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The ICEM today said Stora Enso must do more to meet its social responsibilities regarding layoffs at two pulp and paper mills in Finland, as well for white-collar workers in the Nordic nation that are also getting the sack. The ICEM supports this week&rsquo;s strike by workers at Stora Enso in Finland. 
 
The Global Union Federation, representing 20 million workers in several industrial sectors, predicted in November that further strikes in the Finnish pulp and paper sector would occur if Stora Enso did not present alternatives to its latest restructuring plan. (That release can be found <a href="/en/?id=19&amp;doc=2442&amp;la=EN">here</a>.)
<img height="143" alt="" src="" width="140" />
On 25 October, the Finnish-Swedish company announced that 1,400 jobs would be cut in Finland, Sweden, and other European nations.&nbsp;Some 1,100 of those jobs were to be lost in Finland. Yesterday&rsquo;s announcement by Stora Enso that mill closures and job cuts totalling 985 is unacceptable, and the ICEM joins with Finnish trade union affiliate Paperiliitto by calling on the company to develop new technologies and new products that will retain workers. 
 
&ldquo;The strikes in Finland are a clear indication that workers themselves are not satisfied with the company&rsquo;s approach,&rdquo; said ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda. &ldquo;As a sizeable minority shareholder in Stora Enso, the Finnish government has an obligation to do more to preserve these jobs.&rdquo; 
 
The ICEM reiterates its solidarity to the workers at the Kemij&auml;rvi and Summa Mills in Finland, as well as the Norrsundet paperworkers in Sweden, and white-collar workers in the two countries and in other administrative offices in Europe. &ldquo;They have displayed great strength through their respective trade unions, and the ICEM will ensure that this strength becomes a chain of strength for paperworkers throughout the world,&rdquo; said Warda. &ldquo;We call on Stora Enso to implement strategies that grow jobs, not destroy them.&rdquo;

Stora Enso Must Do More to Fulfill Social Responsibilities

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The on-and-off recognition by US-based Ross International of joint representation by ICEM affiliate Sintravidricol at three of its Colombian metal moulding plants is on again after a 23-day strike by union members. With intervention from Colombia&rsquo;s Ministry of Social Protection, Ross agreed to recognise the union at three of five plants at a common bargaining table. 
 
The company agreed to that once before, in October 2007, but changed course the very next month by walking away from talks. Local management cited US owner Larry Ross&rsquo;s unwillingness to sign any union agreement. That caused the strike, which began late in November at the three worksites, Moldes Medellin Ltda., Andes International Tooling, and Andes Cast Foundry Metals.
<img height="92" alt="" src="" width="200" />
Ross opened the latter two plants in 2004, along with two other enterprises, and staffed the operations with contract workers. That was the direct result of staff at Moldes Medillin organising with Sintravidricol, the leading glass workers&rsquo; union of Colombia. With support and assistance from the ICEM and the United Steelworkers and its Flint/Glass Division in the US, Sintravidricol successfully brought the union message to the contract workers in the new plants. 
 
Following last month&rsquo;s company acquiescence to a four-year labour agreement at the three plants, all workers previously on fixed-term contracts became full-time staff. And that included a majority of the 240 workers at the three plants. Additionally, equal rights and conditions will exist between all workers. Union rights were won, with strict provisions outlining union representation and union activities. 
<img height="188" alt="" src="" width="250" />
Talks froze at Ross in November 2007
The company also agreed to withdraw all court actions against the union and workers. Sintravidricol called the December 2007 agreement an achievement of the basic objectives that launched the international campaign some three years ago. &ldquo;This is due not only to the unity and capacity for struggle of the union, but also the enormous international support, which resulted in this conflict becoming a problem for the central government, with international repercussions,&rdquo; said Sintravidricol in a statement. 
 
The ICEM heralds the persistence of our Colombian affiliate, as well as workers and leaders in Sintravidricol&rsquo;s Sabaneta and LaEstrella regional structures. The on-again, off-again bargaining table developments at Ross in Colombia in late 2007 can be found <a href="/en/?id=78&amp;doc=2450&amp;la=EN">here</a> and <a href="/en/?id=78&amp;doc=2496&amp;la=EN">here</a>.

Persistence Pays Off for Ross Glass Workers’ in Colombia

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A lockout by Canadian petroleum company Petro-Canada will hit the two-month mark on 17 January, with no talks occurring between the company and the Communications, Energy, Paperworkers (CEP) Union since the start of the lockout. The lockout of 267 union members at an oil refinery in Montr&eacute;al, Qu&eacute;bec, is an attempt to reverse Petro-Canada&rsquo;s own pattern-setting energy bargaining established at a company refinery in Edmonton, Alberta, on 13 May 2007. 
 
The ICEM-affiliated CEP and Petro-Canada there agreed to a three-year contract for 300 workers. Since May 2007, the CEP has signed labour accords with other companies set by the Petro-Canada/Edmonton agreement, including Petro-Canada operations in Ontario province. The CEP established Petro-Canada as the lead company in its National Energy and Chemical Bargaining Programme for 2007-2008, nearly one year ago. 
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Managers at the Point-aux-Trembles refinery in the east end of Montr&eacute;al are insisting on a six-year labour agreement, and they seek contract revisions that will reduce health and safety personnel. The company also seeks to erode workers&rsquo; rights concerning scheduling and assignments, and wants an accelerated training and progression system in which job safety will be jeopardised. Petro-Canada is attempting to operate the refinery during the lockout with 130 managers and scabs, contrary to Quebec&rsquo;s labour law. 
 
In 2007, under CEP staffing, the refinery experienced an average production increase to 130,000 barrels-per-day, from 105,000 b/d in 2006. In a statement immediately following the 17 November lockout, Petro-Canada said the lockout was necessary because the refinery was in a &ldquo;constant state of standby&rdquo; from the labour talks. The company later admitted it had been training managers since September 2007 to run the facility, apparently anticipating the lockout. 
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Local 175 rally, 9 January
&ldquo;Running an oil refinery requires highly specialised skills and dedicated safety training,&rdquo; said CEP President Dave Coles, who joined workers on picket lines and in a mass meeting on 9 January. CEP Local 175 &ldquo;members are on the front lines of the fight to protect pattern bargaining, which is at the very foundation of our union,&rdquo; added Coles. 
 
