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<img height="40" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/InBrief 1.gif" width="100" alt=""/>
ExxonMobil is not going to escape the fact that it has to answer for Indonesian human rights crimes occurring in the 1990s. That decision came from a US Appeals Court on 17 January, after the world’s biggest energy company attempted to dismiss a lawsuit brought by 11 Indonesian citizens. 
 
The alleged crimes came when Mobil was opening the Arun gas fields in joint development with the Suharto government. At the time, Suharto’s regime was deploying brutal methods to put down a separatist movement in the Aceh region on the northern tip of the Sumatra Island. 
 
The lawsuit contends that Suharto agreed to provide army troops during the development, and that Mobil provided logistical and material support to the troops. Troops used the company’s facilities and equipment to “interrogate, torture and murder Acehnese civilians suspected of engaging in separatist activities,” the lawsuit states. Following Suharto’s forced leave from office, independent investigation teams did find several mass graves connected with the human rights atrocities. 
<img height="115" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/Indonesia.png" width="250" alt=""/>
The lawsuit is legitimate in US courts because of the Alien Tort Claims Act, a 216-year-old American statute that allows persons from other countries to hold accountable, either American citizens or US-based corporations, when violations of international law are committed outside of the US. 
 
ExxonMobil filed a review of the case in the US Circuit Court of Appeals for Washington, after a US Federal District Court denied a prior request for dismissal. 
 
This American court case has special significance inside Indonesia. Under a negotiated autonomy agreement implemented last year for Aceh, the Indonesian government has pledged to establish a special court by July 2007 to hear the thousands of human rights cases that have been pending after 30 years of regional strife on Sumatra.

ExxonMobil in Dock for Indonesian Human Rights Crimes

Mr. Mahmoud Abbas 
President 
President’s Office 
The Palestinian Authority 
 
Brussels, 31 January 2007 
 
Dear President, 
 
On behalf of the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers Unions, the Global Union Federation representing 20 million workers in the Mine, Energy, Chemical and related Process Industries I strongly condemn the rocket attack on the house of Deputy Secretary General of the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU), Rasem Al Bayari. 
 
The ICEM has been informed by the ITUC and PGFTU that gunmen attacked Mr. Al Bayari’s home at 2.15 am on 29 January 2007. The gunmen fired two rockets against his house, destroying the doors and the entrance to the building. Mr. Al Bayari and his family only survived the attack as they were asleep on the upper floor of the residence. 
 
At 2.30 am yesterday shots and bombs were again fired at the house, which is now completely damaged, leaving Mr. Al Bayari and his family without proper shelter. Mr. Al Bayari now fears for his life, but unfortunately he and his family have had to stay in their house with only a small number of security people for their protection. 
 
The attacks on Mr. Al Bayari’s home are grave violations of fundamental human and trade union rights. The ICEM is especially concerned about the very grave threat to the safety of Mr. Al Bayari and his family. 
 
The Palestinian Authority, as a responsible Authority, must uphold internationally recognised rights, including full respect for fundamental human rights of workers, such as their right to life. 
 
 
The ICEM urges you to immediately ensure the safety of Mr. Al Bayari and his family and prevent further attacks on his home. We urge you to order a thorough investigation into the rocket attacks and the shooting, to bring the perpetrators of this serious crime to justice and to ensure proper compensation to Mr. Al Bayari and his family for the destruction of their home. 
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
Manfred Warda 
General Secretary

ICEM Letter to Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas

Mr. Mahmoud Abbas 
President 
President’s Office 
The Palestinian Authority 
 
Brussels, 5 February 2007 
 
Dear President, 
PGFTU Headquarters bombed 
On behalf of the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers Unions, the Global Union Federation representing 20 million workers in the Mine, Energy, Chemical and related Process Industries I condemn in the strongest possible terms the bombing of the headquarters of the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU), only three days after the rocket attack on the home of Deputy Secretary General of the Rasem Al Bayari. 
 
The ICEM has been informed by the PGFTU and ITUC that the PGFTU headquarters were attacked on February 2, 2007. The main entrance of the building was bombed and the radio station in the building (the Voice of Workers) was burnt down. Fortunately nobody was in the building when the attack took place. 
 
This is not the first time that the headquarters and the union’s means of communication have been targeted. A similar incident took place on 12 October. 
 
