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Those terms were pieced together in high-level mediation from 19-22 June in Toronto. But final accord still eluded both sides due to differences in setting forth a just process through arbitration of Vale’s unilateral sacking of nine strikers. Over 3-4 July, through the insistence of Ontario Provincial Labour Minister Peter Fonseca, a process was established, opening the way for the 6-7 July contract vote.

Still to be resolved, however, is another strike over a separate labour contract between Vale and USW Local 9508 involving 200 steelworkers in Voiseys Bay and Goose Bay, Labrador. Those strikers have been out since 1 August 2009. The USW and Vale are expected to return to bargaining in mid-July in eastern Canada’s maritime province, and resolution appears imminent following the Ontario approval. There, 84% of total membership of the two branch unions turned out last week to ratify.

The contract acceptance in Ontario thus closes a chapter to one of Canada’s most acrimonious labour disputes, a dispute that saw mining and other unions from around the world galvanize behind the USW in efforts to preserve previously negotiated wage and work terms. The ICEM and the International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF) helped coordinate the global campaign.

In a joint statement, ICEM and IMF General Secretaries Manfred Warda and Jyrki Raina said: “The perseverance and character of USW members in Ontario and Labrador is what trade unions everywhere will remember about this strike. Their fight became our fight and thus they laid the building blocks on how to wage a coordinated global campaign.”

The five-year agreement in Ontario includes yearly wage increases that, coupled with cost-of-living increases, will increase salaries between C$2.25 and C$2.50 per hour over the life of the agreement. The existing defined benefit pension plan for current workers also increases in increments over the contract term, with cost-of-living indexing and life-time health care benefits preserved.

In compromises made by the two sides, a defined contribution pension plan for new hires was agreed to that provides company contributions equal to 8% of employees’ regular basic earnings, with workers able to contribute additionally between 2% to 6% of regular earnings. This plan includes long-term disability coverage that is the same as that contained in the defined benefit pension plan.

The nickel production bonus was retained, although at levels less than the previously negotiated bonus. Workers can still supplement regular earnings by up to C$15,000 per year, with compromise struck on the price of nickel in which the trigger kicks in. The prior trigger of US$2.25 per pound was increased to US$3.75, less than the US$5.00-per-pound originally sought by Vale.

The new contract includes a C$2,000 signing bonus for all returning and retiring employees, with two additional C$1,000 bonuses linked to production numbers in the last one-third of 2010.

It also includes a side agreement setting forth rigid contracting-out criteria, which will serve as a job security measure.

A retirement incentive bonus was negotiated that will give workers with 30 years service a one-time C$30,000 retirement stipend, with C$15,000 granted to those with 27-29 years. A reduction in force was also agreed to of 113 jobs, with those redundancies very likely to come by way of attrition.

The return-to-work agreement calls for Vale to recall USW members beginning in the next to the last week of July, and no later that 11 August. In the separate agreement involving the fate of the nine discharged USW Local 6500 members, the two sides agreed to have the Ontario Labour Relations Board make a determination on whether or not the unjust firings will go to independent arbitration. Those governmental hearings began on 9 July.

In the USW’s statement announcing the ratification, District Six Director Wayne Fraser said, “Our members have spoken and I believe everyone respects the decisions they have made in extremely difficult circumstances.”
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3899-Canadian-USW-Members-Ratify-5-Year-Collective-Agreement-)

The ever-evolving labour-management relationship between FAWUL and Firestone is fast becoming a showcase in modern industrial relations for the administration of Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Labour Minister Taiworn Gongloe stated at the celebration that the social relationship “has broken from the past,” and thanks to enlightened leadership coming from the President, the rights of workers and the interests of the company both are now guaranteed. Added Firestone Managing Director Charles Stuart, “What we’re celebrating here is the result of management and employees working in a peaceful and respectful manner. Without you we are nothing and together, anything can happen.”

It was only a short three years ago that FAWUL was fighting the last vestiges of an illegitimate yellow union that had been propped up by Firestone management for decades. Following free and open elections, and an ambitious years-long union-building project by the US-based United Steelworkers (USW), FAWUL won union certification in 2007. (See ICEM reports here and here.)

A year later, on 27 July, FAWUL won its first collective agreement, giving workers a 24% pay increase backdated 19 months, reducing a quota system on tapping natural rubber from trees, and granting new schools and free tuition for the sons and daughters of workers.

