Türkiye: metalworkers’ strike banned again17 December, 2024Strike actions by Turkish metalworkers at major companies, including GE Grid Solutions, Hitachi Electric, Schneider Electric and Arıtaş, have been brought to a halt following a Presidential decree banning the strikes on the grounds of national security. IndustriALL Global Union and industriAll Europe condemn the ban which affects ten factories in four companies and urge the employers to not honour this attack on democracy and workers' fundamental rights.
Iranian steelworkers face retaliation for demanding decent working conditions16 December, 2024Four workers at the National Iranian Steel Company (NISC) in Ahvaz have been dismissed following a year-long struggle for fair wages, decent working conditions and proper implementation of a job classification scheme. The dismissals come after a series of industrial actions that began a year ago, involving around 3,000 workers.
Bangladesh: nine per cent annual increment not enough 16 December, 2024Bangladesh’s labour and employment advisor announced last week that ready-made garment (RMG) workers will receive an additional four per cent pay increase from December 2024, pending a new minimum wage. With the five per cent annual increment previously announced by the minimum wage board, the total annual increment is nine per cent. Unions say it is not enough amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Unions push for a Just Transition in the textile and garment sector16 December, 2024Last month, together with the ITUC Just Transition Centre and industriAll Europe, IndustriALL Global Union hosted a workshop to discuss strategies for ensuring decent work and social protection in the global textile and garment sector, as it faces disruptions from economic and environmental shifts under the green transition. The event brought together union leaders to address the sector’s challenges amidst the green transition and economic transformations.
Pharmaceutical unions in Asia Pacific unite to build collective power 16 December, 2024More than 75 union representatives from Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam gathered for the regional chemical and pharmaceutical trade union network meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 3-4 December.
Over 400 workers killed in India in due to workplace safety lapses12 December, 20242024 has been another dreadful year for workplace safety in India. According to data compiled by IndustriALL, by 10 December, at least 240 workplace accidents occurred in the manufacturing, mining, and energy sectors, resulting in over 400 fatalities and more than 850 serious injuries. The actual numbers are probably significantly higher as workplace accidents are underreported.
There must be respect for democratic rights in Georgia 10 December, 2024In the light of the protests in recent weeks in Georgia, IndustriALL Global Union calls on the government of Georgia to respect the people’s rights of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
Unions in MENA tackle due diligence challenges 9 December, 2024Trade unions across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have called for stronger measures to enforce due diligence on human and workers’ rights along supply chains. At a regional workshop held in Tunis on 13-14 November, organized by IndustriALL, union leaders highlighted pressing concerns about accountability, enforcement gaps, and the need for solidarity.
All workers need a union and unions need workers9 December, 2024The first online discussion in IndustriALL on LGBTI+ workers, held on 26-27 November 2024, brought attention to the critical challenges faced by LGBTI+ individuals in workplaces and trade unions. These challenges include discriminatory laws, workplace violence, exclusion, and pervasive homophobia and transphobia within unions. During the 2 days participants shared inspiring stories of activism, where union members have worked tirelessly to advocate for inclusivity and equity, turning these challenges into opportunities for change.
South Korean metalworkers stage nationwide strike to defend democracy6 December, 2024Factories across South Korea’s metal sector came to a standstill today as tens of thousands of workers heeded a two-hour general strike call from IndustriALL affiliate Korean Metal Workers' Union (KMWU). The strikes follows an emergency meeting of the union’s Central Executive Committee, where members were urged to strike for at least two hours per shift on 5 and 6 December to call on President Yoon Suk Yeol to resign.