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Japanese tyre-maker Bridgestone&rsquo;s failure to listen to alternatives on redundancies in social talks has caused a fiery strike at the company&rsquo;s airplane tyre factory in Frameries, Belgium. The strike by all 140 workers and led by ICEM Belgian affiliate FGTB Centrale G&eacute;n&eacute;rale started on 11 June over eight job cuts. 
 
A day into the strike, trade unionists convinced managers to stay away from the factory and the plant has been idle since. 

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Bridgestone seeks to unilaterally lay off eight workers. FGTB and the 140 workers say that decision ridicules a plant rule on job security. They also point to the fact that Bridgestone employs 14 workers on short-term contracts at Frameries. The FGTB states that Belgium&rsquo;s pre-pension plan qualifies 24 workers for leave, but Bridgestone will not consider other solutions to its reduction in force. 
 
The factory is a Bridgestone re-treading plant. The strike at the plant comes at a time when Bridgestone is boasting to global financial markets that its 2009 earnings sheet will be better that previously predicted because of a stronger yen and already-implemented expense reductions.

Bridgestone Tyre Strike in Belgium Erupts

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ICEM&rsquo;s Bridgestone Global Union Network held its 9th Steering Committee meeting in Tokyo, Japan, on 26-27 June, and is was hosted successfully by the ICEM&rsquo;s Japanese affiliate, Rubber Workers&rsquo; Unions Confederation (GOMU-RENGO) and its member organisation, the Bridgestone Workers&rsquo; Union. 
 
GOMU RENGO President Toshiaki Hojo chaired the meeting with the assistance of Akihiro Nagasawa and Gen Tashiro, President and Vice President, respectively, of the Bridgestone Workers&rsquo; Union. (Gen Tashiro also serves as secretary of the Network.) 
 
Following the general report by ICEM&rsquo;s Chemicals and Rubber Officer Kemal &Ouml;zkan on developments and challenges in the tyre and rubber industry at global level, delegates to the meeting gave country and regional reports. They came from Japan, Spain, Brazil, and South Africa. 

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As the central focus to the Network, delegates deliberated on industrial accidents within Bridgestone across the world. Delegates were informed of the circumstances around serious recent accidents in Japan and Brazil. A lengthy discussion then ensued on measures to improve occupational health and safety at the Japan-based company. 
 
The meeting also saw an extensive report by ICEM&rsquo;s &Ouml;zkan on the ongoing strike at a Bridgestone plant located in Frameries, Belgium, as well as problems in obtaining trade union recognition and health and safety concerns at a factory in Tatabanya, Hungary. 
 
The Japanese host union promised to put these problems before executives at Bridgestone headquarters in Japan. The delegates from Spain, Brazil, and South Africa extended solidarity both to ICEM affiliate FGTB Centrale G&eacute;n&eacute;rale in Belgium and VDSz, the affiliated Chemical and Energy Workers&rsquo; Federation in Hungary. 
 
Along with Hojo, Nagasawa, Tashiro, and &Ouml;zkan, delegates attending included Daniel Demetrio and Batista Goncalves, Rubber Workers&rsquo; Union of Brazil (FUB); Jesus Delgado, Secretary of the European Works Council of Bridgestone and Eduardo Alonso, shop steward at Burgos, Spain, both members of the Federation of Related Industries of Spain (FIA-UGT); Nicholas Masilo from National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA); and Yoshio Sato, General Secretary of ICEM&rsquo;s Japanese Affiliates Federation (ICEM-JAF). 
 
The next meeting of the Steering Committee is scheduled to take place during the last week of June 2010 in Spain.

Bridgestone Global Safety Steering Meets in Tokyo

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South Africa's state-run electricity utility, Eskom, is doing all the political manoeuvring to can to ward off a strike by 24,000 unionised workers. 
 
The workers, members of three unions, including ICEM affiliates National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the National Union of Metalworker of South Africa (NUMSA), were prepared to lower their wage demands in bargaining on 27 June, but Eskom arrived at talks with no will to improve its earlier offer. 
 