This second contract goes further: a 3.5% wage increase, the construction of more schools and school transportation, and perhaps the most important gain, a mechanized transport system to haul the rubber latex to weigh stations. For decades, workers had to haul 150-pound buckets of rubber sometimes miles on their shoulders to the stations.

FAWUL Secretary-General Edwin Cisco said the months long bargaining was hard and arduous, but that a “new day of social dialogue between management and workers has begun and the days of confrontation and agitation are over.”

“This is a major success story in so many ways,” stated ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda, “and we should never lose sight of the fact that the Steelworkers Union of America did the hard and difficult work up front to make it happen. We commend the workers, FAWUL leadership, and Firestone Rubber management, and see a long, productive, and precedent-setting relationship unfolding inside Liberia.”
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3900-FAWUL-Firestone-Rubber-Plantation-in-Liberia-Sign-Second)

This murder is the latest in the ongoing violent persecution of the oil workers union, as USO activists are involved in collective struggles with the multinational British Petroleum in Casanare, with Ecopetrol and with TGI (Transportadora de Gas del Interior).

The murder occurred three days after another trade union activist was assassinated, Ibio Efrén Caicedo, on 19 June. The trade unionist from the Antioquia Teachers’ Association (ADIDA) was the seventh unionised teacher to be murdered in 2010 in the Antioquia region, northern Colombia. He was killed the day before the presidential elections in the country.

The total number of trade unionists assassinated in Colombia in 2010 is 32. As was recently reported by ICEM, in 2009 there were 101 trade unionists murdered around the world, 48 of them in Colombia. Nearly 3,000 trade unionists have been murdered in Colombia in the last 24 years. When Uribe hands power to President-elect Juan Maunel Santos, his legacy will be 529 union leaders killed while conducting collective bargaining, with the hired killers from paramilitary groups acting with impunity.

The ICEM joins USO in calling for a full investigation into this latest crime, to be lead by Colombia’s Attorney General.

These killings occurred four weeks after the ILO’s Committee on the Application of Standards removed Colombia from the list of 25 countries sanctioned for trade union rights abuses. The surprising decision to remove the most dangerous country for trade unionists from the list was passed on the condition that a high level tripartite ILO delegation to Colombia would take place. The mission was in Bogotá 6-9 July, conducting a series of meetings with government, employers, and workers.

The delegation took part in numerous meetings with workers rallying outside. Last Wednesday, 7 July, as the delegation met with the Colombian Ministry of Social Protection, hundreds of workers outside chanted slogans such as “down with the repressive policies of the Uribe government and the Ministry of Social Protection!”. The rally was, as is the norm, under constant intimidation by the notorious ESMAD riot police.

ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda expressed anger and grief, on behalf of all ICEM affiliates, in a letter to USO President Germán Osman this week.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3901-USO-Activist-Murdered-ILO-Delegation-Arrives-in-Colombia)

The other deaths occurred at AngloGold Ashanti’s Tau Lekoa gold mine on 7 July, where an explosion took the life the life of a miner, and at Imperial Platinum’s Rustenburg mine, where an underground rock slide crushed a worker. Both are also in North West Province, with the Tau Lekoa mine extending into Free State Province.

At Aquarius, two other miners were trapped at the Marikana mine late in the evening of 6 July when a large segment of an underground shaft collapsed. One of those miners suffered serious injuries, while the other was rescued unscathed. Rescue teams from nearby Impala Platinum and a Lonmin mine assisted in the rescue. All workers were employed by Murray and Roberts Cementation.

Aquarius has closed the No. 4 shaft of Marikana, which supplies the Australian-based company, the world’s fourth largest platinum producer, with 50% of Marikana’s production.

The shaft remained closed early this week, and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said it would take its mandatory one-day period of mourning once the mine reopens.

“Once this suspension is lifted, we will embark on a day of mourning, which means there won’t be any work done at the mine on that day,” said NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka.

“This is a disaster,” added NUM General Secretary Frans Baleni. “At a time when the industry brags of so-called improved safety, we now have disasters raising their ugly heads again,” he added. The NUM has called for a full investigation.

