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	Trade unions from around the world agree on plans to establish IndustriALL Global Union in June 2012, a new global union to represent workers in manufacturing, energy, mining, and textile sectors at the global level.

	Meeting at the ILO in Geneva on 29 February, more than 200 trade union leaders from around the world spoke of the serious challenges working people face in the current political and economic climate. Having greater strength and building power across the supply chain at the global level is the motivating force for the creation of the new global union.

	The new organization will bring together affiliates of International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM), the International Textile, Garment, Leather Workers’ Federation (ITGLWF), and the International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF).

	The joint executive committee meeting of the ICEM, ITGLWF and IMF discussed the draft Statutes and Action Plan for the new organization and agreed on the proposed new name IndustriALL and logo.

	The joint meeting noted the proposed candidates for the political leadership of the new organization. The importance of including women in both the political leadership and representative structures of the new global union was argued for and included in the proposed Statutes.

	A founding Congress of the new organization will take place in Copenhagen, 18-20 June 2012. The proposed name, Statutes and Action Plan will be decided on at the founding Congress.

IndustriALL Name of New Global Union Federation

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	The ICEM this week protested the unfair dismissal of 14 employees of Molds Medellin in Sabaneta La Estrella, Colombia. The members of Colombian affiliate Sintravidricol were informed on 22 March of the immediate cancelation of their contracts with no prior discussion with union representatives and with no reason given.

	Writing to the new CEO of Ross International, Tom Lusk, ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda stressed the international attention and expectation on the company’s management following the recent passing of Mr Larry Ross, the company founder. 

	<img alt="" height="174" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/1104.sintravidricol.jpg" width="232" />

	Similar damaging downsizing inside Ross International’s operations is affecting ICEM members of the United Steelworkers in the US. Since 2008 the closures of Ross’s Penn Mold facility in Washington, Pennsylvania and the OMCO Mold facility in Winchester, Indiana have ended employment of approximately 150 mould makers. Currently the workforce at Brockway Mold in Brockway, Pennsylvania has been reduced by 50 percent to 44 mould makers with a further 12 slated for layoff.

	Reminding Ross International that their conduct in Colombia was in breach of international labour law, Warda insisted on the company’s respect for the fundamental principle of dialogue with workers, which the unions are sure, could lead to alternative solutions to downsizing and shop closures.

ICEM Protests Ross International’s Unfair Dismissal of 14 Colombians

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Pressure is building on US-based Freeport-McMoRan as talks again broke down with striking miners at the Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde copper and molybdenum mine in southern Arequipa region. A branch union of the ICEM-affiliated National Miners’ and Metalworkers’ Union (FNTMMSP) of Peru met with management on 20 October in an attempt to end the strike, but once again company negotiators refused to move closer to union demands. 
 
Management originally offered a 2,000-sol (US$735) one-time bonus and a 3% pay rise but the union has demanded an 11% increase to current wages. 
 
Very important to the struggle was a government declaration on 30 September that the strike is legal. This is the first time a strike at the mine has been declared legal in its 40-year history. This judgement means Freeport cannot hire temporary replacement workers, or scabs. The company is however using 600 volunteers and management staff to continue operations. This is illegal and has been confirmed to be so by the government, which has ordered the mine to stop its unsafe use of replacement workers or face a fine of 72,000 soles (US$26,500). 
<img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/1110.cerro%20verde.jpg" width="241" height="161"/>
Replacement workers damaged an ore-crushing facility at the mine, causing a three-day total shutdown until repairs could be made. The copper mine has now exhausted its stockpiled ore. No new blasting is being carried out. Pressure is high on management to meet the union demands. 
 
The indefinite strike is respected by all 1,220 FNTMMSP members at the third largest copper mine in Peru. Miners downed tools on 29 September. 
 
Some strikers went on hunger strikes on 17 October, demanding the company and regional authorities respect their demands. Leoncio Amudio, the secretary general of the branch union of FNTMMSP reported that workers marched on 18 October to the Arequipa regional government headquarters. 
 