Over 100 unionists then gathered at Eskom headquarters in the Sandton area of Johanessburg to protest. They were met by police and private security guards, who fired tear gas canisters to disperse the lawful protestors. 
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The utility has taken the unusual step of challenging the jurisdiction of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA) over a minimum services agreement. In mid-June, a dispute was filed with the CCMA, hoping to get the agency to rule on which groups of Eskom workers were considered essential employees, and which were not. 
That would determine which groups could strike. But Eskom short-circuited the process by taking the unprecedented legal position that CCMA had no jurisdiction in the matter. In 2005, the unions sought a new minimum services agreement with the company, but Eskom unilaterally renewed its &quot;maximum services agreement,&quot; meaning all workers were denied the right to strike. (The company did this unilaterally, without engaging in social dialogue with the workers' representatives.) 
 
A prior labour agreement expired on 30 June. Until the CCMA jurisdictional matter is resolved, workers will continue their protests, including a 24-hour strike beginning on Wednesday night, 4 July. 
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For the 27 June negotiations, workers had given their unions a mandate to move off their 12% wage demands. But Eskom arrived at talks with no desire to even negotiate. 
 
A previous company wage offer totalled only 6%. Electricity workers are seeking a wage increase that gives them a safe cushion against South Africa&rsquo;s inflation rate, which now is 2% higher than April's consumer price index of 6.3%, excluding mortgage costs increases. 
 
The unions are also seeking housing allowances and improved pension benefits. On housing, they seek a R 1,500 allowance, with Eskom offering only R 450. 
 
NUM represents 11,000 of the 24,000 workers engaged in this year's contentious bargaining, while NUMSA represents 6,000.

24,000 South African Electric Workers Poised to Strike

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The annual meeting of the Steering Committee of ICEM&rsquo;s Bridgestone Global Union Network of Workers was held in Tokyo, Japan, on 22-23 June. The Japanese Rubber Workers&rsquo; Union Confederation (GOMU-RENGO) hosted this seventh annual meeting of the network, and also chairs the Bridgestone network. 
 
As decided at the 2006 meeting of the network, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, participants presented very detailed reports on occupational health and safety. The unions present gave the numbers of accidents occurring in 2006 at their respective factories, and presented their efforts on how they are attempting to prevent accidents. 
 
Along with the extensive safety reports, participants reported on general economic conditions of the tyre industry, as well as on work and economic conditions in their particular plants and respective countries and regions. The Bridgestone Workers&rsquo; Union of Japan also submitted substantive information and data on Bridgestone. 
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Participants at the ICEM Bridgestone meeting
The union representatives on the steering committee include the S&atilde;o Paulo Rubber Workers Union of Brazil (FUB), representing Latin America; the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (NUMSA), representing Africa; the Federation of Related Industries of Spain (FIA-UGT), representing Europe; the United Steelworkers of the US, representing North America; and ICEM&rsquo;s Japanese Affiliates Federation (ICEM-JAF), representing the Asia-Pacific Region, as well as GOMU-RENGO, which chairs the network. 
 
ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda gave participants a Secretariat report, and spoke on the Global Union Federation&rsquo;s general policies, specifically global union networks and global framework agreements. He referred to motions to be submitted to the 4th ICEM World Congress, to be held in Bangkok, Thailand, in November 2007, particularly one on &ldquo;social dialogue and corporate campaigns.&rdquo; 
 
ICEM Chemicals and Rubber Industries Officer Kemal Ozkan, presented a general report on recent developments in the rubber industry, including raw materials, market trends, new technologies, and industrial policies, such as nanotechnology. He also reported on the Strategic Approach of International Chemicals Management (SAICM) and on CO2 emissions. 
 
He pointed to trends in the non-tyre rubber industry and the close links that the sector has with the auto industry. Ozkan also summarised networking activity of the ICEM in the rubber industry and talked about the recent collective bargaining outcomes in the US, Australia, and Argentina. 
 
