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Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadjinejad 
President of the Republic 
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection 
Tehran 
Islamic Republic of Iran 
 
By Fax: + 98-21-66.48.06.65 and + 98-21-649.58.80 
 
 
Brussels, 13 February 2006 
 

Dear Mr. President, 
 
 
Re: Sherkate Vahed (Tehran Bus Company) 
 
The ICEM, the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions, after having been informed by the International Transport Workers&rsquo; Federation (ITF) and the International Confederation of Trade Unions (ICFTU) about the recent developments in regard to the dispute between the Iranian authorities and the workers of the Sherkate Vahed in Tehran, adds its voice, in the name of the 20 million members that it represents in 122 countries around the world, to the world-wide protest against the hostile and brutal repression of the Sherkate Vahed workers at the occasion of the International Day of Action, on 15 February 2006. 
 
Following a series of arrests late last year, combined with a new wave of repression at the end of January, a large number of Sherkate Vahed trade union members reportedly still remain in detention, many of them arrested during a demonstration on 28 January 2006. This harassment of trade union members and officials is most definitely in breach of the internationally recognised fundamental trade union rights. 
 
The ICEM is also very concerned about the continued detention of Mansour Osanloo, the President of the Executive Board of Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs United Bus Company (Sandikaye Kargarane Sherkate Vahed Otobosrani Tehran va Hoomeh). Our concern is not only that Brother Mansour Osanloo is imprisoned for none other than doing standard trade union work, but also that he is detained while in bad health. 
 
Together with the ICFTU, the ITF and the other Global Unions partners, the ICEM urges you to release Mansour Osanloo at once and drop all charges against him. Also, an immediate end needs to be put to the unjustified pressure that the Sherkate Vahed workers are facing. All trade unionists that remain detained because of their participation in regular trade union actions need to be released as a matter of urgency. Finally, genuine discussions with the representatives of the workers need to be restarted so that a fair solution can be found to this crisis. 
 
I trust you will take these matters seriously and urgently act in accordance. 
 
Sincerely Yours, 
 
Fred Higgs 
General Secretary 
ICEM

ICEM letter in support of the Iran Sherkate Vahed workers

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ICEM ASIA MNC Project

More than 1500 trade unionists participated in a torch-lit march in the city centre of Gent, Belgium, yesterday, protesting against the shocking behaviour of the management of Stora Enso&rsquo;s paper mill in Langerbrugge, near Gent. 
 
 

<img height="178" src="" width="390" alt="" />
 
At the heart of the demonstration were the two Belgian trade union representatives&nbsp;that Stora Enso, a Finnish-Swedish multinational headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, dismissed at the end of last year for their union activities. For the full background see: <a href="/?id=77&amp;doc=1638&amp;la=EN">Stora Enso Retaliates Against Union Leaders in Gent, Belgium (3 February 2006)</a>. 
 
 

<img height="265" src="" width="390" alt="" />
 
An ICEM delegation, led by Fred Higgs, ICEM General Secretary,&nbsp;participated in the protest march. The presence of the ICEM highlighted the international character of the dispute, as the ICEM representatives carried the banner of the Canadian Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP), another ICEM affiliate also facing an attack by Stora Enso management. 
 
One similarity between the disputes in Canada and Belgium is the desire of the company to have unchecked freedom in contracting out jobs, thereby seriously jeopardising job security at Stora Enso facilities. Another similarity is the blatantly anti-union behaviour. Stora Enso is becoming increasingly known as a company showing little or no regard for the rights of its workers and their unions in its chase of higher profitability. 
 
 

<img height="230" alt="" src="" width="250" />
 
At the march, flags were exchanged between representatives of the ICEM, in the name of CEP, and the Belgian ACCG, in a display of solidarity between the Canadian unionists and the Belgian protesters. Discussions took place between the two unions and the ICEM in Brussels last week. 
 
 

<img height="236" alt="" src="" width="380" />

Protest March Against Stora Enso Behaviour in Belgium

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An ICEM News release on 3 February mentions current Belgian political debate on the legal status of a trade union. It said Swedish-Finnish paper company Stora Enso has now joined that debate on the side of right-wing political parties to re-classify unions across Belgium. 
Something basic and fundamental is at play at Stora Enso&rsquo;s Langerbrugge mill in Gent. The company is systematically attempting to carve further job rights from workers at Gent&rsquo;s Langerbrugge mill. 
Intimidations, bullying and divide-to-conquer tactics are the means. The company&rsquo;s intention is for the 300 members at Langerbrugge to concede 70 jobs to subcontractors, to agree on flexibility at the expense of working conditions, and to give up their long-term right to 1 January as a shutdown day. 
That is reason enough to march in Gent tomorrow night (7 February, 19h00) to condemn Stora Enso&rsquo;s intentions. The ICEM News release can be found at <a href="/?id=77&amp;doc=1638">/?id=77&amp;doc=1638</a>.

Stora Enso Readies Itself for More Cuts at Belgian Paper Mill

<img height="40" src="" width="100" alt="" />
ICEM Serbia-Montenegro affiliate EPS Trade Union has halted strike actions against three electric and mining enterprises of the state-run electric power generation and distribution company. Progressive strike actions had been underway to claim wage arrears and pay hikes for 2006. 
The union and government came to a tentative deal that workers would accept loans for shortfalls in January, February and March, and bargaining would start again in a month&rsquo;s time. EPS Trade Union had engaged in daily strike actions and other protests since 10 January, in efforts to claim workers&rsquo; rightful wages.