In a protest in front of the refinery on 21 December, the CEP issued a warning to the Montr&eacute;al community that 130 managers cannot adequately replace 260 skilled workers in a safe and hazard-free manner. The ICEM has joined the CEP in calling for support to the locked-out workers of Local 175, and on calling on Canada&rsquo;s third largest oil company to adhere to terms it had initially negotiated in the current pattern settlement.

Canadian Petrol Refinery Lockout Nears 2-Month Mark

Contract and Agency Labour, a global phenomenon &hellip; 
 
Throughout the entire one-day global ICEM conference on contract and agency labour, which took place just prior to the start of the three-day-long 4th ICEM World Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, speaker after speaker confirmed that the phenomenon of contract and agency labour (CAL) - and of many other forms of precarious employment - is vastly, and rapidly, increasing throughout the whole world. Particularly often mentioned was the continuing trend of using non-permanent, and non-protected, labour in developing countries. 
 
Welcomed by ICEM General Secretary, Manfred Warda, as well as by Vesna Rodic, FES Resident Director, and chaired by Brother Sjaiful from FSP KEP Indonesia, the almost 300 participants at the third global ICEM conference on contract and agency labour heard contributions and presentations by trade unionists from all corners of the world. With little to no exceptions, they all, albeit to varying degrees, mentioned their own problems with contract labour, agency labour and, on a wider level, the wide-ranging difficulties associated with the lack of a (good) employment relationship. 
 
CAL itself is known under a wide range of different names, including temporary work, self employed work, informal work or outsourced work, casual or contingent work, all terms that are used, in one way or another, to describe a fundamental change in the relationship between the workers and employers. 
<img height="60" alt="" src="" width="121" />
What has been changing primarily are the previous &ldquo;normal&rdquo; relationships between employers and workers. For a large segment of the world&rsquo;s workforce, this relationship has become one of a &lsquo;much lesser&rsquo; quality. For many others, such the increasing contingent of &ldquo;self-employed&rdquo; workers, it has changed from an employment relationship to a commercial relationship, with the worker taking all the risks. As a result, many of the protections that workers have fought for, often over a very long time, such as social protection or anti-discrimination rules, are simply lost. 
 
This point was emphasised by, among others, Jim Baker, coordinator of the Global Union Council, who referred to the Philadelphia declaration of 1944 which says that labour is not a commodity. Labour can therefore not be sold as any other market product. He also described the situation of fear that many CAL workers are living in. Where workers do not have any rights, they are afraid. Protesting can have serious consequences under those circumstances. 
 
Individual contracts were also mentioned by Jim Baker, a practice widespread in Australia, among other countries. Another point made was on the value of industry and national bargaining, certainly where guarantees for contract and agency labour workers are needed. 
 
Equally mentioned was the need for unions to emphasise the positive aspects of having a good and satisfied &ndash; which, in most cases, means a unionised, but also permanent &ndash; workforce. It is possibly one of the best arguments against CAL labour, and certainly one that unions should make. 
<img height="71" alt="" src="" width="50" />
Christine Nathan, representing the ILO, talked about how, particularly in Asia, governments are willing to discuss the issue of CAL. However, they only want to do this when the end result is likely to be a set of voluntary guidelines, which they then can ignore. 
 
She further mentioned the fact that, in many countries, the labour situation has become so extremely complicated, with sub-sub-sub contractors and other complicated forms of work relationships, that, even where law makers want to legislate, they find it very difficult to do so. 
 
Nathan was just one of the speakers who picked up on the &ldquo;seven-headed monster&rdquo; image. Through that comparison, spokespersons indicated that it appears to be so that whatever we do, whatever solution we find for whatever problem, another problem seems to resurge, with employers being very creative in finding new ways to avoid responsibilities. 
&hellip;.throughout all regions and continents&hellip; 
 
In Asia, contract and agency work was reported to have been increasing in virtually all sectors and all countries. One particular example given was the Indian mining and diamond sector, where almost all workers work on CAL contracts. Thailand and Korea were cited as examples of other Asian countries where CAL work is omnipresent. 
 
Africa was described as the globalisation&rsquo;s playing ground, with increasing investment, for example in the mining sector, bringing - besides possibilities for organising - mainly across-the-board problems caused by investors who seem to think anything is possible on the continent. The example was given by a representative from Tanzania, where gold company Barrick dismissed close to 1.800 contract and agency miners after failed negotiations on the respect of ILO core labour standards. Standards which are clearly included in Tanzanian labour law. 
 
In almost all countries, women were said to disproportionately suffer from the CAL phenomenon, a point raised by many that spoke, including Evgenia Esenina, chair of the ICEM women&rsquo;s committee. She also spoke of the fact that women, as they are more often unemployed, are more often forced to accept lower quality jobs. 
 
Poverty, a situation which, in many countries, appears to be the direct result of precarious work, was also said to affect women more than men. 
<img height="71" alt="" src="" width="50" />
Migrants were frequently mentioned as another category of workers confronted with the worst excesses of CAL. In numerous countries, migrants have to combine two &ndash; or even three &ndash; precarious jobs, just in order to survive. Many have a sad story to tell and it is no secret that they are often discriminated. As CAL workers, they are, in addition, frequently fired for belonging to a union, they often face an almost total lack of health and safety protections, and/or have little to no social benefits. 
 
The above-mentioned CAL related problems all come on top of another main reason why employers claim they want to need contract and agency labour: it is easy to terminate the workforce. 
 
CAL difficulties are by no means limited to the non-OECD countries. Problems in North America and Europe were also talked about. Contract and agency labour is heavily used in those regions as well, albeit not always at the same level. 
 
