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HONDA UNION CONTINUES STRUGGLE IN MEXICO
Early September, Honda workers in Mexico obtained legal recognition to register STUHM (Sindicato de Trabajadores Unidos de la Honda de Mexico) as their union. The company opposes the organization and prefers the protection union that has blocked independent unions at the Honda site in Jalisco, Mexico for 26 years. Honda workers now denounce the company’s continued repression and intimidation against the union and the workers wanting to join.
MEXICO: STUHM, Sindicato de Trabajadores Unidos de Honda de México (United Honda workers of Mexico) has been struggling to gain official recognition since its establishment back in 2009. Poor working conditions, harassment, low wages and lack of a real union to defend the 2200 workers were the main triggers of this struggle, which led to the dismissal of four young union leaders.
On January 28 the District Labour Court ruled that the Secretary of Labour must grant registration to STUHM. The company challenged this ruling, but it was upheld in Court on August 18. José Luis Solorio Alcalá, STUHM Secretary General, said the union registration had been systematically denied, including through trickery and illegal and corrupt practices. STUHM called the courts decision a historic victory for the working class of Jalisco, as it is the first time ever an independent union is recognized in this Mexican state.
Despite the recent Court decision on union registration, on September 6 Honda dismissed two more workers; José Lamas and Héver Gallardo, after they openly admitted to be STUHM members. Both José and Héver have worked for over 5 years in the Honda plant and were exercising their legitimate right to organise. Several other workers report that the local management is harassing and intimidating workers and offering them bribes and financial advantages if they sign letters renouncing their affiliation to STUHM.
STUHM continues to organise and defend workers rights, and has demanded a wage increase of 30 percent for all workers. Honda pays the lowest wages in the sector, on average one thousand pesos per week (US$ 72) for skilled workers, the "most miserable wages of the auto industry."
"We only want to leave the misery in which most of the workers live," STUHM writes in an official notice. [Sep 22, 2011 – Rainer Santi]
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IF METALL FILES BUNKRUPTCY PETITION AGAINST SAAB, COURT GRANTS PROTECTION
On September 20 the Swedish metalworkers’ union IF Metall filed a bankruptcy petition against the ailing Swedish automaker SAAB at the local district court. The decision was taken unanimously at a video conference meeting of the IF Metall office, the Trollhättan local and the SAAB section.
SWEDEN: Several bankruptcy petitions, from suppliers like japanese Takata-Petris in Germany, Romania and Poland and from the Swedish unions Unionen and Ledarna are already pending.
It is a very painful decision, but we must protect our members' salaries, and cannot wait any more, said IF Metall president Stefan Löfven and the IF Metall SAAB section chairman Håkan Skött. 1,500 IF Metall members have not recieved their salary for August, and September 23 the salary for September is due.
SAAB has appealed against the petitions, instead applying for legal protection against creditors during reconstruction, hoping for new investments from Chinese autobuilder Youngman and distributor Pang Da.
We hope that the court of appeal gives SAAB a possibility to reconstruct. Both Youngman and Pang Da considers SAABs problems to be temporary, said Stefan Löfven and Håkan Skött.
On September 21 a divided court of appeal granted the company's application for reconstruction for Saab Automobile AB, Saab Automobile Powertrain AB and Saab Automobile Tools AB. That means that salaries will be guaranteed by the state, and IF Metall's bankruptcy petition is a non-issue. [Sep 22, 2011 – Rainer Santi]
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MEXICAN ELECTRICIANS WIN SHOW-DOWN BUT CONTINUE FIGHT
After 23 months of resistance, the Mexican Electricians’ union SME, that staged for over 7 months a protest camp at the central plaza in Mexico City, the “Zocalo”, won it’s show-down with the government of Calderon in the run-up to Mexico’s Independence day, September 16, Mexico’s most important national holiday.
MEXICO: On September 13 the government agreed to negotiate with the SME over outstanding grievances and to find a solution for more than 16,000 laid-off members to return to work, in exchange for the dismantlement of SME’s protest camp in the Zócalo.
