at the mine site and pellet plant. But it was too little to stop the strike. 
 
The two USW unions in Labrador City, Locals 5795 and 6731, have 500 grievances pending for arbitration. Many of these grievances involve work being performed by contractors, work that could be done by USW miners. Despite movement on the wage and benefit package, the company&rsquo;s 8 March offer still falls short of what other mining companies in eastern Canada pay. 
 
&ldquo;This fight is about recognizing the intrinsic value our members bring to this operation,&rdquo; stated USW Local 5795 President George Kean. The year &ldquo;2006 broke all production records and our members gave the company the biggest profit in its history.&rdquo; 
 
Kean said employee morale is at an all-time low, citing a company survey of workers revealed that 87% of them felt they were not treated with respect and dignity. Management has turned a deaf ear to the survey. 
 
USW Locals 5795 and 6731, on 1 March, voted by 98% to strike. The 250 port and dock workers at Sept-Iles, represented by USW Local 9344, voted to strike on 14 March, also with a 98% ballot. 
 
The grievances and subcontracting issues date to 2004, when workers at the two locations undertook a 12-week strike to win a renewal labour agreement.

Work Issues, Subcontracting Cause Mining Strike at Canadian Rio Tinto Subsidiary

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