Canadian unions fight bill giving minister power to end lawful strikes1 October, 2026Canadian unions, including IndustriALL affiliates Unifor and the United Steelworkers (USW), are fighting a new bill which would let the federal government stop lawful strikes using a vague "national interest" test. The bill comes just months after the International Court of Justice confirmed that ILO Convention 87, ratified by Canada, protects the right to strike.
ArcelorMittal must keep Kryvyi Rih workers paid29 September, 2026Workers at ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih kept Ukraine's largest steel plant running through more than four years of war. Five of them were killed in recent missile strikes, and the company now says it cannot restart the plant. IndustriALL Global Union and industriAll Europe are calling on ArcelorMittal to put workers on paid downtime instead of dismissing them and to rebuild the damaged facilities.
African unions form network to challenge Dangote25 September, 2026Union representatives from five African countries have formed a network to seek recognition, stronger safety commitments and direct dialogue with Dangote Industries management.
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.
300 brands commit to worker safety—but the real test lies ahead16 September, 2026300 garment brands and retailers have now signed the International Accord. The legally binding agreement on worker health and safety across textile and garment factories covers over 3.4 million workers across 2,000 factories in Bangladesh and Pakistan.
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.
IndustriALL mobilizes support for democratic unions in Mexico7 September, 2026Mexico ranks among the world's top ten manufacturing economies. The country attracts significant foreign investment from large multinational companies, particularly in the automotive, aerospace and related supply industries. Yet the situation of the Mexican trade union movement has been a cause for concern. Trade union structures have not always effectively defended workers' rights, including the right to a living wage. This has contributed to significant wage gaps, particularly in sectors like the automotive industry.
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.
Guinea union in organizing push at Simandou despite hurdles2 September, 2026Simandou is Africa's largest mining project, estimated at US$20–24 billion and it is moving from construction to production. Guinea's Fédération Syndicale Professionnelle des Mines, Carrières, Industries Chimiques et Assimilés (FSPMCICA) says it has organized tens of thousands of workers at the site. However, pay secrecy, restricted access to mining sites and looming job losses remain causes for concern.
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.