NUM General Secretary, Frans Beleni

Impala Platinum’s Rustenberg mine death comes 50 weeks after nine miners tragically died at the Lease Mine No. 14 near Rustenburg, which was South Africa’s worst disaster in 2009. Impala, the world’s number two platinum producer, led all producers in South Africa in mining deaths last year. The country mines and processes 80% of all global platinum, which is used in electronics, catalytic converters, and jewelry.

AngloGold has had a deal in place since 2008 to sell the Tau Lekoa mine to Simmer and Jacks, but internal problems within the latter company has prevented conclusion of the sale.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3902-Seven-Die-in-South-African-Mining-Tragedies-Last-Week)

The ICEM affiliated unions National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), and a third union, representing a combined 28,000 workers, are expected to sign the agreement this week, with the across-the board salary increase backdated to 1 June.

A major issue throughout bargaining was the housing allowance. In that, a compromise was reached in which workers will receive a R1,500 (US$194) monthly allowance. Entering early July’s final mediated bargaining session before workers were prepared to strike, Eskom had an 8.5% wage offer and a R1,000 housing stipend on the table. The unions had demanded R2,500 for housing.

The housing allowance issue was a carry over from last year’s bargaining, when Eskom promised to establish a commission by year’s end to award a first-ever stipend for staff who work away from home. That never materialized.

Labour unions and management are expected to decide this week when the R1,500 allowance will take effect, with unions arguing it should be backdated. Also this week, talks will continue towards reaching a minimum service agreement, an accord that will determine which Eskom employees are not essential state workers and thus have the right to strike. The unions also have this matter before a labour appeals court.

The NUM represents 16,000 workers at Eskom, while NUMSA represents about 5,000.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3903-Eskom-and-South-African-Unions-Agree-to-9-Wage-Hikes)

Twenty-four-year-old Robert Greenacre, a pipe fitter, was killed. He did not answer a safety roll call following the blast and his body was recovered late in the evening of 29 June. Greenacre, a member of Unite the Union, was an employee of a sub-contractor working for Jacobs Engineering, the primary contractor for Paris-based Total at Lindsey.

“Unite puts the highest premium on health and safety in the workplace and we are calling for an immediate, independent, and comprehensive inquiry into what happened,” stated Unite National Officer for Construction Tom Hardacre. “We would particularly like to know why further searches were not made when our member was unaccounted for in the roll-call when employees were evacuated.”

Robert Greenacre

The GMB National Organiser for Engineering and Construction, Phil Whitehurst, also demanded that Total be held accountable. He said hard questions need to be asked both of the company and UK’s Health and Safety Executive over why a “Permit to Work” was issued for pipefitting work inside the HDS-3 plant of the refinery. This “brings into question Total’s safety record yet again,” said Whitehurst. “They have to be held accountable.”

The GMB union leader was referring to a very recent verdict in a case from Total’s Buncefield oil depot in which the French company admitted health and safety regulations had been breached, causing a 2005 explosion that injured 40 workers.

In the days following the 29 June Lindsey blast, Total did send home 2,000 workers from the site because of asbestos exposure concerns due to damage from the explosion. Those workers began returning to work today, with the remainder due back to work tomorrow. All received full pay while idled.

Greenacre, who had worked at his trade for five years, was engaged to be married and he and his wife-to-be recently purchased their first house together. The ICEM extends its condolences to the young worker’s family, to Unite and GMB, and to all workers at Lindsey.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3904-UK-Unions-Want-Answers-to-Total’s-Lindsey-Refinery-Bla)

The workshop was attended by ICEM affiliates from Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Uruguay. They spoke about how CAL is being used to undermine trade unions, for example in Sintracarbón in Colombia where trade union activists are being transferred from permanent positions into what are known as ‘rubbish contracts’. Affiliates also spoke about the problems of triangular employment relationships, with CAL workers not being clear on who is ultimately responsible for their working conditions.

Participants exchanged information on the increasing efforts being made to halt the outsourcing of employment and abusive use of short-term contracts. The ICEM is working to create networks to facilitate ongoing exchange of experience and information between affiliates. Affiliates shared how their unions are integrating CAL issues in their policy development, and how they are exploring new ways of organising CAL workers. The Brazilian Petrobras union reported how two-thirds of the company’s workforce is employed on short-term contracts or through employment agencies, but how the union had succeeded in getting the company to establish a fund to protect these workers against unemployment.