The steering committee took a decision to hold the 2008 Bridgestone Global Union Network of Workers in the US, upon the invitation of the USW.

ICEM’s Bridgestone Rubber Workers’ Network Meets in Japan

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Hosted by Indonesian ICEM affiliate Chemical, Energy and Mine Workers' Federation (FSP KEP), the ICEM Regional Conference for the Asia-Pacific Region was held on 18 June 2007, in Jakarta, Indonesia. A total of 106 participants from 12 different countries attended. 
 
In addition to opening addresses by the regional chairperson, Kiyoshi Ochiai of UI Zensen, Japan, and by ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda, the meeting was greeted by Indonesia&rsquo;s Minister of Manpower, Erman Suparno. 
 
The labour minister welcomed the fact that this meeting was held in Jakarta, since it brought an &ldquo;international experience on globalisation to Indonesia.&rdquo; He also said that the country is willing to learn from other countries&rsquo; wisdom on how to enhance socio-economic development. 
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ICEM Vice-President Kiyoshi Ochiai
At the meeting, participants stressed the need for the region to balance growth, on the one hand, with creating social dialogue and social welfare for working people on the other. More needs to be done to share the current benefits of economic growth. 
 
Chairman Ochiai and Chuang Chueh an of the Taiwan's Petroleum Workers' Union (TPWU) were re-elected as regional vice presidents of the ICEM. 
One day after the regional conference, a regional seminar on contract and agency labour was held. The seminar was well attended, including by representatives of ICEM affiliates, other Indonesian unions, regional representatives of other Global Union Federations, including the International Metalworkers&rsquo; Federation (IMF), the International Textile, Garment, and Leather Workers' Federation (ITGLWF), the Building and Woodworkers' International (BWI) and Public Services International (PSI). It also included experts on contract and agency labour from Western European trade unions, Indonesian universities, and NGOs. 
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Participants at the ICEM Asia Pacific Women's meeting
Participants heard from local trade unionists on the contract and temporary workers in Indonesia, and discussion from ICEM's Thai affiliates on their efforts to organise contract and agency workers occurred.

ICEM Regional Conference for Asia-Pacific Held in Jakarta, Indonesia

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Some 30 Central European trade unionists from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia participated in the meeting of the ICEM Regional Conference for Central Europe, which took place in Balatonszemes, Hungary, on 5-6 June 2007. The meeting was hosted by Hungarian ICEM affiliate Federation of Trade Unions of the Chemical, Energy and General Workers (VDSZ). 
 
In spite of the many stories in the mainstream media recently on the positive economic growth in the region, reports at the meeting often painted a bleak economic picture for many of the countries, with delegates reporting on complicated and often difficult situations in their countries. 
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ICEM Regional President Juraj Blahak and ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda
Widespread austerity measures, for example in Hungary and Slovakia, and the effects of years of privatisation and liberalisation, such as what's been happening in Bosnia or Serbia, are taking their toll on trade unions, workers, and ordinary citizens. Even in those countries that are now part of the European Union, economic problems persist. They include problems with immigration of workers to richer countries in Europe, often the result of low national wages. That is the case in Romania and Poland. Another endemic problem is that of high unemployment, for example in the Balkan countries. 
 
There was also good news, however. In several, if not most, Central European countries, unions reported successes, with some winning more and better benefits for workers. Improvements also exist in the area of social dialogue with employers, often after pressure on governments. 
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Unions in the region reported on the increased cooperation with other national or industry unions, with some constructive mergers processes now underway. Croatia was listed as one such example. Many participants also mentioned the positive role played by the ICEM/IUF South-East Europe union modernisation project. 
 
Juraj Blahak, President of Slovakian ICEM affiliate OZ Ch&eacute;mia SR, was re-elected as the Vice-President for the Central European region. And Elena Petrovici, from Romanian ICEM affiliate Petrom, was re-elected as the president of the Central European Women&rsquo;s Committee. She was elected at the ICEM Central European Women&rsquo;s Conference, which took place just prior to the regional conference.

