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ICEM and its Thai affiliate EGAT-LU welcomed a report, passed by a 50-3 vote, from the nation&rsquo;s Senate that opposes privatising the national Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT). The report was sent to the ruling government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra calling for reforms to its plan to privatise 25% of the utility. Part of the report says that the entire electric distribution system must be excluded from sale because of its importance to citizens of Thailand. One senator opposing the government&rsquo;s plan said the privatisation of EGAT would allow some ten wealthy families to own Thailand&rsquo;s most profitable state enterprise. The government, however, has now revoked the statutory laws for the state run utility in anticipation of listing on the Stock Exchange of Thailand and that order has been sent to the King of Thailand for Royal decrees.

Thai Senate report opposes electric privatisation

French unions geared up for late summer and autumn general strikes by partially shutting some gas and electric operations last week. The protest is in opposition to government posting 22% of Gaz de France&rsquo;s (GdF) shares in an initial public offering. Five unions&mdash;including FCECFDT and FO&mdash;took strike action 20 June in response to GdF&rsquo;s initial privatisation. The one-day strike crippled underground gas supplies at Gournay and Manosque, and at three nuclear and coal-powered electric generating sites. Last week&rsquo;s strike actions could well be a prelude to bigger strikes in October when the French government expects to place shares of the much larger state-operated &Eacute;lectricit&eacute; de France on bourses.

French unions shut down operations in gas and electricity sector

The fight over privatisation of Thailand&rsquo;s electric utility EGAT has seen further aggressiveness by both the government and management. Threats of discipline were made to union members of ICEM affiliate EGAT-LU as they prepared to assemble for the one-year anniversary of resistance on 23 February. EGAT management then overtly interfered in EGAT-LU&rsquo;s internal activities on 3 March by directly challenging leadership at the union&rsquo;s annual national meeting. EGAT bosses put forward a small group of workers demanding the union support public listing of EGAT. The government also announced 3 March that an initial public offering to raise US$783 million would occur in October.

Government Playing Hard in Thai Electric Privatisation

Despite Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra declaring the 6 February election victory of his Thai Rak Thai Party a mandate for the privatisation of electric utility EGAT, ICEM affiliate EGAT-LU will continue to resist. The government went through the motions to conduct a survey among EGAT's 27,000 workers that offered 18 restructuring options with most centring on different forms of privatising the utility. EGAT-LU sent a letter to the Energy Ministry demanding a stop to the survey and again asking that a national referendum be held to keep the power sector as part of the public infrastructure.

Opposition to Thai Government’s Electric Privatisation

The 700 striking workers that occupy the Turkish Cellulose and Paper Factories (SEKA) in Izmit, Turkey, also faced a police invasion. At the plant, where ICEM affiliate Sel&uuml;l&ouml;z-Is, with the overwhelming support of the local community, is engaged in a struggle against impending privatisation, police tried to force their way into the factory late last week. A number of people, including family members of the workers, were wounded during the operation which led to a stand off between the union members, together with 5,000 union supporters, on the one hand, and the police on the other.

Turkish Paperworkers Hold Firm on Government’s Plant Shutdown

French unions have promised more actions over the government&rsquo;s plan to partially privatise the country&rsquo;s electric and gas industries. Some 10,000 workers and supporters marched in Paris 29 June, the day the National Assembly passed a bill changing the statutes of the Electricit&eacute; de France and Gaz de France to limited liability companies. The French Senate must still vote on the proposed liberalization and implementation decrees also must be issued. ICEM affiliates FCE-CFDT and F&eacute;d&eacute;chimie CGT FO are leading the resistance.

French Unions March in Paris Over Electric, Gas Privatisation

Trade unions in Thailand&mdash;led by affiliate EGAT-LU&mdash;continue to resist the government&rsquo;s plan to privatise the electric and water services of the country. The ongoing stalemate will likely now be the key issue in government elections set for February 2005. Unions, now in their 119th consecutive day of protest at the headquarters of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, have embarked on a &ldquo;Scattering Bees Strategy&rdquo; in which they will conduct educational forums and brochure drops in all parts of Thailand leading up to those elections.

Thai Government, EGAT-LU Stalemated Over Electric Privatisation

The Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) is very concerned about the kidnapping of Mr. Moaid Hamed, General Secretary of the IFTU in Mosul. Mr. Moaid Hamed was abducted on 11 February, in Mosul, by gunmen who attacked him and took him away. At the end of January 2005, the president of the IFTU in Mosul had already been abducted for a week, at which time he was severely tortured. Prior to his release on 1 February, he was told to stop his trade union work or be killed. The ICEM demands the immediate release of Mr Moaid Hamed and strongly supports the campaign by the IFTU to end terrorism against trade unionists in Iraq and to organise Iraqi workers into free trade and democratic unions.

Another Iraqi Trade Union Leader Abducted

<p>
	Transport and General Workers&rsquo; Union (T&amp;G) of the UK termed Royal Dutch/Shell&rsquo;s profits announcement as &ldquo;obscene.&rdquo; Shell made history last week by reporting the largest annual profit ever posted by a British company&mdash;&pound;9.3 billion or US$18.5 billion. The massive earnings statement propped up by record oil and energy prices are making many in the UK&mdash; including ICEM affiliate T&amp;G&mdash;call for a windfall tax bill. &ldquo;With our pensions in crisis, (Shell&rsquo;s) profits are 9.3 billion extra reasons for a windfall tax,&rdquo; said T&amp;G General Secretary Tony Woodley. &ldquo;The government should grasp the nettle so everyone can benefit.&rdquo;</p>

UK Affiliate Terms Shell&#039;s Profits &#039;Obscene&#039;

The United Steelworkers of America (USWA) extended the US national rubber agreement to another tyre company when workers of Yokohama Tire Corp of Japan ratified an agreement in Salem, Virginia. Similar to USWA&rsquo;s rubber workers employed at Goodyear and Michelin&rsquo;s B.F. Goodrich, the 670 trade unionists in the state of Virginia won guaranteed job security measures, as well as increases to their pension formula. USWA currently is in talks with Bridgestone/Firestone over the same issues&mdash;job security, capital investment in US unionized tyre sites and other economics&mdash;at BSF&rsquo;s US tyre factories. Talks on the US pattern agreement for rubber have followed extensions for most companies since 2003 expirations. Bargaining broke off, however, between Continental Tire and USWA during mid-term negotiations when the German company proposed concessionary terms including increased out-of-pocket health care costs for retirees.

USWA’s Master Tyre Contract in US Extended to Yokohama

Archive

Thai Senate report opposes electric privatisation

French unions shut down operations in gas and electricity sector

Government Playing Hard in Thai Electric Privatisation

Opposition to Thai Government’s Electric Privatisation

Turkish Paperworkers Hold Firm on Government’s Plant Shutdown

French Unions March in Paris Over Electric, Gas Privatisation

Thai Government, EGAT-LU Stalemated Over Electric Privatisation

Another Iraqi Trade Union Leader Abducted

UK Affiliate Terms Shell's Profits 'Obscene'

USWA’s Master Tyre Contract in US Extended to Yokohama

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