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ICEM affiliate Chemical, Non-Metallic, and Rubber Workers&rsquo; Union (KNG) of Slovenia and the Sava management of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. at Kranj came to wage terms at a tyre factory this summer, but the new contract still needs attention. At issue is how management is &ndash; or rather, is not &ndash; implementing language recently inserted into the collective agreement. 
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In addition to winning a &euro;90-per-month increase, the 900 workers also agreed to a plan to reduce sick leave in exchange for a sizeable bonus scheme. Management has failed to adequately implement this plan, as well neglecting other aspects of the new agreement. Shop-floor leaders at the Kranj tyre and engineered products plants, Goodyear&rsquo;s prize operations in Eastern and Central Europe, together with and KNG&rsquo;s Andrej Zorko, are eager for managers to put the new collective agreement into effect. 
Goodyear produces auto, truck, and bus tyres in Kranj. It makes Sava tyre brands there, as well as its trademarked Avant A3 steer-axle tyre and the Orjak 03 drive-axle tyre. In 2006, Goodyear exceeded all business targets at the Kranj plants. It also made its one millionth tyre there. Goodyear is one of Slovenia&rsquo;s largest exporters. 
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The company entered into a majority-stake joint venture with the Sava Group in 1998, which gave it 60% of the tyre-making plant and 75% of the engineered products operation. Goodyear paid US$120 million for those stakes. Previously, Continental AG of Germany held a 28% share of Sava.In 2002, Goodyear bought another 20% stake in of operations for US$38.5 million, and, two years later, the company bought up the remaining shares to give it full ownership. 
 
Besides being affiliated to the ICEM, KNG Trade Union is a proud affiliate of the Association of Free Trade Unions (ZSSS) of Slovenia, which is currently leading an effort in the country to offset inflation with increases in salaries for all workers.

Contract Settled, But Problems Persist at Goodyear’s Slovenia Tyre Plant

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A Network of Brazilian trade unions that organises nine workplaces of the Belgian-based Solvay Group came together on 12-14 September in S&atilde;o Paolo to create enhanced communication and union solidarity. 
This initiative is a part of the Brazilian confederation CUT&rsquo;s multinational project, and has support and involvement from the ICEM and the National Confederation of Chemical Workers of Brazil, CNQ-CUT. 
 
The meeting&rsquo;s agenda contained reports on ILO global standards, an open exchange on experiences of building and construction trade unions regarding formation of national networks, and boundaries to social dialogue as a tool in negotiations. 
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The eight plants of Group Solvay in Brazil are: Dacarto Benvic/Osasco, Dacarto Benvic/Bahia, Solvay Farma/S&atilde;o Paolo, Solvay Indupa, Solvay Solexis (Santo Andre), Energy Automotive Systems, Peroxides, and Chemicals Solvay/Paran&aacute;. 
 
The meetings reached consensus to call the organisation would be called the &ldquo;Network of Workers in Solvay Group in Brazil.&rdquo; The next meeting will occur in March 2008. The Network will publish a bulletin that will be distributed to workers in all plants. The Network also will adopt a document of principles, in which roles for the ICEM and CUT will be spelled out. 
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The initial meeting also explored problems in labour relations between the unions and Solvay. A company reorganization has seen the dismissal of workers, and acquisitions, mergers, and business moves that have created a rash of subcontracting. Shop-floor leaders at Solvay in Brazil also discussed environmental effects, safety and heath concerns, and they exchanged information on collective agreements and plant-by-plant negotiations. 
 
The initial meeting also resolved to send a letter to human resource managers at each plant, informing them of the Network, and offering meaningful social dialogue with the company. The Network also resolved to expand the March 2008 meeting to Solvay unions in the whole of Latin America.

Brazilian Workers of Belgian Chemicals Company Solvay Unite

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The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) petitioned South Africa&rsquo;s Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) last week to conduct a one-day strike. The strike would call attention to severe safety deficiencies by mining houses operating in South Africa in the wake of the near catastrophe at Harmony Gold&rsquo;s Elandsrand Mine on 3-4 October. 
 
