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La principal federaci&oacute;n sindical que cubre los intereses sociales de los trabajadores del sector de la Pulpa y el Papel de todo el mundo, convoca a una conferencia mundial del sector, que se realizar&aacute; en las afueras de Montevideo, Uruguay, del 8 al 10 de diciembre. Esta conferencia contar&aacute; con la presencia de 120 dirigentes sindicales, provenientes de aproximadamente 35 pa&iacute;ses donde operan los m&aacute;s importantes productores de pulpa y papel del mundo. 
 
Esta conferencia, patrocinada por la Federaci&oacute;n Internacional de Sindicatos de Trabajadores de la Qu&iacute;mica, Energ&iacute;a, Minas e Industrias Diversas (ICEM), con sede en Ginebra, se ha identificado con su lema de acci&oacute;n: &quot;El norte se re&uacute;ne con el sur, Unidad global, fuerza global&rdquo;. Esta conferencia sectorial contar&aacute; con participantes provenientes de Finlandia, Suecia, Noruega, Reino Unido, Austria, Alemania, Pa&iacute;ses Bajos, Francia, Rumania, Turqu&iacute;a, Espa&ntilde;a, Canad&aacute;, Estados Unidos, Jap&oacute;n, Indonesia, Malasia, Tailandia, Australia, y Nueva Zelandia, adem&aacute;s de dirigentes sindicales del sector del papel de Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, y de otros pa&iacute;ses de Am&eacute;rica Latina. 
 
La sede de esta conferencia internacional ser&aacute; el Hotel Argentino, en Peri&aacute;polis, Uruguay. El sindicato anfitri&oacute;n es CUOPYC, organizaci&oacute;n uruguaya afiliada a la ICEM. 
 
&quot;Creemos que tendremos una buena conferencia, con un fruct&iacute;fero intercambio de ideas&quot;, dijo Jouko Ahonen, Director del sector de la Pulpa y el Papel de la ICEM , quien es tambi&eacute;n Presidente del sindicato Paperiliitto, de Finlandia. &quot;Con el colapso financiero, si hay alg&uacute;n sector industrial que ha visto las tormentas y las oscilaciones econ&oacute;micas actuales, &eacute;se es nuestro sector. Es en este sector industrial donde deben surgir nuevas y frescas ideas para el futuro.&quot; 
 
Los Ministros de Finanzas y del Trabajo y Seguridad Social de Uruguay tendr&aacute;n a cargo la apertura de esta Conferencia, y, a continuaci&oacute;n, el programa proseguir&aacute; con la intervenci&oacute;n de dos ejecutivos de la industria papelera, Ilkka &Aacute;mala, Presidente y Director General de Mets&auml;-Botnia Oy, y Jeronimo Ruiz, Director de BRACELPA en el estado de S&atilde;o Paulo. Har&aacute;n uso de la palabra, responder&aacute;n a preguntas, y el lunes, 8 de diciembre, escuchar&aacute;n el debate de los trabajadores del sector. El d&iacute;a dos incluir&aacute; un panel sindical, que se referir&aacute; al potencial de las redes y a asuntos relacionados con la negociaci&oacute;n colectiva. Ese debate desarrollar&aacute; un plan de trabajo, que incluir&aacute; un importante proyecto para optimizar el funcionamiento de las redes Norte-Sur. Se espera que en el transcurso del segundo d&iacute;a, 9 de diciembre, el Presidente de Uruguay, Tabar&eacute; V&aacute;zquez, intervenga con un discurso dirigido a los sindicalistas. 
 
El tercer d&iacute;a de la Conferencia se dedicar&aacute; a actividades para celebrar el 60o aniversario de la Declaraci&oacute;n Universal de los Derechos Humanos, que se aprob&oacute; el 10 de diciembre de 1948. 
 
La ICEM es una federaci&oacute;n sindical internacional que representa a 20 millones de trabajadores de los sectores del Petr&oacute;leo, Gas, Energ&iacute;a, Qu&iacute;mica, Caucho, Pulpa/Papel, Minas, Cemento y otros sectores fabriles. Cuenta con 467 organizaciones sindicales nacionales afiliadas, provenientes de 132 pa&iacute;ses. 
 
Para mayor informaci&oacute;n, contactar a: Dick Blin, Encargado del Sector de Pulpa y Papel de la ICEM, +41 22 304 1840, o +41 79 734 8994 (m&oacute;vil), o <a href="mailto:dick.blin@icem.org">dick.blin@icem.org</a>.