The ICEM finds it totally unacceptable that peaceful trade unionists, working hard to promote the rights of workers, must work and live in fear of their lives and that of their family members. The Palestinian Authority has a duty to ensure the personal safety of all trade unionists in accordance with internationally recognised rights, namely the right to life and freedom of association. 
 
The ICEM urges you to immediately take all necessary measures to ensure the full safety of all PGFTU trade union officials, activists, members and their families. We also urge you to ensure respect for the premises and all other property of the PGFTU. We urge you to immediately order a thorough investigation into this attack and the recent attacks against the home of Mr. Al Bayari and to bring the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice. The PGFTU and Mr. Al Bayari should be given proper compensation for the damages caused. 
 
I thank you for your prompt attention to this very serious matter. 
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
Manfred Warda 
General Secretary 
Cc.: Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mr. Ismail Haniya

<a href="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/RTnews[1].pdf">Rio Tinto Workers' Global Network Newsletter 1</a>
<a href="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/Issue2.pdf">Rio Tinto Workers' Global Network Newsletter 2</a>
<a href="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/Issue%20No%203.pdf ">Rio Tinto Workers' Global Network Newsletter 3</a>
<a href="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/Issue%20No%204.pdf ">Rio Tinto Workers' Global Network Newsletter 4</a>
<a href="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/Issue%20No%205.pdf">Rio Tinto Workers' Global Network Newsletter 5</a>
<a href="/sites/default/files/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>

Rio Tinto Network Newsletter overview

The ICEM has expressed disgust and dismay over the circumstances in which a Nigerian trade unionist was killed earlier this week in the Niger Delta. Nelson Ujeya, a member of white-collar oil workers’ union PENGASSAN, was apparently murdered as he was about to be released by a militant youth group in Bayelsa State. 
 
Reports say that Brother Ujeya was killed when troops of Nigeria’s Joint Military Task Force ambushed the militants at a time when he was about to be released. In all, 11 people were killed in the ambush that took place on 20 August. 
<img height="50" alt="" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/NigeriaFlag.gif" width="100"/>
On 8 August, Nelson Ujeya, the Community Liaison Officer for Shell Petroleum Development Company Ltd., was abducted on an official visit to Letugbene community while he was accompanied by senior Bayelsa State government officials to inspect community projects. 
The ICEM denounces the Bayelsa State government and the federal government of Nigeria for failing to provide timely and relevant information on the abduction and subsequent killing of Nelson Ujeya to his family and to the leadership of PENGASSAN. 
Further, in a <a href="/index.php?id=25&doc=1926&la=EN" type="internal">letter to PENGASSAN President Peter Esele</a> that was also sent to Nigerian government entities and other organisations, the Brussels-based trade union federation said: 
 
“The 20-million-member ICEM, the Global Union Federation for oil and gas workers, finds it reprehensible that such indiscriminate use of force by Nigerian government militia be used in such a situation. The ICEM stands firmly behind PENGASSAN in holding both the government of Bayelsa State initially responsible for the abduction of Brother Ujeya while in the presence of state officials, and the federal government for its new policy of ‘force by force’ in dealing with kidnappings that occur in the Niger Delta.
<img height="105" alt="" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/NigeriaPengassan.JPG" width="100"/>
“The ICEM calls on all energy companies operating in Nigeria to apply the same effort and resources in securing the release of kidnapped Nigerian workers as they do for their foreign national employees.” 
 
PENGASSAN and the blue-collar Nigerian oil workers’ union, NUPENG, will hold a joint National Executive Council meeting in Benin City, Nigeria, on 30 August to take up the matter of security for oil workers’ employed in the Niger Delta. The ICEM notes that the combined voice of the two unions, operating under the aegis of NUPENGASSAN, has been one of reason and soundness in efforts to curb the kidnappings and violence of the area. 
 
That voice has called for both the government of Nigeria and the oil companies operating in the region to provide greater and better employment opportunities to the youth and indigenous of the region through skills training and other social development initiatives.

Abhorrent Circumstances Surround the Killing of PENGASSAN Member in Nigeria

<img height="40" alt="" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/InBrief 1.gif" width="100"/>
The Mineworkers’ Union of Namibia (MUN) has scored an important victory for fixed-term contract workers at a diamond-cutting and polishing factory in the capital city of Windhoek. Last week, ICEM affiliate MUN successfully completed negotiations with the Namibian managers of Israel-based Lev Leviev Diamonds LLD. The agreement will make 356 mainly young workers into permanent employees, complete with rights and benefits. 
 
