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The ICEM Paperworkers&rsquo; Union affiliate in Indonesia, Federasi Serikat Pekerja Pulp dan Kertas (FSP2KI), 
conducted its Third National Meeting in Jakarta from 15-18 October, with generous support from Svenska Pappers, the Swedish Paperworkers Union. 
 
The six-year-old union, a federation of nine mill-level branch unions, identified future goals and objectives, and heard the parameters and expectations involved in a proposed three-year project sponsored by Pappers. Eleven executive-board members of FSP2KI attended, while four other delegates expected to attend from the Japanese-owned Marubeni pulp mill of Musi at PT Tanjunggenim Lestari in South Sumatra were detained by management and ordered to undertake military training near the mill. 
 
Besides a representative from Pappers, Mikke Sterbeck, other union guests included Bala Somahsundram from the Paper and Paper Products Manufacturing Employees&rsquo; Union of Malaysia (PPMEU), Alex Millar and Tim Woods of the Pulp and Paperworkers Branch of Australia&rsquo;s Construction, Forestry, Mining, and Energy Union (CFMEU), Dave Schaub of the Communications, Paperworkers, and Energy (CEP) Union of Canada, and representation from the ICEM. 

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A featured speaker at the meetings was D. Patombong Saiful, President of the ICEM-affiliated Chemical, Energy, Mine, Gas Workers&rsquo; Union (FSP-KEP) of Indonesia. Brother Saiful gave an in-depth review of the Indonesian labour situation, specifically the difficulty to implement labour laws already in place and the problems brought on by flexible labour markets. 
 
Saiful said of 34 million workers in Indonesia, only five million are union members, with the number of labour federations &ndash; 93 &ndash; &ldquo;too many,&rdquo; and a definite need to consolidate. He said the world financial institutions have pushed for flexible labour markets, with the result being a rise in fixed-term contracts, subcontracting, and labour suppliers or agencies. 
 
The ICEM asked leaders of FSP2KI to join either one of two of the three labour confederations in Indonesia, and all pulp and paper guests at the meetings encouraged FSP2KI to further develop its internal structures and forge ties with other pulp and paper unions of Indonesia. The proposed Pappers project for 2010 to 2012 has established a goal of increasing the number of branch unions to 19, and growing the current 14,600 membership to 19,600. 
 
FSP2KI&rsquo;s largest membership currently comes in Asia Pulp and Paper&rsquo;s (APP) PT Pinto Deli mills in Karawang, APP&rsquo;s PT Indah Kiat tissue mill in Tangerang, West Java, Asia Pacific Resources International&rsquo;s (APRIL) PT Riau mills, the PT Lontar tissue mill in Jambi, Sumatra, and Marubeni&rsquo;s mill in Kab. Muara Enim, South Sumatra.

FSP2KI Pulp/Paper Union in Indonesia Holds National Meeting

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On 27 October in Oslo, Norway, the ICEM, together with affiliate Fellesforbundet, conducted a review of the Global Framework Agreement (GFA) with Norske Skog, the global publication and coated papers producer. Signed initially in June 2002, the agreement is considered one of the better ones that the ICEM is signatory to. 
 
No changes were made regarding the language of the GFA last week, but the three partners did discuss several industry specific items, including company efforts to reduce operating costs of mills. Over the past 14 months, Norske Skog idled a number of paper machines and sold off entire mills, including four in China and Korea. 

<img src="" width="260" height="207" alt="" />
Christian Rynning-T&oslash;nnesen and Manfred Warda at the signing
Due to decreased demand of newsprint and directory papers, the company since 2007 has reduced its employment rolls from 10,000 to 6,000 workers, with five fewer pulp and paper mills than the 18 it had then. The company did say that at one such shutdown, the &Scaron;teti mill in the Czech Republic, it succeeded in placing 70% of the 225 furloughed workers in similar paying jobs. 
 
