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Calling it a &ldquo;complete and total victory,&rdquo; ICEM Vice President and Communications, Energy, Paperworkers (CEP) Union President Dave Coles said today that CEP Local 175 ratified a three-year labour agreement yesterday with Petro-Canada, ending a 57-week lockout at a refinery in the Canadian province of Quebec. 
 
&ldquo;The pattern agreement for the CEP&rsquo;s National Energy Bargaining Programme has been achieved, the employer has recognized this programme, and we can now truly call this a major victory for both the international and national labour movements,&rdquo; said Coles. 
 
The 260 members of CEP Local 175 at the Montr&eacute;al refinery voted on 23 December by 94.6% to approve the retroactive contract.
<img height="266" src="" width="200" alt="" />
CEP Local 175 Members Were&nbsp;Solid in&nbsp;Their Resolve to Achieve the Canadian Oil and&nbsp;Gas Pattern Agreement&nbsp;
Coles said the mediated settlement contains a commitment by both sides to undertake measures to improve the labour relationship between CEP and Petro-Canada at all locations across the country. The two sides began private mediation early in December with Special Mediator Lucien Bouchard, Premier of Quebec from 1996 to 2001, in efforts to resolve the lockout, which began on 17 November 2007. 
 
The mediated settlement preserves the pattern labour agreement in Canada&rsquo;s oil, gas, and petrochemicals industry, thus granting Local 175 members a basket-full of wage and benefit improvements at year end 2008. 
 
They will receive a retroactive pay increase of 5% dating to 1 February 2007, with further increases of 4.5% in 2008, and 4.5% on 1 February 2009. In addition, each worker will receive a C$4,000 bonus, an accrued holiday or vacation payment averaging C$6,000, and a 2007 profit-sharing payment of C$3,800. 
 
Petro-Canada dropped a demand to eliminate the refinery&rsquo;s health and safety prevention officer; its proposal to accelerate a training programme that would place safety at greater risk; and backed away from plans to alter shift schedules and job assignments.
<img height="160" src="" width="140" alt="" />
&nbsp;CEP President Dave Coles 
 

The settlement provides for an automatic extension of the collective agreement when it expires on 1 February 2010 based on the CEP&rsquo;s National Energy Bargaining agreement with the company at its Edmonton, Alberta, refinery. 
 
Coles credits the start of a nationwide boycott against Petro-Canada&rsquo;s retail products, as well as vast support both from CEP members, and from union members throughout the world, with bringing the company to terms of the pattern agreement. 
 
&ldquo;It was clear that the world&rsquo;s trade unions were pulling in behind our courageous members of Local 175,&rdquo; said Coles. &ldquo;We had international support from energy unions around the globe organized by our international federation, ICEM. There is no doubt that this outcome owes much to this watershed of labour solidarity that was organized in support of our members.&rdquo; 
 
The other message, Coles said, is that boycotts work. &ldquo;Canadians from all trade unions had begun executing a flawless boycott, and the company took notice.&rdquo;
<img height="263" src="" width="350" alt="" />
ICEM's Manfred Warda, left,&nbsp;in Ottawa with CEP members&nbsp;
ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda, who had walked the picket line at the Montr&eacute;al refinery, as well as protested at company petrol stations in Ottawa, extended the Global Union Federation&rsquo;s congratulations to the CEP and Local 175. 
 
&ldquo;This is a tremendous victory. The perseverance and resolve of the 260 refinery workers to protect 40 years of pattern bargaining &ndash; backed by CEP members across Canada &ndash; is an inspiration to us all,&rdquo; stated Warda. &ldquo;This will be acclaimed by energy trade unions across the world.&rdquo; 
 
The back to work agreement calls for CEP Local 175 members to return to their jobs and begin ramping up production to the refinery&rsquo;s 130,000 barrel-per-day capacity on 12 January 2009. The CEP agreed to drop all legal charges and complaints arising from the dispute.

CEP’s Montréal Refinery Workers Victory ‘Total and Complete,’ Lockout Ends

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With less than 18 months in existence, the Latin American trade union network of Belgian-based Solvay has taken important steps in expanding to other employees in the region. 
 
