Belarus: 25 freed, hundreds remain in chains23 September, 2026On 16 September, Belarus released 25 political prisoners. While their release is welcome, hundreds of others remain imprisoned, including trade union activist Vatslau Areshka.
OECD complaint filed over Mercedes-Benz labour practices15 September, 2026IndustriALL and the United Auto Workers have filed a formal complaint with Germany's OECD National Contact Point, demanding that the German government facilitate dialogue between Mercedes-Benz and the unions over workers' treatment in Alabama. The complaint alleges Mercedes-Benz has created an unacceptable divide between the labour standards it promotes globally and how it treats workers in its US operations.
Worker death sparks strike at Gafsa Phosphate Company over safety and unpaid bonuses7 September, 2026Workers at the Gafsa Phosphate Company in Tunisia went in strike for three days this week to demand improved health and safety conditions, implementation of previous agreements and payment of bonuses withheld for two years. The strike, which concluded on 3 September, with over 95 percent participation, follows the death of a worker on 22 August due to inadequate health and safety measures. The action was called by the Fédération Générale des Mineurs Tunisiens - FGMT – UGTT, affiliated to Union Générale Tunisienne du Travail UGTT and IndustriALL.
Shipbuilding and shipbreaking unions unite on global strategy3 September, 2026Delegates from across the shipbuilding and shipbreaking sectors met in Helsinki on 2 September for IndustriALL Global Union's Shipbuilding-shipbreaking action group meeting. Their imperative was clear: when capital organizes globally, unions must too.
Armenia: workers still waiting for court order to be enforced27 August, 2026Three years after winning their case in court, workers at Pure Iron Plant OJSC in Armenia still cannot exercise their trade union rights in practice. The plant's management has not fully implemented the court decisions that ruled in the union's favour at two levels of the Armenian court system.
YKK workers denied fundamental rights: brands must take responsibility27 August, 2026For over two years, 670 workers at YKK's Çerkezköy factory in Türkiye have been systematically prevented from exercising their basic right to unionize and bargain collectively. YKK management has used threats, coercion and disciplinary action to crush the union, despite workers' successful organization with Petrol-İş and the union's official recognition from Türkiye's labour ministry.
Combatting forced labour in the electronics sector through social dialogue11 August, 2026Migrant workers are among those most exposed to forced labour risks in the electronics sector. That was the finding of IndustriALL Global Union affiliates in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. They met with employers, government authorities and the ILO in July and August. Recurring issues across the industry included retention of identity documents, excessive recruitment fees and gaps in social security registration. Participants agreed on the need for stronger labour inspection. They also called for joint training on forced labour indicators across the electronics supply chain.
IndustriALL condemns dismissal of union representatives at Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mexico10 August, 2026IndustriALL Global Union has called on Yokohama Rubber Co. to take immediate action following the dismissal of three representatives of the Liga Sindical Obrera Mexicana during an ongoing union representativeness process at Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mexico in Saltillo, Coahuila.
Flex faces investor scrutiny over Malaysia union busting ahead of AGM27 July, 2026Institutional investors are being urged to press Flex Ltd. on union suppression at its Penang, Malaysia plant, as the electronics manufacturer prepares for its annual general meeting in Austin, Texas, on 5 August.
Nigerian unions develop strong plan to build worker power at Dangote18 June, 2026Five IndustriALL-affiliated unions met in Lagos on 27-28 May to agree a co-ordinated response to labour rights violations across the Dangote Group. The meeting produced an action plan to build a continent-wide trade union network spanning Dangote's growing African operations.