ICEM&#039;s Central European Regional Conference Held in Balatonszemes, Hungary

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An assembled 36 delegates from ICEM affiliates in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan attended the ICEM Regional Committee meeting for Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and South Caucasus on 30 May and 1 June 2007 in Moscow. The meeting was preceded by a meeting of the region's Women&rsquo;s Committee on 30 May. 
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ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda and President of the ICEM EECA&amp;SC Regional Organisation&nbsp;Ivan Mokhnachuk
The delegates received a progress report on transitional membership in the region. During the period under review, nine transitional affiliates applied for, and were granted, full membership in the ICEM. The delegates agreed that 15 years was more than ample time for transitional members to make up their minds and become affiliates of the ICEM, and unanimously decided to abrogate the transitional membership status in the region. 
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Delegates stressed, however, that this decision did not shut the door to the ICEM to any union who would be willing to take the decision to become a member of the ICEM family, and to respect its statutory requirements. 
 
Country reports drew a picture of the region&rsquo;s diverse political and economic challenges, with reports on union initiatives, while accentuating the need for greater solidarity and coordinated activities between trade unions. Major themes in the country reports included political instability, privatisation problems, and organising activities and social dialogue in multinational enterprises. 
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&nbsp;Participants visiting a Moscow trade union history museum
The Conference re-elected Ivan Mokhnachuk, Rosugleprof, as ICEM Vice-President and Lev Mironov of Russia's Oil and Gas Workers' Union (ROGWU) and Valery Matov of the Nuclear Power and Industry Workers' of Ukraine as ICEM&nbsp;Executive Committee&nbsp;members. Eugenia Esenina of ROGWU&nbsp;was elected to a women seat on ICEM's Executive Committee, and will retain one of two Women's seats on the Presidium.

ICEM&#039;s Regional Conference for Eastern Europe, Central Asia, South Caucasus Held in Moscow, Russia

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The World Federation of Industry Workers (WFIW) held its Dissolution World Congress in Houffalize, Belgium, on 14 June 2007. The 80 participants at this historic meeting, from 25 countries, unanimously took the decision to integrate the WFIW structures into the ICEM, a process which will be finalised at the ICEM's 4th World Congress in November 2007 in Bangkok. 
 
The WFIW is one of the International Trade Federations formerly affiliated to the World Confederation of Labour (WCL), the international trade union confederation which, together with the former ICFTU, recently merged to create the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). 
 
The Dissolution Congress, with ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda present, was just one step in a longer process to prepare the WFIW&rsquo;s integration into the ICEM. That process starting in 2004 at a WFIW meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria. 
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From left to right: Justin Daerden; Carlos Geatan; Italo Rodomonti; Bart Bruggeman; Manfred Warda; Achille Dutu and Romuald Nuwopke
Further essential decisions were taken at the May 2005 WFIW Congress, held in Dakar, Senegal, where the WFIW adopted a resolution entitled &ldquo;Solidarity and Future Actions,&rdquo; which gave the WFIW Executive Committee a mandate to continue the integration process with the ICEM. That paved the way for the WFIW dissolution Congress in Houffalize last month. 
 
Most WFIW affiliated unions, roughly two-thirds of the WFIW's membership, operate in ICEM sectors, and are expected to join the ICEM at or following its Bangkok Congress. 
 
WFIW General Secretary Italo Rodomonti said he strongly believes that &ldquo;after the integration of the WFIW members into the ICEM, pluralism within the international trade union confederation will form a firm basis for a stronger international trade union federation.&rdquo; 
 
The Dissolution Congress elected Italo Rodomonti, as well as Achille Dutu from Romania, as future ICEM Presidium members. Brazil's Wilson Wanderlei Viera and Alphonse Beya Tshimbu from the Democratic Republic of Congo were elected to become ICEM Executive Committee members. 
 
The Dissolution Congress was followed by a two-day seminar, which highlighted the many problems related to immigration, with discussions centring on possibilities regarding social dialogue in this complex area.