The Cerro Verde mine produces some 2% of the world's copper mine. Miners of Cerro Verde are unwilling to accept anything less than an 11% pay increase.

Peru’s Mineworkers’ Strike against Freeport-McMoRan Now in 26th Day

After seven years and over 310 consecutive editions of ICEM InBrief, this is the final issue. A new weekly newsletter will debut upon the founding of IndustriALL in June.

Discontinuation of ICEM InBrief

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Last week, on 17 February, US-based International Paper Co. announced closure of its Inverurie mill following a 90-day consultation period with ICEM UK affiliate Unite the Union. The closure of the Aberdeenshire, Scotland, mill will happen at the end of March, and will cost 371 paperworkers their jobs. 
 
However, Unite and local politicians, during the mandatory consultation period, did find potential buyers for Britain’s last uncoated freesheet paper mill. But International Paper (IP) refused to even consider selling the mill. 
 
Unite Assistant General Secretary Tony Burke said it was IP’s intention all along to close the site and replace British paper production with paper made elsewhere. 

<img height="97" alt="" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/0810PaperRollArt.jpg" width="160"/>
That also is the position of a former owner of the mill, Thomas Tait, whose family began papermaking in the village of Inverurie in 1852. Tait, who sold the mill to another American paper company in 1987, told an Aberdeen newspaper late last week that IP received an offer from another paper manufacturer that could have saved the jobs, and perhaps even created more job opportunities. 
 
“I know they were not willing to sell to another paper-making operation which made an offer,” said Tait, who also told the Aberdeen Evening Express he had been involved three times in various plans to re-purchase the mill. “It was an absolutely straightforward ‘No,’ no discussion whatsoever.” Tait said the Inverurie example should be used for a change in British legislation, mandating a sale to occur when a buyer intends to produce the same or a similar product. 
 
Meanwhile, IP presented Unite and Scottish paperworkers with an inferior redundancy package, pay and benefits and job retraining that the union would not consider bringing to union members. Talks on that issue between Unite and IP will continue this week. 
 
“International Paper is one of the biggest paper-making companies in the world and can afford to pay decent severance terms given the loyalty and dedication of our members,” stated Burke.

International Paper Ends Consultation, Announces Closure to Scottish Inverurie Mill

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South Africa’s National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) estimates that between 20,000 and 50,000 jobs will be lost in the country due to the world financial crisis. No mining sector has been spared, but perhaps worst hit is the platinum sector. 
 
In recent days, platinum mining house Lonmin announced 4,000 job cuts, 3,000 at its Western Platinum mine and 1,000 at the Eastern Platinum mine in Marikana. The mining house also plans to suspend operations at its Baobab shaft in Limpopo, causing untold job losses. 
 
These announcements were made by Lonmin CEO Ian Farmer, who claimed the redundancies had been agreed to with unions. But NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka countered that claim, saying it was false, accusing the company of bad planning in the run-up to the start of the crisis last September. 
 
In February, Anglo Platinum CEO Neville Nicolau hinted during a call related to the company’s financial results that 10,000 jobs would be cut because of the economic climate. Again, the NUM was critical, citing bad planning and the fact that corporate chieftains publicly proclaim job losses before even consulting with the union, which serves only to frighten miners. 

<img height="150" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/0610NUMFransBaleni1.jpg" width="106" alt=""/>
Frans Beleni
“When platinum prices reached US$2,000 per ounce in May 2008, you could see the reckless spending perpetrated by management,” said NUM General Secretary Frans Baleni on a recent South African radio programme. “If true leadership prevailed, we could have prevented this bloodbath of job losses,” added Baleni. 
 
Platinum is currently selling for about US$1,070 per ounce. 
 
Under Section 189 of South Africa’s Labour Relations Act, termed the “retrenchments clause,” management must confer with labour in order to give an accounting of reasons behind any redundancies. An employer must prove there is a need to cut jobs, otherwise the matter lands in the courts. 
 