The government finally recognized the legitimacy of the union's elections of SME Secretary General Martin Esparza delivering the “toma de nota” to the 26 elected union leaders, “unfreezing“ 21 million pesos (US$1,626,000) of the union’s funds, and thereby publicly retracting on its allegations against Esparza for “illegally trying to access the union’s property.”
The conflict between the government and the SME began in October 2009, when the publicly owned and SME-organized Power Company Luz y Fuerza del Centro (LFC) was liquidated with its 44,000 employees and the task of delivering power to Central Mexico was handed over to the equally publicly owned power company CFE, organized by a union with a reputation for passivity and corruption. Since then, the remaining 16’500 SME union members, who rejected severance pay and continued to fight for their jobs, have demanded that the government finds a “substitute employer” as stipulated in Mexican law.
The aim of the ongoing negotiations between SME and the government is now to resolve the employment issue by November 30. The union has presented three possible solutions and is open to other proposals from the federal government. Priority demands include speeding up the judicial proceedings to release 12 detained SME members.
SME stays on its toes. On September 13, before over 50’000 protesters in the Zócalo, SME leader Martin Esparza told union members that they needed to keep up the pressure on the government: “This signed agreement is part of our struggle but we need to keep mobilised to ensure it becomes concrete; we do not trust this government, we trust in the capacity of the workers to mobilise and to win this struggle.”
[Sep 22, 2011 – Rainer Santi]
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GLOBAL UNIONS FIGHT DETERIORATING UNION RIGHTS SITUATION IN TURKEY
Global union organizations held their second annual meeting in Istanbul on September 8 and 9 in the presence of union representatives from both Turkey and across the world, and called on the Turkish government to change its legislation to guarantee basic rights of workers.
TURKEY: Participants from Global Union Federations and their Turkish affiliates, as well as the ITUC and the Council of Global Unions, came together in Istanbul on 8-9 September in an effort to develop joint campaigns to improve labour rights in Turkey. The meeting also welcomed international NGOs such as Labourstart and Amnesty International who consistently support labour rights in Turkey.
"To qualify as a modern and dynamic democratic country Turkey needs first to fix the clear deficit of rights that exists in Turkey today. A key part of this deficit is the absence of respect for rights at work for Turkish workers," read a statement by the GUFs following the workshop.
The use of various kinds of precarious employment is growing in Turkey, and the global unions supported their affiliates' common opposition to the expansion of the role of temporary employment agencies in Turkey.
In particular the unions urged both the government and private employers to stop the constant threats against workers and union leaders seeking to use and defend their rights - including the use of physical violence by police and security forces. They also demanded an end to the systematic dismissal of workers who choose to exercise their universal human right to join a trade union.
For their part, the present unions promised to engage in solidarity campaigns and mobilization, including days of action, to pressure and influence the behaviour of the government and employers.
The global unions will cooperate with their Turkish affiliates and among themselves to improve the quality and increase the effect of practical and concrete solidarity action, including ILO and OECD complaints and other procedures, to strengthen workers and their legitimate, democratic trade unions.[Sep 19, 2011 – Rainer Santi]
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ITUC PROTESTS RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AT HERCULES STEEL IN GEORGIA
The ITUC sent a letter to the president of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili protesting rights violations on the part of the Georgian-Indian company Hercules Steel as well as the Georgian authorities. Earlier the workers of the metal plant were forced to go on strike. In response the administration, aided by the government, launched a campaign of repression.
GEORGIA: The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) sent a letter of protest to the president of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili concerning the situation at Hercules Steel in Kutaisi, Georgia.
On August 4, 2011 147 workers at Hercules Steel founded a union and elected its officials. The workers protested over poor wages and working conditions at the plant. It is reported that the plant lacks the dining facility and the locker rooms, and the infirmary doesn't work during the night shift, which is the most hazardous time for the workers. The wages at the plant haven't been adjusted to the inflation for three consecutive years.
The management refused to recognize the union and fired six elected officials on August 11. On September 2 the workers held a warning strike, demanding the reinstatement of dismissed union leaders and to begin collective bargaining with the union.