Manfred Warda and the project coordinators from left to right: Sergio Novais, ICEM Regional Vice-President, Ashling Seely, Manfred Warda, ICEM General Secretary, Marilane Oliveira Teixeira, Patricio Sambonino, Rosane Sasse, Elias Soares

ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda closed the meeting, saying that Governments must be made aware that ILO Conventions apply equally to contract and agency workers, and that where there are obstacles to full rights for CAL workers these should be tackled with legal actions. Warda also spoke about the need to work against the practices of the World Bank and the IFC, organisations which are still advising governments that they need to create what they call more ‘flexible’ labour markets. Warda concluded by calling on participants to inform the ICEM when there are CAL-related problems with companies.

The regional committee meeting evaluated the activities carried out in the region since 2008 on the basis of the strategic plan drawn up in Uruguay. Three new unions were also ratified as new affiliates. The ICEM General Secretary spoke to the meeting about the ongoing effects of the global financial crisis, especially in Europe. He also updated the group on the talks with other GUF’s on cooperation and building new international structures.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3905-ICEM-Regional-Committee-CAL-Workshop-Meet-in-Recife-Braz)

The statement demands an independent and open inquiry into the causes of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, a process to which trade unions should be granted full insight.

In the years prior to the 20 April oil rig explosion that caused the current disaster, BP had repeatedly made assurances that “best available technology” is in use in all its operations. It has since become clear that this was not true at the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig operation. The Statement demands that “blow out prevention (BOP) systems should have remote control capabilities, for instance acoustic signal actuators, in addition to traditional BOP controls”.

The participants at the Toronto Conference included 270 trade union leaders from the industrial and manufacturing sectors of some 50 countries, affiliated to the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine, and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM), and the International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF), and the International Textile, Garment, and Leather Workers’ Federation (ITGLWF). In total, the number of workers represented by these organisations and their affiliates exceeds 55 million people and includes the most important unions in the petroleum sector, worldwide.

Local sponsors of the event in Canada included the Communications, Energy, Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP), the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), the Power Workers Union (PWU), the United Steelworkers (USW), and the International Association of Machinists (IAM).

See the full statement here.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3906-ICEM-IMF-ITGLWF-Affiliates-Demand-Better-Governance-of-O)

According to the statutes of EMCEF, during the period between Congress’s, the General Assembly is convened as a forum to discuss important political issues with an authority to implement decisions taken by the Congress and to review EMCEF’s policies, without the right to change the statutes.

The General Assembly was attended by two guests, namely Kemal Özkan, Chemical and Rubber Industries Officer of ICEM and Peter Scherer, General Secretary of the European Metalworkers’ Federation (EMF). Patrick Itschert, General Secretary of ITGLWF and ETUC:TCL could not be present in the meeting because of other obligations and sent his apologies.

EMCEF President Hubertus Schmoldt

In his opening speech, EMCEF President Hubertus Schmoldt pointed to the financial crisis, its effects on social issues and unemployment as well as joint European policies in the crisis environment. He particularly underlined mass youth unemployment in Europe, which is more than 20% on average, even around 40% in some European countries. Referring to the Presidium meeting which took place just before the General Assembly, Schmoldt explained the importance of the creation of a new European Industrial federation in the metal, chemical, energy, mine and textile sectors.

EMCEF General Secretary Reinhard Reibsch submitted his Secretariat report to the General Assembly on the following issues:

a. European Integration
i. Lisbon Treaty, new EU Council President, new EU Commission, EU integration process (Iceland, Croatia, Turkey)
ii. Belgium Presidency with an agenda of EU2020 Strategy, Financial Supervision, Social Issues, Energy and Climate Change, Strengthening EU’s external action
iii. Recent Elections in some EU countries, particularly in the UK and Hungary
iv. Important Changes by the Reform Treaty
v. Financial Policy

b. Activities of EMCEF Committees:
i. Industrial policy, health, safety and environment committee – implementation of REACH and ECHA, nanotechnology, climate change, impact of crisis
ii. Social dialogue committee – sectoral social dialogues in chemical, electricity, gas, extractive industries and pulp/paper sectors.
iii. European Works’ Councils committee – formation of new EWCs, renewal of list of country coordinators, joint work with EMF and ETUC:TCL

EMCEF Political Secretary Jorma Rusanen gave a report on the activities of the Collective Bargaining Committee. He highlighted the collective bargaining database developed through the Eurocob@n project, Europe-wide collective negotiations at sectoral and company levels and mandate procedures, discussions on EU’s Working Time Directive (WTD) and Posting Directive (PWD).

