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US affiliate PACE filed a formal inquiry to the US Contact Point over French-based Imerys&rsquo; labour conduct at a calcium carbonate operation in the state of Alabama. The inquiry hopefully will start an investigation by US and French Contact Points under OECD&rsquo;s Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. Unlawful complaints issued by the US labour board have been levied against Imerys for interference in union activities and for failure to provide PACE with necessary information to process workers&rsquo; grievances. Imerys management says it will not comply with US labour board investigations of its illegal actions, and PACE is seeking injunctive relief under the labour code in a federal court.

PACE Seeks OECD Investigation on Imerys’ Labour Conduct

FUB-CNQ affiliate in Brazil is conducting meetings this week for 40,000 Petrobras oil workers to gain an affirmative vote for a five-day strike against the state firm beginning 19 October. The issue is an inferior pay proposal for active workers, and an inadequate benefit escalator for retirees. The union conducted surprise, 24-hour strikes in early October over four days protesting the company&rsquo;s unwillingness to pay. The two sides are 5.3% apart over this year&rsquo;s increase.

FUB Brazilian Affiliate May Strike Petrobras

After a one-week strike, some 300 members of ICEM affiliate Korean Chemical &amp; Textile Workers&rsquo; Federation reached a labour agreement with BASF Korea in Yeosu. The 23 July agreement calls for a base monthly salary hike of 5% and a reduction in weekly work hours from 42 to 40 without any corresponding loss of pay. 
The amiable settlement is contrasted with the harsh response of government and joint venture partners LG Group and ChevronTexaco at the nearby LG Caltex refinery.

Week-Long Strike Brings BASF Settlement in Korea

Progress was made in the 10-month dispute between Argentine affiliate SUTNA and Bridgestone/Firestone. Last October, the firm sacked 90 workers at a tyre factory near Buenos Aires when it illegally imposed a rationalization plan without bargaining with SUTNA. Following an eight-day blockade of the plant in late June and early July preventing suppliers from delivering raw materials, BS/FS agreed to talks through efforts of the provincial labour minister. A handful of the 90 workers have been so far recalled and negotiations not only continue for reinstatement of the remaining, but on a new collective agreement for which the company refused to discuss last year.

Argentine Affiliate Continuing to Pressure Bridgestone Tyre

Canadian Steelworkers will be in a position to strike Rio Tinto subsidiary Iron Ore Company of Canada in mid-July after rejecting harsh concessionary proposals at operations in Newfoundland and Quebec. Mediated negotiations broke off 25 June and following the conciliator&rsquo;s report to the Labour Ministry, three branches of the USWA representing 1,400 workers can legally strike 15 days hence. Despite peak demand and booming market for iron ore, Rio Tinto is seeking concessions that amount to C$7-an-hour per worker. A prior labour agreement expired 1 March.

USWA Members in Canada Set to Strike Rio Tinto

The ICEM has protested ExxonMobil&rsquo;s decision in C&ocirc;te d&rsquo; Ivoire to sack oil workers without dialogue and negotiations with affiliate SYNTEP-CI. The US-based firm is unilaterally moving on a plan called &ldquo;functional alignment&rdquo; that closes workstations and produces collective redundancies. Since ExxonMobil did negotiate with unions in neighbouring countries, the ICEM called it &ldquo;the highest level of discrimination,&rdquo; as well as &ldquo;violations of workers&rsquo; and union rights.&rdquo;

ICEM Calls Attention to ExxonMobil’s Harsh Côte d’ Ivoire Actions

The initial conference of ICEM&rsquo;s ExxonMobil Workers&rsquo; Global Network has been set for 3-4 November 2004 in the US city of Houston, Texas. US affiliate PACE is the lead union of the network. Unions representing ExxonMobil workforces are encouraged to attend. A call letter went out last month and trade union leaders can contact Gino Govender at ICEM or Keith Romig at PACE for further information.

First Global Meeting of ExxonMobil Network to Meet in US

Australian affiliate CFMEU criticized building firm Kavernar Clough for reprehensible conduct following an accident in which a crane dropped a 75-tonne steel vessel through a smelting tower. The accident occurred 1 June at Rio Tinto&rsquo;s Hi Smelt nickel plant in Kwinana, West Australia. The CFMEU halted work for 48 hours to insure the smelting tower was fully inspected and certified safe. The construction firm, however, instructed its men to continue with a concrete pour just minutes after the accident directly beneath the tower.

Union Critical of Firm’s Safety Procedures at Rio Tinto Jobsite

ICEM&rsquo;s Global Agreement, as well as US affiliate PACE&rsquo;s strategic accord with Swedish paper producer SCA were instrumental in bringing union representation to state of Arizona workers. In a two-day vote 27-28 May conducted by the US government, workers at a tissue plant in Bellemont, Arizona, voted for PACE 88-50. The union and SCA agreed to a &ldquo;principles of behavior&rdquo; code during the election campaign, which came as a result of ICEM&rsquo;s Global Agreement signed with the company in April, as well as PACE&rsquo;s cooperative accord signed with SCA in October 2003.

PACE in US Wins Union Recognition for SCA Workers

Rio Tinto Australian subsidiary Energy Resources may face prosecution in the Northern Territory following a March incident in which contaminated water from uranium processing was connected into workers&rsquo; drinking and showering supplies. Some 30 workers took ill. A report by the Northern Territory government identified serious breaches of regulations and NT&rsquo;s Mines and Energy minister said a &ldquo;lack of duty of care&rdquo; by management exists at the Ranger Mine in Kakadu National Park.

Rio Tinto May Be Prosecuted over Australian Water Contamination

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