Se reúnen en Uruguay sindicalistas globales del sector de pulpa y papel

North Meets South 
Global Unity, Global Strength 
 
 
December 8: 
 
9h30: Welcome and Introductions, Jouko Ahonen, Chairman, Finland 
9h40: Welcome by Walter Silva, President of CUOPYC, Host Union, Uruguay 
9h50: Welcome by Sergio Novais, ICEM South American/Caribbean Region, Brazil 
10h00: Address Uruguay Minister, Tourism, Dr. Hector Lescano 
10h15: Address Uruguay Minister, Industry, |Daniel Martinez 
10h50: Address by Uruguay Minister, Labour and Social Secruity, Eduardo Bonomi 
 
11h15: Tea/Coffee Break 
 
11h40: Report from ICEM Secretariat, General Secretary Manfred Warda 
12h10: Report on Industry, Importance of ICEM Work Plan, Jouko Ahonen, Chairman 
12h40: Addendum/Additions, ICEM Written Secretariat Report, Dick Blin, ICEM Pulp and Paper Officer 
 
13h00: Lunch 
 
14h15: Introduction of Industry Panel, Jouko Ahonen, Chairman 
Ikka H&auml;m&auml;l&auml;, Chairman and CEO, Mets&auml;-Botnia OY, Finland 
Jeronimo Ruiz, Director of Pulp and Paper Industry, S&atilde;o Paulo State, CEO, BRACELPA (Brazil Pulp/Paper Assn.) 
 
 
 
16h00: Tea/Coffee Break 
 
16h20: Discussion and Questions of Industry Panel 
 
17h30: Break for the Day 
 
 
 
December 9: 
 
Note: A session likely will be interrupted with arrival and address by Uruguay President Tabar&eacute; V&aacute;squez 
 
9h30: Introduction of Trade Union Panel, Work Plan Goals, Jouko Ahonen, Chairman 
Blas Juan Alari, FOEIPCyQ, Argentina 
Jan-Henrik Sandberg, Svenska Pappers, Sweden 
Fred Wilson, Communications, Energy, Paperworkers, Canada 
Fernando Barassain, Coordinadora, Mercosur, Uruguay 
Daniela Sampaio, Instituto Observat&oacute;rio Social, Brazil 
Dick Blin, ICEM Pulp and Paper Officer, Geneva 
 
11h15: Tea/Coffee Break 
 
11h40: Discussion and Questions of Trade Union Panel 
 
13h00: Lunch 
 
14h15: Pulp/Paper Collective Bargaining in 2009; Work Plan Development 
Jouko Ahonen, Chairman; and Dick Blin, Pulp and Paper Officer 
 
14h50: Discussion of Work Plan and Collective Bargaining Agenda 
 
15h30: Tea/Coffee Break 
 
15h50: Resume Discussion, Finalise Work Plan, Elect Chairman 
 
17h15: Concluding Remarks 
ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda, Chairman Jouko Ahonen 
 
15h40: Close 
 
 
 
December 10: 
 
Day Long Social Events Commemorating Signing of the Universal Declaration of 
Human Rights on December 10, 1948 &ndash; Sponsored by Host Union, CUOPYC 
 
 
 
Supplemental Agenda Items: 
 
December 6-7: Building and Woodworkers&rsquo; International Conference on Forest 
Certification Programmes for Latin America (Spanish language only) 
 
December 7, 18h00: ICEM Meeting with Pulp and Paper Trade Unionists from 
Mercosur countries regarding Finland SASK possible 3-year Project on 
Union Building and Solidarity Activities in Latin American Sector

Piriápolis, Uruguay
December 8-10, 2008


ICEM World Conference for the Pulp &amp; Paper Industries

Statement of Xstrata Union Leaders 
 
We as leaders of unions representing workers at Xstrata have met in Montreal, Quebec on October 15 and 16, 2008. 
 
We have exchanged information and discussed our experiences. 
 
We are concerned that Xstrata&rsquo;s actions are having a negative impact on workers and communities around the world. We expect Xstrata to operate at the highest labour and environmental standards around the world. 
 
We agreed as follows: 
&bull; To support members of CAW 599 in their struggle in Timmins, Ontario, Canada with the company. 
&bull; To find concrete ways to offer stronger support to each other during collective bargaining, especially for unions entering into bargaining in 2008 and 2009 (including among others: the Falconbridge Workers Union in the Dominican Republic; Altonorte Smelter Workers Union, in Chile, and Antamina Workers Union, in Peru). 
&bull; To promote worker exchanges to promote solidarity and build awareness on workers&rsquo; issues. 
&bull; To improve communication between us. We need fast and effective communication as the foundation of our work. We will establish a communications network through the internet. 
&bull; To consult with and educate our members in our local unions. 
&bull; To endorse the campaign of the CFMEU in Australia on workers&rsquo; right to be represented by trade unions. We will participate in that campaign through coordinated action. 
&bull; To meet again and bring together more unions representing Xstrata workers. To work with the ICEM and its affiliates. 
&bull; To develop strategies, including media strategies, to advance union campaigns. 
&bull; To establishing an International Solidarity Fund that would provide us with the resources to undertake joint projects and support each other at the appropriate times 
&bull; To work toward: 
&bull; establishing a Workers&rsquo; World Council 
&bull; engaging the company in the establishment of common international minimum standards on occupational health, safety and environment. 
 