Delegates from Spain, the UK, France, Poland, Italy and Germany took the floor and raised their concerns on modification of two EU directives which could result in precariousness in employment, climate change, future of Europe’s energy sector through valorisation of national raw materials and reinforcing manufacturing jobs through innovation in the industries. The report of the Secretariat was unanimously adopted.

One major agenda item of the General Assembly was the creation of a new European Industrial Trade Union Federation by EMCEF, EMF and ETUF:TCL. President Hubertus Schmoldt explained the situation, by making reference to the resolution of the previous General Assembly in Istanbul, Turkey in 2006 on closer cooperation with other European Industry Federations and the decision of the EMCEF Congress in Prague, Czech Republic in 2008 towards creation of a new European Federation as well as a number of decisions of the Presidium and Executive Committee.

EMF General Secretary Peter Scherer reported that creation of a new organisation is a political project rather than a technical one at a time when all the partners are in good situations in terms of finances and organisational structures which give great opportunity to focus on political aspects commonly affecting the whole manufacturing chain. The EMF was reported to be prepared to continue to work under one united umbrella organisation in Europe in the future which would make industrial unions much more powerful vis-à-vis employers and politics.

A new European Industrial Federation, will provide an opportunity for each European trade union federation to share its strengths, in order to become a common force. In this period of massive crisis for industry, the new federation will aim first to meet the needs of local trade union and company representatives at European level. It is also mentioned that the identity of the 3 founding federations should therefore be reflected in the composition of the leadership of the new federation. The aim is also foreseen to:
a. create a new industrial federation, and therefore no fusion/absorption;
b. build around an ambitious, common platform;
c. optimising strengths and complementarities, through the right balance between “pooling certain elements/synergies”
d. while maintaining a strong sectoral identity, especially in view of the fact that EMCEF has the widest sectoral coverage of all 3 federations.

It was also noted that the Presidents and General Secretaries of the three federations, at their meeting on 25 March 2010, came out in favour of setting up a joint working group. This working group will in its composition reflect the regional diversity of the three organisations and be composed of representatives from the affiliates who carry a political responsibility. The three general secretaries will function as the secretariat for this working group. In this way the need for conducting deliberations in a transparent and democratic manner will be ensured. The respective statutory bodies, as well as all affiliated organisations, will be informed and consulted systematically for each step of the works.

The Presidium’s motion on the future European federation was unanimously adopted by the General Assembly.

The General Assembly also adopted the following resolutions:
a. Mandate Procedures proposed by Presidium and Executive Committee
b. Pensions, retirement and lifelong work – an EMCEF policy on demography proposed by Collective Bargaining Committee
c. Multinational Company Policy proposed by European Works Councils Committee
d. Climate Change Policies proposed by Industrial Policy Committee
e. Instrumentalisation of Social Dialogue on European and national level proposed by Social Dialogue Committee
f. Protection and development of the European social model depends on the protection and extension of employment rights worldwide proposed by FITEQA-CC.OO. & FIA-UGT (with some changes by the Motions Committee)
g. Dialogue with the Regional Energy Trade Unions Network of South Eastern Europe (RETUNSEE) proposed by Turkish union Petrol-Is (with some modification by Motions Committee)
h. Gaza blockade, separation wall and solidarity with Palestinian workers and their unions proposed by Turkish union Petrol-Is (a new text prepared by the Motions Committee was adopted) The General Assembly condemned the “brutal and unacceptable attack by Israeli forces on the peaceful humanitarian flotilla carrying aid to Gaza.”
i. The Worsening Crisis – Europe at Risk – an ETUC resolution was passed

The General Assembly ended with the closing speech of EMCEF President Hubertus Schmoldt. Defining the General Assembly as an historic one, he announced that on the basis of the mandate given by the General Assembly, the Working Group for the creation of a new European Industrial Federation will be organised on 8 July. EMCEF will be represented by a group to be composed of its President, General Secretary and five other members representing different regions. It was also announced that on 29 September there will be a demonstration organised by ETUC in Brussels where EMCEF affiliates should also be present. The demonstration will coincide with the Presidium and Executive Committee meetings of EMCEF which are expected to take decisions on the creation of a new Federation as well as changes within the structure of the organisation.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3907-8th-General-Assembly-of-EMCEF-30-June-1-July-2010-Paris-)

“Workers have the right to a decent pension,” said CAW National President Ken Lewenza. “This is outright bullying of this small group of workers. This company is far from destitute and the rollback of any hard won workers’ benefits is out of the question.”

