OPEL WORKERS IN SOLIDARITY
European GM workers show solidarity to Antwerp Opel workers and Saab finds a new owner in Sweden
EUROPE: On Tuesday January 26, the Opel Works Council called the workers of all European sites to an employee meeting in Antwerp.
Employees from Opel in Germany, Poland, Spain and the UK´s Vauxhall plants demonstrated their solidarity with the threatened colleagues of the Antwerp plant.
The Unions' Representatives and the members of the Opel Works Council declared that there will be no sacrifice and no concession by the workers unless this decision is reversed.
Klaus Franz, the head of the General Works Council said that GM broke the signed agreement with trade unions to replace the Astra by two small SUV´s at the Antwerp plant.
The unions declared GM management should be aware that the Opel workers have a long history of solidarity and there will be a lot of support from all European sites for the colleagues in the Antwerp plant. Click here for more info.
On a more positive note, Spyker agreed to buy Saab, which belongs so far to GM.
This decision saves not only 3,400 jobs at Saab in Trollhätten, Sweden but thousands more at suppliers and retailers. [Jan 28, 2010 – Anita Gardner]
ILO: DECISIVENESS THAT SAVED BANKS IS NEEDED TO SAVE AND CREATE JOBS
A jobless recovery is the scenario that appears from the just released ILO "Global Employment Trends 2010 Report".
GLOBAL: International Labour Organization 2010 data on employment trends do not come as a surprise. Still they are frightening as they show that there is no hope that employment rates will return soon to pre-crisis levels. Furthermore employment conditions are deteriorating constantly both in the North and in the South, with a shift everywhere to precarious employment arrangements.
In a press release issued today the ILO stresses that "the share of workers in vulnerable employment worldwide is estimated to reach over 1.5 billion, equivalent to over half (50.6 per cent) of the world's labour force. The number of women and men in vulnerable employment is estimated to have increased in 2009, by as much as 110 million compared to 2008." Not only the good jobs that have been lost will not come back any time soon, but they will move to the less protected, less regulated, often "grey" segments of the labour market.
The global crisis should and could be the opportunity to bring work back to the centre of economy. Trade unions are demanding that a new model of growth centered on quality employment be the exit strategy from the crisis. On the contrary, stimulus and emergency measures have addressed corporate and banking and financial sectors interests rather than objectives of recovery in the labour market. Stimulus plans must urgently address employment generation as the primary goal and the condition for economic recovery.
The international economic and financial institutions were unable - or perhaps didn't want - to see the crisis coming. The Governments of their member countries are obviously responsible for this; they should stop now their empty talks on the need for regulations and take concrete measures to come out of the crisis avoiding the return to business as usual and to the blind belief in the self-regulatory role of the market. [Jan 27, 2010 – Carla Coletti]
WORKERS AT JOHNSON CONTROLS IN PUEBLA WANT TO JOIN MINERS' UNION
A campaign to discredit the Mexican miners' union has been launched in order to discourage workers from joining the union.
MEXICO: Workers at Johnson Controls in Puebla have decided to improve their working conditions and exercise their right to the freedom of association. They want to join the Mexican Miners' Union (SNTMMSRM) but leaders of the CROM trade union have begun a campaign to discredit the miners' union in an attempt to discourage workers from joining it.
Johnson Controls Servicios S. de R.L de C.V. is located in Puebla. It is owned by United States and German capital and produces car parts. It assembles car seats and seat supports. Most production goes to Volkswagen, Ford, MB, Chrysler and Nissan plants.
According to the Centro de Apoyo al Trabajador A.C. (CAT), a labour support centre, workers at this company have been fighting for more than two years and learning about human and labour rights, in order to be able to exercise their right to freedom of association. The workers have formed an organising coalition at the company (COT-JC). In 2007, some workers participated in the Comisión Revisora del Reparto de Utilidades (Profit Sharing Review Committee) and also demanded a new collective agreement but were dismissed without valid reason in June 2007. The company and the "protection union" in place have continued to harass workers since then and more workers have been dismissed.
