19 October, 2011The International Metalworkers Federation is calling on Government and business leaders to back steel industry workers to ensure future success. The call comes amidst a number of high profile companies announcing closures or job losses that could undermine the future sustainability of the steel industry. Recent announcements have included 1,300 job losses at BlueScope Steel in Australia, the permanent closure at Liege (Belgium) and the idled blast furnaces in Florange (France) and Eisenhüttenstadt (Germany) by ArcelorMittal.
19 October, 2011With escalating costs of living and shrinking purchasing power, Vietnamese unionists feel the need to strengthen their collective bargaining to improve and sustain living standards for workers.
12 September, 2011The IMF's Communicators' Forum in Latin America was held in Brazil on 8-9 September. Delegates made progress in arranging the exchange of information between affiliates.
8 September, 2011From August 29 the management of Maruti-Suzuki India at Manesar asks workers to sign a "good conduct" pledge before allowing them to enter the plant, in effect locking out workers who refuse to give up their labour rights. Since then the management terminated 23 workers and suspended 34 on charges of misconduct and instigating workers to stop production.
6 September, 2011Australian union members of three trade union organisations are livid with the announcement that BlueScope Steel will lop 1,400 jobs in New South Wales and Victoria. Members of the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU), the Australian Workers Union (AWU), and the Electrical Trades Union of the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (ETU-CEPU) met in Wollongong on 25 August and sternly moved to resist all restructuring until further labour-management consultations can occur.
6 September, 2011With the prospect of several millions more job losses in a new worldwide economic downturn, the Global Unions urge the financial institutions and G20 group of countries to put a halt to their 'destructive and ultimately self-defeating economic policies that will lead to a new surge of global unemployment'.
31 August, 2011The Italian metalworkers' unions, FIOM, FIM and UILM mobilize against the government's plans for cuts and retrenchments, that disproportionally hit workers and pensioners, while protecting the wealthy, overpaid politicians and high-ranking state officials. Sit-ins, rallies and a 8 hour general strike are planned for September 1-6.
31 August, 2011CAW members agreed on a new tentative deal with Johnson Controls just hours before a strike deadline on midnight, August 26.
30 August, 2011IMF affiliates from countries in Asia-Pacific and the Americas met in Geneva on August 29 to discuss the ongoing negotiations for a Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. A joint trade union strategy was defined to make the creation of quality jobs and the promotion of fundamental labour standards an explicit goal of the agreement.
30 August, 2011On Monday, August 29 autoworkers in Sao Jose de Pinhais, Brazil voted in favour of the new agreement negotiated by the Greater Curitiba Metalworkers Union, member of the IMF affiliate Confederação Nacional dos Trabalhadores Metalúrgicos/Força Sindical.