EPS Trade Union in Serbia Suspends Strike Actions

<img height="40" src="" width="100" alt="" />
ICEM French affiliate F&eacute;d&eacute;ration Chimie Energie CFDT attacked the announcement by Belgian chemicals maker Solvay SA that it would make 400 French workers redundant. 
Solvay said, in March 2004 when it bought France&rsquo;s Fournier Pharma, that no jobs would be cut in the takeover until at least July 2006. Some 400 French jobs will now go, and Solvay will cut another 186 in Italy, Spain and Belgium. 
FCE-CFDT is calling the job cuts socially irresponsible, and is asking for a more transparent review of Solvay in order to save the jobs.

French Affiliate Calls for Reversing Solvay’s Redundancies

<img height="40" src="" width="100" alt="" />
Engineering, Printing &amp; Manufacturing Union (EPMU) of New Zealand has re-launched its 5% wage hike campaign last week for workers at Carter Holt Harvey (CHH) operations. The ICEM affiliate had put wage talks on hold last year with the forest products firm after Graeme Hart&rsquo;s Rank Investments began buying stakes in the Auckland-listed company. 
EPMU has successfully negotiated 5% wage increases at three CHH enterprises, with bargaining at seven sites still outstanding from last year. 
Hart, owner now of 86% of CHH, increased his bid for shares last week by offering NZ$2.75-a-share, twenty-five cents better than his original offer. Hart needs 90% of CHH to de-list the company and take it private.

EPMU Re-boots 5% Wage Campaign at Carter Holt Harvey

ICEM Zambian affiliate National Energy Sector and Allied Workers Union (NESAWU) is facing retaliation and union repression for bringing to light mismanagement at the state power authority Zambia Electric Supply Corp. (ZESCO).
<img height="161" alt="" src="" width="160" />
The company has fired union President Peter Chupa, along with several branch leaders, and has cancelled the legitimate union responsibilities of General Secretary Yotam Mtayachalo. Since early last year, ZESCO has consistently been months late paying wages to utility workers. Lately, it has resorted to costly bank overdrafts to pay salaries. The utility has also failed to remit workers&rsquo; pension contributions. 
On 20 April 2005, ZESCO withdrew NESAWU&rsquo;s recognition agreement because of a week-long strike in early March 2005 for unpaid wages and a demand by the union for resignation of ZESCO&rsquo;s managing director. Retaliatory measures have only intensified since.
The union supported casual workers who struck early this year over low salaries and late payments at a new addition to the Kafue Gorge power plant, and ZESCO responded by locking 30 of the strike&rsquo;s leaders from their jobs. 
On 10 January, Chupa was blocked by three dozen police officers from entering a ZESCO board meeting that was convened to choose a new chairman for the utility. But the existing chairman ran the meeting and had no intention of resigning. 
ZESCO has been plagued by power outages and transformer malfunctions due to management&rsquo;s ineffectiveness in making capital improvements in equipment and infrastructure, particularly in areas affecting households. NESAWU has been outspoken on the many misdeeds that have caused such failures.

Mismanaged Zambian Electric Firm Targets Power Sector Union

<img height="41" src="" width="100" alt="" />
US-based Goodyear Tire &amp; Rubber Co. could face a strike this week in South Africa if it doesn&rsquo;t abide by an ICEM affiliate&rsquo;s demand to retain 300 contract workers. Goodyear and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) will meet tomorrow, 4 April, in efforts to resolve differences. If no movement occurs, some 1,700 NUMSA members could strike at the tyre factory by week&rsquo;s end. 
The issue is Goodyear&rsquo;s refusal to permanently hire the 300 contract workers who have worked at the plant for up to five years. The 300 are employed by Kelly Services, a staffing agency, which allegedly has denied medical assistance and provident fund benefits to the workers. NUMSA is also in dispute with Goodyear for its abuse of trainees, who work shifts and weekends in violation of work agreements. They also are paid at lower pay grades for longer periods, which violate work rules.

Goodyear Could Face South African Strike

<img height="67" alt="" src="" width="100" />
French ICEM affiliate FCE-CFDT has called an eight-hour strike for tomorrow, 4 April, at all Total worksites across France in protest to the government&rsquo;s contrat premi&eacute;re embauche (CPE), the &ldquo;first job contract&rdquo; labour reform being imposed on young workers. 
<img height="130" alt="" src="" width="100" />
The union is asking all Total workers to join tomorrow&rsquo;s inter-sectoral day of action, and has asked all trade union delegates to organise general staff assemblies in preparation. 
French labour federations are united in efforts to push the government and Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin off CPE, which passed Parliament by decree without dialogue with social partners. The reform would allow employers to sack workers under age 26 in their first two years of employment without needing justification. 
French President Chirac announced last week the scaling back of the two-year period to one year. FCE-CFDT, who together with other unions rejected the Chirac compromise, has called the strike tomorrow at Total without saying exactly when the eight-hour work stoppage would begin.

FCE-CFDT Calls Total Workers Out on Strike

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