The workforce is currently affiliated to the Confederación Regional Obrera Mexicana - CROM, a "protection union". This union has formally "represented" workers at the company for more than ten years but the workers say they have not received the support they need to improve their conditions.
Workers who want to leave CROM and join the SNTMMSRM have been the victims of intimidation at the workplace and in their communities and homes in the state of Tlaxcala, where most of the company's workers live. CROM representatives have told them, "You have the right to join whichever union you want, but beware of the consequences."
Sergio Beltrán, secretary of the miners' union, said he was taking the steps necessary for workers at Johnson Controls to join the miners' union and hoped to be able to talk to company management. He said it was important for the international union federations, including the IMF, to act as mediators and arrange a meeting with the company.
International representatives of the IMF met COT-JC workers and CAT members several times in 2008 and gave their full support to the workers' struggle to form a democratic trade union. The IMF gives its wholehearted support to COT-JC's wish to join the SNTMMSRM and will continue to monitor the situation closely. [Jan 26, 2010 – Valeska Solis]
ICEM, IMF DECRY MITTAL'S PAY DELINQUENCIES IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
Defending coke-chemical workers' protests against pay rates well below minimum wage levels and concerns about occukpational cancer.
BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: The International Metalworkers' Federation joins the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine, and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) in demanding that the government of Bosnia-Herzegovina intervene on behalf of 1,250 workers in the northern city of Lukavac. The workers have had their pay slashed and are owed wage arrears by India-based Global Infrastructure Holdings Ltd., a subsidiary of the Ispat Group, owned by the Mittal steel-making family.
The company is the minority owner but manages a coke-chemicals enterprise called Global Ispat Koksana Industtrija Lukavac (GIKIL), which sells to steel mills throughout Central Europe, Turkey, and in India. The local government of the Canton of Tuzla is majority stakeholder.
In a January 21 letter to Bosnia-Herzegovina Prime Minister Mustafa Mujezinovic and to Canton of Tuzla Prime Minister Enes Mujić, ICEM general secretary Manfred Warda - together with IMF general secretary Jyrki Raina - called on both the federal government and regional government to ensure that restoration of previous pay levels dating to 2003 are restored, that wage arrears are paid, and that the governments be more vigilant on potentially serious health risks existing inside GIKIL.
The ICEM is pursuing justice for Lukavac workers on behalf of one of those affiliates, the Independent Trade Union of Chemistry and Non-Metal Workers of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
"The ICEM has probed Global Infrastructure Holdings, its parent, the steel-maker Ispat Group, and Pramod Mittal himself." said Warda. "What we find is a history of depraved conduct placed on people in many countries and total disregard for global social standards, as well as statutes enshrined in European law."
In Lukavac, workers have carried out lawful strikes twice in six months, laying claims to salaries owed them. Despite all workers taking membership in the union, GIKIL's Indian managing director, Guttupalli Jagannadham, has bypassed the union in slashing pay to 55 per cent of previous earnings. That level is below the minimum wage standard contained in the national collective agreement for chemistry and non-metals, and amounts to just above €200 per month (400 marka), putting it well under the minimum wage threshold for the sector in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Workers staged a strike from January 6 to 14 after salaries had not been paid in October, November, and December 2009. During the strike, the October and November pay was made, but December salaries are still in remiss. A mediated agreement that ended a three-day strike in July 2009 called on GIKIL management to honour the collective agreement, and pay all wages due by December 31, 2009.
The ICEM and IMF also stated concern for workers' health at GIKIL in the letter to the Bosnia-Herzegovina government. The Independent Trade Union of Chemistry and Non-Metal Workers believes a number of workers have acute cases of cancer due to lack of safeguards around coke ovens.
