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ICEM leaders and senior managers of French-based chemicals multinational Rhodia travelled to Brazil from 2-5 December for a second round of monitoring the Global Framework Agreement. This kind of joint mission was first realised last year in China with a view toward making sure the agreement is properly implemented at specific workplaces. 
ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda, ICEM Latin America/Caribbean Vice-President S&eacute;rgio Novais, and Chemicals and Rubber Officer Kemal &Ouml;zkan represented the ICEM, while Rhodia&rsquo;s Exeuctive Vice-President Bernard Chambon&ouml;, Sustainable Development Director Jacques Kheliff, and Communications Vice President Lucia Dumas participated, as did the Brazilian team of Rhodia, headed by Latin American President Marcos De Marchi. 
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The social partners discussed the global agreement in Brazil in general, and specifically, at the regional headquarters in S&atilde;o Paulo. The delegation visited plants in Paulinia, Santo Andr&eacute;, and Cubatao, and met with local trade union leaders at those worksites. 
The ICEM team was informed about products, technology, safety, health, and environmental matters, and received information on salaries, social benefits, staffing, and local community relations in the plant visits. 
In terms of trade union representation, all Rhodia workplaces are organised by six different unions, each with collective agreements. The ICEM proposed a network among these different unions so coordination can occur and a common dialogue can happen at the national level. 
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&ldquo;I am pleased by the positive results of our agreement with Rhodia,&rdquo; commented Warda. &ldquo;The successful visit to Brazil, coordinated effectively by management, has shown us that a GFA can be a positive tool in industrial relations at the global level. 
&ldquo;It also secures an understanding on how local and national level social dialogue can proceed in a cooperative manner,&rdquo; Warda added. The Global Framework Agreement with Rhodia was renewed in March 2008, and now contains succinct language related to union recruitment and company neutrality.

ICEM, Rhodia Monitor Global Agreement at Brazilian Plants

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ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda compared the labour repression of the Mexican government to that of the regimes in Burma and Zimbabwe. This follows the recent arrests of two union officials and the seizure of the union&rsquo;s bank assets. 
 
The targeted National Miners&rsquo; and Metalworkers&rsquo; Union of Mexico (SNTMMSRM) is fighting to retain its democratic integrity as a trade union in Mexico. 
 
The recent arrests were clearly carried out on the request of Grupo M&eacute;xico and other employers. The ICEM points to reports that arrests of other trade unionists are imminent. The letter can be found <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/0812.President%20Calderon.pdf">here</a>.
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The two union leaders, Carlos Pavon Campos, SNTMMSRM&rsquo;s secretary of Political Affairs, and Juan Linares Montufar, president of the union&rsquo;s General Council of Oversight and Justice, are accused of stealing funds awarded the union after the privatization of Grupo M&eacute;xico&rsquo;s Cananea copper mine, according to Mexico&rsquo;s top prosecutor. Mexican miners at numerous sites laid down their tools in protest against the arrests, including Fresnillo, Madero, and Sabinas worksites, demanding the immediate release of the two. 
 
The illegal arrest of Juan Linares was carried out at his home on 3 December, with a heavy presence of federal and state forces. The equally arbitrary and illegal arrest of Carlos Campos came the following day, with Campos being taken to the Camarones detention centre. 
 
These repressive actions of the Mexican government continue a worrying trend of the last three years, which has seen SNTMMSRM&rsquo;s General Secretary Napoleon Gomez Urretia twice removed from office, and other union officials charged falsely, with several of those charges dismissed in court rooms.

ICEM Condemns Union Repression by Mexican Government

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On 11 December, ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda met with Argentine affiliates in Buenos Aires. The meeting was held with the support of Friedrich Ebert-Siftung (FES), a German-based labour foundation. It included unions representing paper workers, private-sector energy and gas workers, and others. 
 
Manfred Warda welcomed to the meeting the metal workers&rsquo; union of Argentina, a union seeking affiliation to ICEM on behalf of nuclear energy workers. 

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The meeting focused on recent ICEM initiatives, with attention to what is planned and occurring in the Latin American/Caribbean Region. Issues regarding energy and the different networks that operate with regional involvement in energy and chemicals were of special interest. The participants of the meeting voiced their concerns on contract and agency labour, and sustainable development. Gender and youth issues were other focuses. 
 