The administration responded by firing more union activists. On September 13 the union launched a full-scale strike with the participation of about 90% of the workforce, with several workers also going on hunger strike.
On September 15 the police raided the strikers and detained several of them. The striking workers were released after several hours, however the managers went to workers' homes to threaten them, and police made several more workers sign statements that they would go back to work.
‘The situation at Hercules Steel represents an egregious violation of trade union rights both by management and the government,' states Sharan Burrow in a letter of protest.
‘A role for the government in this situation should have been to attempt to mediate the dispute. Unfortunately, local government not only condoned this illegal activity but actually furthered its objectives through the use of overwhelming police power. This is an outrage', adds Burrow.
ITUC urges the Georgian government to stop rights violations at Hercules Steel and to recommit itself to uphold international standards.
‘The international community is closely monitoring this situation and
the situation of workers generally in Georgia. In the absence of evidence of substantial and immediate change, we will have no choice but to continue and intensify our international campaign to bring about labour reforms in Georgia,' concludes Burrow.
The full text of the ITUC letter of protest to the president of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili is available on the IMF website.
[Sep 19, 2011 – Ilya Matveev]
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MARUTI-SUZUKI UNION LEADERS ARRESTED AFTER MEETING WITH EMPLOYER
On September 18, at 10:30 pm after a meeting with Maruti-Suzuki management and authorities, the principal officers of the MSEU were arrested and put in police custody.
INDIA: Everything happened at the negotiation hall under the eyes of the Maruti-Suzuki management and representatives of the management-favoured union MUKU. The Haryana Labour Minister and labour Commissioner had left the hall, after which police entered and arrested leaders of the Maruti Suzuki Employees’ Union (MSEU).
Since the commencement of the dispute on August 29 the IMF regional office in India has closely coordinated with the workers, national centers and senior leaders and made efforts to bridge the gap. The workers are willing to make a settlement. The Maruti-Suzuki management on the other hand resorted to this extreme step. The arrest of the MSEU officers Sonu Gujjar, President, Shiv kumar, General Secretary and Ravinder Kumar will further worsen the situation and make rapprochement more difficult. Production at the Manesar Suzuki plant is at a standstill, while the local management continues to recruit replacement workers.
The Indian IMF affiliate SMEFI, Steel, Metal & Engineering Workers' Federation of India, is arranging bail of the arrested MSEU leaders. Prior to the latest events, negotiations were being held daily in the office of the labour minister at the instance of SMEFI and the union federation HMS. Maruti-Suzuki workers and representatives of MUKU and SMEFI participated in the negotiations.
They centered around disciplinary proceedings and enforcement of a good conduct bond, that prohibits strike action and deprives workers of their basic rights according to ILO conventions. So far 62 workers face disciplinary proceedings; 29 workers have been placed under suspension, 15 workers have been dismissed, and 18 trainees' employment have been terminated.
The management previously announced its willingness to take 18 trainees back and to convert dismissals into suspensions, and to revoke the suspensions of a few workmen.
The union is demanding that all workers be reinstated pending disciplinary proceedings and that the good conduct bonds are withdrawn. The representatives of the Maruti-Suzuki union would sign a good conduct undertaking on behalf of the workers, while the management should counter sign that they will not indulge in unfair labour practices. [Sep 19, 2011 – Rainer Santi]
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TENTATIVE NEW CONTRACT BETWEEN UAW AND GENERAL MOTORS
The UAW reached a tentative new agreement with US automaker General Motors on September 16. The agreement covers almost 50,000 GM workers in the USA. Talks continue for UAW’s 41,000 members at Ford and 26,000 members at Chrysler.
USA: The current contract between General Motors and the United Auto Workers of America (UAW) expired on September 15. The new agreement with GM now sets the bar also for wages at US auto parts companies and US factories run by non-US automakers, with hundreds of thousands of employees. The contract talks are the first since GM and Chrysler received government aid to avoid bankruptcy in 2009. To get the aid, UAW had to agree not to strike over wages at GM and Chrysler. Also, unresolved issues can be taken to binding arbitration.
