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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

An emotional battle by paperworkers affiliated with Turkish union Sel&uuml;l&ouml;z-Is in Izmit against the government of Turkey's plan to privatize a paper producer has gained the full support of the 20-million-member ICEM. Over 700 members of the ICEM-affiliated union together with family members have occupied the Izmit location of Turkish Cellulose and Paper Factories (SEKA) now since 20 January. 
<img height="364" alt="" src="" width="228" />
ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs 
at rally in Izmit 
The workers, buoyed by strong community support, are resisting an 8 November 2004 decree by Turkey's High Commission of Privatization that would essentially shut their factory. That closure met a temporary reprieve late in January when the Ninth Administrative Court in Ankara suspended the decree until the High Commission submits further arguments for privatization. 
 
In the meantime, the government has tried to diffuse the mass mobilization aimed at keeping the paper factory open by transferring 250 workers to another SEKA factory-a mill that has not operated in 22 months-and employing another 180 in Izmit for three to four months removing equipment. Turkish privatization law would then mandate SEKA to offer minimal pay to the other workers for a 10-month term as temporary workers. 
 
This is unacceptable to Sel&uuml;l&ouml;z-Is, and to the ICEM. 
 
Speaking at a rally of workers and community supporters in Izmit on 10 February, ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs sent a clear message to the Turkish government. &quot;Rather than investing in bribes to workers to give up their jobs and in unemployment costs, the government should make a relatively modest investment to make this company viably sound that will preserve the livelihoods of a loyal workforce.&quot; 
<img height="233" alt="" src="" width="350" />
Affiliate Sel&uuml;l&ouml;z-Is is receiving 
vast community support in Izmit to keep a paper mill open. 
The Turkish union believes an investment of US$5-6 million in SEKA would allow the company to produce various grades of paper making the company globally competitive. 
 
Sel&uuml;l&ouml;z-Is is critical of the government for spending huge sums of money over the years on consultative fees to determine the exact valuation of SEKA rather that machine investment. Galvanized now by support from workers, their families and the Izmit community, the union is prepared to continue the plant occupation until the government rescinds the privatization decree.

Workers Resist Privatisation, Vow to Keep Paper Mill Open

<hr />

<img height="50" alt="" src="" width="50" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The organisations below operate the joint web site 
Global Unions: 
<a href="http://www.global-unions.org">http://www.global-unions.org</a>.
<hr />
<a href="http://www.ei-ie.org">EI (Education International)</a> 
Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 5, 1210 Brussels, Belgium 
Tel: ++32-2-224.06.11 
Fax: ++32-2-224.06.06 
E-mail: <a href="mailto:Hheadoffice@ei-ie.org">headoffice@ei-ie.org</a>
&nbsp; 
<a href="http://www.bwint.org">BWI (Building and Wood Workers' International)</a> 
 
54, Route des Acacias, CH-1227 Carouge GE, Switzerland 
Tel: ++41-22-827.37.77 
Fax:++41-22-827.37.70 
E-mail: <a href="mailto:info@bwint.org">info@bwint.org</a>
 
<a href="http://www.ifj.org">IFJ (International Federation of Journalists)</a> 
 
International Press Centre, Residence Palace, Bloc C 
155 Rue de la Loi, 1040 Brussels, Belgium 
Tel: ++32-2-235.22.00 
Fax: ++32-2-235.22.19 
E-mail: <a href="mailto:ifj@ifj.org">ifj@ifj.org</a>
 
<a href="http://www.imfmetal.org ">IMF (International Metalworkers' Federation)</a> 
 
54 bis, route des Acacias, Case Postale 1516, 1227 Geneva, Switzerland 
Tel: ++41-22-308.50.50 
Fax: ++41-22-308.50.55 
E-mail: <a href="mailto:info@imfmetal.org">info@imfmetal.org</a> 
 
<a href="http://www.itf.org.uk">ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation)</a> 
 
49-60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DR, United Kingdom 
Tel: ++44-20-74.03.27.33 
Fax: ++44-20-73.57.78.71 
E-mail: <a href="mailto:mail@itf.org.uk">mail@itf.org.uk</a> 
 
 

<a href="http://www.itglwf.org">ITGLWF (International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation) 
</a> 
Rue Joseph Stevens 8 (b&ocirc;ite 4), 1000 Brussels, Belgium 
Tel: ++32-2-512.26.06 or 512.28.33 
Fax: ++32-2-511.09.04 
E-mail: <a href="mailto:office@itglwf.org">office@itglwf.org</a>
 