“Workers are happy about the fact they have representation,” MUN General Secretary Joseph Hengari told the ICEM. “There have been many shortcomings in work procedures since this factory started and our duty now is to bring these technicalities to a close to the benefit of workers.” 
<img height="237" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/NamibiaNUM.jpg" width="200" alt=""/>
In late July, about a quarter of the workers at the Lev Leviev enterprise struck after they were given an ultimatum by managers to sign new 12-month-long individual contracts for the third time. Strike leaders contacted the MUN, whose intervention ended the strike and began collective negotiations with the company. 
 
MUN’s involvement also proves beneficial to the company, which had been operating without knowledge of local laws, without a functioning human resources department, and without a proper method of salary calculations. In fact, one major grievance that led to the 27 July strike was the fact that individual contracts disqualified the workers from getting a basic salary unless they reached certain production quotas. 
 
MUN will soon become the official bargaining representative at the Lev Leviev plant. During two weeks of intense negotiations in August that covered a number of employment issues including salary and remuneration, MUN and the company agreed to make the 356 workers permanent effective 1 September. All 356 applied for membership to the MUN. In addition, another 56 were classified as trainees, but will progress from that status to permanent workers in the near future. The company also says it intends to bring another 120 trainees into the plant, with the aim of having a total of over 500 permanent workers. 
 
The diamond-cutting and polishing operation opened in mid-2004 and has a capacity to produce 25,000 carats of polished stones monthly. The factory currently is dependent on rough stones mined from another Lev Leviev enterprise, the Sakawa Mining Corporation of The Netherlands, located in offshore areas of southern Namibia. But the company is attempting to convince the Namdeb Diamond Corporation, the country’s joint venture with DeBeers, to supply rough stones to the factory in order to fully promote local beneficiation of Namibian diamonds.

ICEM Namibian Affiliate Succeeds in Making Diamond Polishing Jobs Permanent

<img height="40" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/InBrief 1.gif" width="100" alt=""/>
Conflicting information has reached the ICEM about a recent strike in southern Iraq’s oil fields. What does seem clear is that industrial actions, including strikes, occurred at the Basra-based Southern Oil Company on 22 and 23 August. The strike action was also clearly successful and effective. 
 
The two-day strike, which, as news agency Reuters reported, closed the main pipeline supplying Baghdad with refined products, was ended when Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani agreed to issue a document assuring immediate pay raises. The Labour Ministry also committed to meet with the union to discuss all demands. 
<img height="100" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/ICEMoil4.JPG.JPG" width="100" alt=""/>
Reports quote Hassan Al-Asadi, the head of the union group representing over 700 employees from the General Company for Oil Lines and Pipes in the southern cities of Basra and Nassiriya. He said, "We received a document from the ministry of oil. It is a document to increase our salaries and to pay us (a) share in seasonal profits." 
 
The strike action took place after both government and company had failed to respond to workers’ demands over recent months. Those demands include receiving pay in a timely fashion, making good on unpaid overtime worked, compensating for unused annual leave, compensation to workers for their profit-sharing incentives, raising minimum salaries, creating equal opportunity for advancement of all workers, and converting contract workers into full-time, permanent staff. 
 
Workers and unions of the various divisions of Southern Oil are said to be poised for further industrial actions if these and other demands are not met.

Strike Hits Southern Iraq’s Oil Sector

<img height="40" alt="" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/InBrief 1.gif" width="100"/>
A strike by glass workers in New Zealand enters its second week today. About a dozen night-shift workers at Pilkington Glass in the Auckland suburb of Mt. Wellington began the strike late on 30 August. They were joined by the plant’s 50 other workers the next morning. 
 
The glass workers are represented by ICEM affiliate Engineering, Printing & Manufacturing Union (EPMU). Workers are seeking the standard 5% contained in nearly all EPMU-negotiated collective agreements, but Pilkington, now a subsidiary of Nippon Sheet Glass, is offering only 4%. Union members are also seeking an increase in the daily shift allowance from NZ$3.25 to NZ$10.00. 
<img height="152" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/0608EPMUALittle.jpg" width="100" alt=""/> 
EPMU National Secretary Andrew Little
“(Workers) claims are quite modest – nothing more than the going rate,” stated EPMU National Secretary Andrew Little. “The company says it can’t afford it, but the New Zealand operation made a NZ$14 million net profit in the year up to March 2005, with a global profit of more than NZ$600 million.” 
 