Warda expressed gratitude that the Argentine affiliates are prepared to welcome the next ICEM Congress in 2011. The Congress will be a resounding success, not least because of the enthusiasm shown on the part of Argentine affiliates.

ICEM Convenes Meeting of Argentine Affiliates; Agreement on 2011 Congress in Buenos Aires

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On 1-2 December, in Bogot&aacute;, Colombia, union leaders of ICEM affiliate Sintracarb&ograve;n delivered a list of demands to management of Carbones del Cerrej&oacute;n, the world-class coal mining operation owned by BHP Billiton, AngloAmerican, and Xstrata. The workers are seeking solutions regarding serious problems in health, education, low wages, outsourcing of labour, and effects on the local community. 
 
Preliminary discussions were carried out on 3-4 December at company headquarters in the city of Barranquilla, where a course was set forth for the negotiations to continue. The direct settlement stage of discussions began 9 December, where both parties again agreed on the required methodology in approaching negotiation of the union demands. 
 
This massive open-pit mining enterprise in the northern state of Guajira produces highly desirable low-carbon thermal coal. The mine produces 32 million tones annually, with a majority of that shipped to Europe, with exports to North America second in scope.
<img height="252" src="" width="300" alt="" />
Miners of Sintracarb&ograve;n in Colombia&nbsp; 
 

Since January 2007, when the ICEM assisted Sintracarb&ograve;n in achieving its current and now expiring labour contract, the number of health problems of workers has increased dramatically, up to 700, leading to the demand for a better health care system for both workers and their families. Aims to reduce the numbers of outsourced workers at the mine would develop economic stability for miners and their families, as well as efficient unionization of the workforce enabling collective bargaining. 
 
The union represents some 4,500 full-time Carbones del Cerrej&oacute;n workers, with another 4,000 employees working for service providers. Sintracarb&ograve;n is requesting solidarity again from its global affiliation, as well as from national level unions in Colombia as the talks progress in December.

Sintracarbòn Enters Critical Talks with Carbones del Cerrejon in Columbia

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ICEM Director of Industry and Corporate Affairs Joe Drexler reports that progress is being made with Russian and Ukrainian governments by ICEM-affiliated mining affiliates in promoting the ratification of the ILO Convention 176 on Health and Safety in Mines. 
 
Russia experienced a major mining disaster last week when 12 people were killed at an apatite mine near Kirovsk, in the Murmansk region, and Ukraine has the most dangerous coal mines in Europe. Apatite is used in fertilizer production. 
 
In a week-long trip that included stops in Moscow, Russia, and Kiev and Donetsk, Ukraine, Drexler met with union leaders, employers, and government officials including the Deputy Minister of Health and Social Development in Russia and the Minister of Coal in Ukraine. The meetings with the ministers were set up by Ivan Mokhnachuk, President of the Russian Independent Coal Employees&rsquo; Union, and Victor Turmanov, Chairman of the Trade Union of Workers&rsquo; of the Coal Industry of Ukraine. 

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Left, Joe Drexler, ICEM Director for Industry and Corporate Affairs; right, Ivan Mokhnachuk, President of the Russian Independent Coal Employees' Union (Rosugleprof)
In Russia, the Chemical and Allied Industries Workers Union, which represents some 50,000 largely phosphate and potash miners, and the Russian Trade Union of Metal Workers in the Nickel, Cobalt, and Platinum Industries, representing miners at Norlisk Nickel, offered strong support for the ratification of ILO Convention 176. Valery Glaskov, president of the metal mining union, also said he would open direct talks with Norlisk about a Global Framework Agreement. The talks will include the ICEM and trade unions outside of Russia. Norlisk has mining operations in Africa and the US.
It is in Ukraine where the prospect of achieving ratification of ILO Convention 176 in the near-term appears most likely. Victor Turmanov, who is also a member of the Ukrainian Parliament, has been leading the effort along with Mikhail Volynets of the ICEM affiliated Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine, and also a member of Parliament. A meeting was also held with Vasyl Khara, President of the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine, and yet another member of Parliament. Although much of the research and proposed changes to mining laws and regulations have been prepared, unified political pressure will be required to ensure ratification. 
&ldquo;I think we can say with confidence that Ukraine will become the 23rd nation to ratify ILO 176,&rdquo; said Turmanov after a meeting with Viktor Poltavets, the Minister of Coal, who gave his whole-hearted commitment to push for ratification in 2009. 
 