The strike began on 12 March. CAW Local 222 members last month began extending their picket lines to other St. Marys Cement plants and terminals in Canada. Local 222 saw their prior collective agreement expire on 31 January 2010, with the company demanding a change from a defined benefit pension plan to a defined contribution plan.

The change could mean as much as a 400% drop in annual pension earnings for workers. St. Marys is also seeking deep work-rule cuts. “This is an important struggle against a company” attempting to attack workers pensions, said Local 222 President Chris Buckley.

Votorantim purchased seven cement plants and terminals, as well as 39 ready-mix operations from Lafarge’s Blue Circle operations in Canada and the US in 2001 for US$700 million. It then revived the name St. Marys to the Toronto-based subsidiary, a name the operations went by for eight decades prior to Blue Circle buying them in 1997. Votorantim is a privately-held São Paulo-based industrial conglomerate that controls one-third of the Brazilian cement market.

The ICEM supports CAW Local 222 in its struggle to retain a fair labour contract in Ontario.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3908-Canadian-Cement-Strike-Now-in-Its-18th-Week)

In balloting between 19 June and 1 July, 160,000 of 1.4 million union members voted that the Dutch retirement age ought to be raised from 65 to 66 in the year 2020, and then possibly to 67 in 2025 if a national evaluation of higher life expectancy after 2020 warrants it. The advisory vote goes to FNV’s Council on 14 July, which is now expected to endorse the 4 June negotiated agreement between social partners.

FNV Bondgenoten President Henk van der Kolk

The negotiated social plan is seen as a guiding measure to a deadlocked government on retirement policy. The results of a 9 June election in the Netherlands revealed that any coalition government quite likely would come up with an even worse solution on pension revenue shortfalls and mandatory retirement age.

Under the proposed social plan, workers would still have the option to retire at 65, but they would face a 6.5% reduction in pension benefits. And under the union-business plan, the lowest-paid workers, and workers who do heavy physical jobs, would be exempt from any rise in the current pension age.

FNV Bondgenoten President Henk van der Kolk said he was pleased with the outcome of the late June balloting, calling it “a clear result.” The advisory referendum, a difficult administrative undertaking, was only the fifth time that FNV has even taken such a vote from its entire union membership.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3909-FNV-Members-Give-Nod-to-Raise-Future-Pension-Age-in-the-)

The purpose of the joint training was to seek a possibility of establishing peaceful and cooperative labour relations by analysing how the international standards for social dialogue are respected inside the company.

Forty participants joined the training, with seven participants from senior management, including the Managing Director and heads of all major departments.

The other 33 participants were trade unionists. Four participants came from the ICEM Thai Committee and the other 29 participants from the TIG/LINDE union including Nopphadol Sanom, president of TIG Labour Union, and Sutthirak Yalomphan, Vice-president.

Union participants came from 5 plants, all near to Bangkok; TIG/LINDE has a total of 13 plants in Thailand. The union participants had to use their own annual leave to participate in the training, and applied voluntarily to take part.

The company Managing Director, Mr. Keerin, gave a welcome speech on behalf of management, while Nopphadol, union president, emphasized the importance of implementing international standards agreed by LINDE HQ at the local level.

Dr. Ahn Pongsul, ILO Bangkok Office Senior Specialist, made a presentation on the Basic Principles of Social Dialogue. He stressed the basic enabling conditions to materialize social dialogue at enterprise level, such as a democratic environment, union recognition, two-way communication, mutual commitment and good will, respect, and adequate institutional support.

Mr. Keerin (MD) made a presentation on the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Policy of TIG/LINDE. A union participant said that he had never heard of the company’s CSR policy in his 12-year service.