In the context of North America, the problem of &lsquo;permatemps&rsquo; was mentioned - a problem by no means limited to this region. 
<img height="71" alt="" src="" width="50" />
US unions, in spite of the fact that they do not exactly work under the easiest of circumstances, also made some progress, including limited progress on the rights to information for contract workers. 
 
In Japan, since the 1990&rsquo;s, limitations on the use of agency labour have been removed. One third of the total workforce in Japan is said to be working in precarious work situations. One typical result has been an increase in average working hours. Another one has been the polarisation of the labour force. Through their national trade union centre, Japanese unions are currently campaigning on CAL issues as one of their key priorities. One successfully used tactic is to establish union subdivisions that concentrate on CAL workers. 
 
In Europe, an estimated average of 4 to 5 percent is working as a contract or agency worker, varying from rather low percentages in the Nordic countries to 33% in Spain. A call was therefore made on the European trade union federations to get involved more in the discussions on this issue. 
 
Agency workers were said to be also increasingly used outside of the &ldquo;more traditionally outsourced&rdquo; sectors, such as cleaning, catering, security, agriculture or construction. In many of the ICEM sectors, for example the energy or the chemical sector, CAL work in core workplaces is ubiquitous. 
&hellip; not all is bad, however &hellip;. 
 
The conference also heard from various participants about cases where unions and trade unionists have been able to fight back. 
 
Until 4 years ago in Brazil, there were three CAL workers for each Petrobras permanent worker. At the time, there was an average of three lethal accidents per month. Today, after years of negotiations &ndash; where it helped that the Lula government was supportive &ndash; the Petrobras CAL ratio is 1 permanent Petrobras worker for every 1.5 CAL worker. 
 
In Chile, a new law, &rdquo;Ley 20123&rdquo;, was passed recently. On the one hand, the law makes it easier now for companies in Chile to outsource work. On the other hand, however, it also gives CAL workers a much better protection than before, including in the area of pension rights and health and safety security, areas where the company where the work is actually done is now clearly responsible. An agency is also being set up, with wide ranging powers, to make sure that the rules and regulations for all CAL workers are applied. 
 
Contract work in Chile can only be used in certain cases, such as to replace workers on holiday, or workers on sick leave. The law forbids using contract labour in case of a strike. Unfortunately, bringing the law into practice has not always been easy so far. 
<img height="71" alt="" src="" width="50" />
Similar limitations on the use of contract and agency labour exist in many countries, all around the world. The same can be said, unfortunately, for the non-respect of many of these rules. 
 
In Uruguay &ndash; another example of a country with a new government &ndash; a bill for a law on outsourcing, drafted by the trade unions, was recently adopted by the government. 
 
In Africa, for example in South Africa, several unions have been able to organise CAL workers. In this region, as well as in many others, there is a clear and direct link between union successes and union strength. 
 
Equally in Africa, Mauritius was presented as a country where the law covers CAL workers and where all workers are, in addition, covered by national collective bargaining. However, recent political powers want to change all that, and deregulate. 
 
In Europe, progress has been made through pressure on governments and companies. Agreements on CAL have been entered into collective bargaining agreements as well, including, for example, in the UK and in Denmark. 
<img height="71" alt="" src="" width="50" />
From Finland came the example of how a campaign on a Taiwanese company failed as the union didn&rsquo;t take the 40% CAL workers into account, and, as a result, didn&rsquo;t get sufficient support for its actions. The union learned from it, and managed to get CAL workers involved in its disputes and collective bargaining after that. 
 
The EU Directive on fixed-time work already says that fixed-term workers have the same right as regular workers. On agency work, there is still no directive on agency labour, in spite of years of trying. 
 
In Central Europe, for example in Croatia and Macedonia, laws do exist to make sure that contract or agency workers are not used to the detriment of the permanent workforce. However, collective bargaining agreements and laws are all too often violated in the region. 
 
In Macedonia, following an SIER campaign, workers now have the right to be informed on what is going to happen at their workplace in relation to contract labour. This includes the right to be informed about any upcoming outsourcing plans. 
<img height="71" alt="" src="" width="50" />
New forms of employment, including contract and agency labour, are also making headway in Eastern Europe. One consistent problem quoted there is that regulation in this area simply does not exist. Russia, Ukraine and Moldova were said to be among the countries were CAL work is being used the most. 
 
In Russia, for example, private employment agencies noted an increase in demand of around 10 percent a year recently. The latest development is that it is the Russian-owned companies that are now calling on agency labour, where it was mainly foreign companies that made use of CAL labour before. 
 
Hassan J&rsquo;Aama, President of new ICEM affiliate IFOU (Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions) spoke on the difficult situation for workers in Iraq. He mentioned not only the overall security situation, but also the distressing fact that several former anti-union laws in Iraq have not been changed since the fall of the previous regime. Both the occupation forces and the Iraqi government were particularly blamed for not abolishing Decree 150, which bans unions in public enterprises, including in the oil sector. 
 
As a result of this continuing anti-union legislation, many Iraqi unions find it very difficult to organise, something which helps explaining why employers in Iraq are using contract labour almost everywhere. Iraqi contract workers, as they do in many other places, often work for a minimum wage, or less, without much protection of any labour code or any real pension rights. 
&hellip; some conclusions &hellip; 
 
One overall conclusion is the clear need for the ICEM to continue and intensify its campaign. Various campaign strategies were emphasised, including on one of the primary goals of the campaign, i.e. to make sure that employers do not sign any contracts with a third party that could affect the employment status of their direct employees, prior to consulting with the employees&rsquo; union representatives. 
 
The importance of networking was highlighted, as was the need of sharing information at a global scale. The exchanging of good examples was mentioned as being very useful. Good examples were those where unions are successful in dealing with the CAL problem, be it in avoiding contract and agency labour, or in finding ways to work with it. 
 
Most participants agreed that trade unions, in the majority of countries, will not be able to get CAL to disappear. Nor do they want that necessarily to happen. Some union members simply prefer short-term contracts. 
 