<a href="http://www.iuf.org">IUF (International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Association)</a> 
 
Rampe du Pont Rouge 8, 1213 Petit-Lancy, Switzerland 
Tel: ++41-22-793.22.33 
Fax: ++41-22-793.22.38 
E-mail: <a href="mailto:iuf@iuf.org">iuf@iuf.org</a>
 
<a href="http://www.world-psi.org">PSI (Public Services International) 
</a> 
BP 9, F-01211 Ferney-Voltaire CEDEX, France 
Tel: ++33-450.40.64.64 
Fax: ++33-450.40.73.20 
E-mail: <a href="mailto:psi@world-psi.org">psi@world-psi.org</a>
 
<a href="http://www.union-network.org">UNI (Union Network International)</a> 
 
8-10 Av. Reverdil, 1260 Nyon, Switzerland 
Tel: ++41-22-365.21.00 
Fax: ++41-22-365.21.21 
E-mail: <a href="mailto:contact@union-network.org">contact@union-network.org</a>
 
<a href="http://www.ituc-csi.org">ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation)</a> 
 
Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 5, 1210 Brussels, Belgium 
Tel: ++32-2-224.02.11 
Fax: ++32-2-201.58.15 
E-mail: <a href="mailto:internetpo@icftu.org">internetpo@icftu.org</a>

 
<a href="http://www.tuac.org">TUAC (Trade Union Advisory Committee to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development - OECD) 
</a> 
26 Avenue de la Grande-Arm&eacute;e, 75017 Paris, France 
Tel: ++33-1-55.37.37.37 
Fax: ++33-1-47.54.98.28 
E-mail: <a href="mailto:tuac@tuac.org">tuac@tuac.org</a>
<hr />
<img height="65" alt="" hspace="10" src="" width="65" align="top" /> 
 
All the above organisations are also involved in <a href="http://www.gurn.info">GURN</a> 
(<a href="http://www.gurn.info/">The Global Union Research Network</a>)

Contact details for the Global Union Federations, ICFTU and TUAC

&quot;The ending of child labour - and particularly of its worst forms - is an urgent task for trade unionists everywhere,&quot; said Fred Higgs today. Higgs is General Secretary of the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM). 
<img height="228" src="" width="150" alt="" />
Photo: Yamina De Laet - ICEM
&quot;Child labour is found in a number of ICEM industries,&quot; he emphasised, &quot;notably in the very hazardous sectors of mining, diamond and gem polishing and building materials. Our global agreements with multinational companies always insist on full compliance with the standards against child labour set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). In the gem sector, we are committed to work together with employers, governments and the ILO to end the use of child labour.&quot; 
<img height="173" src="" width="250" alt="" />
Photo: Yamina De Laet - ICEM
Today is the first World Day Against Child Labour, launched by the ILO. Delegates to the 175-nation International Labour Conference in Geneva are today discussing the recently released ILO report &quot;A Future Without Child Labour&quot;. 
 
246 million children are involved in child labour, the report says. That is one in every six of the world's children aged between 5 and 17. Of these, some 179 million - one child in every eight - are still exposed to the worst forms of child labour, which endanger their physical, mental or moral well-being. 
 
The World Day Against Child Labour will be held annually, in order to intensify support for the world campaign.

End Child Labour, World&#039;s Unions Say

Under Construct

Privacy Policy

AGREEMENT 
Between 
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF CHEMICAL, ENERGY, MINE AND GENERAL WORKERS&rsquo; UNIONS, 
RUSSIAN OIL AND GAS WORKERS UNION 
 
And 
OPEN JOINT STOCK COMPANY 
&laquo;OIL COMPANY LUKOIL&raquo; 
 
1. PREAMBLE 
This Agreement is between the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers&rsquo; Unions (ICEM), Russian Oil and Gas Workers Union (ROGWU) and Open Joint Stock Company &laquo;Oil company LUKOIL&raquo; (LUKOIL). 
 
Concluding this agreement, the Parties confirm their full commitment to the principles contained in the UN Global Compact initiative, as well as the principles concerning labour and environmental issues defined in the UN and ILO core documents and conventions. 
 
The Parties also count on the adequate initiatives of the other participants of the global market, as well as good partnership with the state and society. 
 