ICEM, Fellesforbundet, and senior Norske Skog leadership, including President and CEO Christian Rynning-T&oslash;nnesen, did discuss new bio-fuels business opportunities that the company is working toward, as well as the upcoming, March 2010, Global Employee Forum at the firm&rsquo;s headquarters in Lysaker, Norway, near Oslo. 

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From left: Norske Skog Chief Steward K&aring;re Leira, Fellesforbundet; Axel Thuve and Kristin Klitzing, Norske Skog Vice Presidents; President and CEO Christian Rynning-T&oslash;nnesen; the ICEM&rsquo;s Warda; and Hans-Christian Gabrielsen, Second Vice President, Fellesforbundet 
The agreement contains specific language respecting freedom of association and collective bargaining, health and safety, as well as language regarding placing a priority on permanent employment, with temporary and part-time employment based on &ldquo;the same relative terms and conditions as fulltime permanent employees.&rdquo; 
 
The only change reflected the ICEM&rsquo;s change of office headquarters from Brussels to Geneva. The full agreement, in English, can be viewed <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/Norske%20Skog%20agreement%2009.pdf">here</a>.

ICEM Re-Signs Global Agreement with Paper Company Norske Skog

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The ICEM held a regional conference in S&atilde;o Paulo from 27-29 October to consolidate activities in the region. The conference was called &ldquo;ICEM &ndash; A Modern, Dynamic and Efficient Organisation,&rdquo; and was attended by 25 trade union leaders from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Uruguay, and the Dominican Republic. 
 
One of the aims of the conference was to integrate the unions of the former World Federation of Industrial Workers (WFIW), who had joined ICEM at the 2007 Congress. The other aim was to develop programmes for young workers and women. 

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Italo Rodomonti, centre
Italo Rodomonti, ICEM Vice-President, gave a presentation on trade union democracy and representation, which explained why strengthened trade union structures are a question of democracy. It cannot be that those who are dissatisfied with one union find another, he said. Democracy is not advanced by a proliferation of trade unions, but by the idea to have fewer and better and stronger trade unions. Trade union leaders must never forget those whom they represent, said Rodomonti. 
 
Working groups met on the topic of trade union democracy and came up with the following conclusions: 
&bull; Women and young people must be incorporated in greater numbers in ICEM and its affiliated unions; 
&bull; Training and education continue to be important, and train the trainer programs must be given priority. Every union must have its own education programme; 
&bull; Neoliberalism and multinationals continue to dominate the agenda. Neoliberalism had nefarious effects on young people because they are more individualistic and have no relation to trade unions. Overcoming these trends is part of the challenge that has to be met in attracting young people to join unions; 
&bull; Trade unions continue to be weak. Emphasis still has to be put on recruitment. Trade unions still suffer from financial weaknesses and non-payment of dues. These challenges must be overcome; 
&bull; Migrant and workers employed in the informal sector are more and more present, and ICEM must develop policies to address issues faced by workers in these groups; 
&bull; Communication has to be improved; meetings and communication with the assistance of SKYPE are being investigated for the regional committee. 

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Sergio Novais
ICEM Vice-President for Latin America and the Caribbean, Sergio Novais, made a presentation on ICEM programmes and structures. One of the main priorities in the region is on workers&rsquo; networks. The networks are one way of controlling multinationals which have become more powerful than some governments in the region. 
 
ICEM must attempt to tackle the areas where it does hold power to change things, leaving the general work with governments up to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). As always, sub-contracting and outsourcing were major themes of discussion. 
 
A new project is soon to be launched with the help of the Spanish ISCOD to train 60 women across the region in negotiating skills. The pulp and paper project sponsored by Finnish SASK for the Mercosur countries of Latin America also was discussed. 
 