The ICEM has been lobbying the ILO to step up its own efforts to promote the ratification of the convention. The ILO is setting up workshops about ratification in India and Mongolia, but after several months of discussion, no meeting dates have been set. 
 
Indian unions have grown frustrated over the slow progress by the ILO and are actively engaged in lobbying efforts with government and employers. The Construction, Forestry, Mining, and Energy Union (CFMEU) of Australia has received a commitment from the new Labour government that it will also proceed next year toward ratification. 
 
Ratification of ILO Convention 176 will result in needed improvements in mining regulations and laws in most countries which have not yet ratified. Experience has shown that good mining laws and regulation will make mines safer.

ILO Mine, Safety Convention 176 Moves Closer to Realty in Russia, Ukraine

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A critical meeting was held in Basra at the headquarters of the Federation of Workers&rsquo; Councils and Unions in Iraq (FWCUI) on 29 November. Iraqi union leaders of FWCUI&rsquo;s branches met in a general session with an emphasis on preparing for elections in the oil sector. 
 
The meeting was attended by 36 trade union leaders of the oil sector, including workers&rsquo; representatives from the northern Rumaylah fields, the southern Rumaylah fields, as well as the Birjisiya, Shiayba, and Saltt stations, the pipelines company, the petrochemical company, and the headquarters unit of the Southern Oil Co. 

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The meeting was chaired by Thair Ismaieel, coordinator of FWCUI&rsquo;s preparatory committee, and was attended by Raiad Mahmoud and Haydar Abd Alilah, charged with administrative and financial affairs, for the union, and by Kareem Johi, Secretary of FWCUI&rsquo;s Petro-Chemicals Branch. 
 
The meeting produced a set of recommendations intended to determine responsibilities of the union&rsquo;s supreme committee regarding elections, and a call to respect the instructions issued by this committee. 
 
The recommendations also include mechanisms to empower union members to shape the federation as an independent organization, to encourage women to join unions of the federation, a call to unionists to be willing and able to support workers&rsquo; activities in all sectors, and publishing and distribution of FWCUI&rsquo;s newspaper in all workplaces. 
 
The meeting took up the challenges to the 1987 Saddam-era Decree 150 &ndash; still in force &ndash;which prohibits independent trade unions in the public sector, and also explored ways to expand membership. FWCUI is focused on making its unions power tools in the hands of workers.
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A week after the meeting, on 5 December, FWCUI issued a strong statement against the so-called &ldquo;Security Agreement&rdquo; between the US and the government of Iraq. That statement rejects the agreement and invites other Iraqi parties that reject the agreement &ldquo;to place their opposition in the political arena (in order) to widen the public discourse and to transform the rejection of this agreement to an empowerment of the people.&rdquo; 
 
FWCUI members of the supreme committee for elections includes: Thaier Ismaieel, President; Mustapha Ahmed and Mahdi Bishara, Vice Presidents; Raid Abd Alqader, Secretary; Ghazi Abd Alqader, Secretary Assistant; Dhaher Auda, Administrative and Financial Affairs Officer; Nashwan Faisal, Administrative/Financial Assistant; Kareem Johi, Communications Officer; Mukhlis Faisal, Public Relations Officer; and Saffa Talib and Muayad Hamad, respective assistants in those latter areas.

FWCUI in Iraq Holds Crucial Meeting Leading Up to Elections

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A call for action was made by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) on 8 December, following the arrest of KCTU President Lee Suk-haeng three days earlier. 
 
The alleged reason for the arrest was Lee Suk-haeng&rsquo;s role in organizing a general strike on 2 July, deemed as &ldquo;illegal.&rdquo; The Korean labour leader&rsquo;s solidarity action, supporting the E-land contract labour strike in 2007, had drawn the wrath of South Korean authorities then, and resulted in his arrest early this month. 
 