The purpose of the Agreement is to create an open channel of information and dialogue between ICEM and LUKOIL. This dialogue will be between LUKOIL and the ICEM at international level, and management of the LUKOIL Group enterprises and trade unions at the local and national levels. The aim of the Agreement is to continuously improve industrial relations, and develop good work practices in LUKOIL worldwide operations. 
 
The Agreement covers all activities and operations where LUKOIL has direct control. Where LUKOIL does not have overall control it will exercise its best efforts in order to secure compliance with the standards and principles set out in the Agreement. LUKOIL will notify its contractors, licensees and major suppliers of the existence of the Agreement and encourage them to comply with the standards and principles contained within it. 
 
LUKOIL and ICEM affirm their support for fundamental human rights in the communities affected by LUKOIL Group activities and in the workplace. Furthermore, the Parties recognise the importance of protecting the health, safety and well being of those at work, and share a sense of joint responsibility for the impact that work and company practices may have upon the natural and human environment. 
The Agreement is intended to ensure the best possible standards of protection for those employed in and affected by LUKOIL Group business operations and activities. 
 
There is common recognition by the Parties of the principles and standards contained within this Agreement and LUKOIL's own values as expressed in their &lsquo;Social Code of OAO LUKOIL&rsquo;. The purpose is to monitor the practical application of the Agreement and to discuss any improvements in working practices or positive contributions the Parties may make to the eradication of poverty, furthering personal development and the protection of LUKOIL Group workers, through the best economic, social and sustainable development principles. 
 
These obligations are taken by LUKOIL voluntarily, and may be additional to formal legal requirements in the countries, where LUKOIL Group is operating 
 
2. HUMAN RIGHTS 
 
2.1 LUKOIL respects fundamental human rights and will be guided in its operations by the provisions of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 
 
2.2. Highly valuating additional opportunities arising from natural and cultural diversity of the employed workers and heritage of the population in the areas of LUKOIL Group operations, LUKOIL will base its work on the following principles: 
 
2.2.1. Respect and support of traditions of national tolerance and appreciation, respect and protection of national and cultural traditions, art and craftsmanship in the regions of the LUKOIL Group Business activity. 
 
2.2.2. Respect of religious beliefs and habits of the workers and local population. 
 
3. TRADE UNION RIGHTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS AT WORK PLACE 
 
LUKOIL will respect trade union rights, including rights secured in the core ILO conventions: 
 
3.1. The right of every employee to be represented by a union of his or her own choice and to basic trade union rights as defined by ILO Conventions 87 and 98 covering freedom of association and the right to organise, as well as the right to engage in collective bargaining. LUKOIL therefore agrees not to oppose efforts to unionise its employees. 
 
3.2. Not to employ any kind of forced or bonded labour as proscribed in the ILO Conventions 29 and 105 or otherwise. 
 
3.3. Not to employ child labour as proscribed by ILO Convention 138 and 182. 
 
3.4. To promote, and ensure equality of opportunity and treatment in employment, including equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, and the prevention of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation as required by ILO Conventions 100 and 111 respectively. 
 
3.5. To take a socially responsible approach to restructuring its units and organizations under its control, as well as to de-localization of the production facilities, including adequate advance notification of LUKOIL Group plans to reduce workplaces. 
 
3.6. To pay fair wages and benefits, as a minimum in accordance with industry standards in the country concerned. 
 
3.7. Taking into consideration that stable business operations of the LUKOIL Group enterprises depend on the recruitment of qualified and competent young workers, LUKOIL policy will be aimed at combining work obligations of the young workers with the opportunity for them to develop professional skills and qualities. 
 
3.8 LUKOIL respects family values and will practically implement provisions of the ILO Convention 156 (workers with family responsibilities), paying special attention to defending rights of the working women, expectant mothers, nursing mothers and women with large families. 

 
4. HEALTH, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 
 
4.1 LUKOIL and ICEM will cooperate to ensure that their activities are carried out with the fullest possible regard for health, safety and the environment. In particular this will include: 
 
4.1.1 Implementation of the core principle, that protection of life and health of the worker has topmost priority; 
 
4.1.2. Committing to provide a safe and healthy work environment, deploying common &quot;best practice&quot; standards; 
 
4.1.3. Implementing the principles of the ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work; 
 
4.1.4.Supporting a precautionary approach to health, safety and environmental challenges; 
 
4.1.5.Undertaking initiatives to promote greater health, safety and environmental responsibility; 
 
4.1.6. Encouraging the development and diffusion of safe and environmentally friendly technologies. Promoting and reviewing the education and training of both management and workers on health, safety and environmental awareness and protection, including, as appropriate, joint union/management education and training programs. 
 