Some 3,200 miners were trapped there when a piece of steel pipe dropped 2.2 kilometres down an elevator shaft, severing electrical cables and shattering the framework of the mine&rsquo;s main elevator. Fortunately, all were rescued, but it took the company 38 hours to complete the rescue.
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But even after that near tragedy, the death toll in South African mines&nbsp;has risen. On 10 October, three miners were killed at Goldfields Kloof gold mine near Westonaria when a rope hoisting a skip loaded with rock snapped, sending the load back down a shaft and crushing the three miners. On the same day, another Goldfields miner was killed by falling rock 2,700 metres underground at the company&rsquo;s South Deep Mine. 
 
Three NUM members at Northam Platinum in Thabazimbi lost their lives in accidents recently. The NUM said the company had failed to report the deaths. The company responded by stating that its policy has been not to report single fatalities. On 17 October, one miner at AngloPlatinum&rsquo;s Paardekraal Mine in Rustenburg perished and another was critically injured and remains hospitalised from an underground rock fall. 
 
A day earlier, Reuters in Johannesburg reported that the subsidiary of Anglo American was contemplating reducing the number of contract workers in its mines because the safety record of such workers is not as good as for permanent staff. &ldquo;We have identified this as the key challenge,&rdquo; stated AngloPlats head of Strategy, Frances Petersen. 
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NUM General Secretary Frans Baleni
The NUM formally applied to the CCMA for a certificate to strike on the same day of the AngloPlats Rustenburg tragedy. The strike could come as early as next week, or the first week of November. It would mark the first time in 20 years that the ICEM affiliate took strike action across the country&rsquo;s entire mining sector.
In a statement, the NUM said a &ldquo;genocide is unfolding, and the NUM is preparing for a strike that seeks to divert attention from the obsession with production targets to the one that deals with realising the sacrosanct human life.&rdquo; 
 
NUM General Secretary Frans Baleni added that the loss of black miners has come at the expense of enormous profits made through continuous operations.

NUM Files for One-Day Safety Strike in South Africa’s Mine

Bangkok, 17-18 November 2007 
&ldquo;Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre&rdquo;, Bangkok
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Day 1 
 
9:30&nbsp; Opening
Evgenia Esenina, Chair of ICEM Women&rsquo;s Committee 
Senzeni Zokwana, President of ICEM 
Manfred Warda, General Secretary of ICEM 
 
Greetings from: Elsa Ramos, ILO, Vesna Rodic, FES 
 
THEME ONE: PEACE 
 
Contributions from: 
<ul>
 <li>
 <div>Burma</div>
 </li>
 <li>
 <div>Sintraelecol, Colombia</div>
 </li>
 <li>
 <div>General Union of Electricity Workers and Technicians, Iraq</div>
 </li>
 <li>
 <div>General Union of Petroleum, Mining Chemicals and Similar Substances Workers in Palestine</div>
 </li>
 <li>
 <div>Zimbabwe Electricity and Energy Workers Union </div>
 </li>
</ul>
11:00 Coffee break 
 
11:30 Conference reconvenes 
 
 
THEME TWO: CONTRACT AND AGENCY LABOUR 
 
Presentations by: Thailand and India 
 
Discussion 
 
13:00 Lunch 
 
14:30 Conference reconvenes 
Two presentations by Government Pharmaceuticals Organisation 
 