In the joint letter, the combined 45-million-member ICEM and IMF cautioned the government not to lose oversight over labour-management relations at GIKIL. [Jan 25, 2010 – Anita Gardner]
WSF CELEBRATES TEN YEARS
At a World Social Forum event in Porto Alegre in January 2010, civil society groups will seek alternatives to neo-liberal policies and reflect on ten years of work.
GLOBAL: Celebrating its tenth year of existence, the World Social Forum (WSF), will take place in 2010 in a permanent way all year-round with at least 27 regional, national and local events throughout the world during the year.
Opening this process, the regional event "Greater Porto Alegre 10 Years Social Forum", which is going to happen from January 25 to 29, 2010 in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, will have over 500 decentralized activities in the cities of Porto Alegre, Gravataí, Canoas, São Leopoldo, Novo Hamburgo and Sapiranga.
One of the main activities of the Greater Porto Alegre Social Forum is the international seminar "10 Years Later: Challenges and proposals for another possible world", which aims to examine the new challenges of alter-globalist civil society and to design future directions to be followed by the WSF. It also aims to provide a more systematic reflection on what has been done thus far, including mistakes and successes.
The WSF is an open meeting place where social movements, networks, NGOs and other civil society organizations can engage in a permanent world process seeking and building alternatives to neo-liberal policies. Many trade unions affiliated to the International Metalworkers' Federation will take part in WSF activities throughout the year.
The dates of the 2010 Porte Alegre event overlap with the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, taking place from January 27 to 31, 2010. The 40th anniversary of the WEF meeting will be held under the theme "Improve the State of the World: Rethink, Redesign, Rebuild", where organizers hope that the 2,500 leaders from over 90 countries representing business, government and civil society participating will show true "corporate global citizenship".
You can find the complete list of World Social Forum events and activities here.
Go here for more details on the World Economic Forum.
[Jan 21, 2010 – Anita Gardner]
GLOBAL LABOUR AUDIOCAST STARTS SOON
International labour news audiocasts start on the internet in February 2010.
GLOBAL: As of February 1, 2010 the web-based resource RadioLabour will start broadcasting a weekly 20 minute programme called "Solidarity news". The programme will go live every Monday morning.
According to RadioLabour, the new web service will help to promote global communication between labour organizations of the South and the North and will focus primarily on union and workers' issues and activities around the world emphasizing the situation in emerging economies and developing countries.
The audiocast is presented by labour educator Marc Bélanger. The reports will be based on materials created by RadioLabour reporters and interested unionists will be also given the opportunity to supply their materials for audio reports.
The scripts of the audiocasts will be stored on the website and will be available for unionists who want to improve their English speaking skills as an additional language in the international labour movement.
Fore further information about the news service, reporting and time of audiocasts please visit here. [Jan 21, 2010 – Alex Ivanou]
CAW FIGHTS PROPOSED XSTRATA PLANT CLOSURES
Canadian miners are protesting the Swiss mining company's plans to close its copper and zinc operations, calling on government to intervene.
CANADA: The Canadian Auto Workers' Union (CAW) is demanding that the federal government release the details of the agreement it made with Xstrata when it took over Falconbridge in 2006, to see if that deal is violated by Xstrata's plans to close its copper and zinc operations at Kidd Creek, near Timmins, Ontario.
The Switzerland-based company's December 7, 2009 announcement of the closures has sparked a massive campaign by the CAW in an effort to save 500 of the union's members' jobs, another 170 Xstrata employees and 200 workers hired on contract. The CAW estimates additional 3,000 - 4,000 jobs will be lost in Timmins and surrounding communities due to the proposed closures.
"Canadians deserve to know exactly what was in that 2006 agreement," said CAW President Ken Lewenza. The CAW will press for government action to reverse the closure decision, if indeed, as is expected, the 2006 deal required Xstrata to continue operating value-added facilities.
In a letter to Xstrata CEO Mick Davis, International Metalworkers' Federation general secretary Jyrki Raina called on the company to "postpone taking such drastic measures and allow for constructive dialogue between the CAW, Xstrata and community leaders in an effort to explore alternative long-term solutions that will prove beneficial to all parties."