4.2. LUKOIL, being a major user of natural resources and recognizing its responsibility to society for preserving good environment and efficient use of natural resources, will: 
 
4.2.1. Consistently seek to identify and investigate hazards and threats to health within LUKOIL Group production facilities, and will take action to eliminate them or mitigate their impacts; 
 
4.2.2. Periodically supply information and supports an open dialogue with all parties interested in LUKOIL activities in industrial and environmental safety; 
 
4.2.3. Publish reports about its operations, and results of assessment of impact on the environment, personnel and population. 
 
5. IMPLEMENTATION 
 
Annual Meeting 
 
5.1. LUKOIL and ICEM will meet annually to review practice and experience of the agreed principles as part of the follow-up to this Agreement. The purpose shall be to discuss the issues covered by the Agreement with a view to agreeing joint actions that will further develop good working practices. In addition to general industrial issues and health, safety and environmental matters, the following topics may be addressed: 
 
5.1.1. General corporate policy on employment, occupational health, safety and environmental issues and challenges affecting those within the LUKOIL Group and, as appropriate, between LUKOIL and its related companies, including suppliers and subcontractors; 
 
5.1.2. Training and education matters, issues affecting the exercise of trade union rights, other issues mutually agreed. 
 
5.2. Participants at these annual review meetings will normally be 3-5 senior officials representing the ICEM, ROGWU and relevant managers from LUKOIL. 
 
5.3. International Network of Trade Union Representatives 
 
The ICEM, supported and assisted by LUKOIL, will establish an international network of trade union representatives to ensure effective communication and exchange of information between union representatives at the LUKOIL Group enterprises. 
 
In support of the network LUKOIL will provide e-mail access to union representatives in LUKOIL Group enterprises for communication, and facilitate annual meetings of union representatives from each location participating in the network. This will require paid time off, the payment of travel and accommodation costs, plus providing translation and interpretation. 
 
5.4. Local Industrial Relations Practices 
 
The Agreement between the Parties shall be applied consistently throughout LUKOIL operations. It is not intended that this agreement replace or substitute the results of collective bargaining and valid tariff agreements, or interfere with local industrial relations practices related to information exchange, problem solving and negotiations, rather it is intended to supplement these processes. The Parties to the Agreement respect the principle that industrial relations issues are best resolved as close as possible to the place of work. 
 
5.5. Training Programmes 
 
ICEM and LUKOIL will cooperate in developing joint training arrangements covering those issues dealt with in this Agreement, and their implementation. This will include appropriate training in health, safety and environmental best practice for union delegates from countries where LUKOIL operates. It will also include management-training programmes within LUKOIL Group. LUKOIL may cover the cost of ICEM participation in LUKOIL training programmes subject to Agreement. 
 
5.6. Information 
 
5.6.1. ICEM will distribute copies of the Agreement to all its member unions, including those that organise employees in LUKOIL companies around the world, and will broadly publicise the existence of the Agreement and explain its implications to the unions organising workers within LUKOIL. 
 
5.6.2. LUKOIL will in the same manner distribute copies of the Agreement to all LUKOIL offices in the relevant local languages of the countries concerned. 
 
6. ADMINISTRATION 
 
The General Secretary of the ICEM, or his appointed representative and the LUKOIL President, or his appointed representative will be ultimately responsible for the administration of the Agreement. 
 
7. OTHER CONDITIONS 
 
 
This Agreement is signed in two languages, English and Russian, having equal legal power. 
 
8. DURATION AND EVALUATION 
 
The duration of this Agreement is initially for one year, after which it will be subject to review prior to being extended for a further period. 

 
LUKOIL 
Vagit Alekperov 
 
ICEM 
Fred Higgs 
 
 
ROGWU 
Lev Mironov

Text of the Global Framework Agreement between Lukoil and ICEM

Four major mining companies are now being targeted by the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), which held its World Congress in Durban, South Africa, last week: 
 
 
RIO TINTO 
 
In Durban today, John Maitland promised &quot;full solidarity and support&quot; for Namibian miners facing a restructuring programme by the world's second-biggest mining company, Rio Tinto. Maitland is the newly-elected President of the ICEM. He is also National Secretary of ICEM-affiliated Australian miners' union the CFMEU, which has been embroiled in a series of conflicts with Rio Tinto, mainly over the company's attempts to deunionise its Australian operations. 
 