It is worth remembering that the process of trade union consolidation is ongoing &ndash; the process begun with the merger between the ICFTU and the WCL is continuing. The ICEM is leading the work to consolidate the international trade union federations with work on cooperation with the International Metalworkers Federation (IMF) and the International Textile, Garment, and Leather Workers&rsquo; Federation (ITGLWF). The WFIW&rsquo;s regional organisation, FLATIC, will be joining the ICEM regional committee with six additional members, two of whom will be women. 

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The meeting expressed its concern over the disregard on behalf of the provincial government in Chubut, Argentina, on the collective agreement with the utility union, Luz y Fuerza. The provincial government is defying all national and international standards and agreements governing freedom of association and the right to collective bargain. 
 
The meeting also adopted the following resolution on Honduras. It reads, in part: 
 
&ldquo;ICEM regional committee, meeting in S&atilde;o Paulo, Brazil, aware of the political situation prevailing in the sister republic of Honduras in the wake of the reactionary military coup which overthrew the democratically elected government of Honduras, denounces the following: 
 
&ldquo;The majority will of the people has been attacked in the service of obscure economic interests that are hostile to the country. Workers and their trade unions and popular organizations have been repressed. 
 
&ldquo;Therefore the regional committee, representing delegates from eight countries, agrees the following: 
 
&ldquo;To call upon all democratic countries in the international community to not recognize the de facto government nor the elections called by it; to pass on our militant solidarity to the men and women workers and their trade unions; to promote a campaign of concrete solidarity with the people of Honduras and to denounce this situation at the ILO and before other workers&rsquo; organizations, ensuring that a copy of these declarations are sent to the trade unions in Honduras.&rdquo; 
 
Finally, on 29 October, a meeting was held to discuss the new energy project which will soon start with the support of the Spanish foundation Paz y Solidaridad. The meetings in S&atilde;o Paulo were held in a spirit of camaraderie and solidarity. Many thanks to the Dutch FNV, as well as to Belgian affiliate CSC Energie Chimie for their support of the meetings.

ICEM’s Latin America/Caribbean Regional Delegates Meet in São Paulo Last Week

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The ICEM&rsquo;s Sub-Sahara Africa Regional Organisation (SSARO), with the support of Germany&rsquo;s Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES), conducted a very successful workshop on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Lusaka, Zambia, on 19-20 October. Participants from 12 countries, representing unions organising in the extractive industries, shared information on the impact of FDI in the mining and energy sectors. 
 
The participants were enriched with the input of a number of presenters, mainly from Zambia who gave excellent presentations on the subject. Trade unionists agreed on the need for FDI in the region, but realised that such investment, left unchecked, can do more damage than good if trade unions do not engage both Chinese and western-based multinationals on the inherent need to respect workers&rsquo; rights, communities, the environment, and to ensure that governments &ndash; on behalf of the population &ndash; benefits from FDI. 
 
It was further realised that unions and other stakeholders must guide against FDI corrupting governments and political leaders. 

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The workshop undertook to examine the shortfalls stemming from a similar ICEM workshop held in 2008 in Accra, Ghana. The failures were mainly on the issues of implementation and lack of communication, thus October&rsquo;s Zambian workshop undertook to do better in those areas. This recent workshop pledged to follow through with the resolutions adopted at the Ghana workshop, and further resolved to undertake the following: 
 
Data: All participating unions and other unions must send data to the SSARO regional office in Johannesburg with the following information: companies organised, sectors involved, ownership of companies, numbers of members in that company, unorganised workers in that company, and does the union have an agreement with the company? 
 
Legislation: Is there any legislation governing multinationals in the respective African countries? Is the legislation implemented and acted upon by the companies? Are the laws being reviewed, and if yes, when and are the difficulties? Are unions involved in the review? If not, why? If yes, how often does the review take place, and how do unions influence. All affiliates of the ICEM must take part in the reviews and try to influence the direction of the review and the outcome. 
 