WFIW Dissolution Congress Prepares Integration of its Affiliates in the ICEM

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Nepal&rsquo;s reconstruction efforts, in progress since trade unions and their peaceful civil protests ended martial law a year ago in the Himalayan country, have now been snubbed. The country&rsquo;s National Planning Commission has excluded the three national labour centres from participation on the National Development Forum. 
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The General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), the Nepalese Trade Union Congress (NTUC), and the Democratic Confederation of Nepalese Trade Unions (DECONT) all have had their leaders excluded from the 222-member National Development Forum. 
 
&ldquo;Though it is designed to finalise the three-year National Interim Plan, which includes different organisations, civil society, NGOs, political parties, women&rsquo;s and ethnic groups, it excludes the working class representatives who cover more than half of the population of the country,&rdquo; the three labour centres said in a statement. 
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&ldquo;We are shocked by the decision of the government and consider it an insult to the entire working population of the nation.&rdquo; 
 
To protest the snub, trade union leaders intend to stage a strike at the hotel in which the National Development Forum is meeting unless members of Nepal&rsquo;s planning commission issue a public apology, and place union representatives on the forum.

GEFONT and Nepal’s Other National Labour Centres Condemn Exclusion

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A week-long strike by 28,000 contract employees working for employers doing business with Chilean state-run copper miner Codelco turned ugly on 25 June. Protestors blocked roads and burned buses leading into one of Codelco&rsquo;s five mines, El Teniente. 
 
On 28 June, they did the same at Radomiro Tonic, Codelco&rsquo;s second largest copper mine. The contract workers are members of the Copper Confederation of Workers (FTC), a union representing workers at some 400 sub-contractors of Codelco, the world&rsquo;s largest copper producer. 
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At the weekend, Chile&rsquo;s President Michelle Bachelet ordered government mediators to step in and resolve the dispute. The FTC, which is not affiliated to the ICEM, is seeking wage parity with Codelco&rsquo;s miners, as well as performance bonuses, better health care, housing, and education benefits. 
 
The contract employees earn roughly half of what Codelco&rsquo;s 15,000 miners receive. 
 
Codelco said the strike has costed the company US$20 million in lost production. It also said it has limited ability to conduct negotiations with the contract workers, since they are employed by other enterprises. 
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The strike is supported by Chile&rsquo;s national labour centre, the Central Workers Union (CUT), which has called for equality for all contract workers in the South American country. CUT has made it a priority to also improve labour conditions for contract and agency workers. 
 
The FTC and the Chilean private miners&rsquo; society, Sonami, did issue a statement condemning the violence that occurred throughout last week at El Teniente, Radomiro Tomic, Codelco Norte, El Salvadoe, Andina, and at a Codelco smelter in Ventanas. 
 
Scores of contract workers were arrested, and one was killed when he was struck by a truck owned by his company, Zublin engineering, while he was blocking a road. 
 
The strike by the contract workers was the second at Codelco&rsquo;s operations in the last 18 months. The workers staged a 17-day strike in January 2006, but did not receive wage parity or bonus payments at the time. They did, however, win some improvements in working conditions.

Contract Workers of Codelco Copper in Chile Strike

Archive

Bridgestone Tyre Strike in Belgium Erupts

Bridgestone Global Safety Steering Meets in Tokyo

24,000 South African Electric Workers Poised to Strike

ICEM’s Bridgestone Rubber Workers’ Network Meets in Japan

ICEM Regional Conference for Asia-Pacific Held in Jakarta, Indonesia

ICEM's Central European Regional Conference Held in Balatonszemes, Hungary

ICEM's Regional Conference for Eastern Europe, Central Asia, South Caucasus Held in Moscow, Russia

WFIW Dissolution Congress Prepares Integration of its Affiliates in the ICEM

GEFONT and Nepal’s Other National Labour Centres Condemn Exclusion

Contract Workers of Codelco Copper in Chile Strike

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