Workers at Rio Tinto's Rossing uranium mine in Namibia have held a series of protests recently over the company's plans to restructure the operation without properly consulting the workers and their union, the ICEM-affiliated Miners' Union of Namibia (MUN). MUN leaders were among the 800 delegates at the ICEM Congress last week. 
 
&quot;The ICEM and the CFMEU will support our Namibian comrades in every way that we can,&quot; Maitland said today. &quot;From our own experience in Australia, we know that when Rio Tinto tries to restructure behind the unions' backs, it is really out to destroy jobs and bust unions.&quot; 
 
Rio Tinto's anti-union tactics were condemned by the Australian Federal Court last Friday. The court found Rio Tinto guilty of breaching freedom of association laws by victimising union reps at its Hunter Valley No. 1 mine in Australia. The company refused to allow three miners there to carry out bona fide union business. It treated the union reps as absent without leave and threatened them with dismissal. In fact, two of them had been attending the Industrial Relations Commission and the third had been at a union meeting. The company has decided not to appeal against the verdict, and may now be fined. 
 
A continuing ICEM global campaign is aimed at persuading Rio Tinto to abandon its anti-union stance, while improving both its environmental record and its treatment of indigenous peoples. The action, conducted in alliance with a wide range of campaigning organisations, includes a special Rio Tinto cybercampaign. 
 
 
PLACER DOME 
 
Last week's Congress unanimously approved the launching of a global ICEM campaign on mining multinational Placer Dome. The Canadian-based company recently retrenched about 40 per cent of its South African workforce and has taken an anti-union stance in a number of countries where it operates. Its environmental record has also been severely criticised (see ICEM UPDATE 63/1999). 
 
Among those speaking for the campaign was Lawrence McBrearty. In Canada, Placer Dome's home country, McBrearty is National Director of the ICEM-affiliated United Steelworkers of America (USWA). His union represents Placer Dome miners in Ontario. &quot;We have a responsibility as a labour movement to support you in rectifying this injustice,&quot; McBrearty told South Africa's ICEM-affiliated National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). &quot;Rest assured that the 180,000 steelworkers in Canada and 500,000-plus members in the United States will do everything we can.&quot; 
 
 
INCO and GOLDCORP 
 
McBrearty also told the Congress of two major disputes facing Canadian miners, and asked for global trade union support. 
 
On 14 September, Inco locked out 1,040 USWA members at its nickel mine in Thompson, Manitoba. This followed the union membership's rejection of the company's final offer. The Inco offer did not include any improvements in pensions, wages or benefits. USWA members at two other Inco Canadian operations have suspended their participation in joint labour-management design projects until the lock-out in Thompson is settled. Inco also has production operations in the UK, Indonesia, Japan, Guatemala, France, China, New Caledonia and the United States. 
 
In Red Lake, Ontario, 187 USWA members have been on strike since June 1996 at a gold mine run by Toronto-based Goldcorp. This is the longest mining strike in Canadian history. It began over the company's demand that a stable collective agreement, in place for over 35 years, should be completely rewritten. The effect would have been to reduce all the gains made by the union for its members their over the past 35 years. 
 
&quot;Inco and Goldcorp are two examples of a heartless corporate culture that puts profits before people,&quot; McBrearty told the ICEM Congress. &quot;We will take our members' struggle for justice to the four corners of the globe until we achieve fair and just agreements in Thompson and Red Lake.&quot; 
 
&quot;We will mobilise our affiliates worldwide to communicate their solidarity with the USWA in these two important disputes,&quot; said ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs, &quot;and we will use every means to urge both Inco and Goldcorp to reach a settlement with the union expeditiously.&quot;

Unions Target Mining Companies

A crowd up to 3,000 strong cheered, danced and sang today on a township football field near Johannesburg, as trade union leaders from around the world declared their support for South African gold miners unjustly sacked by mining multinational Placer Dome. 
<img height="209" src="" width="153" alt="" />
COUNTING ON THE WORLD'S WORKERS: 
A face in today's crowd. 
(Photo: Sean Woods) 
Organising the rally at Bekkersdal was South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers. The NUM is campaigning for the reinstatement of 2,895 workers recently retrenched at Placer Dome's Western Areas joint venture. These sackings represent a cut of around 40 percent in the company's South African workforce, and are a potentially explosive issue in a country which has an unemployment rate of more than 30 percent. 
 