The third meeting of Brazilian Trade Union Network of the chemicals, pharmaceutical, and plastics multinational was held in S&atilde;o Paulo on 1-3 December, with trade union participates coming from Argentina, Belgium, and the European Works Council of the company, as well as from five Brazilian unions. The meeting was also attended by ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda and Chemicals and Rubber Industries Officer Kemal &Ouml;zkan. 
 
The participants discussed the importance of international trade union networking, especially in the face of the global financial crisis and its possible consequences in the world of work. The precariousness of labor relations, such as outsourcing and subcontracting, and the need to ensure the health and safety of workers in all localities were priorities at the meeting. 
 

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&quot;This network has shown a great willingness to grow, adding strength of colleagues from different Latin American plants, so that together we can initiate dialogue with Solvay in order to improve working conditions and the lives of workers,&rdquo; said Juvenil Youth Nunes da Costa, coordinator of the network. 
 
&rdquo;I am very happy to take part in such an important initiative, which is becoming a model for workers&rsquo; solidarity,&rdquo; said ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda. &ldquo;This network has become a success in a very short period of time, and it is clear that we must unify our efforts to combat common problems.&quot; 
 
Among the major decisions taken at the early December meeting was to strengthen the role of representation of the network, along with the role of workers in Solvay&rsquo;s direction in Brazil; disclosure of the network in Argentina so that further extension can occur in other Mercosur countries; dissemination of the commitments on &quot;Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility,&quot; as made by the company to workers in Argentina and Brazil; and drafting a proposal related to a Communication Policy Network. 
 
The next meeting is scheduled to be held in July 2009. The Network of Workers at the Solvay-Brazil Group was created in September 2007, and representation covers the 14 units of the group in the country.

Brazilian Network of Solvay Eyes Latin Expansion

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Le Fonds Mondial de la lutte contre le SIDA, la tuberculose et la malaria a publi&eacute; son 9&egrave;me appel &agrave; propositions. Le formulaire d'inscription et la documentation de r&eacute;f&eacute;rence sont disponibles en six langues &agrave; l'adresse <a href="http://www.theglobalfund.org">www.theglobalfund.org/</a>
 
Les propositions doivent parvenir au Fonds mondial d'ici le 21 janvier 2009 
 
Toutes les propositions soumises d'ici l'&eacute;ch&eacute;ance du 21 janvier 2009 seront examin&eacute;es par le secr&eacute;tariat afin de v&eacute;rifier qu'elles r&eacute;pondent aux crit&egrave;res d'&eacute;ligibilit&eacute;. Les propositions recevables seront ensuite transmises au Comit&eacute; technique d'examen des propositions (Technical Review Panel - TRP). Le TRP fera part de ses recommandations au Conseil du Fonds mondial, qui prendra ensuite ses d&eacute;cisions en fonction. 
 
Comment fonctionne le Fonds mondial? 
Le Fonds mondial, lui-m&ecirc;me un partenariat entre secteur public et priv&eacute;, est une instance de financement. Depuis son lancement en janvier 2002 et jusqu&rsquo;en d&eacute;cembre 2007, le Fonds mondial a donn&eacute; son approbation pour des subventions dont la somme totale s&rsquo;&eacute;l&egrave;ve &agrave; 14,5 milliards USD, plus de la moiti&eacute; &eacute;tant destin&eacute;e &agrave; la lutte contre le VIH/SIDA. 
 
Le Fonds mondial est bas&eacute; &agrave; Gen&egrave;ve. Il n&rsquo;est pas repr&eacute;sent&eacute; par pays. Le processus de propositions et l&rsquo;attribution des subsides sont d&eacute;l&eacute;gu&eacute;s au niveau national. Le Fonds Mondial donne le cadre de travail et publie les directives concernant plusieurs aspects de ses op&eacute;rations. Il r&eacute;colte de l&rsquo;argent, le d&eacute;pense et le v&eacute;rifie &ndash; le Fonds mondial fonctionne au m&eacute;rite. 
 