Yoon Hyowon, ICEM’s Project Coordinator for MNC monitoring and Social Dialogue, made a presentation on ILO Core Conventions, OECD Guidelines and the UN Global Compact. The information on the international standards was almost new to management participants. Management participants had not been aware that LINDE had joined the UN Global Compact in 2005.

Yoon pointed out that the Linde Code of Ethics had not been translated into Thai, while it had been into Chinese and Korean in Asia. Mr. Sansern, Head of Human Resources, said that the translation was in process.

In the meeting with union leaders on 27 June prior to the joint training, they said that management had consistently interfered with union activity, that collective agreement were poorly implemented or often ignored, that management had discriminated against CAL workers and union members, that any company information such as financial data and outsourcing had not been disclosed, that unconditional 12-hour work for drivers had been systematically forced by management, and that management had not provided any union facility for constructive collective bargaining.

In concluding the joint training, Yoon Hyowon proposed management and the union to implement the following points:
1. To organize training for all employees on international standards agreed to by Linde HQ;
2. To organize a social dialogue forum to compare the actual situation of the company with international standards, especially the chapters 3 and 4 of OECD Guidelines on MNEs;
3. To translate the Linde Code of Ethics into Thai;
4. To post and distribute the UN Global Compact inside factories;
5. To post and distribute OECD Guidelines inside factories.

In the closing session, all participants from management and the union acknowledged that there was a long way to go for both parties to properly implement international standards promised by Linde HQ. At the same time, all participants from both sides expressed their commitment to social dialogue.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3910-12.Thai-Gas-Industry-Social-Dialogue-Meeting-Brings-Mana)

The ICEM supports calls for an independent investigation into the claims, to be headed by the United Nations, especially in light of Thailand holding the Presidency of the UN Human Rights Council currently. The allegations are very grave indeed, with mentions of torture, forced labour and systematic corruption.

Migrant workers from Burma in Thailand make up 5-10% of the Thai labour force.

According to fresh reports, Burmese migrants who are arrested by Thai officials are transported to a checkpoint on the Thai-Burmese border, on the Moei River, known as “Gate Zero”. The checkpoint is controlled by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), a proxy militia of the Burmese regime.

In the weeks since the National Verification order was issued, thousands of migrant workers have been arrested throughout Thailand and sent by police bus to Mae Sot, where their personal details are recorded and they are deported by boat across the river to Gate Zero.

Upon arrival at Gate Zero the DKBA demands 1,200 baht (US$37) for a deported person’s release, and offers a return trip to Bangkok for 10,000 baht.

Local labour activists believe the proceeds from these fines are shared between the DKBA, brokers and Thai officials.

The fine is huge for migrant workers, and many are unable to pay. In these cases, the worker’s family is informed of the need to pay the release money, with the worker detained and in some cases tortured.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3911-Burmese-Migrant-Workers-in-Thailand-Suffer-Gross-Human-R)

Jean-François Renucci was unanimously proposed by the union’s Federal Executive and subsequently elected by the Federal Steering Committee. Renucci began in his new role on 1 June, as the federation’s third general secretary.

The FCE-CFDT has described their new General Secretary as a dedicated trade unionist, with the necessary determination and experience to lead the trade union action of the federation, during turbulent financial conditions, globalisation, and ever-changing social conditions.

Jean-François Renucci

Jean-François has identified social dialogue as the key in the effort to improve conditions and rights of workers, individually and collectively. According to the new general secretary, collective bargaining is the only way to ensure fair treatment of employees in small, medium, and large sized companies. Jean-François has been involved in negotiating collective agreements in all sectors and at all levels, local, national and international, and he has consistently identified mutual respect, trust and confidence as key factors to success of collective bargaining.

Jean-François has made communication and participatory debate a priority for effective decision making, and the internal democracy of the federation. He hopes that in changing the general secretary, the organisation will not change its line or direction, but will give a renewed impetus to continue to implement decisions agreed collectively.

The ICEM salutes and thanks outgoing Patrick Pierron, and congratulates Jean-François Renucci.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3912-Jean-François-Renucci-Becomes-FCE-CFDT-General-Secretar)

The unanimity of the vote was important for Kazu who praised the internal unity of the CNQ, even more significant as the 1 July Congress was the organisation’s largest in terms of number of participants.