At the global level, the NUM is affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), which will be holding its World Congress in Durban, South Africa, on 3-5 November. 
 
Miners' leaders at the ICEM-organised World Gold Forum in Durban last week unanimously voted to launch a global campaign against Placer Dome until the company negotiates a solution to the retrenchment crisis with the NUM. 
 
Responding to that call, the ICEM President and Vice-Presidents joined other union leaders on the platform at the rally today. Bekkersdal is just next to the Placer Dome mine. 
 
To the enthusiasm of the crowd, Romano Bellissima from Italy, Jose Gonzaga from Brazil, Fred Higgs from Britain, Paul Lootens from Belgium, John Maitland from Australia, Hubertus Schmoldt from Germany, Anders Stendalen from Sweden and Robert E. Wages from the USA were introduced. With them were ICEM General Secretary Vic Thorpe and Deputy General Secretary Peter Michalzik. All were there to pledge their support for the South African miners' campaign. 
 
Shouts of Amandla from the international speakers drew a loud response of Awethu from the retrenched miners, their families, their colleagues and their neighbours. Amandla Awethu (Power Is Ours) is a well-known slogan in South Africa, dating back to the years of struggle by the trade unions and others against apartheid. It has been adopted as the motto for the upcoming ICEM World Congress. 
 
&quot;The employers are on strike,&quot; NUM regional chairperson Obed Maila told the Bekkersdal rally. &quot;The workers want to work, but the employers want to stop us. We are a test case.&quot; 
 
Placer Dome has &quot;a record throughout the world of destroying jobs, destroying the environment and destroying communities,&quot; NUM General Secretary Gwede Mantashe said. &quot;That is why we have to campaign worldwide to make this company live up to its responsibilities.&quot; 
 
NUM President James Motlatsi recalled that, together with most of the mining companies and South Africa's Chamber of Mines, he had recently helped persuade many central banks, governments and others to stop selling off gold reserves. 
 
&quot;If I could go round the world to help save the gold industry,&quot; Motlatsi told the cheering miners, &quot;then Placer Dome can recall NUM members back to their jobs. We will fight this battle with Placer Dome for as long as it takes.&quot; Motlatsi is a Vice-President of the ICEM. 
 
&quot;A fully-fledged international campaign to exert maximum pressure on Placer Dome&quot; was announced by ICEM President Hans Berger. &quot;We were told in July that the retrenchments were necessary because of the low gold price,&quot; Berger pointed out. &quot;But ever since the price increased massively, we have been told that the retrenchments were necessary because the NUM was not prepared to accept full calendar operations at the mine, on the company's own terms. 
 
&quot;These are lies, utter lies,&quot; Berger insisted, to the evident approval of his audience. &quot;The truth of the matter is that Placer Dome is not concerned by the fate of one of its most important assets - its workers. It is solely concerned with maximising its profits.&quot; 
 
&quot;At our World Gold Forum, representatives of the companies' World Gold Council and of the South African Reserve Bank congratulated trade unions worldwide on their fight to save the gold industry,&quot; John Maitland said. &quot;But Placer Dome have responded by turning against workers and their families.&quot; 
 
Maitland, who is an ICEM Vice-President, pledged the support of Australian miners' union the CFMEU, of which he is National Secretary. As a first step in the campaign, the CFMEU would be picketing Placer Dome offices in Sydney, he announced. 
 
Maitland also told the rally that messages of support are coming in from ICEM-affiliated unions worldwide. 
 
These include a solidarity message from Placer Dome workers in Canada, the company's home country. &quot;It is unconscionable that in this day of ever increasing profits by global corporations, workers face redundancy of such a magnitude as that faced by our brothers and sisters in South Africa,&quot; wrote Lawrence McBrearty, Canadian National Director of the ICEM-affiliated United Steelworkers of America (USWA). &quot;We have a responsibility as a labour movement to support you in rectifying this injustice and rest assured that the 180,000 steelworkers in Canada and 500,000-plus members in the United States will do everything we can.&quot;

Placer Dome Jobs Rally Draws World Union Support

Global corporate power is already an undisputed reality. 
 
Now, mergers are concentrating that power within fewer and fewer, bigger and bigger corporations. 
 
What does all this mean for workers and their trade unions? 
 
How can they defend their vital interests in the age of the mega-corp? 
 