Toutes les propositions doivent passer par les Country Coordinating Mechanisms &ndash; CCM (Instances de coordination nationale &ndash; ICN). La composition des ICN est suppos&eacute;e &ecirc;tre repr&eacute;sentative de tous les acteurs de la lutte contre le VIH/SIDA, y compris la soci&eacute;t&eacute; civile, le secteur priv&eacute; et les organisations de personnes vivant avec le VIH/SIDA (PVVIH). 
 
Comment les syndicats peuvent-ils s'int&eacute;grer? 
Le r&ocirc;le du lieu de travail dans la lutte contre le VIH/SIDA est reconnu. Aucune des activit&eacute;s li&eacute;es au lieu de travail ne peut &ecirc;tre efficacement &eacute;tablie sans les syndicats. Le r&ocirc;le des syndicats nationaux et de leurs pendants internationaux, les f&eacute;d&eacute;rations de syndicats mondiaux (Global Unions), est reconnu par des organisations internationales telles que l&rsquo;OIT, l&rsquo;OMS et ONUSIDA. 
 
Le Fonds mondial est d&eacute;sireux de construire des partenariats entre le secteur priv&eacute; et le secteur public et de r&eacute;aliser des projets de co-investissement. Sans la participation du secteur priv&eacute;, l&rsquo;acc&egrave;s universel aux conseils et tests volontaires (CTV) et au traitement antir&eacute;troviral (ARV) ne serait pas possible ou serait encore plus retard&eacute; qu'il ne l'est d&eacute;j&agrave;. Les repr&eacute;sentants des travailleurs dans le secteur priv&eacute; sont les syndicats. Les directives de la 9&egrave;me S&eacute;rie de propositions mentionnent les syndicats comme organisations &eacute;ligibles du secteur priv&eacute;. 
 
Les capacit&eacute;s des syndicats en termes de main d&rsquo;&oelig;uvre sont limit&eacute;es. Ils ont en outre d'autres pr&eacute;occupations quotidiennes. Les syndicats ne sont pas des ONG qui ne traitent que d'un seul probl&egrave;me. Ils doivent trouver des partenaires et former des alliances avec les entreprises et les ONG. 
 
Tr&egrave;s peu d'ICN comptent des syndicalistes dans leurs rangs. Bien que nous continuions d&rsquo;&oelig;uvrer pour la repr&eacute;sentation des syndicats aux ICN, il vital qu'&agrave; court terme, ces derniers travaillent en collaboration avec les membres des ICN favorables &agrave; leur cause. Il est important pour eux de trouver des partenaires coop&eacute;ratifs qui peuvent d&eacute;velopper leurs id&eacute;es de projets &agrave; travers des propositions pour les ICN. 
 
L&rsquo;Organisation allemande pour la coop&eacute;ration technique (Deutsche Gesellschaft f&uuml;r Technische Zusammenarbeit &ndash; GTZ) g&egrave;re l&rsquo;initiative BACKUP (Building Alliances &ndash; Creating Knowledge &ndash; Updating Partners), sur laquelle vous pouvez vous appuyer. La GTZ est repr&eacute;sent&eacute;e dans plus de 130 pays. De nombreux bureaux d'USAID ont des coordinateurs VIH/SIDA et certaines ambassades, notamment celles des pays scandinaves, des Pays-Bas, du Royaume-Uni et de l&rsquo;Union europ&eacute;enne peuvent pr&ecirc;ter assistance. Les syndicats mondiaux et l&rsquo;OMS sont favorables &agrave; l'utilisation du potentiel des syndicats dans le but d'&eacute;largir et d'acc&eacute;l&eacute;rer l&rsquo;acc&egrave;s aux CTV et aux ARV. L&rsquo;OIT et son programme sur les lieux de travail OITSIDA ont des points de mire sur le VIH/SIDA dans de nombreux bureaux. 
 