The CAW, workers, their families and community members held a rally on January 17 to show solidarity with the workers facing lay-off and activate the community in how they can take action against the closures. Rally participants were asked to contact their government representatives and explain how the lay-offs would impact their families and community.
The CAW campaign titled "Our Resources Stay Here" is similar to the fight the United Steelworkers (USW) has launched against Brazilian-owned mining giant Vale in nearby Sudbury, Ontario. The CAW has supported USW Local 6500 on picket lines and with financial support in its current six-month strike against Vale Inco, and it has also joined USW in calling on the Canadian Parliament to enact legislation that would give transparency to deals made under the Investment Canada Act.
For more information about the CAW's struggle against Xstrata, go to the union local's website. [Jan 21, 2010 – Kristyne Peter]
TENARIS: RESOLUTION IN ITALY, STRIKE IN ARGENTINA
Tenaris workers reach favourable agreement in Italy, but take strike action in Argentina following the sacking of 23 workers, reports the Tenaris Workers' World Council.ITALY/ARGENTINA: The Tenaris Workers' World Council reports that a favourable agreement was reached for Tenaris employees in Italy on December 29, 2009 after 26 hours of bargaining.
In October Tenaris proposed a 114 million Euros investment plan for Italy. The plan included large investments but also the dismissal of 1,024 employees, the closure of the plant located in Piombino and suspended any new investment in the plant located in Costa Volpino.
After several measures opposing the closures and dismissals, including the march of the members of the Tenaris Workers' World Council to the plant located in Bergamo in November last year, the unions and the employer reached an agreement including:
- No plant will be closed
- The number of job losses will be 741 instead of 1,024 and workers will participate in job reductions only voluntarily
- The employer will provide incentives for early retirements or other separation modalities
- Workers affected if the number needed is not reached by voluntary retirements will continue receiving 80 per cent of their wages and other benefits.
Meanwhile, in Argentina all permanent and contracted employees at the Tenaris plant in Valentín Alsina are currently on strike and picketing the front gate of the plant not allowing any vehicle in or out of the plant.
For three years Tenaris has employed 23 people on a permanent and full-time basis but listed them as contracted employees on their pay-roll. The minister of labour ordered Tenaris to recognize these employees as full-time permanent workers. Tenaris not only refused to follow the ministerial order, but also fired the 23 employees on January 18, 2010. All workers at the plant, permanent and contracted, are on strike in protest of the employer's provocative attitude. [Jan 20, 2010 – Anita Gardner]
INDEPENDENT UNIONS DISCUSS JOINT STRATEGIES IN BELARUS
Participants of the REPAM-SPM joint seminar in Belarus examined both the external and internal threats to union development, discussed lack of protection and networking methods in union activities.
BELARUS: IMF affiliates REPAM and SPM met in Minsk on December 19-20, 2009 to examine the current situation and develop new strategies. The original plan was to meet at a resort near Minsk, but despite the fact that the hotel rooms were booked in advance hotel employee called REPAM just hours before the meeting, saying there were no rooms available. It was clear the hotel management acted on government orders. However, the meeting still took place at REPAM's headquarters, and participants were accommodated in different hotels in Minsk.
The participants discussed the relations between REPAM and the national union federation BKDP. Another theme of the meeting was the problem with legal registration of shop floor organizations. While to register a union in Belarus one has to collect 31 documents, staying illegal (i.e. unregistered) may lead to criminal charges and imprisonment.
External threats to union development include aggressive new government policies (for example, increasing the required minimum number of members of a national union from 500 to 7,000), short-term work contracts, fabricated criminal cases against union leaders and activists and other provocations from police and state bodies.
Lack of clear trade union ideology, differences between BKDP affiliates such as the big, widely recognized unions such as BNP and militant organizations under great pressure such as SPM and REPAM, and aging of union members are among internal threats to union development.