"In these uncertain economic times for American workers and faced with the globalization of the economy, the UAW approached these negotiations with new strategies and fought for and achieved some of our major goals for our members, including significant investments and products for our plants," said UAW President Bob King.
"First and foremost, as America struggles with record levels of unemployment, we aimed to protect the jobs of our members. And we have done that. This contract will get our members who have been laid off back to work, will create new jobs in our communities and will bring work back to the United States from other countries," King added.
Exact details of the proposed agreement are being withheld until UAW members have had the opportunity to review it, but the UAW successfully fought back efforts to weaken the retirement plan, and also obtained some significant improvements to health care benefits. In addition, the agreement includes improved profit sharing with far greater transparency than in the past.
"We prove again today that through the collective bargaining process, we can provide decent wages, benefits and employment rights for workers while ensuring quality products and healthy profits for employers. We stand recommitted to our goal of organizing and fighting for all workers in the entire US auto industry," added King.
"We are proud of this tentative agreement and what we have achieved, but as long as unionized workers are being forced to compete with nonunion workers who in most cases receive lower pay and benefits - many in temporary jobs - there will continue to be a downward pressure on the wages and benefits of all autoworkers," King said.
The question of an International Framework Agreement and a World Works Council for the US Auto makers has been kept on the table in the talks with GM and Ford. [Sep 19, 2011 – Rainer Santi]
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BUILDING INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY BETWEEN SHIPBUILDING AND SHIPBREAKING WORKERS
The first joint shipbuilding/shipbreaking conference of IMF and EMF is seen as a positive and successful experience by the participants. Both organisations will try and explore opportunities for further international cooperation and solidarity in this field.
TURKEY: The first joint IMF-EMF Global Conference on Safe, Sustainable and Green Jobs in Shipbuilding/Shipbreaking took place on 13-14 September 2011 in Istanbul, Turkey. 45 participants, 19 unions and 9 organizations from 15 countries had an active discussion about creation of strategic links between shipbuilding and shipbreaking workers. The discussions at the conference were organized in three sessions:
- Session 1: OHS (Occupational Health & Safety), Green Jobs, and Organizing at Workplace;
- Panel Discussion 1: How we can improve working conditions at the workplaces,
- Panel Discussion 2: Sharing good practices of OHS and Green Jobs,
- Session 2: Promoting a “Sustainable and Green” Industry;
- Panel Discussion 3: Implementation of International Rules and Standards in Industry on OHS and Environment,
- Panel Discussion 4: Making the shipbuilding/shipbreaking industry more sustainable and greener- providing sustainable jobs,
- Session 3: Developing Future Activities in the shipbuilding-shipbreaking sector
- Panel Discussion 5: Achieving fair and leveler playing field for our future
At the end of the conference, the conclusions were unanimously adopted. IMF and EMF will continue to cooperate with other GUFs, international/regional organizations to make their sectorial activities more effective and stronger.
Many fatal accidents still occur in this sector all over the world, especially in Turkey (both in the shipbuilding and shipbreaking industry) and in the South Asian region (in shipbreaking). Prior to the conference, on September 12, Kan Matsuzaki, IMF Director for shipbuilding and shipbreaking, raised the OHS and organizing issues faced by the workers employed in this sector at the ITUC symposium “Unions make work safer – Trade union strategies for tackling unhealthy workplaces” at the XIX World Congress on Safety and Health at Work.
The IMF-EMF conference also called all the participants to give their solidarity support to the struggle of Hanjin workers and Korean Metal Workers’ Union, KMWU. [Sep 19, 2011 – Kan Matsuzaki]
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WHAT NAME FOR THE NEW INTERNATIONAL
On 18-20 June 2012, a new global union federation will see daylight at a Founding Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark. But what shall the new International be called? Now you have the chance to make a proposal.
GLOBAL: The organization will unite 50 million workers in more than 140 countries in automotive, aerospace, mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, mining, energy, metal, chemicals, paper, rubber, building materials, textile, garment and leather industries.