Pan-African Standards: There must be Pan African Standards set that will be enforced by all countries in the region. There must be a model that will be applicable to regulate the operations of FDI, specifically Chinese investments. Efforts must be made by ICEM affiliates to ensure uniformity in terms of working conditions and economic emancipation. There is also a need for ICEM affiliates to promote effective networks in terms of information sharing, joint campaigns, and solidarity. There should be social dialogue between civil society, government, communities, and other stakeholders by assuring that there is adherence to all the laws governing FDI. 
 
Organising and Building Power: Strengthening our collaboration with NGOs to forge links and cooperation to confront the challenges posed by FDI /Chinese investments. Strengthening solidarity campaigns in terms of confronting the challenges. A need to strengthen the coordination mechanism of the ICEM in the region to effectively coordinate campaigns and solidarity, and to lobby our governments to support the position of labour and communities on these campaigns. 
 
Promote Corporate Social Responsibility and Awareness: To establish buy-in by the community and promote networking among trade unions. 
 
Campaigns: Determining which campaigns to take up and when, and when doing so, to lobby governments for direct involvement of trade unions in negotiation of agreements aimed at acquisition of raw materials and mineral rights; to lobby for transparency in these agreements; to lobby and demand labour rights, human rights, community and environmental standards in these agreements. 
 
In doing such, it is important to monitor International Finance Corporation/World Bank Performance standards, the ILO core labour standards, and standards set by the employer-based International Council of Mining and Metals (ICMM). As well, there must be a commitment to follow through with the resolutions adopted by SSARO, such as letter to CEOs and the lobbying of governments. 
 
As an example of such campaigns, a day of mobilisation at Chinese embassies in Africa was suggested. This would include coordinated press conferences and protests on specific practices of Chinese employers and it would encompass support to ICEM affiliates which undertake actions against mining employers. (As an example, support to the Mineworkers&rsquo; Union of Zambia in its efforts to organise a Chinese mine. As well, the ICEM will develop a model labour standard to be incorporated into agreements to acquire raw materials.

Sub-Saharan Africa Region of ICEM Holds Workshop on Foreign Direct Investment

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Tens of thousands of Nigerian citizens took to the streets in the federal capital territory of Abuja on 29 October in a visible display at protest over the government&rsquo;s plan to deregulate the downstream oil sector. The manifestation was led by the nation&rsquo;s two national labour centres, the blue-collar Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the white-collar Trades Union Congress (TUC). 
 
Both ICEM trade union affiliates in the energy sector, NUPENG and PENGASSAN, were forefront in the manifestation, turning out thousands of members. The government&rsquo;s plan to deregulate also would end fuel subsidies to the nation&rsquo;s citizenry, an insensitive move that would &ndash; the labour federations claim &ndash; immediately lift fuel costs from 65 naira per litre (US$.43) to 95 naira (US$.63). 

<img alt="" src="" width="160" height="239" />
Three Arms Monument at the National Assembly
Such an increase on heating, cooking, and transport fuel costs would drive millions of people in Africa&rsquo;s most populous country deeper into poverty. 
 
Last Thursday&rsquo;s protest culminated at the Three Arms Zone in front of the National Assembly, where union and civil society leaders delivered a letter intended for President Umaru Musa Yar&rsquo;Adua. It called on the government to conduct a citizens&rsquo; referendum on the question of deregulation. 
 
The letter was jointly signed by NLC President Abdulwahed Omar, TUC President Peter Esele, and Dr. Dipo Hasfhina, co-chairman of the Labour and Civil Society Coalition. The manifestation started at Berger Junction in Abuja and marched passed several key buildings, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC) Towers, the Court of Appeals, and the Nigerian Television Authority, locations where the march halted for rallying speeches. 