The participants discussed solidarity campaigns as a means to protect union activists. There was also an idea of organizing a network of volunteers and supporters, who are not union members themselves since being a union member can sometimes lead to serious problems in Belarus. The task is to mobilize 2,000 such activists.
Another proposed strategy of protecting dismissed union activists was to help them find jobs in foreign countries, such as Poland, Lithuania and Russia. Their children should be provided an opportunity to study abroad - this will strengthen the feeling of solidarity and support in the union movement.
Both rank-and-file union members and union leaders regarded the meeting as highly successful. [Jan 20, 2010 – Ilya Matveev]
HUMANITARIAN APPEAL FOR HAITI
IMF Encourages affiliates to support ITUC appeal for Haiti.
GLOBAL: The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has called for "a major international mobilisation of humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Haiti" in a statement released on January 13, 2010. In a message sent to all affiliates on January 20, 2010, the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) urged its affiliates to support the ITUC appeal.
Funds raised under the ITUC appeal will in the first instance be used to provide humanitarian assistance via the ITUC affiliates in the Dominican Republic, CASC, CNTD and CNUS. The three Dominican Republic organisations have opened up their local trade union offices to collect funds and essential items, which are being trucked across the border into Haiti, in cooperation with the ITUC's Haitian affiliate the CTH.
Funds for the appeal may be transferred to the following ITUC account:
No. 375-1008200-61
Banque ING, Brussels Branch Institutionals, 1 rue du Trone, B-1000 Brussels
Code IBAN: BE 62375100820061
Code BIC/Swift: BBRUBEBB
The communication "SOS Solidarity - Haiti" must be included with each transfer to this account.
The IMF has no affiliated unions in Haiti, however, Jorge Almeida, IMF regional representative for Latin America and the Caribbean went to Haiti on November 29 last year to meet with a group of metalworkers to promote the formation of a union in their sector. At that meeting a working committee was established responsible for building a union in contact with the IMF regional office and IMF subregional co-ordinator Gregorio Santana.
Gregorio Santana, who is also general secretary of FENATRAMIM, IMF's affiliate in the Dominican Republic, said the situation in Haiti is very complicated with problems of communication and co-ordination for assistance. The current priority is the recovery of bodies, the medical and health care of the wounded and food for the population. Santana will keep the IMF informed of the needs of the people and the reconstruction of Haiti.
Unions around the world are raising money and sending volunteers to Haiti. There's full coverage of the activity on LabourStart. [Jan 20, 2010 – Anita Gardner]
UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR HEARS UNIONS' CONCERN
Shipbreaking workers in India explain the terrible conditions and struggle they face each day.INDIA: Trade unionists from India's shipbreaking yards met with Mr Okechukwu Ibeanu UN Special Rapporteur on the adverse effects of the movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment of human rights.
Shipbreaking workers explained to Mr Ibeanu the conditions and struggle faced by workers in Alang, the world's largest shipbreaking yard. Despite the union being able to improve basic health and safety conditions, since April 2009 there have been 14 fatalites in Alang alone.
The workers also described the deadly cocktail of inexperience, lack of training and the high volume of work that has made the situation more hazardous.
Recent attempts by employers to increase profits have included dumping waste materials in the sea and at nearby farms and villages to avoid paying the use of official facilities.
Rob Johnston IMF Executive Director stated at the meeting, "not only are workers facing hazardous materials in the work place but the dangers are following them home.
"By polluting the local area, not only are the employers endangering workers' lives, but also adding strength to the voices of those that want to see this activity shut down."
The workers explained that they believe it is possible to carry out the shipbreaking in a more sustainable way but all parties must show more responsibility for this to happen. [Jan 19, 2010 – Rob Johnston]
LABOUR RIGHTS GROUPS PROTEST GOLD PEAK'S PERFORMANCE
Chinese battery producer Gold Peak Industrial Holding Ltd under fire by Chinese and International labour groups for failing to be decent employer.CHINA: In its urgent appeal for letters to be sent to Gold Peak, Good Electronics reports on calls for an inquiry into the violence used against workers by security guards at Power Pack, a Gold Peak subsidiary in Huizhou, China during a strike in December.