It aims to connect workers, fight for labour rights and build global solidarity across entire supply chains. It will be a strong counterweight to multinational companies and promote social justice, democracy and a sustainable future in the whole world.
Such a powerful organization needs a fresh and identifiable name. Your contribution is welcome. Please send your proposal by e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at the latest on 31 October 2011.
A joint Executive Committee meeting of the IMF, ICEM and ITGLWF will decide upon the name at the end of February 2012. [Sep 16, 2011 – Alex Ivanou]
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WORKING GROUPS PAVE WAY FOR NEW GLOBAL UNION
Joint IMF-ICEM-ITGLWF working groups make progress on the Statutes and Action Plan for the new global union federation at the meetings on August 30-31 in Geneva.
GENEVA: Working groups established by the Executive Committees of the International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF), the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) and the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers Federation (ITGLWF) took steps to finalize the Statutes and launched the discussion on an Action Plan for the new global union federation. Members representing affiliates from all five continents met on August 30-31 in Geneva.
The Statutes Working Group examined the key points agreed at a joint Executive Committee meeting in May and made some final adjustments in the draft Statutes. The new International will be governed by an Executive Committee of 60 members until 2016, after which it will be reduced to 40 members. At least 30 per cent of the members shall be women.
The Statutes foresee regional structures and offices that will implement the organization’s general policies and address matters specific to the region. There will also be 14 industrial sectors as well as sections for women and non-manual workers.
The Action Plan Group agreed on producing a short and punchy program, which will summarize the main priorities for the new global union. Some of the suggested headlines are building union power by organizing workers throughout supply chains and creating a powerful counterweight to transnational companies by uniting the workers in networks for solidarity and joint action.
Later the same week the IMF, ICEM and ITGLWF held a first joint global staff seminar in Geneva. The participants shared their experiences about the way of working of the three organizations and identified opportunities to combine strengths for more powerful action.
The Statutes and Action Plan will be discussed at the decision-making bodies of the three partner federations, including ITGLWF’s Executive Committee in September, ICEM’s Congress in November and IMF’s Central Committee in December. The final proposals are expected to be adopted at a second joint Executive Committee meeting in February 2012, to be presented to the Founding Congress in June 2012 in Copenhagen. [Sep 16, 2011 – Jyrki Raina]
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JOINT BARGAINING IN THE FINNISH METAL INDUSTRY
Three Finnish union organizations hold negotiations with the Technology Industries’ employers’ organisation in close coordination. The wage rise goal is four per cent at the minimum.
FINLAND: Three union organizations in Finland, the Metalworkers' Union, the white collar workers' union Pro and the Federation of Professional and Managerial Staff YTN, representing some 250,000 wage and salary earners in the metal industry, have agreed on common goals and pledged to act in unison during this current round of collective bargaining. It is the first time that the separate employee groups are combining forces in this way.
The unions aim for a one and a half year agreement with a two-stage pay rise. The first would mean an increase of 0.67 Euro per hour or 110 Euro per month. For employees in the higher pay bracket the rise would be at least 4 per cent.
The second pay rise would boost wages and salaries by 0.34 Euro per hour or 60 euro per month - an increase of 2 per cent at least.
"We seek common negotiation strength without talking about a union merger," says Riku Aalto, President of the Metalworkers' Union. "In case no negotiation result is reached the unions are prepared to defend their goals through joint actions."
This kind of cooperation during collective bargaining negotiations is a first for the unions involved. The quantitative and qualitative negotiation goals have been jointly prepared, and the administrative bodies of all the three unions have discussed the goals. Each union will individually negotiate their respective collective agreements.
The organizations have agreed to stick together in the event that they need to adjust their demands. Common qualitative demands concern more vacation time or time off for employees near retirement. All three organizations also have their own more specific proposals and demands.
In recent months, the employer association, the Federation of Finnish Technology Industries, has warned of companies facing serious economic difficulties in the near future. However, the trade union organizations consider the competitiveness of the metal industries good at the moment. [Sep 16, 2011 – Rainer Santi]
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FUJITSU WORKERS TAKE JOINT ACTION IN UK
Fujitsu workers launch a 24 hour strike in Manchester and Crewe over pay disputes and discrimination against a union representative.