The general strike was called to gain the right to re-negotiate on health and safety, specifically the 2007 Protocol on US beef imports, on food-safety grounds. The KCTU had organized various solidarity actions in support of the strike by the E-land workers, protesting against sudden termination of contracts and illegal subcontracting, which clearly violated the Korean Irregular Workers law of July 2007. 
 
The charge against KTCU President Lee Suk-haeng is &ldquo;obstruction of business,&rdquo; under section 314 of the Penal Code. However, freedom of association and the right to strike under collective bargaining are clearly protected by ILO Core Conventions 87 and 98. 
 
The 8 December KCTU call for pressure on the Korean government, to stop trade union repression, respect health and safety consultation, and to show proof that ILO conventions are being practiced, is important. It is also important in gaining the immediate release of Bro. Lee Suk-haeng. 
 
The call has been answered by the ICEM; the ICEM letter can be found <a href="/index.php?id=7&amp;la=EN&amp;doc=2927">here</a>; the ICEM encourages trade unions to copy or excerpt the letter, and to lodge their own protests with the South Korean government.

ICEM Joins Wide Protest of Korean Trade Union President’s Arrest

Lee Myung Bak 
President 
Republic Of Korea 
December 11, 2008 

The ICEM, representing 20 Million Workers in Chemical, Energy and Mining Industry over 130 countries strongly protests at the arrest of Mr. Lee Suk-haeng, President of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). 

The ICEM has been informed that Bro. Lee Suk-haeng was arrested on 5 December, at 10:40 pm, in connection with his role in organising an &ldquo;illegal&rdquo; general strike on 2 July 2008 and in organising a solidarity action in support of the E-land Retail Precarious workers&rsquo; strike in 2007. 
We understand that Brother Lee Suk-haeng would be mainly charged with &ldquo;obstruction of business&rdquo; (provision in section 314 of the Penal Code) due to his role in these actions. 

The ICEM is appalled that trade union leaders are being arrested and detained merely for exercising fundamental workers' rights, like to the right to strike. The right to strike encompasses both the right for workers to pursue demonstrations concerning social and economic policies affecting its members, as well as solidarity actions. We are very concerned about the severe form and nature of the repression, especially the deprivation of liberty of those involved and the intrusion into the privacy of family members. The targeting of top union leaders is blatant anti-union repression and the ICEM is disappointed that the government has chosen to keep union leaders imprisoned for longer periods in this case. 

The ICEM is urging your government to order the immediate release of Mr. Lee Suk-haeng and all other imprisoned trade unionists and that all charges against them be dropped. It also urges you to ensure that the arrest warrants against all other labour leaders be withdrawn immediately. 

In the meantime, I trust that you will pay prompt attention to this very serious matter. 
Yours sincerely, 
 
Manfred Warda 
General Secretary 
ICEM

ICEM Letter to South Korean Government On Arest of Lee Suk-haeng

North Meets South 
Global Unity, Global Strength 
 
 
December 8: 
 
9h30: Welcome and Introductions, Jouko Ahonen, Chairman, Finland 
9h40: Welcome by Walter Silva, President of CUOPYC, Host Union, Uruguay 
9h50: Welcome by Sergio Novais, ICEM South American/Caribbean Region, Brazil 
10h00: Address Uruguay Minister, Tourism, Dr. Hector Lescano 
10h15: Address Uruguay Minister, Industry, |Daniel Martinez 
10h50: Address by Uruguay Minister, Labour and Social Secruity, Eduardo Bonomi 
 
11h15: Tea/Coffee Break 
 
11h40: Report from ICEM Secretariat, General Secretary Manfred Warda 
12h10: Report on Industry, Importance of ICEM Work Plan, Jouko Ahonen, Chairman 
12h40: Addendum/Additions, ICEM Written Secretariat Report, Dick Blin, ICEM Pulp and Paper Officer 
 
13h00: Lunch 
 
14h15: Introduction of Industry Panel, Jouko Ahonen, Chairman 
Ikka H&auml;m&auml;l&auml;, Chairman and CEO, Mets&auml;-Botnia OY, Finland 
Jeronimo Ruiz, Director of Pulp and Paper Industry, S&atilde;o Paulo State, CEO, BRACELPA (Brazil Pulp/Paper Assn.) 
 