The 60 glass workers started industrial action during the week of 7 August when they conducted two stop-work actions. The next week saw EPMU members begin a ban on all overtime work.

Pilkington Glass Workers in New Zealand Strike for 5% Pay Gains

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE JOINT NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (NEC) MEETING OF THE PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS SENIOR STAFF ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (PENGASSAN) AND THE NATIONAL UNION OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS WORKERS (NUPENG) AT ROYAL MARBLE HOTEL BENIN CITY AUGUST 30, 2006. 
The Joint National Executive Council (NEC) of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) met on Wednesday August 30, 2006 in Royal Marble Hotel, Benin City. After an exhaustive deliberation on major national, industry, labour and industrial relations issues, the Joint NEC-in-Session resolves as follows: 
<img height="173" alt="" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/NigeriaNupeng.gif" width="167"/>    <img height="162" alt="" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/NigeriaPengassan.JPG" width="154"/>
VIOLENT DIMENSION TO THE NIGER DELTA CRISIS 
 
The Joint NEC-in-Session frowns at the heightening and unabating spate of abduction, hostage-taking and violent attacks in the Niger Delta by restive youths under banner of continued deprivation and neglects of the area by successive governments. 
 
The Joint NEC notes with dismay and apprehension that the genuine agitation of the Niger Delta people has been criminalised, and made an avenue for ransom seeking activities, and disruption of economic life and welfare of the people in the region. 
 
The Joint NEC-in-Session notes with concern the incessant abduction of expatriate workers even from night-clubs in the center of the township which has now resulted in most firms threatening to pull out of the Niger Delta – a situation that will compound employment problems, increase crime rate and compromise the much sought investment drive to the Niger Delta in particular and Nigeria in general. 
 
The Joint Meeting regrets that government’s poor response has not helped matters leading to deepening insecurity in the region as the nation continues to witness more abduction of oil workers, hostage-taking and overrunning of oil installations and pollution of the environment in the region. 
 
The Meeting notes the hypocritical and non-challant attitude of the Niger Delta State Governments and their apparatus in the deteriorating state of insecurity and criminality which now pervades the entire region. 
 
The Joint NEC-in-Session views in very strong terms and with heavy heart that apathy on the part of government in dealing decisively with the Niger Delta agitations which has resulted in the killing of Comrade Nelson Ujeya – a grievous fratricidal sacrifice that arose from applying a negative approach to a genuine cause and concerted vanguard for justice in Niger Delta Region. 
 
The Joint NEC-in-Session is appalled that our communities in the Niger Delta known for hospitality and communal discipline have now lent their once peaceful domains for criminal activities and lawlessness 
 
 
VIOLATION OF DUE PROCES ON THE SALE OF ELEME PETROCHEMICAL COMPANY LIMITED (EPCL) 
 
The Joint NEC-in-Session expresses shock on the flagrant abuse and manipulation of the Memorandum of Understanding reached with the stakeholders on the sale and equity participation of Core Investor and Government at 51% : 49% which without consultation was reversed to 75% : 25% respectively. 
 
The Meeting noted that due diligence was not conducted on the Core Investor – Indorama Company which was why a Company that was registered in Thailand in 2003 was allowed to bid for a company of the magnitude of EPCL for a ridiculous offer of $225 million for an asset of $1.8 billion. 
 
Consequently, Joint NEC-in-Session demands that the sale of EPCL should be repudiated and Indorama should be made to forfeit all payments fraudulently made in this regard. 
 
 
STATE OF REFINERIES/PIPELINE VANDALISATION 
 
The Joint NEC-in-Session notes with regrets the adverse effect of pipeline vandalisation on the flow of crude and petroleum products to our Refineries and depots all over the Federation which had affected supply and distribution of petroleum products. 
 
The Meeting expresses displeasure on Government’s reluctance to secure and maintain the pipelines, thereby abdicating its responsibility to other stakeholders in the industry. 
 