UNITED KINGDOM: Members of IMF UK affiliate Unite and the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) working in Fujitsu agreed to take joint 24-hour strike action on September 19 in UK sites of the company.
The industrial action was announced after failure of the Fujitsu management to fulfil its previous pay agreements and a continued attack on union representatives. Attempts to resolve the disputes in Crewe and Manchester by negotiation have not been successful. The company is refusing to implement its commitments on pensions agreed last year in mediation and, despite the workers meeting or exceeding performance targets, is refusing to budge from its pay offer of between 1.5 percent and 2.5 percent - an offer which will do little to ease the financial burden on staff. It is also refusing to commit to adhering to an earlier agreement on redundancy and redeployment in respect of consultation and selection.
The company is at the same time undermining the unions by victimizing union representatives. Alan Jenney, a Unite representative who has worked for Fujitsu for 17 years, was dismissed without notice on July 11, in breach of his contract.
According to Unite, there are many other areas where the company is not willing to commit to honouring its agreements. These include consulting before taking decisions affecting employees and refraining from imposing decisions while negotiations are ongoing. Members of Unite voted by 85.6% for industrial action short of strike and by 56.4% for strike action. Unite has consistently sought to avoid the use of industrial action by utilising conciliation services, but the company's reluctance to make any progress in negotiations forces the union to take this last resort. [Sep 15, 2011 – Alex Ivanou]
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IMF AND CAW HOLD A WORKSHOP IN SAINT-PETERSBURG
On August 27-28 the International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF) and the National Automobile, Aerospace, Transportation and General Workers Union of Canada (CAW) held a workshop in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, for union activists from an array of plants in the region.
RUSSIA: On August 27-28 the IMF and the National Automobile, Aerospace, Transportation and General Workers Union of Canada (CAW) held a workshop for union activists from GM, Ford, Nissan, Faurecia, Toyota, Jura Corp. operations in Saint-Petersburg and the surrounding area.
Union building and daily union work was discussed, as well as the cases of employer pressure and strategies of recruiting new members.
The participants agreed that a union is first and foremost a group of people who choose to stand up for the oppressed, decide for themselves, defend each other. The strongest motivation for joining the union is the personal experience of collective workplace action. Thus the main question is, what kind of collective action the workers are ready for here and now.
Specific problems at various plants were also discussed, such as the changes in work schedule, shift to hourly rates, worsening of work and life conditions of workers.
Since February 2011 the IMF and the CAW have supported ITUA organizing efforts at a number of plants in Saint-Petersburg and the surrounding area, including Nissan, General Motors, Nokian Tires, Hyundai и Faurecia, aimed at establishing sufficient membership level for collective bargaining and signing CBAs to protect workers’ interests. [Sep 12, 2011 – Ilya Matveev]
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THREE SUZUKI PLANTS IN MARUTI-SUZUKI SOLIDARITY STRIKE
In an unprecedented show of solidarity workers from Suzuki Powertrain India, Suzuki Castings and Suzuki Motor Cycle India started a sit-in strike from September 14 afternoon in support of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. (MSIL) Workers. All plants are located in the Gurgaon - Manesar area in the state of Haryana.
INDIA: Striking workers are calling for early settlement of the conflict at the car manufacturing plant MSIL. They also sought the regularisation of casual workers who have worked for more than four years, and increments. Suzuki Powertrain employs over 3,000 workers at its Manesar plant, where it manufactures diesel engines and transmissions for supply to MSI. Suzuki Castings has about 1,000 workers. Suzuki Motorcycles India employs 2,000 workers at its plant.
On September 13 the MSIL management announced that it hired around 100 permanent employees in a bid to replace those who refused to sign the good conduct bond. The company maintains its adamant position that it will not enter into any dialogue with workers. Workers have to sign the good conduct bond and only then they will be allowed inside the company premises. MSIL is continuing to recruit workers. On the same day the company dismissed five more workers on charges of attack on three supervisors and a worker. It takes the total number of dismissed workers to 28 and 34 suspended.