Non-governmental Chinese labour groups, including Globalization Monitor and the Asia Monitor Resource Centre are also calling on Gold Peak to pay the full hospitalization costs of the workers injured by this violence and to compensate the workers sacked in relation to the incident.
In December 2009 growing dissatisfaction with low wages at the plant resulted in a two-day strike, which turned sour when three workers were locked up and treated badly by the company's security guards. In the course of the strike, workers blocked the gates as well as the main road to the compound.
Four employees of Power Pack were later summoned to the local police station to assist in an investigation into the road blockade. Among the four was Ms Wang Fengping, a 45-year old engineer employed with Gold Peak since 1995. Ms Wang suffers from severe kidney failure, caused by cadmium exposure while working for Gold Peak. Ms Wang was released after being questioned for more than 10 hours on account of her medical condition; the three other workers were kept in detention until January 2, 2010. Following the detention at the police station, Gold Peak has fired Ms Wang.
These recent problems at Power Pack are set against the background of the unresolved issue of the compensation of Gold Peak workers who have been exposed to cadmium. Over the past years, hundreds of workers involved in the manufacturing of cadmium batteries have been diagnosed with cadmium poisoning or excessive cadmium levels in their urine. Till this date, the Gold Peak management and the workers have not been able to reach an agreement over diagnosis methodology and compensation packages.
Gold Peak batteries are used in all types of toys and electronics products.
Click here to join Good Electronics' urgent appeal to Gold Peak to improve its record. [Jan 18, 2010 – Anita Gardner]
ORGANIZING INDIAN STEEL WORKERS
Union leaders shocked by safety standards in Indian steel plant as IMF project to organise 20,000 steel workers in India commences.INDIA: Union leaders meeting in India as part of a project to organise 20,000 steel workers were shocked by the conditions they saw during a visit to the Bhilai steel plant in the State of Chhattisgarh.
"What I saw in the Bhilai Steel plant is similar to the working conditions in the Swedish steel industry in the 1940's and 50's," said Eric Andersson, a former copper mill worker and member of Swedish trade union IF Metall.
The steel plant, the largest in the country, employs a total of 40,000 workers, 28,000 of which are members of the union affiliated to the Indian National Metalworkers' Federation (INMF). The remaining 12,000 workers are precarious and sub-contracted workers.
"In particular, the working conditions of the precarious workers in the plant are terrible; many of these workers do not have helmets, protective clothing and safety shoes, which are absolutely required in such a dangerous work environment. My wife actually wears better shoes on the beach!" remarked Andersson.
The union leaders gathered on January 15 and 16, 2010 in New Delhi for the first National Project Committee meeting of the IMF India Steel Organizing Project.
The Project, endorsed by the IMF India Committee and supported by SASK and LO-TCO, seeks to respond to the absolute lack of protection of thousands of workers in sponge iron units and huge steel TNCs operating in India, where only a few public sector plants have unions partially representing permanent workers.
The project will support IMF affiliates', INMF and SMEFI, joint efforts to organise 20,000 workers over a three year period. Significantly, in the context of an extremely fragmented and divided trade union movement, the unions have agreed to combine forces, build unity and not compete against each other to organize members in three selected States.
During its meeting, the Committee studied the findings of the 2009 survey of the steel industry conducted in three selected States, Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, where the project will be implemented between 2010 and 2012. The complete survey covers three additional states where it is hoped the organising project may be extended at a later stage.
The survey, to be published in 2010, maps out the existing steel plants, sponge iron units and main production sites as well as a breakdown of the total workforce, including precarious workers and non-manual workers. The mapping further confirms the acute lack of unionization in the industry and the urgent need to address severe health and safety problems and workers' rights at the workplace.