One successful intervention occurred at a Simmer & Jacks gold mine in Buffelsfontein in February. The junior miner sought to cull 500 jobs from a production staff of 5,000. But with the help of South Africa’s Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration, and full dialogue with trade unions, those cuts were reduced to five senior contract workers, with 65 other contract workers becoming permanent staff. 
 
In return, unions, led by the NUM, agreed to miners working one extra shift per month throughout 2009. 
 
In the gold mining sector last week, 4,000 NUM members at Pamodzi Gold went on strike at two mines over non-payment of wages. Miners at the Steyn mine in Free State and at a mine in East Rand began strike action on 6 March after receiving only 20% of their wages for February. 
 
It was the second time this year that Pamodzi faced a shut-down because of its financial outlook. In January, 2,000 miners stayed away from the Free State operation because water supplies had been cut due to unpaid bills. On 5 March, the company announced it was seeking to secure a bridge loan to pay its workers and creditors until its UK and German financiers came through with a loan.

South African Miners Hard Hit by Global Financial Crisis

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A strike by 190 Turkish paperworkers, members of ICEM affiliate Tümka-İş, against Procter & Gamble is now 16 days old, with little progress made in recent negotiations. The wage dispute began 21 February at a factory in Gebze, just outside of Istanbul, where the American company manufactures paper towels, tissue, and hygiene products, including nappies. 
 
Strikers and supporters held a rally at plant gates on 26 February, where messages of support were read from a number of trade unions from around the world. The ICEM, which generated the support, also lodged a protest with Turkish management of the company. That letter can be found <a href="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/0903.Turkey.p&g.pdf" type="internal">here</a>. 
 
On the day of the manifestation, managers revised upward their wage offer, but not significantly. They also told leaders of Tümka-İş they were content to allow paper products once marketed from the Gebze plant to originate from expanded Procter & Gamble operations in Poland. 

<img height="132" alt="" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/0903ProcGamBTurkPix.jpg" width="180"/>
Gebze Manifestation, 26 February
A prior two-year labour agreement expired on 31 August 2008. 
 
The wage revision proposal 11 days ago saw the company move its offer from no increase to 2% for the first six months, followed by three increases, separated in six-month segments, of two-thirds the rate of Turkish inflation. The union is seeking an 8% increase for the first six months, and revised its proposal for the remaining three periods to match Turkey’s inflation rate. 
 
Tümka-İş General President Kemal Yilmaz and Ergün Tavşanoğlu, a union Executive Committee member who is the central Tümka-İş leader at the Procter & Gamble plant, expressed gratitude to the family of ICEM trade unions in the Paper and Packaging sector who extended their support at the outset of the strike.

Little Progress Made to Resolve Two-Week Procter & Gamble Strike in Turkey

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The Serbian union, EPS Trade Union, has made a stand for some 7,200 displaced Kosovo workers, who lost their jobs from state-run Electric Power Industry of Serbia (EPS) in 1999 due to war. Since then, unemployed workers have received 60% of median wages from the utility. 
 
But beginning in January, a government decree from the Ministry of Energy and Mining ordered that amount reduced to the minimum state-level wage, reneging on an agreement it had with the union in a 2008 EPS business plan. On 19 February, 5,000 of those workers showed up in freezing temperatures and a sleet storm in Gracanica and Priluzje to protest the cuts. EPS Trade Union President Milan Đorđević intervened to block the rollbacks, and the union has pledged to be vigilant in retaining the 60%. 

<img height="142" alt="" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/0902.Milan.Djordjevic.jpg" width="130"/>
Milan Đorđević
Separately, EPS Trade Union has issued a five-day deadline for earnest negotiations to begin with the government over several issues involving the public utility’s mines and businesses. One of the chief demands is fulfilment of an agreement signed with the government on 23 October 2008 and another is dialogue on the 2009 business plan. 
 