Kazu, elected for the period 2010-2013, identified expansion of the organisation as a key challenge now.

CNQ/CUT National Coordinator, Antenor Eiiji Nakamura

Antenor Eiiji Nakamura, Kazu, began political participation in the Ministry of Youth in the East Zone of São Paulo. He participated in the student movement while studying Philosophy at University, and working in the chemical industry. Joining the union in 1988, he moved on to head the Department of Education and International Relations at CNQ-CUT.

In total, the CNQ-CUT leadership is made up of 39 activists; this list was confirmed by Congress, also for the term of 2010-2013. ICEM Vice-President Sergio Novais was elected as treasurer.

Photos – Dino Santos

The congress debated a host of issues from international trends to the national situation which is marked by the elections scheduled for later in the year. CNQ sectors were analysed in detail together with the production chains. In addition there was an in-depth discussion of the paper, oil and pharmaceuticals industries, which are currently booming in Brazil. Other topics that were debated were trade union structures and organisation, contract and agency labour, reductions in working time, health and safety, profit sharing, corporate social responsibility, gender and race relations and youth. A special publication was presented on women which includes research on the profile of women workers in the chemical industry in five Brazilian states. The publication was sponsored by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES).

CNQ/CUT is the largest industrial trade union federation in Brazil, representing workers in chemicals, pharmaceuticals, rubber, glass, ceramics, and other process manufacturing sectors.

In the framework of these visits to Brazil, ICEM General Secretary made a stopover for talks with BASF management in order to get social dialogue with the workers’ regional network back on track.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3913-Brazilian-CNQ-CUT-Elects-New-Leader)

The original proposal, made by the national Ministry of Labour, offered workers a one-time bonus of 900 soles, as well as a wage increase of 87 soles for non-mineworkers and 2.9 soles for miners. Rejecting this offer, workers began an indefinite strike on 28 June. Operations at the Marcona mine were also halted in March as a result of a three-day strike by workers, see ICEM report here.

Shougang is Peru’s only iron ore producer, output in the first quarter of 2010 was 1.47 million tonnes, a 45.4% increase on last year.

The strike, halting production, caused the company major losses and Shougang was forced to declare force majeure on iron ore shipments.

FNTMMSP General Secretary, Luis Castillo Carlos

Elsewhere in Peru’s mining industry, US-owned Doe Run continues to refuse to restart operations at the polymetallic smelter in the town of La Oroya, as a 27 July deadline approaches. Before restarting operations, the company is asking for flexibility to pay taxes and fines, as well as modification of a 1997 privatization agreement that would protect the firm and its parent company from environmental lawsuits abroad.

Doe Run Peru also requested the government to delay application of environmental standards at the La Oroya complex. The area is described as one of the most polluted areas in the world.

While the company continues to dodge government demands, workers have been without work. One possible solution considered by Doe Run Peru is to relocate operations entirely, this would decimate the economy in La Oroya and neighbouring Junin region, and Doe Run Peru workers will not accept relocation plan.

Doe Run Peru is an affiliate of the New York-based Renco Group.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3914-Peru’s-Shougang-Mineworkers-End-Strike-Achieve-Wage-Ga)

Although campaigning against piracy at sea has for many years been a concern to the ITF Seafarers’ Section, the recent growth of pirate attacks in the Somalia region has brought the issue to the attention of the public around the world. The ITF and co-organisers are aiming to collect over half a million signatures in time for World Maritime Day, 23 September 2010.

With half a million signatures, the global petition will be used to push governments toward committing the necessary resources to end Somalia-based piracy.

Currently at least 379 seafarers from 25 countries are being held hostage, some since December 2009. In the last two years over 1800 seafarers have been kidnapped.

See more information and sign the petition on the dedicated website here.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3915-Global-Petition-against-Maritime-Piracy-)

The conference will explore the impact of the global recession on work environments and occupational health and safety. It is organised by the European Work Hazards Network, a forum uniting activists with different experience, skills and backgrounds – workers, trade union health and safety representatives, campaigners, academics, scientists and occupational safety and health professionals.

Delegates from countries outside Europe are also welcome. Full detail of the conference is available here.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site (http://www.icem.org/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3916-European-Work-Hazards-Conference-10-12-September-Leeds-U)