On September 12 around 2500 MSIL workers and 50 students from the Jawaharlal Nehru University held a rally at the Haryana Governments Mini-secretariat at Gurgaon. They met Mr. V.K. Hooda, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Haryana and submitted their demands. Workers are willing to return to work if the following demands are met;
- Withdrawal of the ‘good conduct bond'
- Reinstatement of all dismissed and suspended workers and withdrawal of all charge sheets
- Acceptance of the new union
In a related development on September 13, workers at the Manesar plant of auto component-maker Munjal Showa Ltd, too, resorted to strike, demanding regularisation of casual workers after five years of training and certain welfare measures. An agreement between the workers and management was reached on the evening of the same day. [Sep 15, 2011 – G. Manicandan]
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IG METALL BREAKS NEW GROUND WITH FIRST ACCORD IN GERMAN SOLAR ENERGY SECTOR
A first-of-a-kind collective agreement took root in Germany’s solar energy manufacturing industry on 1 September. It was then that a labour contract took effect between IG Metall and three subsidiaries of Bosch in the state of Thuringia, making it the first collective agreement in Germany’s solar power industry.
GERMANY: The agreement covers 2,500 workers at factories of Bosch Solar Energy AC, Bosch Solar Wafers GmbH, and Bosch Solar Thin Film in the cities of Erfurt and Arnstadt. IG Metal Hesse and Thuringia Region representatives used the effective date of the three-year agreement to distribute leaflets to workers at other solar product manufacturers in central and eastern Germany highlighting details of the Bosch accord.
Those companies include Q-cells, Conergy, and Solon, to name just a few. It is the union's hope that the Bosch accord will spur a national collective agreement in the solar manufacturing industry, a sector now encompassing 130,000 German workers.
Labour agreements in renewable energy industries, said IG Metall Regional Secretary Armin Schild, have been "a no man's land. This agreement hopefully will become the standard throughout the industry."
Based on the union's metal sector agreement, this first contract contains a bounty of benefits for workers of the three Bosch subsidiaries. Although it contains no set wage increases over the three years, workers will see their pay increase with regular bonuses, performance-based bonuses, and additional compensation for holiday and night-shift work.
The work week will be reduced with full pay from 40 to 38 hours in increments over the three-year term, and overtime work will either be paid in full or employees have the option to convert that overtime to paid time off. And apprentices completing training are assured of at least a one-year fixed-term period of employment.
The three Bosch worksites are relatively new in Thuringia, with Bosch Solar only opening the massive cell and panel plant in Arnstadt a year ago. The agreement is a trendsetting pact within Germany's former eastern states and IG Metall deserves high accolades for achieving this milestone.
This ICEM release is also available on the ICEM Web-site. [Sep 12, 2011 – ICEM]
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DELEGATION OF AFFILIATES VISITS WORKERS' TELEVISION CHANNEL IN BRAZIL
TVT is a television channel run by the ABC Metalworkers Union, affiliated to the CNM/CUT. TVT is the first trade union television channel in Brazil.
BRAZIL: During the Communicators' Forum organised by the IMF for Latin American and Caribbean affiliates, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, delegates visited TVT, a workers' television channel. TVT is the first trade union television channel in Brazil. It is an initiative of the union's Society, Communication, Culture and Work Foundation (SCCT). The union is affiliated to the Confederación Nacional de Metalúrgicos, CNM-CUT.
The then president, Lula da Silva, signed a decree granting the channel a licence in October 2009. SCCT's president, Valter Sanches, said that TVT's role is to counteract the power of the media in Brazil, which does not give space to trade unions. TVT is a space for the country's social movements, said Sanches.
He added that it is important to democratise information and give social movements and ordinary people the opportunity to express themselves. We should "give space to those who don't have space in the traditional media", he said.