Le Fonds mondial recommande aux candidats de nommer un (ou plusieurs) B&eacute;n&eacute;ficiaires principaux (BP) gouvernementaux et un (ou plusieurs) B&eacute;n&eacute;ficiaires secondaires de divers secteurs non gouvernementaux, y compris du secteur priv&eacute; dont les syndicats font partie (financement &agrave; deux voies de cession). 
 
Quelles sont vos prochaines &eacute;tapes? 
&bull; R&eacute;digez vos id&eacute;es d&rsquo;un programme sur le lieu de travail sur une page et pr&eacute;parez une &eacute;bauche de budget. 
&bull; Mettez-vous en relation avec les membres de votre ICN et influencez ceux potentiellement favorables aux causes syndicales afin d&rsquo;inclure des programmes li&eacute;s au lieu de travail dans les propositions de la 9&egrave;me S&eacute;rie. Les informations nationales sp&eacute;cifiques sont disponibles &agrave; l&rsquo;adresse <a href="http://www.theglobalfund.org">www.theglobalfund.org</a>. 
&bull; Contactez les bureaux de la GTZ, d&rsquo;USAID, de l&rsquo;OIT, d&rsquo;ONUSIDA et de l&rsquo;OMS. 
&bull; Tissez des alliances avec les entreprises; rappelez-leur leur responsabilit&eacute; sociale. 
&bull; Collaborez avec les ONG et les organisations de PVVIH. 
&bull; Consultez le site <a href="http://www.aidspan.org/guides">http://www.aidspan.org/guides</a>&nbsp;sur lequel un guide de la 9&egrave;me S&eacute;rie est disponible. 
 
Comment l'ICEM peut-elle vous aider? 
Le Coordinateur mondial de l&rsquo;ICEM a de bonnes relations de travail avec toutes les organisations mentionn&eacute;es. Il peut vous aider gr&acirc;ce &agrave; ses contacts et peut vous donner des liens menant &agrave; de la documentation utile. Envoyez vos id&eacute;es de programmes li&eacute;s au lieu de travail et vos demandes &agrave; <a href="mailto:hiv.aids@icem.org">hiv.aids@icem.org</a>. L&rsquo;ICEM a des accords mondiaux avec une douzaine d&rsquo;entreprises multinationales qui devraient s&rsquo;engager dans la lutte contre la pand&eacute;mie. 
 
Surtout : 
 
&bull; Commencez aujourd&rsquo;hui si vous voulez parvenir &agrave; quelque chose. 
&bull; Rappelez-vous que le secteur priv&eacute; inclut les syndicats au titre de repr&eacute;sentants des travailleurs. 
&bull; Rappelez-vous que vous avez des alli&eacute;s que vous pouvez mobiliser et qui peuvent vous aider. 
&bull; &Eacute;crivez au coordinateur mondial de l&rsquo;ICEM &agrave;&nbsp;<a href="mailto:hiv.aids@icem.org">hiv.aids@icem.org</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;pour plus d&rsquo;informations et d'aide.

ICEM VIH/SIDA bulletin électronique: Appels du Fonds Mondial pour les propositions de la 9ème Série

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Stemming out of a European Commission-funded project, European trade unions representing workers of French cosmetics producer L&rsquo;Oreal conducted a second seminar in Brussels on 1-3 October on social conditions of the company. On the second day, following a general presentation on Global Framework Agreements by ICEM&rsquo;s Chemicals and Rubber Officer Kemal &Ouml;zkan, participants discussed a draft agreement, which had been circulated among them, of a possible global agreement with L&rsquo;Oreal. 
 
French FCE-CFDT Leader Marc Ferrand brought forward the multi-unions&rsquo; global agreement with French electricity producer EDF. Serious discussion then ensued on bringing the draft to senior L&rsquo;Oreal management.
<img height="93" src="" width="100" alt="" />
ICEM French affiliate FCE-CFDT and Belgian affiliate CSC Energy and Chemical Workers&rsquo; Union developed the early October project, aimed at getting the attention of L&rsquo;Oreal&rsquo;s trade union representatives from its European Works Council (EWC). Funded by the European Commission, the project also includes ICEM affiliates from Italy (FEMCA-CISL), Poland (Solidarnosc), and Spain (FIA-UGT). 
 
