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American affiliate PACE announced that the US government&rsquo;s Mine Safety and Health Administration has found 48 violations of health and safety standards at Imerys&rsquo; calcium carbonate plant in Sylacauga, Alabama. The French-based firm has tallied 44 of the charges, while four are related to substandard conditions created by contractors. PACE has filed further unfair labor practice charges against Imerys, this time for retrenching the job of the local union president, retaliating against other PACE members for lawful union conduct, and unilaterally changing work terms without consultation with PACE. The US government has already found Imerys guilty of three labour code violations. PACE, together with the ICEM, is pursuing an OECD investigation of Imerys for its anti-union conduct at Sylacauga.

Imerys in US Called on Mine Safety Violations

Australian affiliate CFMEU condemned the legal recourse two mining companies are taking over their criminal convictions to health and safety laws. The two, Xstrata and Centennial Coal, say they will challenge to overturn a statute in New South Wales calling for criminal prosecutions of serious health and safety violations. Both have been convicted of such offences. CFMEU says there will be no compromise on the statute. &ldquo;Let these companies tell the miners face to face why they consider their health and safety not worth the protection of the law and why they consider their lives of no value,&rdquo; said Tony Maher, the union&rsquo;s Mining and Energy General President.

Mining Companies in Australia Seek to Overturn Convictions

The Ukrainian Trade Union Federation (FTUU) turned to ICEM Vice President Alexander Yurkin for leadership at a FTUU Council late in January. Yurkin, who heads ICEM&rsquo;s nuclear sector and was president of Nuclear Power and Industry Workers&rsquo; Union of Ukraine, was elected chairman of the national union center. At a 31 January meeting of the ICEM-affiliated Nuclear Power Workers, former Vice President Valeryi Matov was elected to succeed Yurkin.

ICEM Ukrainian Leader Takes Top Post of National Centre

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An oil industry contractor in Nigeria sacking 170 workers because they exercised their right to trade union representation could provoke a strike early next week. ICEM affiliate NUPENG gave a 14-day ultimatum to Outsourcing Services Ltd. and ChevronTexaco to re-hire the workers and correct their miserable terms of employment. The South African firm is doing work for the US supermajor at Escravos, near Warri, and at offshore oil installations. 
The contract workers are paid extremely low wages and &ldquo;used as expendable mules in Nigeria,&rdquo; NUPENG said in a statement. &ldquo;It is repugnant to good justice, fair play, equity and human dignity,&rdquo; the statement added. Both NUPENG and Nigerian white-collar affiliate PENGASSAN have renewed a strike threat in the Port Harcourt area over the conduct of another contractor, Malaysian-based Wasco. 
The unions want two expatriate Wasco bosses expelled from Nigeria, as well as written apologies issued after the bosses made insulting and derogatory comments during wage and benefit bargaining. That strike could occur tomorrow if company and government actions are not taken.

Contractor’s Unfair Sackings May Provoke Nigerian Strike

The ICEM has challenged Norwegian chemical producer Jotun&rsquo;s record of facts in a Turkish dispute at a paint factory where workers are represented by ICEM affiliate Petrol-Is. Jotun is violating global social standards by hiring more supervisors to avoid majority representation. The company is also misdirected with a public statement that strikers at the factory in Cerkezn&ouml;y, Turkey, are responsible for equipment sabotage. The ICEM and Petrol-Is assert outside contractors inexperienced with Jotun&rsquo;s equipment were inside doing the strikers&rsquo; work.

ICEM Questions Norwegian Chemical Firm’s Facts in Turkey

The ICEM expressed its relief to the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) on learning of the 1 February release of Talib Khadim Tayee, president of the Iraqi Mechanics, Metalworkers and Printworkers Union. Talib Khadim was abducted 27 January when armed gunmen burst into a paper factory in Baghdad where he was conducting union business. He was beaten repeatedly by the gun butts of his assailants before being dragged off. This criminal act was done in front of workers, and occurred just 23 days after the senseless assassination of Hadi Saleh, IFTU International Secretary.

Kidnapped Iraqi Trade Union Leader Free

All communication was cut off to and from Nepal late last week and the ICEM was unable to ascertain the safety and whereabouts of leaders of its affiliated unions, including ICEM Vice President Binda Pandey of the Independent Chemical and Iron Workers&rsquo; Union and GEFONT. King Gyanendra of Nepal on 1 February dissolved his handpicked government and declared a state of emergency. At the weekend army forces were going after Maoist rebels. GEFONT leadership and ICEM leaders and contacts inside Nepal are not connected with the insurgency. ILO Director- General Juan Somavia reminded Nepal&rsquo;s king on 4 February that emergency decrees &ldquo;aimed at anti-social disruptive elements should not be applied against workers for exercising their legitimate trade union rights, including the right to organize public meetings.&rdquo;

Emergency Law in Nepal Suspends All Human, Labour Rights

ICEM affiliate Indian National Cement Workers&rsquo; Federation&rsquo;s annual Congress was held in mid-December and G. Sanjeeva Reddy was elected as President. Re-elected as General Secretary was N. Nanjappan. C.L. Dudhia chaired the union&rsquo;s general meeting, held at Mumbai.

India’s Cement Workers’ Conduct Congress

Three months after European chemical unions and employers jointly applied for Social Dialogue with the European Commission, the EC granted it last month. New Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Vladimir Spidla, welcomed the formal establishment of the Dialogue Committee on 14 December. EMCEF, lead organization for the unions, and the European Chemical Employers Group intend to use the formalized dialogue in the interests of both workers and the industry to create initiatives and enhance competitiveness of the European chemical industry.

European Social Dialogue Will Begin in Chemicals Sector

ICEM affiliate General Workers&rsquo; Union of Malta is protesting that government&rsquo;s introduction of legislation aimed at eliminating all public holidays that fall on weekends. This means workers&mdash;if the bill is passed as an amendment to Legislation on Public Holidays&mdash;will not get an additional leave day for holidays occurring on weekend days, as mandated in Malta&rsquo;s Industrial and Employments Relations Act. In 2005, if passed, workers will lose three holidays, including the 1 May holiday and Christmas Day.

Maltese Union Protests Government’s Public Holiday Elimination

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