However, we need to make sure that CAL workers do get the same rights as permanent workers. This includes social protection benefits, pensions, health coverage, and other social benefits. And, obviously, it also includes equal pay for equal work, as part of the struggle for equal rights in general. 
<img height="71" alt="" src="" width="50" />
Also stressed at the meeting was the importance of establishing legal guidelines and regulations on contract and agency labour, preferably at national level. The principles from the ILO Recommendation 198 (the Employment Relationship Recommendation) are an important tool in all this &ndash; a recommendation that still needs to be ratified by a many countries. 
 
One other unambiguous observation, mentioned throughout the meeting - in spite of the fact that this was an ICEM conference, with mainly ICEM participants - was that the phenomenon is not only a global one, but also one affecting nearly all sectors and industries. It was made clear that the ICEM is already cooperating, under the umbrella of the Global Unions Council, with the other Global Union Federations, looking at issues in regard to the employment relationship. The leadership role that the ICEM is taking in this effort needs to be continued, and strengthened. 
 
Finally, it was said by many that unions need to be open to CAL workers. In too many countries, CAL workers have been facing resentment by other trade union members, as they are perceived as the enemy. Setting up unions, or union divisions, for CAL workers, or &ndash; by many the preferred option &ndash; simply bringing CAL workers into the normal union structures, is seen as a very important and needed accomplishment.

ICEM Contract and Agency labour Conference

<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
&nbsp;1. Colombia &ndash; ICEM focuses on South American Country on International Women&rsquo;s Day, 8 March 
2. Germany &ndash; Women Set up Network for Nanotechnology 
3. India &ndash; SEWA Assists Women in Afghanistan in Organising and Skills Building 
4. International Labour Organisation &ndash; Indigenous and Afro-descendant Women Are Still the Hardest Hit by Workplace-Discrimination 
5. International RSI Awareness Day 2008 
6. ITUC Launches Decent Work, Decent Life for Women Campaign 
7. Iraq &ndash; Women are Terrorised in Basra 
8. Nicaragua &ndash; Equality Law is Passed 
9. Peru &ndash; Luz y Fuerza Holds Women&rsquo;s Conference 
10. Spain &ndash; USO and Solvay Redress Discrimination - University Study Proposes Some 50 Measures for Work-Life Balance - CCOO publishes Booklet on Pregnancy and Breast Feeding 
11. United Kingdom &ndash; Single, Young Women Work More Overtime than Men 
12. Resources 
<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
1. COLOMBIA &ndash; ICEM focuses on South American Country on International Women&rsquo;s Day, 8 March
This year, on International Women&rsquo;s Day (8 March), the ICEM focuses on Colombia, a South American country with some 43 million inhabitants, 52% of whom are women. The country has 20 million people that are economically active, and of that figure, 50% are women. Due to the violence brought on by internal armed conflict, there are four million displaced persons, with 57% of them are women. 
Their lands and properties have been confiscated, while children, husbands, and partners have been murdered. Many have been sexually abused and taken advantage of by paramilitaries who arrive at their houses and force them to tend to their needs. It is a familiar sight to see many women in the streets of the main cities begging for food for their children. 
 
Informal workers are estimated to make up the 60% of the working population, or a total of 12 million people. Of this, 63% of them are women, or a total of 7.56 million. 
 
Through ICEM projects, the Global Union Federation has been carrying out leadership development among women members of its affiliated trade unions. As a result, many women have made their way into leadership positions in their organizations. 
 
However, a major concern is the phenomenon of domestic violence. 
 
The ICEM will be in Colombia on 6 March, the Day of the March against Violence, Kidnappings, and Violation of Human and Trade Union Rights in Solidarity with the Victims. On 8 March, of course, we will celebrate International Women&rsquo;s Day together with the women of ICEM Colombia, where the ICEM will receive a more detailed report on the situation of women in Colombia. 
<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
2. Germany &ndash; Women Set up Network for Nanotechnology 
Nanotechnology is the future. Nano 4 Women has been founded as an independent grouping of women who work in nanotechnology in Germany. It may be that nanotechnology is more open to women than other areas of technology. 
 
Evonik is a company involved in the women&rsquo;s network for nanotechnology. The network&rsquo;s goal is to support women in their jobs and in science-related careers. Women are encouraged to have an exchange in the network, and also on the internet, where forums are available and databases that include experts can be culled for concrete projects. Advice is also available for start-ups in nanotechnology. A photography competition has also been held. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.nano4women.de">www.nano4women.de</a>. 
<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
3. India &ndash; SEWA Assists Women in Afghanistan in Organising and Skills Building 
Warfare, drought, economic instability, insecurity and unemployment have wreaked havoc on Afghanistan in the past three decades. Almost 60% of the population of Afghanistan is women. 
 
Decades of civil conflict and hardline rule by the Taliban have left most Afghan women isolated and illiterate. It is challenging for women even to go out alone. India&rsquo;s Self-Employed Women&rsquo;s Association (SEWA) has been working with women, widows, and the destitute in Afghanistan since 2004. 
In 2006, the government of India requested SEWA to help develop Bagh-e-Zanana as a centre for vocational training. The idea is to develop the centre with facilities for income generation, skills development, and training, recreation, childcare, healthcare, and marketing support. This would help to empower women and enable them to join the mainstream Afghan economy. 
 
In the strife-ridden country, organizations such as the Afghan Women Resource Centre are fighting to combat the practice of families selling their daughters into forced marriages in order to pay off debts. Women&rsquo;s organizations are doing advocacy and empowering women as well as encouraging them to vote. 
<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
4. International Labour Organisation &ndash; Indigenous and Afro-descendant Women Are Still the Hardest Hit by Workplace-Discrimination 
In its recent Labour Overview 2007 for Latin America and the Caribbean, in spite of overall optimism, the ILO finds that the unemployment rate for women is 1.6 times higher than that of men, with the situation of indigenous and Afro-descendant women much worse. 
 
The ILO finds that hourly wages for the two groups of women make up only 39% of the wages earned by men who are not in those groups. The study was carried out in Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Uruguay. 
 
