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A near-fatal death attempt in Colombia on the life of another trade union leader occurred 2 March. Rafael Cabarcas Cabarcas, a key leader of ICEM ally Uni&oacute;n Sindical Obrera de la Industria Del Petr&oacute;leo (USO), was seriously injured when assassins riding a motorcycle opened fire on him and a bodyguard outside Funfedhin Institute of Education in Cartagena. A bullet entered the neck of Cabarcas and lodged in his jaw, while the bodyguard was shot in the abdomen. Cabarcas had been a member of the National Executive of USO during last spring&rsquo;s successful strike against Ecopetrol, a strike in which ICEM spearheaded international support and attention. USO had warned the government of death threats against its leaders since the end of that strike and despite the fact that the Organisation of American States had recommended security tighter measures for USO leaders, none were put in place.

Assassination Attempt on Colombian Oil Union Leader

In Canada, affiliate Communications, Energy and Paperworkers (CEP) is holding a rally today in the New Brunswick town of Miramichi over UPM Kymmene&rsquo;s September announcement that it would shutter a kraft pulp mill at year&rsquo;s end, thus costing 400 workers their jobs. CEO contends the Finnish firm has a legal responsibility to operate the mill it purchased in year 2000 because of a signed agreement to preserve manufacturing jobs in exchange for three Crown licenses granting the firm harvesting rights on government timberlands.

CEP Intent on Keeping Canadian Pulp Mill Open

The latest development in the paper strike in Miramichi, New Brunswick, Canada is that a two-day blockade by 500 picketers at the mill ended 16 February when the number of picketers was scaled back again to six, as before. The dispute is between Finland&rsquo;s UPM Kymmene and 770 members of ICEM affiliate Communications, Energy and Paperworkers (CEP) Union, who have been on strike since 16 December 2004. The workers sought to maintain pressure on the company to delay dismantling of an economically viable kraft pulp mill across the Miramichi River from the paper mill. Some 65 managers claim they were trapped inside the mill for over 24 hours, even though CEP local 689 maintains strikers never refused anyone wishing to exit the mill to leave, as long as they did so on foot. A day after the action on 17 February, a company representative stated demolition of the pulp mill would begin early this week.

Strikers Block UPM Kymmene’s Pulp Mill in Canada

The ICEM has written to French-based energy concern Total asking the company to rethink its position concerning investment in Burma. As one of the few remaining large foreign investors in Burma, Total&rsquo;s business enterprises prop the country&rsquo;s dictatorial junta behind a constant flow of foreign currency. Burma is a country that spends over 40% of its national budget on military expenditures, while 0.4% of GDP is spent on health and education. The letter anticipates an upcoming high profile NGO campaign against Total because of its links with Burma.

Total Must Disinvest from Burma’s Military Junta

The ICEM's North American Regional Coordinating Committee on 17 February pledged its support to the USWA in these talks. The ICEM will urge the company to negotiate a new contract consistent with the standards already set with other tyre makers, and will take global action to support the USWA in win a fair and just labour agreement. The ICEM NA committee also took action urging German rubber company Continental to back down from its concessionary agenda in mid-term reopening contract talks with the USWA. The ICEM is calling on Continental to also face its contractual obligations on pay and benefits over the company's plant closing of a Mayfield, Kentucky, tyre facility.

North American ICEM Region Takes Action Over Tyre Stalemates

In Nepal, the ICEM has been informed that GEFONT&rsquo;s offices have been searched by the police on 18 February. At around 10.30 AM, 15 to 20 policemen entered the building during a union meeting. The police officers searched the premises thoroughly, up to the rooftop, intimidating the trade unionists present and forcing them to leave the building. When they apparently didn&rsquo;t find what they were looking for, the police left, but not without locking up the GEFONT office, taking the key with them. The offices were kept closed for the whole day and the key was only returned in the evening. The ICEM fears that the invasion by the police was in search of particular high-ranking GEFONT leaders, who the ICEM fears are in danger of being arrested. The ICEM wrote to the Nepalese authorities last week, voicing its concern about the labour rights situation in the country after the sudden dismissal of the Nepalese government, and asking for the protection of trade union leaders from arbitrary arrest.

Nepal’s Government Continues Rights Abuses Under Martial Law

ICEM Japanese affiliate UI Zensen&rsquo;s Central Committee has announced it will launch a Spring Offensive this year aimed at achieving basic wage increases. Japanese workers have faced double trouble in terms of battered family finances after years of wage neglect, and heavier tax and social security burdens placed on working class citizens. UI Zensen&rsquo;s courageous leadership is calling for a unified wage hike of &yen;1,000 or 2.5% as the goal for the offensive.

Japanese Affiliate UI Zensen Aims at Wage Increase

UPM Kymmene in Canada has heightened the discord in a five-week strike at a kraft pulp mill and coated papers mill in Miramichi, New Brunswick. The Finnish company sought and won a court order in a New Brunswick court to limit the number of picketers at the mill&rsquo;s five gates. The 700 members of Communications, Energy and Paperworkers (CEP) Local 689 are holding strong in this threat to their livelihoods with strike pay from the national CEP, plus a supplement derived from contributions from other paper-sector members of the CEP. The strike was caused when UPM Kymmene refused to table the paper industry&rsquo;s pattern agreement for eastern Canada. No bargaining has been held since the 16 December strike began.

UPM Kymmene Intensifying Paper Strike in Canada

The Transport and General Workers&rsquo; Union of UK is polling 1,200 members at two Michelin plants for industrial action. Michelin&rsquo;s wage offer in December of either 3% or GBP 650 is inadequate, and separate polling of the two workforces will begin this week. The two sites are Stoke in the Midlands with 400 T&amp;G members and Ballymena in Northern Ireland employing 800.

Transport and General in UK Ready for Industrial Action at Michelin

German affiliate IGBCE proved instrumental in getting a tyre factory in Mexico reopened. The Continental AG plant in the western Mexican state of Jalisco was closed in 2001, idling 1,400. Working with several NGOs and the United Steelworkers of America (USWA), IGBCE convinced Continental to sell the plant to a group of Mexican investors and workers as a cooperative. The tyre plant, now called Western Tire Corp./El Salto Tire Factory, will employ between 600 and 700 workers.

Continental Tyre Plant in Mexico gets New Life Thanks to IGBCE

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