 
THEME THREE: HEALTH 
 
Presentations by Brazil and Germany 
 
17:00 Meeting of ICEM women from Central Europe, Northern Europe, Western Europe 
 
18:00 End of Day One 
 
 
Day Two 
 
9:00 Presentation by Japanese Affiliates on work-life balance 
 
9:30 Working Groups on work-life balance 
 
10:30 Report Back from Working Groups 
 
11:00 Coffee break 
 
11:30 Conference reconvenes 
 
13:00 Lunch 
 
14:30 Conference reconvenes 
 
14:30 Working Groups on Motions 
 
16:00 Elections of Chair and Vice-Chair of Women&rsquo;s Committee 
 
17:00 End of Women&rsquo;s Conference

4th ICEM World Congress - Women’s Conference

<a href="#PPT">For a collection of Powerpoint presentations at the meeting, click here</a>
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Draft Agenda 
Chair of the meeting: Sjaiful DP, FSP KEP Indonesia
<ul>
 <li>9.00. Opening by Manfred Warda, ICEM General Secretary 
 </li>
 <li>9.10 Welcome by Vesna Rodic, Resident Director FES Thailand 
 </li>
 <li>9.15. Aranya Pakapath, ICEM Project coordinator, overview of the contract and agency labour situation in Asia 
 
 9.30. Sergio Novais, ICEM Vice-President, overview of the contract and agency labour situation in Latin America 
 
 9.45. Kenny Mogane, ICEM Project coordinator, overview of the contract and agency labour situation in Sub-Saharan Africa 
 
 10.00. J&oslash;rgen Juul Rasmussen, DEF, Denmark, overview of the contract and agency labour situation in Western and Northern Europe 
 
 </li>
 <li>10.15. - 10.45. Break 
 </li>
 <li>10.45. - 12.30. Additional speakers 
 
 Bambang Surjono, FSPKEP, Indonesia, Indonesian case study 
 Mato Lalic, ICEM Project coordinator, on the situation in Central Europe 
 Tony Burke, UNITE, UK, UK case study * 
 Carol Fraser, CEP Canada, on the situation in North America 
 Lev Mironov, ROGWU, Russia, on the situation in Eastern Europe 
 Olucha Umeh, NUPENG, Nigeria, case study 
 Maria Angelica Vera Horma, FENATRAPECH, Chile, Chilean case study * 
 Hassan J&rsquo;Aama, IFOU, Iraq, on the situation in Middle East * 
 
 </li>
 <li>12.30. - 14.00. Break </li>
</ul>
<img height="202" alt="" src="" width="142" />
<ul>
 <li>14.00. ILO representative* 
 
 14.15. Jim Baker, Council of Global Unions Coordinator, on the impact for organising and bargaining 
 
 14.30. Evgenia Esenina, ICEM Vice-President, ROGWU, Russia, on the gender aspect 
 
 </li>
 <li>14.45. Plenary debate 
 </li>
 <li>15.00. Break 
 </li>
 <li>15.30. Brendan Martin, ICEM Project consultant, past and future of the ICEM contract and agency labour campaign 
 
 15.50. Discussion 
 
 </li>
 <li>16.50. Conclusion 
 </li>
 <li>17.00. End of meeting </li>
</ul>
* to be confirmed
Conference facilitator: Jeannette van Dongen, ICEM Project Officer
<a name="PPT"></a><img height="60" alt="" src="" width="70" align="absMiddle" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <img height="60" alt="" src="" width="121" align="absMiddle" />
&nbsp;<img height="55" alt="" src="" width="61" align="absMiddle" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<img height="44" alt="" src="" width="200" align="absMiddle" /><a name="PPT"></a>
Presentations from the Meeting
&nbsp;

ICEM Contract and Agency labour Conference

<img height="28" alt="" src="" width="25" align="absMiddle" />
<a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2485&amp;la=EN">ICEM Congress Closes with Strong Motions on Burma, Iraq</a> 
24 November 2007
<img height="28" alt="" src="" width="25" align="absMiddle" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2484&amp;la=EN">ICEM elects Senzeni Zokwana, Manfred Warda to lead 20-Million-Member Global Union Federation</a> 
23 November 2007
&nbsp;<img height="28" alt="" src="" width="25" align="absMiddle" />
<a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2481&amp;la=EN">ICEM Congress Opens with Cry of Better Mine Safety, Curbs to Capital Markets</a> 
22 November 2007
<img height="28" alt="" src="" width="25" align="absMiddle" />
<a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2482&amp;la=EN">4th ICEM World Congress 
Opening Speech by ICEM President Senzeni Zokwana</a> 
22 November 2007
<img height="28" alt="" src="" width="25" align="absMiddle" />
<a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2483&amp;la=EN">4th ICEM World Congress 
Speech by ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda</a> 
22 November 2007
<img height="28" alt="" src="" width="25" align="absMiddle" />
<a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2479&amp;la=EN">Contract and Agency Labour - a Global and Negative Phenomenon</a> 
21 November 2007
<img height="28" alt="" src="" width="25" align="absMiddle" />
<a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2474&amp;la=EN">ICEM Women Elect New Vice President, Adopt 7-Point Programme</a> 
18 November 2007