The problem should be combated by strengthening members of the two groups&rsquo; knowledge, and improving statistics and studies on these groups in order to develop suitable policies for change. ILO Convention 100 on Equal Pay, Convention 111 on Employment and Workplace Discrimination, and Convention 169 on Indigenous Peoples has to be better applied. All these conventions make mention of women. 
 
Altogether, policies and programmes must be improved in order to do justice to these two groups. The existing barriers must be eliminated to enable women, the indigenous, and Afro-descendant persons to be fairly incorporated into the job market. 
<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
5. International RSI Awareness Day 2008 
On 29 February 2008, it was Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI) Awareness Day. RSI is the most common workplace injury in Canada, and it is nearly an epidemic in Brazil. Governments and employers must start taking the disorder seriously. In Canada, for example, one in ten adults suffer from it. 
 
Women have traditionally had high rates of RSI. They often suffer a lifetime of pain. RSI mostly affects neck, shoulders, arms, and hands. RSI Day is a good opportunity to raise awareness and contemplate measures to eliminate it. The injuries can best be eliminated by avoiding monotonous, repetitive and stressful work at fast speeds, and poor work organization, including unnecessary overtime.
&nbsp;Cutbacks and layoffs aggravate the problem. Substandard equipment and lack of control also contribute to it. The first RSI Awareness Day was 29 February 2000. It was chosen because it is the only non-repetitive day on the yearly calendar. In most years, the day is remembered on 28 February. 
<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
6. ITUC Launches Decent Work, Decent Life for Women Campaign 
The ITUC has produced a poster and a campaign guide for Decent Work, Decent Life for Women. The ITUC also has produced a report on the gender pay gap. There are 67 national labour centres in 55 countries that are participating in the campaign. The poster is available at <a href="http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/AffWomenCampaingEN.pdf">here</a>.&nbsp;The&nbsp;Campaign Guide on Decent Work, Decent Life for Women can be found <a href="http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/ITUC_Campaign_Guide_08_ENG.pdf ">here</a>. 
<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
7. Iraq &ndash; Women are Terrorised in Basra 
Since the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, militias have been circulating in Basra, Iraq&rsquo;s second largest city, killing and torturing those seen to be an obstacle to the establishment of an Islamist state. Ambulance drivers know that more than 15 women are killed each and every month. Most are mostly professional women. 
 
The point to the killing and violence is to keep women home and to restrain their participation in political and social life. The Iraqi Women&rsquo;s League calls for the following actions to be taken to stop the violence: 
1. Send an international fact-finding mission to Iraq that is organized by the UN High Commission for Human Rights. Such a mission should investigate crimes against women, help the Iraqi authorities identify the perpetrators, and to stop the crimes; 
2. Reveal the criminals and those backing them, and bring them to justice; 
3. Disclose the outcome of the investigations; 
4. Take measures to safeguard personal freedoms that are constitutionally guaranteed; 
5. Take deterrent measures to ensure the safety of citizens and protect their lives; and 
6. Act firmly to improve the conditions of women and facilitate their involvement in the reconstruction process. 
<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
8. Nicaragua &ndash; Equality Law is Passed 
The Law of Equal Rights and Opportunities was passed in Nicaragua, after 11 years of being stalled. The Catholic hierarchy and ultra-conservative leaders lamented the approval of the law. 
 
After more then 10 years of opposition by religious and conservative sectors, the law will enter into force in a month&rsquo;s time after publication in the official bulletin. The term gender is not mentioned in the law, but the point is to promote equality and equity human, civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights between women and men. 
 
Feminists congratulated the Central American&rsquo;s parliament for passage, but still condemned one stumbling block in the country&rsquo;s constitution, which prohibits therapeutic abortion, only allowing it in very rare circumstances. 
<img height="31" alt="" src="" width="25" />
9. Peru &ndash; Luz y Fuerza Holds Women&rsquo;s Conference 
The 2nd Women&rsquo;s Workshop of the Luz y Fuerza Federation was held 24-26 January 2008 in Arequipa, Peru. The objectives of the workshop were to integrate women into the trade union movement, make the women&rsquo;s role in the federation more visible, and to broaden women workers&rsquo; knowledge of themes such as collective bargaining, privatization, history of the trade union movement, etc. 
 
Women should be able to bring their demands into collective bargaining. Case studies were presented on tools that women can use to bring their rights to bear on the basis of international human rights instruments. Amnesty International and several practical cases were explained. 
ILO Conventions on equal opportunities were presented. It is important for awareness of rights that are defended by the ILO to be brought to all workers. More and more women attend these meetings every year, and the results get better and better. The women committed themselves to replicating the results of the workshop in their own workplaces. 
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10. Spain&nbsp;- USO and Solvay Redress Discrimination - University Study Proposes Some 50 Measures for Work-Life Balance - CCOO publishes Booklet on Pregnancy and Breast Feeding 
In January, Belgian chemicals company Solvay and the USO union of Spain signed an agreement, which commits Solvay to hire six women who were discriminated against. These women faced bias on the basis of gender between 1999 and 2003. 
 
The six will follow five others who have already integrated into the production process. Solvay must acknowledge that the women passed all tests, including a psycho-technical one, but that they were excluded during the interview, in spite of the fact that all of them met the requirements for hiring valid from 1999 to 2003. This decision will open the way for more women to have access more readily to jobs at Solvay. 
 
A recent study by the Carlos III University in Madrid proposed some 50 measures to promote work-life balance. The measures are geared to administration and business, as well as social partners, and they are also intended to improve the working conditions of those with special difficulties, such as young people and immigrants. 
The proposals include the creation of public and private instruments for reconciling work and family life, subsidies and counseling for small and medium-sized companies, and making leave more flexible, as well as making part-time work more accessible. 
 
