4 July, 2011About 170,000 workers, the vast majority of whom are members of the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (NUMSA) embarked on a nationwide strike in the engineering sector on 4 July after a deadlock in wage negotiations. The strike action which brought Johannesburg to a standstill, was also carried out in other major cities nation wide.
2 July, 2011The twenty percent wage increase that has been awarded to workers in the engineering, iron and steel industry has been welcomed with mixed feelings. Some union members think the twenty percent is a job well done as it meet the mandate given to the National Engineering Workers Union (NEWU), that the negotiators may not accept anything less than a twenty percent increase. For others, a much higher increase was needed as the new wage minimum still means that workers of the lowest grade get half of what is required to earn at the level of the poverty datum line.
29 June, 2011Last year Honeywell Inc. ruthlessly locked-out 228 American steelworkers at a uranium conversion plant in Metropolis, Illinois, and used scabs to replace them. The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration remarked on 17 serious safety violations that jeopardized community safety.
29 June, 2011The Mexican miners' union has indicated that with that ruling the country is moving toward the establishment of real justice in relations between Mexican unions and the government.
14 June, 2011Indian Trade Unions call for ban of asbestos in a joint declaration issued during the two day trade union workshop on asbestos and occupational health and safety (OHS) issues on June 8-9, 2011 jointly organized by Building and Woodworkers' International (BWI) and International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) in New Delhi.
10 June, 2011The new ITUC Annual Survey on Trade Union Rights shows how trade union work remains extremely dangerous for many in lots of countries around the world, with 90 trade unionists and activists murdered in 2010.
8 June, 2011As the dispute between the state mining company and contract workers continues, members of FTC affiliates have gone on strike because the company is unable to guarantee their safety and physical integrity.
30 May, 2011UK union Unite and the Japan Council of the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF-JC) commit to building a stronger alliance to benefit workers in Japanese companies.
28 May, 2011Workers at Bridgestone South Africa returned to work on May 19, ending an eight week lockout. National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) made the decision with workers after an unfavourable labour court ruling that deemed the lockout legal and with due regard to the hardships that the 1,200 workers endured during the lockout, going two months without pay.
28 May, 2011Peruvian mine workers' Federation calls for a national strike starting May 30 in defense of three demands on the government to improve conditions for permanent, temporary and subcontracted mine workers in Peru.