The objective of the project is to enhance the expertise of trade union representatives over industrial and organisational changes, compensation policies, and new European rules regarding cosmetics. Based on the assessments made during the discussions, the main aim of the project is to re-energise the EWC and to open a dialogue with the company on social responsibility on the global level. 
 
Also included in the project in the early October discussions were IGBCE of Germany, la Centrale G&eacute;n&eacute;rale (FGTB/ABBV) of Belgium, CC.OO of Spain, FILCEM-CGIL of Italy, and CGT and CGT-FO, both of France. 
 
The first seminar inside the project occurred in Paris from 17-18 April 2008. Then, 50 delegates from five European countries took part.

L’Oreal European Unions Discuss Proceeding to Possible Global Framework Agreement with Company

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Established in 2006, the South-East European Energy Union Network held its second general assembly in Istanbul on 18 October, and the ICEM participated. Hosted by ICEM Turkish affiliate Petrol-İş, the weekend meeting was attended by 90 delegates and observers from 16 trade unions in 13 countries. 
 
ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda, Petrol-İş President Mustafa &Ouml;ztaşkin, and Turkish Tes-İş President Mustafa Kumlu opened the conference, and spoke on common trade union strategies in the region, as well as issues regarding against MNCs in the chemicals, oil, gas, and electric sectors. Tes-İş is the Energy, Water, and Gas Workers&rsquo; Union in Turkey, while Petrol-İş covers the oil, petrochemicals, and chemicals industries.
<img height="225" alt="" src="" width="300" />
&ldquo;In today&rsquo;s globalised world, energy is very crucial and strategic,&rdquo; said Warda. &ldquo;Securing energy supplies and establishing the best social standards for workers in these industries is crucial. 
 
&ldquo;To create international solidarity around the globe, we welcome regional efforts like this one to coordinate and advocate on behalf of workers&rsquo; issues,&rdquo; Warda added. 
 
The regional energy network&rsquo;s general assembly addressed problems arising from the deepening of sector integration, as well as EU energy policies on the South-East European Region. Delegates also confirmed participation at next month&rsquo;s EU social-partner conference in Albania. They pledged to put the issue of privatisation before this conference, as one the major challenges faced by trade unions. 
 
The conference also evaluated campaigns to recruit pipeline workers in the region, with targeting of some energy MNCs that operate in the region. 
 
At the close of the meeting, delegates elected Franc Dolar of Slovenia as acting chair of the network, with Mustafa &Ouml;ztaşkin taking up the vice-chairman position. Nikos Orfanos of Greece serves as general secretary for the network. 
 
Trade unions from Albania, Bosnia-Herzergovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Macedonia, Greece, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, and Turkey participated in the 18 October conference.

South-East Europe’s Energy Unions Meet in Turkey Over the Weekend

The leading trade union federation covering the social interests of Pulp and Paper Workers world-wide will convene a global conference outside Montevideo, Uruguay, from 8-10 December. The conference will have 120 trade-union leaders participating from some 35 major pulp and paper-producing countries. 
 
The conference of Geneva-based International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine, and General Workers&rsquo; Unions (ICEM) is entitled: &ldquo;North Meets South, Global Unity/Global Strength.&rdquo; The sector-based conference will include participants from Finland, Sweden, Norway, United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Netherlands, France, Romania, Turkey, Spain, Canada, United States, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, as well as paper industry union leaders from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, and elsewhere in Latin America. 
 
The venue is the Argentino Hotel in Peri&aacute;polis, Uruguay. The host union is ICEM Uruguay affiliate CUOPYC. 
 