Union leaders from all parts of the world will be tackling these issues when they meet in Durban, South Africa, on 3-5 November for the World Congress of the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM). 
 
Amandla Awethu will be the Congress slogan - Power Is Ours. 
 
That motto also underlines the key role played by ICEM-affiliated South African trade unions in overcoming apartheid and building the new South Africa. 
 
But, as the background documents and resolutions for the Congress make clear, trade unions worldwide have much to do if they are to defend and build their own power. 
 
So the world union leaders meeting in Durban will be assessing the ICEM's achievements and future priorities in a number of important spheres, including: 
<ul>
 <li>global agreements between the ICEM and multinational companies in its sectors, covering such issues as union rights, equality, workplace health and safety, and the environment </li>
 <li>worldwide and regional trade union networking within companies and sectors </li>
 <li>cooperation with other campaigning groups - for instance, on human rights, development and environmental issues </li>
 <li>integrating the unions' regional structures and agendas with both their national and their global efforts </li>
 <li>realising the potential for organising women workers, and ensuring equality of access within the International </li>
 <li>targeting trade union development effectively, so as to build trade union strength on the ground worldwide. 
 </li>
</ul>
In short, the Durban Congress will be voicing the ICEM's call to workers everywhere: 
 
UNITE AND ORGANISE

World Union Congress To Set Global Strategies

In the largest ever European demonstration by energy workers, the European Union Energy Ministers came under pressure to halt job losses that have ravaged the European energy sector. In a joint statement fully supported by the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and the European Mine, Chemical and Energy Workers&rsquo; Federation (EMCEF) demanded that EU-wide social measures become a priority in the sector. 
<img height="269" src="" width="350" alt="" />
 
It is predicted that job losses, in a large part due to the European Commission's extensive liberalisation programme in the electricity and gas industries, will lead to one worker in five - or 200.000 - being made redundant by 2004. More than 150.000 jobs have already gone during the past five years, as utilities have cut permanent workforce and service in the preparations for a competitive market. The EU's free-market policies have also contributed to the destruction of the coal mining industry, which used to be a major provider of direct and indirect jobs in Europe. 
 
European workers and citizens face dangers of &lsquo;profit driven energy grid&rsquo; 
 
The big turnout in the demonstration reflects the level of frustration regarding EU energy policies, or the lack of them. Unless the EU institutions adopt a co-ordinated, responsible approach to energy liberalisation, it is ultimately the European citizens who will bear the brunt of market forces, through higher prices and lower standards. 
<img height="445" src="" width="300" alt="" />
 
&quot;Without proper social control and regulation both at the European and national level, there is a real danger of major job losses, social and environmental dumping, higher prices for small consumers, and deteriorating quality of service&quot;, said Lars Myhre, addressing 5000 demonstrating energy workers from different European countries. Myhre is the President of the ICEM-affiliated Norwegian Oil and Petrochemical Workers' Union (NOPEF) and the Chairman of EMCEF's and ICEM's Energy Committees. 
 
&quot;There must be protection for jobs and for public services&quot;, said Carola Fischbach-Pyttel, EPSU General Secretary. &quot;Despite an intensive lobbying campaign to highlight the haemorrhaging of jobs, the Commission seems blind to the dangers of a profit driven European energy grid. &quot; 
 
Franco Bisegna, EMCEF General Secretary, said that &quot;the Commission must show willingness to prepare a package that stimulates employment and facilitates re-training &ndash; the Energy Ministers can provide vital direction on this matter.&quot; 
 
High Quality Public Services Essential in the Energy Sector 
 
The emphasis on responsible policy was underlined by Jean Lapeyre, Deputy General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). &quot;The energy sector has the chance to be a leader for responsible, citizen-based public services. The ETUC Charter for Public Services calls on all actors in essential services to be aware of the wider dimension including citizen&rsquo;s rights and environmental concerns.&quot; 
 
The European Federation of Public Services Unions is the largest federation affiliated to the ETUC and represents 10 million workers providing services to the public in health and social care, local, regional and central government, and utilities in energy, water and waste. 
 
The European Mine, Chemical &amp; Energy Workers' Federation is affiliated to the ETUC with 3 million members in 27 countries in the EU and Central and Eastern Europe. EMCEF organises workers in the energy industries including coal and lignite mines, oil, gas, nuclear and renewables.

Keep the Lights On, Energy Workers Tell the European Ministers

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World Union Congress To Set Global Strategies

Keep the Lights On, Energy Workers Tell the European Ministers

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