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Three major mine accidents occurred in China last week, killing 28 workers. A methane gas explosion at a coal mine in Guizhou Province killed 19, while at an unlicensed coal mine in Xiangtan, Hunan Province, a broken cable caused a fire killing six miners. On 12 July, an accident at a fluorite mine near Qingyuan, Guangdong Province, killed three miners.

Mine Accidents in China Kill 28

A mining accident at the shuttered Shinkolobwe uranium mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo killed at least 30 when a roof collapsed. The mine had been closed for decades, but that hasn&rsquo;t prevented small-scale, illegal mining for colombo tantalite&mdash;or coltan, the valuable mineral used in mobile phones and computer chips&mdash;from continuing. ICEM Congolese affiliate FENAMICO has condemned the practice and has called for a full-scale investigation of the 9 July tragedy.

Illegal Uranium Mine in Congo Collapses, Kills 30

The Philippine Cement Workers Council (PCWC) has joined with the country&rsquo;s Department of Trade and Industry in efforts to overturn a Supreme Court decision nullifying safeguard tariffs on imported cement. The High Tribunal ruled 12 July against the legal measure put into effect late last year, which guarantees mechanisms protecting industries from cheap imports. Institution of such mechanisms is sanctioned under the WTO. PCWC Gen. Sec. Samuel Eslava said the safeguard measures saved jobs and &ldquo;paved the way for industrial peace&rdquo; in the Philippines.

Philippine Cement Workers Council Seeks to Preserve Tariffs

Local unions of the CEP in Canada ratified a five-year labour accord last week with Abitibi-Consolidated, thus giving the union a pattern for 25,000 other paperworkers in eastern Canada. The 2,500 union members at Abitibi&rsquo;s 13 mills won better pension formulas effective upon ratification and again in 2005 and 2009. In addition, the pact provides for an unreduced pension at age 57 and continues an indexing formula for retirees. Wage gains amount to 11% over the term, and job security provisions protecting CEP members from losing employment due to outsourcing work were achieved.

Paper Pattern Established in Canada by Affiliate CEP

The Executive Board of the Woodworkers Union has approved merger terms with ICEM affiliate USWA. Local branches of the 55,000-member Industrial Wood &amp; Allied Workers of Canada (IWA-Canada) will now vote between 12 July and 27 August on the merger.

Canadian Woodworkers Set to Merge into USWA

Also in New Zealand, a chlorine spill 11 June at Carter Holt Harvey&rsquo;s Kinleith paper operations created a huge cloud of gas and caused some evacuations and major traffic tie-ups in the town of Tokoroa. No injuries were reported. CHH, majority owned by US International Paper Co., had just days earlier escaped prosecution over a dam collapse last December resulting in the spill of 5,000 cubic metres of sludge and sediment containing PCPs into nearby waterways. A local regulatory committee rejected court action.

Chlorine Spill at Paper Mill Causes Evacuation in New Zealand

Engineering, Printing &amp; Manufacturing Union National Secretary Andrew Little said New Zealand&rsquo;s current high growth, healthy company profits, and a tight skilled-labour jobs market make &ldquo;the perfect conditions for wage growth.&rdquo; In calling for more and better levels of collective bargaining, Little said with economic growth nearing 4%, &ldquo;working people should be getting pay raises of at least that much. Instead, they&rsquo;re getting 2.5%.&rdquo;

EPMU Charts Wage Growth Course in New Zealand

Durban Roodeport Deep (DRD), the anti-worker South African gold producer, rejected out of hand affiliate NUM&rsquo;s viable plan to save jobs and create opportunities at the East Rand Proprietary Mines (ERPM). The union proposed to switch to high volume at the ore-rich mines near Boksburg. The mine operator, citing the high Rand, is intent on phasing out operations over the next ten months, affecting the livelihoods of 2,600 miners. DRD has already reduced pumping operations which could endanger the surrounding area. DRD is the managing partner and 40% ERPM stakeholder in the enterprise called Crown Gold Resources Ltd. With Khumo Bathong Holdings as majority holder.

Durban Deep Rejects NUM’s Plan for Job Preservation

Russian unions took to the streets 10 June in dozens of cities to demonstrate against proposed legislation to replace health care, utility and transportation benefits for retirees and disabled citizens with nonindexed cash payouts. Hundreds of concerned groups, led by the Federation of Independent Unions, fear the proposed added monthly supplement will be eaten away by inflation and price hikes to essential services. The measure will receive a first reading in the State Duma 2 July, and more protests are assured including a possible national strike in September if the proposal isn&rsquo;t defeated.

Russian Unions Protest Social Cutbacks

Ecuadorian management of Swiss-based cement producer Holcim Group fired 90 workers for attempting to form a union in the South American country. The sacked workers are seeking international help in asserting their right to organize, both with government officials and with the company. ICEM is coordinating action with Swiss affiliate Syndicat Industrie &amp; B&acirc;timent (SIB).

Cement Giant Holcim Sacks Workers in Ecuador

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