The TVT team showed delegates round the installations, including the recording studios and the press room. Delegates congratulated the local union on the initiative. [Sep 12, 2011 – Valeska Solis]
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ICEM AND IMF RENEW GLOBAL AGREEMENT WITH UMICORE
ICEM and IMF renewed their global framework agreement with Umicore, the Brussels-based global materials technology group with some 14,400 employees. First signed in September 2007, the agreement has been the basis for joint union-management activities. Representatives of the company, both global union federations and the European Works Council conducted joint missions in China in 2008, in Brazil in 2009 and in South Africa in 2010 in addition to the regular monitoring activities defined in the agreement.
GLOBAL: The four-year renewal was made through a ceremony held September 6 in the Belgian capital with Umicore’s Marc Grynberg, Chief Executive Officer and Ignace de Ruijter, Senior Vice-President Human Resources as well as IMF General Secretary Jyrki Raina and ICEM’s Kemal Özkan, Director of Industry and Corporate Affairs on behalf of General Secretary Manfred Warda. The agreement was also re-affirmed by the Belgian trade unions.
The agreement covers six major chapters, namely Human Rights, Working Conditions, Environment, Implementation of Agreement, Monitoring, and Validity of Agreement. Under Human Rights, Umicore pledges to adhere to the UN Declaration of Human Rights, as well as adherence to ILO core labour standards. The latter specifically includes ILO Conventions 87 and 98 on freedom of association and collective bargaining, and other Conventions regarding child labour, forced labour, and non-discrimination and equal opportunities practices. With the renewal, the parties re-confirmed their political decisiveness over their global level commitments within the framework of the agreement.
“We believe that this agreement offers benefits for all stakeholders. All parties have benefited from the constructive relationship fostered by the original agreement and we look forward to this continuing in the coming years” said IMF General Secretary Jyrki Raina speaking on behalf of both global union federations.
“We are so proud of this international agreement with IMF and ICEM. This gives a big value in our policies towards the issues of sustainable development” said Umicore’s CEO Marc Grynberg. “This agreement supports Umicore’s global vision on social issues and reflects our diversity and international presence. It will help us in our journey towards sustainability and in being considered a great place to work” said Umicore’s Senior Vice-President for Human Resources, Ignace de Ruijter. [Sep 13, 2011 – Kemal Özkan]
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IMF FORUM IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN: THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION IN TRADE UNION ACTIVITIES
The IMF's Communicators' Forum in Latin America was held in Brazil on 8-9 September. Delegates made progress in arranging the exchange of information between affiliates.
BRAZIL: An important debate on the role of communications in trade union activity was held at the Communicators' Forum organised by the IMF, 8-9 September, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The meeting was attended by Jorge Almeida, IMF Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, Monica Veloso, President of the Confederación Nacional de Trabajadores Metalúrgicos (CNTM-FS), and Valter Sanches, of the Confederación Nacional Metalúrgicos (CNM-CUT), both affiliated to the IMF.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the communications departments of affiliates in Brazil as well as representatives of IMF affiliates in other Latin American countries: Asimra (Argentina), Fetramecol and Utrammicol (Colombia), FTC (Chile), Fenamepsicop (Peru) and Mexico.
Delegates reported on the information and communications work of their unions and IMF representatives outlined the federation's current channels of communication and plans for the new global union federation in this area.
Valter Sanches opened the meeting by saying it was important for workers to have their own media, because national media is dominated by the elite, the government and employers. "The dominant media are like opposition parties to us", he said. Mónica Veloso said that unions must realise the potential of communications and "strengthen strategies, struggles and the communications media of each affiliate."
Delegates agreed the forum's meetings were important for rising to the challenge of making their leaders aware of the importance of communications and their role in trade union action. Delegates also decided to establish a network to facilitate the exchange of information and to promote the use of communications in trade union action.
On the second day of the forum, a delegation visited a workers' television channel (TVT) in Sao Bernardo do Campo. The TVT team showed delegates round the installations and studios and explained the way the channel works.
The IMF's assessment is that the Communicators' Forum promoted an enriching and professional debate, which opened further channels of communication and awakened union leaders' interest in communications and information work. The IMF hopes that this will help to reduce the gap that exists between unions in the region regarding the use of the media and the way in which they communicate with their members. [Sep 12, 2011 – Valeska Solis]
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