One of the aims of the study was to examine productivity. There is a close connection between productivity and work-life balance. Better work-life balance generally reduces turnover and absenteeism. Thus, the higher the qualification, training, and experience the worker has, the more expensive it is for the company to replace her or him. 
Findings show that people are less and less willing to dedicate their efforts to paid work alone, and therefore, people need to know that they will not be damaging their careers if they take advantage of measures to promote work-life balance. 
 
New technologies have a part to play in better reconciliation of work and family life. This does, however, require a cultural change &ndash; typical companies work on the basis of control. Commitment to the company is measured on the basis of time spent at work. New technology enables confidence to be built and evaluation to be based on results instead of working time. Teleworking could be one element of this. 
 
The stress prevalent in the typical women&rsquo;s jobs must be controlled and reduced, such as in health and education. Similarly, authorities and businesses have to work toward eliminating harassment, bullying, and violence on the job. 
 
All in all, networks must be created on the basis of social services to promote work-life balance. 
 
The CCOO trade union confederation in Spain has published a booklet for trade unions on preventing hazards during pregnancy and breast-feeding. Most women do work during pregnancy and go back to work during the period of breast-feeding. 
Companies need to adapt measures to facilitate women working during these times, and risk-prevention should be included in collective bargaining. Some hazards, such as noise and stress, are dangerous for all workers, but they do imply a higher health hazard for pregnant women because of the changes to their bodies or the potential danger to the fetus. For the booklet see <a href="http://www.ccoo.es">www.ccoo.es</a>.
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11. United Kingdom &ndash; Single, Young Women Work More Overtime than Men 
Single women in their 30s do more overtime than anyone else. On the occasion of Work Your Proper Hours Day, which was held on 22 February, UK&rsquo;s national labour centre, the Trades Union Congress, released a study on overtime. The general assumption is that men work longer hours than women, but the analysis shows that single women of all ages work more unpaid overtime than men. 
 
Women without children are more likely to work unpaid overtime than men without children, but the trend reverses when they have children, with the figure dropping from 24.2% to 27%. The percentage of men working unpaid overtime remains relatively unchanged. 
 
Women no longer have the option to put in extra hours once they have children. This goes a long way toward explaining why the senior levels of most organizations are male and why the gender pay gap persists. Career opportunities are measured by the number of hours put in at work. This limits women&rsquo;s choices. The unproductive long hours culture does no one any good and detracts from work-life balance. 
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12. Resources 
<a href="http://www.msc.es/novedades/docs/informeSaludGenero2006.pdf ">Health and Gender (in Spanish) by Observatory of Women&rsquo;s Health, Spanish Health Ministry</a> 
 
<a href="http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/htmlfiles/ef07108.htm ">Working Conditions in the European Union: the Gender Perspective 
</a> 
<a href="http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/htmlfiles/ef0789.htm ">Foundation Findings: Work-life Balance &ndash; Solving the Dilemma 
</a> 
<a href="http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/gender_equality/docs/com_2008_0010_en.pdf ">European Commission Report on Equality between Women and Men, 2008 
</a> 
<a href="http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/gender_equality/gender_mainstreaming/balancedparticipation/report_trends_final_2007_en.pdf ">Women and Men in Decision-making, 2007 (European Commission)</a> 
 
<a href="http://www.unicef.org/sowc08/index.php ">The State of the World&rsquo;s Children 2008</a> 
 
<a href="http://www.hazards.org/women">UK: TUC Gender and Occupational Safety and Health &lsquo;Gender-sensitivity&rsquo; Checklist</a>&nbsp;

WOMEN’S BULLETIN NO. 27

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ICEM Planning sub-regional Workshops and Assessment Missions 
More than three years into the HIV/AIDS project, the ICEM will conduct sub-regional workshops and assessment missions in three African sub-regions: English-speaking West Africa (Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone), French-speaking West Africa (C&ocirc;te d&rsquo;Ivoire, DR Congo and Mali) and southern Africa (Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia). 
 
After five regional training courses for national coordinators the impact of their work at national level has to be assessed. Sub-regional workshops will include union leadership to renew their commitment in the fight against the pandemic. 
 
The HIV/AIDS resolution of the 4th World Congress called on the ICEM to continue to treat HIV/AIDS as a priority. Assessment of the current project will also identify national priorities and objectives for an extension of the present project. 
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Mauritius: ICEM Affiliate Raises Issue of Migrant Workers 
The Chemical, Manufacturing and Connected Trades Employees&rsquo; Union (CMCTEU) has approached the ICEM for cooperation in dealing with the issue of migrant workers. 
 
In a total workforce of 550,000 there are around 30,000 migrant workers mainly from the Indian sub-continent, China and Madagascar. Some of those workers become commercial sex workers during their free time to supplement their meagre salary. 
 
According to UNAIDS, the prevalence rate in Mauritius is a low 0.6% but it is much higher among injecting drug users and sex workers. In 2004, when tested for HIV, 13% of surveyed sex workers were found to be HIV-positive (only 32% stated that they had consistently used condoms). 
 
CMCTEU also reported on their successful activity on World AIDS Day in which they used ICEM, ILOAIDS and UNAIDS/WAC material made available at the ICEM World Congress. 
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Chevron Commits USD 30 million to the Global Fund 
Chevron Corporation, one of the world&rsquo;s leading integrated energy companies, has become the Global Fund&rsquo;s first &ldquo;Corporate Champion,&rdquo; donating US$30 million over three years to support programmes financed by the Fund in parts of Asia and Africa. 
 
With the announcement of this donation on 21 January 2008, the Global Fund officially launched its Corporate Champions Program, which the Fund describes as &ldquo;an innovative way for multinational corporations to significantly invest in the fight against the three diseases.&rdquo; The plan is that each Corporate Champion will contribute to Global Fund-supported programs in the countries where the company operates. 
 
The launch of the Corporate Champions program and the announcement of the Chevron donation are important developments for the Global Fund, which has had a long-standing goal of increasing investments from the private sector. 
 
A copy of the press release announcing these developments can be downloaded from the Global Fund&rsquo;s home page at <a href="http://www.theglobalfund.org">www.theglobalfund.org</a>. 
 
