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The USW is protesting against the Bush government’s weakening of mine safety regulations regarding underground fumes. Bush’s Department of Labor (DOL) relaxed rules on necessary engineering controls in monitoring metal and non-metal mines in favour of a new standard that expands the use of respirators for workers. 
But DOL’s Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) did not go far enough in requiring employers to medically test workers for their ability to use respirators safely, an obvious slight for miners with undiagnosed heart and lung problems. USW Health, Safety and Environment Director Mike Wright called it “a gift to (Bush administration) supporters in the mining industry. It’s entirely political, and I suspect the decision was made over the objections of MSHA health staff, who certainly know better.” The USW said it would challenge the respiration revisions in court.

Steelworkers Protest Mine Fumes Standard to US Government

Nigerian unions, including ICEM affiliates NUPENG and PENGASSAN, will proceed with wide support from civil society organizations on an indefinite general strike beginning 16 November. The government has refused to rescind a 25% fuel price hike imposed in September. Mass dissent by the Nigerian populace has also shifted to Shell Petroleum Development Corp. due to the company’s support of the government and its decision to take oil workers to the Federal High Court in Lagos in an effort to stop them from joining the strike. The court on 1 November delayed ruling on the matter until two days after the start of the general strike.

Nigerian Unions Brace for General Strike Starting 16 November

ICEM French affiliate FCE-CFDT has voiced its opposition to a report issued last week by the Roulet Commission over recapitalization and partial privatization of Electricité de France (EDF). The commission, headed by former Thomson SA and France Telecom chairman Marcel Roulet, recommends massive cost cutting inside the utility to prepare the way for an IPO to private investors. FCE-CFDT says France should exhibit responsible behaviour to EDF workers and French citizens firstly, and should not reduce the utility’s level of activities to a single field—namely France and Germany. The chemical and energy union has vowed to stand tight with EDF workers to protect their interests.

French Roulet Commission Reports Brings Privatisation Doubts

ICEM Belgian affiliate la Centrale Générale FGTB held its Congress in Blankenberge 17-20 November with a theme entitled “Delegates Without Borders for More Social Justice.” The theme was a call to union activists to go beyond the “borders” of enterprises and conduct union work on international and European levels. The Congress debated global and European issues with emphasis on creating trade union networks. The Congress also marked the retirement of five members of FGTB’s Federal Secretariat with Alain Clauwaert elected new President and Jacques Michiels as General Secretary. Other members of the Secretariat include Werner Van Heetvelde, Paul Lootens, Rik Desmet, Bruno Bachely, Herman Baele and Eric Neuprez.

Belgian Affiliate la Centrale Generale FGTB Holds Congress

ICEM’s North American Regional Coordinating Committee, chaired by PACE Vice President Don Langham, elected one trade unionist to the GUF’s Presidium and another to the Executive at a meeting in the US 10 November. Ken Neumann, National Canadian Director of the United Steelworkers of America (USWA), replaces the retiring Lawrence McBrearty of the USWA on the Presidium while Terence O’Sullivan, General President of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), takes a seat on the Executive Committee.

ICEM’s North American Region Elects New Presidium Member

On the weekend prior to the ICEM, the ILO and a mining employers’ trade group signing a historic pact on mine safety and health 1 December with the Chinese State Administration of Work Safety, a Chinese labour union, and other Chinese industrial groups, the worst coal mine disaster in over four years occurred in China killing 166 miners. A gas explosion at the state-owned Chenjiashan mine in Shaanxi Province caused the 28 November catastrophe.

Worst Coal Mine Disaster in Four Years Occurs in China

Belgian affiliate CG-FGTB held a day of manifestation 21 December followed by strikes at glass plants in protest to Glaverbel’s decision to eliminate 284 out of 840 jobs. The protests, which included the white-collar Belgian union SETCa-FGTB and FNV Bondgenoten of The Netherlands, come as Glaverbel rapidly expands in eastern Europe and Russia. Glaverbel, Europe’s second largest flat glass maker, is owned by Japanese petrochemical producer Asahi Glass, which bought a majority stake of the firm in 1981, upped its share to 90% in 2001 and purchased the remaining 10% a year later.