4th ICEM World Congress - CONGRESS NEWS

Ref: ICEM07/ENGC/124 
 
 
 
 
Tony Burke, 
Assistant General Secretary 
AMICUS 
 
 
Brussels, 13 November 2007 
 
 
Dear Brother Tony, 
 
It is with great sadness that I&rsquo;ve learnt about the death of Christopher Massey at the Kimberly-Clark tissue mill in Cumbria. On behalf of the ICEM members and its staff I ask you to convey our deepest condolences to brother Massey&rsquo;s family and his colleagues. 
 
This fatal accident has yet again shown with terrible clarity the importance of the unions&rsquo; continuous HSE work with the companies as the only way to make sure that such tragedies never happen again; and the ICEM is prepared to assist you in this work in all possible ways. 
 
Fraternal Greetings, 
 
Manfred Warda 
General Secretary 
ICEM

ICEM Letter of Condolences Over Kimberly-Clark, Barrow, UK, Death

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Several Belgian trade unions, as well as NGOs, will be forming a human rights chain at the Brussels Palace of Justice on 10 December, International Human Rights Day. Among the Belgian trade unions that have signed on to the event are ICEM-affiliated La Centrale G&eacute;n&eacute;rale FGBT/ABVV, ACV/CSC, LBC-NVK, and CNE. 
 
Also taking part will be the Brussels-based International Federation of Journalists, the Global Union Federation for journalists and allied workers. 
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Focussing on the dangerous situations for trade unionists around the world, participating organisations will target a number of specific countries where trade unionists are in every-day danger of violence, kidnapping, or even assassination. The 10 December event in Brussels will highlight the cases of Jonas Burgos from the Philippines, Pedro Zamora from Guatemala, and Ana Sylvia Melo de Rodr&iacute;guez from Colombia. 
<img height="203" alt="" src="" width="200" />
All are people who were either murdered or disappeared in 2007. Jonas Burgos, an agriculturist working with peasant groups in the Philippines, disappeared on 28 April. He is the son of free speech advocate and opposition newspaper owner Malaya Jose Burgos. Ana Sylvia Melo, a trade unionist with CGT-SINDIMANUELA in Colombia, was assassinated on 19 May. And Pedro Zamora, the leader of Guatemalan dockworkers&rsquo; union STEPQ, who campaigned to rid corruption in the privatisation of Puerto Quetzal, was murdered on 15 January. 
 
The action starts at 19h30 on Monday, 10 December. For more information in Dutch, click <a href="http://www.wereldsolidariteit.be/dmdocuments/10.12.07_affiche%20+%20pamflet%20ned ">here</a>. For the French version, click <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/affiche%20+%20pamflet%20fra%20def.pdf">here</a>.

Trade Union/Human Rights Chain Happening in Brussels 10 December

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Health and safety in the US oil refining sector is as dangerous now as it was nearly three years ago when a blast at a Texas City, Texas, BP refinery claimed the lives of 15 contract workers. So say the results of an in-depth survey of health and safety conditions in US refineries, published by North American affiliate United Steelworkers, the Tony Mazzocchi Center for Health, Safety and Environmental Education, and New Perspectives Consulting Group. 
 

<img alt="" src="" width="150" height="201" />
The 90-page study, which critiques operating practices in some 64 variants inside 51 US refineries, sets forth five &ldquo;Urgent and Critical Actions&rdquo; for the US downstream industry, as well as another five &ldquo;Necessary Support Actions.&rdquo; The recommendations represent an imperative call for better health and safety conditions by oil refiners in the US. 
 