&ldquo;We think we will have a good conference, with good discussion,&rdquo; said ICEM Pulp and Paper Chairman Jouko Ahonen, also President of Paperiliitto Union of Finland. &ldquo;With the financial collapse, if there is any industry that has seen the storms and the economic swings, it is this one. It is this industry that must have new and fresh ideas for the future.&rdquo; 
 
Uruguay Cabinet Ministers from Finance and Labour and Social Security will open the conference, and then the programme will feature two paper industry executives, Mets&auml;-Botnia Oy President/CEO Ilkka H&auml;m&auml;l&auml; and Bracelpa S&atilde;o Paulo State Director Jeronimo Ruiz. They will speak, field questions, and hear discussion from workers of the industry on Monday, December 8. Day two will include a trade union panel, discussing network potential and collective bargaining issues. That discussion will develop a work plan, which includes a major project to enhance north-south trade union networking. Uruguay President Tabar&eacute; V&aacute;zquez is expected to speak to the trade unionists on day two, December 9. 
 
Third day activities will be taken up with festivities commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, December 10, 1948. 
The ICEM is a global union federation that represents 20 million workers in the Oil, Gas, Energy, Chemicals, Rubber, Pulp/Papermaking, Mining, Cement, and other manufacturing sectors. It has 467 national trade-union affiliates in 132 countries. 
 
For more: Dick Blin, ICEM Pulp and Paper Officer, +41 22 304 1840, or +41 79 734 8994 (mobile), or <a href="mailto:dick.blin@icem.org">dick.blin@icem.org</a>.

Global Pulp, Paper Trade Unionists Convene in Uruguay

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On 17-18 November, Finland&rsquo;s Transport Workers Union (AKT) imposed a two-day boycott on handling exports of all Stora Enso wood and paper products from Finland. The boycott occurred because the company allegedly told subcontractors at the Port of Kemi to refrain from signing labour agreements that are in line with the union&rsquo;s pay and benefits package. 
 
The union believes that all goods handled through ports should be done under terms of its labour agreement. Stora Enso insists on lower standards for sub-contract workers. AKT did the same action last summer at the Port of Kemi. 
 
On 17 and 18 November, unionised dockworkers were refusing to unload trains or trucks delivering wood and paper from Stora mills at Kotka and Hamina. Kotka is one of the bigger export points for the Finnish company&rsquo;s products. The Port of Kemi was not affected by last month&rsquo;s two-day boycott. 
 
In other Stora Enso news, the company has completed its mandatory social talks with trade unions at its Imatra and Anjalankoski operations, two mills included in the firm&rsquo;s most recent restructuring which has caused thousands of retrenchments. A total of 330 paperworkers will lose their jobs when paper machines and coating operations are shuttered in 2008. At Imatra&rsquo;s Tainionkoski mill two weeks ago, a worker was killed when he was squeezed inside a roll packing machine. 
 
In Germany, Stora&rsquo;s supervisory board made the decision a week ago to shut down a coated paper machine at the Kabel Mill and endorsed the company&rsquo;s September restructuring announcement that a containerboard machine would be shut at the Baienfurt mill. A total of 520 German jobs will be lost.

Finnish Port Workers Boycott Stora Enso Exports over Subcontractors’ Rights

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The last big pulp and paper employer in Canada&rsquo;s Western region agreed to the pattern labour agreement, as set by ICEM North American affiliate Communications, Energy, Paperworkers (CEP) Union. Some 2,000 workers of Catalyst Paper, the continent&rsquo;s second largest newsprint producer, are expected to agree to terms shortly in balloting at four worksites. 
 
That gives some 12,000 paperworkers in Canada&rsquo;s industry-battered West renewal labour agreements. The CEP still has to negotiate with some smaller pulp and paper employers in the West. The pattern was set when the region&rsquo;s largest pulp and papermaker &ndash; employment wise &ndash; Canfor Pulp Ltd. came to terms for total 10% wage increases over the four-year term of the pattern in early July. 

<img height="109" alt="" src="" width="180" />
That was followed by agreement at multiple mills by Howe Sound Pulp and Paper, Domtar Corp., Kruger Products, and West Fraser Timber Co. The pattern accord also contains significant benefit increases, craft trades allowances, and job security provisions, including good severance packages. 
 
&ldquo;During the tough economic times we are facing, maintaining this pattern across the Canadian West is an important victory,&rdquo; said CEP president Dave Coles. 
 