<img alt="" src="" width="320" height="213" />
Both NUPENG and PENGASSAN believe that deregulation can only occur when there is increased local refining capacity from Nigeria&rsquo;s five oil refineries. NUPENG President Peter Akpatason said deregulating the downstream sector would allow shadowy marketers to limit supplies, thus boosting prices and their profits, &ldquo;spelling misery to the teeming poor of the country.&rdquo; 
<img alt="" src="" width="120" height="90" />
NUPENG President Peter Akpatason
Withdrawing fuel subsidies, he added, when the domestic market is dependent on 80% imported supplies is a recipe for civil strife. The country&rsquo;s refineries have a combined stated capacity of 445,000 barrels-per-day, but have never operated at that due to neglect, negligible NNPC and government capitalisation, and lack of reliable feedstock supplies. Even if run at full optimisation, the refineries would produce just barely half of the 32 million litres of petrol, kerosene, and other fuel products demanded daily. 
 
PENGASSAN President Babatunde Ogun also expressed skepticism at the current government process toward deregulation. &ldquo;We vehemently reject import-driven deregulation. We need the free and uninterrupted flow of petroleum products across the country,&rdquo; he said, adding that means the government must focus on developing more domestic refining capacity and creating jobs for Nigerians. 

<img alt="" src="" width="140" height="210" />
PENGASSAN President Babatunde Ogun
A major complaint by labour and civil service leaders is the arrogance of Rilwanu Lukman, Nigeria&rsquo;s Minister of Petroleum Resources, who has concluded publicly that deregulation and the end of price subsidies is now irreversible. His neo-liberal thinking, some believe, is tied to his own relationships with marketers. 
 
The mass number of Nigerians who assembled last week in Abuja resent the government&rsquo;s fast-track effort to deregulate oil supplies. As NLC President Abdulwahed Omar said at one rally stop, &ldquo;Nigeria belongs to all of us and if the government is for the people, then the voice of the people must count. If they think that deregulation is a popular policy, let them subject it to a referendum and let Nigerians decide.&rdquo; 
 
Although the government has been silent on the exact date that liberalisation would occur, indicators such as vessel arrivals and ramping up supply access signal that perhaps it will be soon. But following last week&rsquo;s mass mobilization, the government may very well have backed off immediate deregulation and an end to subsidies until more public discourse is heard.

Nigerian Labour, Citizenry Protest to Fuel Oil Deregulation

On the recent call by the Iraqi government to form a new preparatory committee for the election of the GFIW leadership. 
 
 
The Higher Ministerial Committee overseeing the implementation of Governing Council's decision No.(3) for the year 2004 officially announced recently that nominations are open to establish a national preparatory committee with responsibility to organize and supervise the GFIW leadership election across Iraq. 
 
This government action was done without any prior knowledge or consultation with GFIW despite the government claim that it is organizing this (election) in line with current labour law[ Law 52 of 1987] and the internal rules of the GFIW [GFTU Rules]. 
 
The Executive Committee of the General Federation of Iraqi Workers states that the current move by the High Ministerial Committee completely violates Labour Law number (52) of 1987 and the internal rules of the GFIW [GFTU]. 
 
The High Ministerial Committee overseeing the implementation of Governing Council's decision No. (3) for the year 2004, should have implemented what it had issued before ( reference to the letter of the Ministry of State for Civil Society No c s / 106 On 13 September, which lead to the formation of a national preparatory committee on 2/2008 set up with the task of preparing and supervising workers election. A date for election was set on 22 June 2008 and then on 1 March 2009 but all this was cancelled without any justification by an order ( No 86 on 1March 2009) issued by the Minister of Civil Society. 
 
The GFIW stressed repeatedly that workers have the right to form and join union is and it believes that this is a legitimate democratic practice endorsed by international Labour organization (ILO) standards and guaranteed by article 22 of by the permanent Iraqi constitution. 
 
Convention No. 87 of 1948 of the ILO and Convention No. 8 of 1977, of the Arab labour organization obliges Member States to provide workers with freedom to form trade unions and compel states not to interfere in internal affairs of the unions. 
 
The main aim of organizing workers into trade union is to strengthen industrial relations and improve social and cultural conditions for workers so that they can help in the reconstruction of Iraq. 
 