 
 
16h00: Tea/Coffee Break 
 
16h20: Discussion and Questions of Industry Panel 
 
17h30: Break for the Day 
 
 
 
December 9: 
 
Note: A session likely will be interrupted with arrival and address by Uruguay President Tabar&eacute; V&aacute;squez 
 
9h30: Introduction of Trade Union Panel, Work Plan Goals, Jouko Ahonen, Chairman 
Blas Juan Alari, FOEIPCyQ, Argentina 
Jan-Henrik Sandberg, Svenska Pappers, Sweden 
Fred Wilson, Communications, Energy, Paperworkers, Canada 
Fernando Barassain, Coordinadora, Mercosur, Uruguay 
Daniela Sampaio, Instituto Observat&oacute;rio Social, Brazil 
Dick Blin, ICEM Pulp and Paper Officer, Geneva 
 
11h15: Tea/Coffee Break 
 
11h40: Discussion and Questions of Trade Union Panel 
 
13h00: Lunch 
 
14h15: Pulp/Paper Collective Bargaining in 2009; Work Plan Development 
Jouko Ahonen, Chairman; and Dick Blin, Pulp and Paper Officer 
 
14h50: Discussion of Work Plan and Collective Bargaining Agenda 
 
15h30: Tea/Coffee Break 
 
15h50: Resume Discussion, Finalise Work Plan, Elect Chairman 
 
17h15: Concluding Remarks 
ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda, Chairman Jouko Ahonen 
 
15h40: Close 
 
 
 
December 10: 
 
Day Long Social Events Commemorating Signing of the Universal Declaration of 
Human Rights on December 10, 1948 &ndash; Sponsored by Host Union, CUOPYC 
 
 
 
Supplemental Agenda Items: 
 
December 6-7: Building and Woodworkers&rsquo; International Conference on Forest 
Certification Programmes for Latin America (Spanish language only) 
 
December 7, 18h00: ICEM Meeting with Pulp and Paper Trade Unionists from 
Mercosur countries regarding Finland SASK possible 3-year Project on 
Union Building and Solidarity Activities in Latin American Sector

Piriápolis, Uruguay
December 8-10, 2008


ICEM World Conference for the Pulp &amp; Paper Industries

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After four years of existence, the Global Union Research Network (GURN), a joint ILO and global unions research forum, unveiled a more user-friendly and attractive web site. Users will find it much easier to navigate and search for documents and information on the many topics covered by the institute. 
 
A new addition to the site is the topic on Public-Private Partnership, which allows GURN to provide information on eleven important research topics: Corporate Governance; Economic Alternatives and Poverty Eradication; Global Trade Union Strategies (Union Renewal); Health Politics and Trade Unions; Migration; OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises; Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) &amp; International Financial Institutions (IFIs); Public-Private Partnerships; Sustainable Development; Trade; and Wages and Collective Bargaining 
 
The new Public-Private Partnership (PPP) page is created to shed light on the issues and concerns related to PPPs in different countries. 
 
GURN is a platform for trade unionists and researchers dealing with the challenges of globalization from a labour perspective. Partners to it include the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) of the OECD, the Global Union Federations, the ILO&rsquo;s Bureau for Workers&rsquo; Activities (ACTRAV), and the ILO&rsquo;s Institute for Labour Studies. 
 
The new site can be found <a href="http://www.gurn.info/en/">here</a>.

GURN Launches New Website

Archive

ICEM, Rhodia Monitor Global Agreement at Brazilian Plants

ICEM Condemns Union Repression by Mexican Government

ICEM Convenes Meeting of Argentine Affiliates; Agreement on 2011 Congress in Buenos Aires

Sintracarbòn Enters Critical Talks with Carbones del Cerrejon in Columbia

ILO Mine, Safety Convention 176 Moves Closer to Realty in Russia, Ukraine

FWCUI in Iraq Holds Crucial Meeting Leading Up to Elections

ICEM Joins Wide Protest of Korean Trade Union President’s Arrest

ICEM Letter to South Korean Government On Arest of Lee Suk-haeng

ICEM World Conference for the Pulp & Paper Industries

GURN Launches New Website

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