Entitled &ldquo;Beyond Texas City: The State of Process Safety in the Unionized US Oil Refining Industry,&rdquo; the survey takes into account a number of criteria, including use of atmospheric vents on process units, failed instrumentation or alarm systems, allowance of non-essential personnel in restricted areas, and entire process safety systems as they relate to start-ups and shut-downs. 
<img alt="" src="" width="120" height="140" />
USW President Leo Gerard
The urgent actions recommended include establishing a Process Safety Team that includes members selected by the trade union; ensuring that Process Hazard Analyses are reviewed and revalidated at least once every three years; redress to four distinct conditions arising from the 23 March 2005 Texas City disaster; developing and implementing full safety reviews prior to start-ups and shut-downs; and providing adequate and skilled staff to ensure safe working conditions. 
 
&ldquo;These proposals are doable, and while we can&rsquo;t bring back the 15 workers killed at the BP Texas City refinery, they can make it harder for future deaths and injuries to occur,&rdquo; said USW President Leo Gerard. 
The BP Texas City explosion occurred near an isomerisation unit that boosts octane levels of petrol. The unit was being restarted at the time of the explosion after undergoing scheduled maintenance. Contract company trailers and traffic were operating nearby the unit. Besides the contract workers who died, 80 workers suffered injuries.

US Steelworkers Release Insightful Safety Study on Downstream US Oil Industry

<img height="39" alt="" src="" width="100" />
An 11-day strike ended peacefully and successfully for ICEM mining affiliate FSP KEP of Indonesia at PT International Nickel (PT-Inco), a unit of Canadian-based/Brazilian-owned CVRD-Inco. The business is the world&rsquo;s largest nickel operation, located on the Indonesia island of Sulawesi. 
 
The strike started on 15 November and ended on 26 November. FSP KEP won bonus payments similar to those paid to Inco North American workers, won internal promotion procedures, made advances on local hiring versus outside contractors, and PT International agreed to hold no recriminations on workers who waged the effective, gain-filled strike. 
<img height="254" alt="" src="" width="380" />
The strike was successful due to global unity between miners and steelworkers in North America and Brazil. A year ago, when Brazilian mining giant Cia Vale do rio Doce (CVRD) bought Canadian-based Inco, unity came quickly between CVRD and INCO workers on several continents. The Indonesian strike at Sorowako, South Sulawesi, was done by 2.500 dedicated trade unionists, who won gains for 3,500 workers at a nickel mine and matte smelting operation. CVRD-Inco holds the mineral rights to Sorawki until 2025. 
 
The strike saw FSP KEP diligently follow all legal requirements. Sjaiful Patombong, President of FSP KEP, said, &ldquo;Nobody is allowed to prevent workers from using their right to strike legally, orderly, and peacefully.&rdquo; Ten days into the strike, on 25 November, management was ready for talks and presented a proposal. It called for the two sides &ldquo;to honour and maintain harmonious industrial relations between both parties without prejudice to the prevailing laws and regulations, including the Collective Bargaining Agreement.&rdquo; 
<img height="115" alt="" src="" width="250" />
The accord produced a third quarter 2007 bonus, an item PT Inco was denying, citing uncertainty by Brazilian CVRD owners. Workers won, in addition, a production bonus in 2008 that is based on global nickel prices. If prices reach US$13-per-pound, all workers receive a 12% monthly bonus. The strike also produced a company sum for scholarships targeted to the children of PT Inco employees. 
 
FSP KEP President Patombong recognised the global solidarity. &ldquo;The ICEM and our friends in Canada (USW), the USA (USW), and in Brazil have firmly performed the global unity and solidarity between workers around our globe, particularly within the ICEM family.&rdquo; 
 
PT Inco is 61% owned by CVRD-Inco Ltd. of Canada. A 20% stake is held by Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. of Japan. The company has a US$1 billion plan on the boards to expand nickel operations on Sulawesi Island, with construction of two new processing plants.

Indonesian Strike Wins Gains for CVRD-Inco Nickel Miners

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