The GFIW/IFTU while rejecting the current government interference in its internal affairs, Is calling on Iraqi workers to stand up to defend their legitimate rights and is appealing to the wider trade union movement, professional associations and civil society organizations, political parties and members of the Iraqi parliament for support and assistance and for the solidarity support of the international trade union movement in order to put an stop to all government interference. 
 
GFIW Executive 
October 2009

GFIW Statement

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
The Global Labour University (GLU), together with the ILO, recently founded the International Centre for Development and Decent Work (ICDD). The centre announced last week that it is offering 20 PhD scholarships for students from developing and transition countries. 
 
The ICDD is an interdisciplinary and international scientific network, with headquarters at the University of Kassel, Germany, which works with partner universities in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. 

<img src="" width="98" height="91" alt="" />
The PhD school will offer three areas of research: Sustainable Value Creation for Decent Work; Instruments for Promoting Decent Work; and Strategies of Empowerment for Decent Work. 
 
Applicants for the scholarships are encouraged to apply soon, with a deadline scheduled for 15 November 2009. The start date for the programme is 1 March 2010. 
 
Visit GLU&rsquo;s website <a href="http://www.global-labour-univeristy.org">here</a>.&nbsp; 
 
Find more details, and the application form, visit the link <a href="http://www.global-labour-university.org/fileadmin/download/ICDD_Graduate_School_Call_for_Applications.pdf ">here</a>.

GLU’s Centre to Offer Decent Work PhD Scholarships

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On 21 November, over 900 New Zealand miners, members of the Engineering, Printing, and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) at four Solid Energy mines, dropped their strikes and returned to work following stoppages that lasted as long as 26 days. They quit the strikes in order to start good faith bargaining efforts toward a new labour accord with the state-owned company and its mining contractors. 
 
Talks between EPMU and management parties began later that day. But those talks aimed at ending an eight-month impasse failed and over the past week, one by one, collieries staffed by EPMU miners have taken votes to resume the strikes. 
 
At issue are changes in shift rotations without adequate compensation, as well as an across-the-board national pay proposal by Solid Energy and its contractors amounting to 2% for 2010 and 3% in 2011. The offer also includes a one-off NZ$2,000 bonus, based on the company&rsquo;s record 2008 profits. 

<img src="" width="250" height="115" alt="" />
The proposed pay package is inadequate, but EPMU members are particularly dissatisfied with the terms attached to the roster changes and increased work hours. At some mines, production workers are being asked to work ten hours per day, while maintenance workers are being asked to work 12-hour shifts. 
 
As was the case in late October, industry actions last week began on the North Island. The 120 miners at the Huntly East colliery near Rotowaro went on strike first. And despite staff of mining contractor HWE Mining Ltd. at the Rotowaro open pit mine accepting the proposal, a strike there continued in sympathy with the Huntly East miners. 
 
On 26 November, 500 EPMU miners at the Stockton mine on the South Island voted to strike. That work stoppage was expected to start over the weekend. Workers at the Spring Creek mine at the South Island will vote this week on whether or not to strike. 
 
The labour dispute has become deeply pitched, partly due to management&rsquo;s public posturing and statements denigrating the EPMU, but mostly due to coal deposits at Rotowaro nearing exhaustion and Solid Energy and RWE Mining seeking heightened production with longer work hours. That has caused the sympathy strikes at the other mines, a credit to the solidarity of EPMU miners. But as well, all unionized miners of Solid Energy have been without current labour agreements since 30 March 2009.

Strikes Resume at New Zealand’s State-Run Solid Energy Mines

<img alt="" src="" width="100" height="39" />
The campaign for preservation of coal mining jobs at Xstrata operations in New South Wales by the Construction, Forestry, Mining, and Energy Union (CFMEU) in Australia intensified late last week when miners took protected strike action at the Tahmoor mine. 
 