Other demands include full consultation on several operational issues, as well as possible privatisation plans by EPS. 
 
The union will hold a press conference tomorrow in Belgrade to discuss the government’s failure in February to address the demands and will follow that up with a protest on Thursday, 12 March, in front of the Government of Serbia building in Serbia’s capital city.

Serbian Union Preserves Wage Payments for Kosovo Electric Workers

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Fair Work now will replace former Prime Minister John Howard’s draconian WorkChoices as the industrial relations law of the land in Australia. That was assured this past Friday, 20 March, when Parliament’s Senate passed the Labour Government initiative.
But it didn’t come without a political struggle. A compromise was struck between Labour and its allies and the Liberal Party, most notably over the definition of a small business and the inter-connected protection against unfair dismissals. 
The compromise sets the small business definition at 15 full-time workers, part-time workers not included for the first 18 months, or until 1 January 2011. But thereafter, workers with one year of service – no matter; full-time, part-time, or casual – will have protection. Under Howard’s WorkChoices, businesses with fewer than 100 workers were exempt from the unfair labour dismissal statute. 
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The Labour Party also compromised on some restrictions to union access to worksites and union access to certain types of information. In all, 231 Senate amendments were submitted to a Fair Work House version, which passed in December 2008. But the new law is fairer and gives workers far better protections in an economic downturn than what was on the books under Howard. 
It creates ten national job standards, charters collective bargaining as the main tenet in labour-management relations, and creates a national industrial umpire with enforcement powers, the Fair Work Commission, thus replacing six Howard-era agencies that essentially were charged with removing workplace regulations. 
It also spells out workers’ rights to representation; access to arbitration; establishes a 38-hour workweek; grants four weeks annual leave; and allows the practice of flexible work schedules and conditions to take hold. Additionally, it sets out a standard process for regularly raising the minimum wage. 
The unfair dismissal statute, plus implementation of good-faith enterprise bargaining takes effect 1 July 2009, while the remainder of the provisions take effect 1 January 2010. 
<img height="113" alt="" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/0811.sharon.burrow.jpg" width="85"/>
Sharon Burrow
Sharon Burrow, President of the Australian Council of Trades Unions (ACTU), called the Senate passage a “major step forward for working Australians,” marking “a historic moment in restoring workers’ rights. After a decade of attacks on working people by the Liberal and National Parties the tide has turned,” she said. “We can take pride in what we have achieved.”

Australia’s Senate Hammers Final Nail into WorkChoices Coffin

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The ICEM supports the actions of its Ukrainian affiliate, the Coal Mining Industry Workers’ Union of Ukraine (PRUPU), as it announced a series of mass rallies throughout the country, protesting the situation facing miners in an industry in crisis. 
 
The decision to commence with mass protest actions on 25 March was taken by the union’s Shop Stewards at the 3rd Plenary Meeting of PRUPU’s Central Committee, held on 27 February. Delegates resolved to launch the mass protest actions, starting this Wednesday, including the picketing of the seats of the state authorities in Kiev and other major coal-mining towns in the eastern Donbass region. 

<img height="100" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/Victor Turmanov.jpg" width="100" alt=""/>
PRUPU President Victor Turmanov
Ukrainian miners face ongoing violations of their right to timely remuneration, significant wage arrears, and a reduction of 4.6 times of the budgetary allocations for the industry in 2009 over that of 2008. 
 
The Ukrainian Federation of Trade Unions, in a statement released 11 March, accused the country’s leadership of “ignoring the interests of the people to please international financial magnates.” 
 
In exchange for a US$2 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, the Ukrainian government agreed to restrictive conditions for the loan. Notable promises were the cancelling of social utility discounts for poor families, raising the retirement age by five years, and a six-fold increase in gas prices for Ukrainians.

Ukrainian Miners’ Union, PRUPU, to Launch Government Protest Rallies This Week

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