(Source: Global Fund Observer Issue 84, 29 January 2008. GFO is a free service of Aidspan <a href="http://www.aidspan.org">www.aidspan.org</a>.&nbsp;To receive GFO, send an email to <a href="mailto:receive-gfo-newsletter@aidspan.org">receive-gfo-newsletter@aidspan.org</a>) 
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PEPFAR Renewal 
The US President&rsquo;s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, expires this year. The five-year, USD 15 billion effort to combat AIDS in 15 mostly sub-Saharan African countries is arguably the most important and popular international programme of the Bush Presidency. 
 
The President wants to double global AIDS money to USD 30 billion over the next five years; Congress wants to increase it to USD 50 billion. Yet its renewal has gotten hung up over ideology and political debate about disease prevention. 
 
Democrats want to remove a provision in the bill that requires one-third of all prevention spending go to abstinence programmes. Another controversial provision forbids grants to groups that provide care to commercial sex workers. 
 
(Source: USA Today, 18 February and AP, 2 February) 
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Global Fund Guidelines on Representation on CCMs 
The revised Global Fund Guidelines for the Country Coordinating Mechanisms (CCMs) contain an annex entitled &quot;Guidelines on Types of Civil Society and Private Sector Representation Most Relevant to the Work of CCMs&rdquo;. The Global Fund says that the Representation Guidelines &quot;are intended to provide guidance for CCMs wishing to strengthen and/or improve&quot; representation from these sectors, particularly in light of the CCMs' roles in proposal development and grant oversight. 
 
The Representation Guidelines contain lists of the types of representation from civil society and the private sector that the Global Fund suggests to be included on CCMs. 
 
The list for civil society representatives includes, among others, vulnerable groups/key populations, women's organisations and religious and faith-based groups. Under private sector representatives large for-profit companies, business associations to fight HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria representatives from exposed industries and charitable foundations established by corporations are mentioned. 
 
(Source: Global Fund Observer Issue 85, 25 February 2008. GFO is a free service of Aidspan <a href="http://www.aidspan.org">www.aidspan.org</a>.&nbsp;To receive GFO, send an email to <a href="mailto:receive-gfo-newsletter@aidspan.org">receive-gfo-newsletter@aidspan.org</a>. 
 
Comment by the Editor of the ICEM HIV/AIDS e-bulletin: 
The Global Fund has again failed to recognize the role of organized labour. Nowhere in the detailed annex to the Guidelines are trade unions or workers&rsquo; organizations mentioned; neither under civil society nor under the private sector. 
 
Large for-profit companies are credited for having pioneered responses to fight HIV/AIDS totally ignoring the contribution of organised labour. One can only wonder what the South African National Union of Mineworkers would say to a statement that large mining houses in South Africa have &ldquo;pioneered&rdquo; the response to HIV/AIDS when they have often only reacted to union pressure. 
 
Out of four sectors specifically mentioned, two &ndash; oil/gas and mining &ndash; are represented by the ICEM and its affiliates. Again, all that the Global Fund can say about it is that &ldquo;for-profit companies, business coalitions and/or employers&rsquo; associations who represent the exposed industries can offer insight and support&hellip;.&rdquo; Not one word about workers&rsquo; organisations. 
 
It is time that the Global Fund changes its ways. Global Unions and their national affiliates should pull their weight to question procedures and operations of the Global Fund. It cannot be that business and companies get such exclusive recognition and that workers&rsquo; organizations are completely ignored. Global Unions and national trade union centres have lobbied hard that donor countries increase their contribution and make long-term financial commitments to the Global Fund. 
 
(For the full text of the Guidelines go to the website of the Global Fund <a href="http://www.theglobalfund.org">www.theglobalfund.org</a>) 
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News from the ILO 
To expand and strengthen AIDS responses in the world of work, the ILO Governing Body decided in March 2007 to develop a new labour standard on HIV/AIDS. In preparation, the Office assembled information for an overview 'law and practice' report, including the most comprehensive compilation to date of national laws and policies on HIV/AIDS, covering 170 countries. 
 
The report and its accompanying questionnaire have been sent to the ILO's member states for consultation with its constituents on the form and content of the proposed standard. Governments are to reply to the questionnaire in consultation with employers and workers. The draft standard - an &quot;autonomous Recommendation&quot; - will be discussed at the International Labour Conference in June 2009. 
 
The report is available on the website of ILOAIDS &ndash; <a href="http://www.ilo.org/aids">www.ilo.org/aids</a>. 
HIV/AIDS guidelines for the construction sector were published recently. They are also available on the ILOAIDS website. 
 
On 29 January 2008, trade union representatives in Sri Lanka signed the Trade Union Joint Policy on HIV/AIDS. This policy aims to strengthen trade union interventions in HIV prevention and impact management. It was developed in the framework of the draft National Policy on HIV/AIDS and is based on he ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the world of work. 
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News from the Global Union Programme and Global Unions 
In its most recent HIV/AIDS updates (nos. 36 and 37 of 1 and 15 February) the International Transport Workers&rsquo; Federation (ITF) <a href="http://www.itfglobal.org">www.itfglobal.org</a> reports, among others, on awareness programmes and care work of its affiliates in Thailand where an explosion of the infection rate among injecting drug users and commercial sex workers was successfully contained. 
The nautical school in Argentina will include HIV/AIDS in its curriculum to ensure that seafarers have an understanding of HIV/AIDS and will be able to provide education to their peers on ships. It also informs about the alarming situation in Papua New Guinea which by UNAIDS is described as the new frontline of the epidemic in the Asia-Pacific region. 
 
Public-sector union UNISON of Great Britain is expanding its work in southern Africa with a massive new programme covering unions in teaching, nursing and local government.