The CEP covers seven branch unions at Catalyst&rsquo;s four mill sites, Crofton, Powell River, Campbell River, and Port Alberni, all in the province of British Colombia. The agreement for pulp and paper firms operating in the West expired on 1 April 2008. A separate agreement covering 20,000 workers in Canada&rsquo;s East region expires on 1 April 2009.

Last Major Pact in Place for Western Canadian Paperworkers

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Job cuts caused by the financial meltdown are not uncommon. But in Zambia, mining companies are cutting some jobs and holding others hostage in an attempt to overturn higher taxes and payment of higher royalty fees. And they&rsquo;re citing the economic crisis for the job cuts, and threats of more job cuts have become common. 
 
Zambia&rsquo;s rich copper and cobalt reserves &ndash; as well as other minerals such as iron ore, manganese, and soon uranium &ndash; are primarily owned by companies composed of investor groups. 
 
In April 2008, Zambia government passed mineral royalty increases to 3% from 0.6%. The corporate tax rate increased from 25% to 30%. Since, foreign-based mining companies such as Canada&rsquo;s First Quantum Minerals, India&rsquo;s Vedanta Resouces, and others claim the country must revert to old development pacts when the Zambian Consolidated Copper Mines was divested, or further retrenchments will occur. The royalty and tax issue will be taken up in the courts. 

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The Chamber of Mines denied it was &ldquo;arm-twisting&rdquo; the government over jobs, and said dropping copper prices and the world recession was having an impact. The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions challenged the mining companies to stop using the economic crisis as the excuse for retrenchments. First Quantum, which holds huge cooper assets at Bwana Mkubwa and Kansanshi, and Chinese-based Chambisi Metals, owner of the biggest cobalt mine in Zambia, have recently sacked workers and cited the economic crisis. 
 
President Rupiah Panda, who took over for Levy Mwanawasa following his August death and was elected on 30 October, called on investors with mining stakes to engage in meaningful dialogue with the government and unions in order to prevent retrenchments. Mining investors have tentatively agreed to sit and talk. Meanwhile, Mines and Minerals Development Minister Maxwell Mwale has called for calm in the fierce public debate, falling just short of accusing certain mine industry players of creating panic. 
 
Central to the issue, however, is the question: should massive profits made in the recent past, when copper and mineral prices were at historic highs, have any bearing on jobs now? And Zambians ask: should it not be a matter of social responsibility to keep workers employed even in hard times? Now it is up to the Panda government to strike a social commitment deal with the many stakeholders that hold equity in the country&rsquo;s rich mineral grounds.

Job Cuts in Zambia’s Mining Industry Causing Aggravation

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The General Council of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has called on all Zimbabweans to remove their cash from banks on Wednesday, 3 December. Union heads, leading a march, will present a petition that same day to Gideon Gono, the Governor of Zimbabwe&rsquo;s Reserve Bank, which the International Monetary Fund says is bankrupt. 
 
In Zimbabwe, the government imposed a low cash withdrawal limit, and Wednesday&rsquo;s action by the ZCTU in six regions is expected to challenge that authority. The daily withdrawal limit from automatic tellers is now Z$500, equivalent to R1 South African, or &euro;.08. Gono said in a state-run newspaper recently that the low limits will reduce long queues outside banks. 

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The labour protest is meant not only as a stand against a clamp on banking, but it is against a number of larger issues, including Mugabe dictates giving preferential treatment to some shop owners to trade in foreign currencies. The masses in Zimbabweans are excluded from such shops, and regardless, they have little currency and no means to buy food, medicine, or the necessities of basic life, even if those essentials were on Zimbabwe&rsquo;s shelves. 
 
The ZCTU clearly made that point in making its &ldquo;cash availability&rdquo; announcement following its General Council meeting in Masvingo on 25 November. The union federation estimated that thousands of Zimbabweans have died in recent months simply from inability to buy available medicines. 
 
The ICEM extends support to the ZCTU for its heroic efforts aimed at improving life and bringing dignity to the people of Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe Trade Union Congress Calls for Bank Run, 3 December

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