The Committee overseeing the project consists of the general secretaries and regional leadership of the two national federations representing the steel and mining sectors in India, INMF and SMEFI, as well as representatives of Metalli and TU (Finland), IF Metall and Unionen (Sweden), the SASK regional coordinator for South Asia, the IMF head office project officer and the IMF director for South Asia region.
At the meeting INMF and SMEFI reinforced their political agreement to cooperate and strengthen the national federations and the IMF looks forward to the contribution and exchange of experiences with the Swedish and Finnish affiliates supporting the project. [Jan 18, 2010 – Suzana Miller]
LIMITLESS WORK ON THE RISE
The boundary between work and private life is getting more and more blurred.
SWEDEN: "Borderless" work is a reality for many of Unionen's members. Some see the trend in work and time organization as positive but having to be available at any time can be stressful, as revealed in a recent survey of the IMF Swedish affiliate Unionen representing non-manual workers.
The new communication tools and digital media have opened the way to even more flexible time regimes in working life. It is becoming more difficult for individuals to set limits to work and mark a clear distinction between work and private life. The standardized pattern of the normal working week and regulated overtime is no longer the rule. This is particularly true for those involved in projects or occasional teamwork with different working methods and objectives and operating in different companies and countries. Occasional teamwork is becoming increasingly common in today's labour market as a response to companies' pressure for more flexibility and adjustment to shifting customer demand.
Over half of the respondents to the survey reported a lack of feedback and guidance from their boss, which is felt as a disadvantage when they have to deal with critical situations. Having clear deadlines for completing an assignment is seen as an advantage and enables better time planning. A large degree of self-determination and autonomy in work organization is good as long as resources are available in the form of time, knowledge and empowerment. The lack thereof can lead to greater tension and higher stress levels.
Although many white-collar workers are happy with their job, a growing number among them feel stressed or express dissatisfaction with their professional growth. The workplace and the working hours are likely to encroach more and more on home life in future. Time awareness is therefore taking on increased importance as is the issue of work-life balance. It is up to the individual worker to take responsibility for managing her/his own time and workload.
For Unionen these developments mean a number of challenges:
- Employers have responsibility for providing a safe work environment, and the workload should be reasonable;
- Employers are responsible for working time and must make sure that legislation concerning working hours and collective agreements are complied with;
- Employees must have more control over and influence on their work situation and get feedback from their direct bosses. With increased self-determination and availability, other forms of leadership are required;
- Employees should have enough resources to be able to perform their tasks properly.
The study "Fria eller förvirrade", available in Swedish only, can be downloaded from Unionen's website. [Jan 18, 2010 – Anne-Marie Mureau]
ORGANIZING 31 MILLION JOBLESS AMERICANS
IAM and partners launch Ur Union of Unemployed - nicknamed UCubed - to assist the more than 31 million jobless Americans, click here to see.
USA: The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and partners launched Ur Union of Unemployed - nicknamed UCubed - on January 15, 2010 to assist the more than 31 million jobless Americans.
By registering on the website, UCubed connects the unemployed by postal code and then builds "cubes" of six people to end that sense of being all alone. UCubed aims to bring people together - the unemployed and underemployed alike - to build a community of jobs activists who will create local networks, support one another and help in the campaign for jobs.
Inviting the unemployed to join, R. Thomas Buffenbarger, IAM International President explains why the Machinists have established UCubed.
"More than 35,000 members of our union have been laid off. Others are working fewer hours each week because their employers simply do not have orders to fill. And the real recovery, not the false one on Wall Street, still seems years away," said Buffenbarger.
By creating UCubed, IAM hopes to ease the burden of being unemployed and organize job activists in the political campaign for the creation of jobs in all sectors of the U.S. economy.
"Everywhere we turn we see the personal devastation this Grave Recession has caused. And we hope UCubed provides a measure of relief - an end to the sense of being all alone, a chance to build something useful and unique, and an opportunity for the unemployed to change things for the better," said Buffenbarger.
For more go to: http://www.unionofunemployed.com/ [Jan 15, 2010 – Anita Gardner]