The Meeting believes that the current posture of Government in this respect negates the essence of Deregulation Policy to localise the production of petroleum products. 
 
The Meeting vehemently condemns the massive importation of refined petroleum products instead of emphasizing on local refining. 
 
The Meeting notes that the Refineries now serve as conduit for transportation and sale of imported petroleum products. 
 
 
PURPORTED CONVERSION OF PETROLEUM TRAINING INSTITUTE (PTI) TO A CAMPUS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN 
 
The Joint NEC-in-Session frowns at the violation of the Extant Act that established the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) to provide middle level manpower to the Oil and Gas Industry. 
 
The Meeting notes the current move to rather affiliate the Institute to UNIBEN instead of providing it with adequate funding, staffing, and equipment to meet the manpower demand of the Industry. 
 
The Meeting calls on Government to retain the current status of PTI as an autonomous specialised Institute and should upgrade it to International Standard as enshrined in the Act that established it. 
 
 
ENABLING ACT FOR DEPARTMENT OF PETROLEUM RESOURCES (DPR) AS AN AUTONOMOUS PETROLEUM INSPECTORATE COMMISSION 
 
The Joint NEC-in-Session hereby calls on Government to urgently grant autonomy to the Department of Petroleum Resources to enable it play its role effectively as Oil and Gas Industry Regulator. 
 
 
RESOLUTION: 
 
From the foregoing therefore, the Joint NEC-in-Session hereby resolves that it can no longer fold its hands and watch the viable industry in Nigeria slide into a state of anomie. 
 
Consequently, the Joint NEC-in-Session henceforth agrees to undertake the following measures to protect its members’ interest as follows: 
 
1. The Joint NEC-in-Session directs that with effect from Wednesday 13th September 2006, all members of NUPENG and PENGASSAN should embark on a 3-day Warning Strike. 
 
2. The Joint NEC-in-Session agrees that if after the 3-day Warning Strike, Government fails to address the issues raised in this Communique and provide a peaceful and safe environment in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country for Oil Workers in particular and Nigerians in general to go about their lawful duties, NUPENG and PENGASSAN will have no other option but to withdraw their services indefinitely.

NUPENGASSAN Communiqué

<img height="40" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/InBrief 1.gif" width="100" alt=""/>
Some 7,000 demonstrators marched through Paris on 12 September, with many more demonstrating in other cities throughout France, all responding to a joint call for action by French unions CGT, FO, CGC, and CFTC. 
 
The manifestations, held to protest the government sponsored merger between state-owned Gaz de France (GDF) and privately-held Suez, came a week after the CGT and FO unions held a referendum among workers at GDF. The referendum, at which 60% of all 53,000 GDF workers took part, showed a very clear hostility towards the merger plans, with 94% voting against the privatisation idea. 
<img height="99" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/ICEMgas.JPG" width="100" alt=""/>      <img height="99" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/ICEMelectricity4.JPG.JPG" width="100" alt=""/>
The State of France currently holds an 80% stake in GdF, with a current law setting a minimum of 70%. The merger would automatically reduce the state’s stake in GDF to about 34%. 
 
Whereas CGT, FO, CGC, and CFTC would prefer closer cooperation between Electricité de France (EDF) and GDF, the FCE-CFDT union forwarded its own proposal to the government on 13 September. Equally opposed to the privatisation of GDF, FCE-CFDT sees possible advantages in developing partnerships between Suez and GDF. The union’s increased cooperation project would, however, keep GDF in the public sector. 
 
The French government finds itself more and more isolated, with an increasing number of individuals and organisations joining the anti-privatisation call. French Labour representatives, currently in opposition, are also fiercely contesting the privatisation plan at the special parliamentary session on the subject.

Protests in France against Gaz de France – Suez Merger

Archive

ExxonMobil in Dock for Indonesian Human Rights Crimes

ICEM Letter to Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas

ICEM Letter to Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas

Rio Tinto Network Newsletter overview

Abhorrent Circumstances Surround the Killing of PENGASSAN Member in Nigeria

ICEM Namibian Affiliate Succeeds in Making Diamond Polishing Jobs Permanent

Strike Hits Southern Iraq’s Oil Sector

Pilkington Glass Workers in New Zealand Strike for 5% Pay Gains

NUPENGASSAN Communiqué

Protests in France against Gaz de France – Suez Merger

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