ICEM HIV/AIDS e-bulletin

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Among the scores of new affiliates to join the ICEM at the turn of the year, one from Cyprus is particularly grateful due to the fact that the ICEM website now includes Turkish-language features. It is the Union of Turkish Electricity Institution Employees (EL-SEN).
The union, founded in 1957, represents workers of the Turkish Electricity Institution, and it is headed by President Caglayan Cesurer and General Secretary Ercan K&ouml;seoglu. It has several hundred members and it also affiliated to the Cypress-Turkish Trade Union Federation (T&Uuml;RK-SEN). 
<img height="92" alt="" src="" width="200" />
The ICEM welcomes EL-SEN to its family of affiliates, and wishes the union and its members many years of Turkish-language reading, courtesy of the ICEM website.

Cypriot Electrical Union Takes to Turkish-language ICEM Website

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Earlier in February, workplace sit-ins by the Federation of Workers&rsquo; Councils and Union in Iraq (FWCUI) occurred in Basra, Hilla, Musayab, and Kut, following the failure of the Electricity Minister to accede to demands by workers. 
 
After a few hours of sit-ins by thousands of workers on 4 February, Minister Karim Wahid Hasan called FWCUI leaders with a readiness to hear those demands. FWCUI called the sit-ins successful for that result, saying in a statement that it was &ldquo;a courageous step for all workers of Iraq.&rdquo;
<img height="165" alt="" src="" width="220" />
The sit-ins had been called by the Union of Engineering Technicians of FWCUI, as well as other workers&rsquo; groups. 
 
Workers&rsquo; demands include a halt to the corruption inside the Ministry of Electricity, creation of new electric stations to serve Iraqi provinces, housing for workers in the sector, repayment of danger entitlements to workers, giving day labourers work contracts, and lifting the status of temporary workers to permanent staff. 
 
At a news conference last week, Electricity Minister Wahid called on the government to increase the ministry&rsquo;s 2008 budget nearly three-fold to US$4 billion in order to re-build the occupied country&rsquo;s power network. Current electric generation is less than half the 9,500 megawatts needed in Iraq, with power outages resulting mainly from sabotage, according to the UN&rsquo;s Humanitarian Office.
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United Press International reports that in a period from March to November 2007, 1,211 workers in the electric sector had been targeted for attacks. A study done for the news agency found that the sector in that period had undergone 651 attacks on distribution and transmission lines, 66 attacks on thermal power stations, and 18 attacks on other power operations. 
 
The ICEM supports FWCUI in their efforts to achieve security and just economic entitlements for workers in Iraq.

Iraqi Union Federation, FWCUI, Stages Electrical Sector Sit-In

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This Friday, 29 February, is a Day of Action for ICEM North American affiliate Communications, Energy, Paperworkers (CEP) against Petro-Canada. CEP members will protest and handbill at many of the company&rsquo;s petrol stations country-wide to draw attention to an unfair, 15-week lockout imposed by Petro-Canada on 267 workers at an oil refinery in Montreal, Quebec. 
 
Teams of locked-out workers are also travelling Canada, speaking at union meetings and other forums. They are also warning the public at home, in Montr&eacute;al, of the safety risks that the Calgary, Alberta-based company is taking by operating the refinery with managers and scabs. The union has called on Quebec&rsquo;s Environmental Office, as well as on city of Montr&eacute;al regulators, to inspect reports of leaks and malfunctions.
<img height="266" alt="" src="" width="200" />
&nbsp;CEP Local 175 members at a January rally
A provincial Ministry of Labour team, which visited the refinery late in January, found that at least 26 replacement workers are grouped with bosses in working long hours to maintain throughput. Employing replacements during a labour dispute in Quebec is a labour law violation. But worse, the company is jeopardizing the safety and welfare of the community, since bosses and scabs &ndash; some 120 in total, compared to 267 skilled and trained CEP members &ndash; have each been working in excess of 70 hours per week. 
 
The refinery, which saw a production increase from 105,000 barrels-per-day to 130,000 in 2006, is located in a residential area called Point-aux-Trembles, in the east end of Montreal. 
 
Among the contract concessions the company is seeking from CEP Local 175 is elimination of a health and safety prevention officer. Petro-Canada is seeking to break the CEP&rsquo;s National Energy and Chemical Bargaining Programme for 2007-2008, a pattern that was set in May 2007 in a three-year agreement between the CEP and Petro-Canada at a refinery in Edmonton, Alberta. 
 
Management in Montr&eacute;al is seeking a six-year term, and also is demanding unwanted changes to scheduling, job assignments, and an accelerated training programme that will further jeopardize health and safety. 
 
Petro-Canada bought the refinery from Fina in 1981. The lockout began on 17 November 2007. 

Petro-Canada is seeking to break the CEP&rsquo;s National Energy and Chemical Bargaining Programme for 2007-2008, a pattern that was set in May 2007 in a three-year agreement between the CEP and Petro-Canada at a refinery in Edmonton, Alberta. Management in Montr&eacute;al is seeking a six-year term, and also is demanding unwanted changes to scheduling, job assignments, and an accelerated training programme that will further jeopardize health and safety.

CEP Brings Ills of Petro-Canada’s Montréal Lockout Across the Country

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Turkish has been added as the eighth language on the ICEM website. By clicking <a href="/tr">/tr</a>, Turkish-speaking and Turkish-reading trade unionists around the world can now follow the topical developments from the world of work, as reported on the ICEM site. 
 
This came about because of the work and assistance of ICEM&rsquo;s Turkish affiliates, particularly Petrol-İş. Many existing web-pages were translated into Turkish over the past several months, as well as the interface, including basic information on the ICEM, pages with information on ICEM activities, such as Contract and Agency Labour, Global Framework Agreements, HIV/AIDS, as well as many recent ICEM industry reports. 
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Through its Turkish homepage, the ICEM aims to continue updating the world&rsquo;s Turkish-speaking audience &ndash; in Turkey and beyond &ndash; on ICEM developments, as well as on relevant and useful news from ICEM&rsquo;s sectors. This new communication channel will also be used for updates on specific issues that are important to ICEM Turkish affiliates. Welcome, Turkish brothers and sisters!

ICEM Introduces Turkish Language News, Content to Its Website

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