In late July, Swiss and London-based Xstrata said it was cutting 158 of 493 jobs at Tahmoor, a mine producing coking coal, and another 122 jobs &ndash; or 20% of the permanent workforce &ndash; at its Ulan mine. 

<img alt="" src="" width="90" height="93" />
Last Friday, CFMEU took strike action at Tahmoor over the job redundancies and demanding that safety standards be upheld. Miners took four-hour work stoppages on 28 and 29 November, and the CFMEU is enforcing overtime bans and not loading coal onto trains. The legal industrial actions began over the weekend of 21-22 November when miners struck for two hours. If management is not willing to negotiate by today, a 24-hour work stoppage will take place this week. 
 
In a statement, CFMEU said, &ldquo;All we are asking from Xstrata is a deal that protects job security and maintains safety standards at Tahmoor mine. Tahmoor mineworkers work long and hard to deliver Xstrata their healthy profits each year, with the company taking more than A$924 million from its Australian coalmines such as Tahmoor&rdquo; in 2008. 

<img alt="" src="" width="240" height="76" />
In early September, 500 residents of the town of Mudgee, New South Wales, marched there in protest to the redundancies at the nearby Ulan mine. CFMEU fears Xstrata&rsquo;s overall goal is to reduce its permanent workforce and replace it with contractors. 
 
Xstrata bought the Tahmoor mine in 2007 from Centennial Coal, while it acquired majority control of Ulan in 2002 and now has a 90% stake in that mine, with Mitsubishi Development Corp. of Japan holding the remainder 10%.

CFMEU Begins Industrial Actions at Xstrata’s Coal Mines in Australia

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Through a series of meetings in Sao Paulo, Brazil, from 21 to 24 November, ICEM affiliated unions in Brazil explored the possibilities of engaging in (much) more social dialogue in their country. The meetings came at the end of a sequence of activities, organised this year as part of the ICEM Brazilian social dialogue project, which is funded by SASK Finland and LO-TCO Sweden, and supported, including through active participation in the meetings last week, by ICEM affiliates in these countries (IFMetall and Pappers from Sweden, and Kemianliitto and Toimihenkil&ouml;unioni from Finland). 

<img alt="" src="" width="234" height="176" />
As a way of dealing with labour relations, social dialogue is not very well developed at all in the ICEM sectors in Brazil, and even that may be an understatement. That said, going over the potential advantages of having a regular union-company dialogue outside of the bargaining period, all participants, including from the employers&rsquo; side (with employer representatives present from Petrobras, Braskem and Akzo Nobel), voiced support for the initiative to be explored further. Currently, in the often rather confrontational Brazilian union-employer relations, unions and companies tend to only schedule discussions at the time of the yearly collective bargaining negotiation sessions. 
 
During the one-day joint employers-unions conference on 23 November, where &ldquo;sustainable development&rdquo; was the leading theme, there was general agreement that it would be to the advantage of both parties to sit down around the table on a regular basis and discuss specific issues. These &ldquo;social dialogue topics&rdquo; would, certainly in the earlier phases of the dialogue processes, mainly include the lesser antagonistic priorities, i.e. those where both employers and unions would have a similar interest, ranging from such issues as health and safety or sustainability over the problems of young or women workers to the issue of social dialogue itself. At the same time, all parties also agreed that it may take a bit of time before there is enough trust for this dialogue to deliver spectacular results. 
 
One particular suggestion that is going to be followed up on by the unions in Brazil is to see if more companies - many of whom did show an interest, but were not present at the meeting for various reasons - can be brought into a regular dialogue via existing Brazilian employers&rsquo; organisations. 

<img alt="" src="" width="123" height="130" />&nbsp;&nbsp; <img alt="" src="" width="119" height="130" />
Elias Pintado and Sergio Novais
Sergio Novais, ICEM Vice-President for Latin America, ran the meeting, together with Elias Pintado, Coordinator of the Brazil Social Dialogue project.

Promising Potential for Social Dialogue in Brazil

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