Belgian Unions Protest Japanese Glass Restructuring

December proved to be another deadly month for mine workers in China. No less than four major accidents were recorded and publicized, claiming the lives of 100 workers. On 9 December, a gas explosion at the Daxian mine near Yangquan, Shanxi Province, killed 33, including five workers as they were being rescued. In Guizhou Province on 12 December, 36 workers were trapped and drowned when the Xujiuabe Tianchi mine was flooded. Two days later near the town of Tanjiashan, Hunan Province, another gas blast killed 18 workers. Then on 22 December, 13 workers were killed at the Nanwugou mine near Linfen in northern Shanxi Province when a build up of gas overcame the workers in a mineshaft.

Mining Deaths Continue to Plague China’s Coal Industry

Successful negotiations were concluded between Colombian affiliate Sintracarbón and Carbones del Cerrejón, the profitable coal mining and export company owned jointly by Anglo-American, BHP Billiton and Glencore International. The two-year agreement calls for 8% pay raises in addition to three monthly bonus payments as compensation for agreement on legislative changes.

Sintracarbon in Colombia Posts Excellent Gains at Coal Firm

Unions within global mining giant Rio Tinto recognise that the company has to be efficient and competitive, and they are prepared to work with Rio Tinto to achieve this. But the company, for its part, must recognise workers' right to form trade unions and to bargain collectively. There must also be independent monitoring of its compliance with basic labour rights. 
 
That is the message from the network of unions representing Rio Tinto workers worldwide. The offer came at the end of the network's meeting in Canberra, Australia, on 7-8 February. 
 
The unions' main declarations: 
 
- "We recognise the need for Rio Tinto to be an efficient and competitive producer of minerals and mineral products and are prepared to work with the company to that end." 
 
- "The cooperation of the workforce with the company in achieving its goals must be on the basis of company recognition of the rights of its workers to form trade unions and bargain collectively. To date the company has not met this basic obligation in many of its operations." 
 
- "Continuing efforts by the company to fragment and isolate its workforce though the offering of individual employment contracts rather than bargain with unions are in direct contravention of this basic obligation." 
 
- "Until the company respects the basic rights of its workers, the trade unions in the global network will campaign against the company in domestic and international forums and in cooperation with other organisations and peoples who have grievances with the company. We see the success of our campaign as linked with other campaigns over the protection of human rights (in particular, the rights of indigenous peoples in or near Rio Tinto operations) and the protection of the environment from poor mining practices. This campaign will take many forms, and be based on the problems that the company is causing in each operation." 
 
- "At the global level, the unions in Rio Tinto operations will campaign, in conjunction with the wider labour movement, for the company to abide by the seven core labour standards of the UN’s International Labour Organisation and the OECD’s Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. These standards cover freedom of association and the right to collectively bargain, the abolition of forced and child labour, equal pay and the prevention of discrimination in the workplace. Rio Tinto is currently in breach of these basic labour standards on many counts." 
 
- "Any commitment the company may make in respect of these core labour standards must provide for an independent monitoring and compliance mechanism in which trade unions participate." 
 
- "In an age of globalisation and ever-larger multinational corporations, it is increasingly important for the labour movement to organise internationally to protect and advance the position of working people. We see ourselves as leading the way in making global corporations accountable to the communities in which they operate. The globalisation of big business demands a global response from workers as well as governments. The Rio Tinto global union network is part of that response." 
 
Union delegates from Rio Tinto operations in Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, South Africa and the United States took part in the Canberra meeting. Messages of support were received from network unions in Brazil, Indonesia, Namibia, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Sweden and Zimbabwe. However, the meeting voiced concern that the company seemed to have prevented some delegates from attending. "It appears that Rio Tinto chooses to act globally but wishes to prevent its own workers doing so," the network commented. 
 
Organising the Canberra event was the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM). The host was ICEM-affiliated Australian mining and allied union the CFMEU, whose National Secretary John Maitland is the ICEM's President. 
 
Some of the international delegates are now visiting Rio Tinto sites in Australia to meet their colleagues there. But difficulties have arisen over access to certain sites. Urgent efforts are under way to resolve these problems with the company.

Rio Tinto Unions Offer To Work With Company If ...

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