The following unions and union federations participated in the meeting and endorse this statement. 
 
ICEM - International Federation of Chemical, Energy, and Mining and General Workers&rsquo; Unions 
 
From Australia &ndash; 
Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union (CFMEU) &ndash; Australia, including: CFMEU branches at: 
&bull; Xstrata Newlands Coal 
&bull; Xstrata Oaky North Coal 
&bull; Northern District Branches 
 
From Germany - 
IG Metal, Nordenham, Germany 
 
From Canada &ndash; 
United Steelworkers (USW), including: 
&bull; USW Local 2020 &ndash; Xstrata Nickel, Sudbury, Ontario 
&bull; USW Local 4614 - Fonderie Generale &ndash; Montreal, Quebec 
&bull; USW Local 5385 &ndash; Brunswick Mining &amp; Smelting, Bathurst, New Brunswick 
&bull; USW Local 6887 &ndash; CCR, Montreal, Quebec 
&bull; USW Local 6486 &ndash; CEZinc, Montreal, Quebec 
&bull; USW Local 9449 - Raglan, Qu&eacute;bec 
&bull; USW Local 7085 &ndash; Brunswick Mining &amp; Smelting, Bathurst, New Brunswick 
 
From Chile &ndash; 
Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Fundidora Altonorte, Antofagasta, Chile 
 
From the Dominican Republic &ndash; 
SUTRAFADO, Falconbridge Workers Union, Dominican Republic 
 
From Peru &ndash; 
FNTMMSP, National Federation of Mine and Metalworkers of Peru 
SUTRACOMASA, Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Compa&ntilde;&iacute;a Minera Antamina, Peru

XSTRATA UNIONS GLOBAL NETWORK

<img height="39" alt="" src="" width="100" />
Two meetings were held recently in Colombia, as organised by ICEM Project Coordinator Carlos Bustos. One meeting was held at the Bogot&aacute; headquarters of the Colombian electrical workers union, Sintralecol, to discuss the difficult circumstances facing trade unionists in the country, and to improve communication between unions in relation to protecting workers&rsquo; rights. 
 
A second meeting, a set of workshops from 27-31 October, saw 38 trade union leaders participate in an ICEM training forum where ideas were exchanged on how to push forward during dangerous times for trade unionists, as well as for local indigenous groups. 
 
Present at the Sintralecol headquarters were representatives from labour unions ISCOD, FIA-UGT, as well as union leaders from the companies Endesa, Repsol, Iberdrola, and Union Fenosa, as well as the national leadership of Sintralecol. They included: Antonio Deusa of FIA-UGT; Monserrat L&oacute;pez of FIA-UGT; Donato Palomares, a union leader at Endesa; Antonio Rodr&iacute;guez of FIA-UGT at Iberdrola; Roberto Cabal and Walter Van Battenburg, trade union leaders at Endesa in Chile; H&eacute;ctor Fajardo, representing ISCOD; Lu&iacute;s Farf&aacute;n of Sintralecol; and Bustos. 
 

<img height="165" alt="" src="" width="260" />
All present spoke on the political situation in Colombia, expressing their concerns over the serious situation facing workers and the exercise of their human rights in Colombia. With these challenges, the trade unions searched for ways to improve relations at national level and ways to attract international support for workers not protected by the law. The international labour representatives present called for unity in the fight for workers&rsquo; rights in Colombia, as well as for decent pay throughout Latin America. All parties present pledged to move forward in solidarity and unity. 
 
The late October training sessions took up the strike of sugar cane workers, now ended, and the conflict that members of Sintraquim, the ICEM Colombian affiliate representing chemical workers, has with management at Laboratorios Biogen. These cases illustrate blatant examples of worker persecution and trade union repression. 
 
Organisations assisting with the event included Sintraquim, Sintraelecol, Sintracarbon and Sintravidricol. Individuals present were Bustos, who coordinates ICEM in Colombia; Hernando Beltr&aacute;n Soci&oacute;logo, a regional expert: Manuel &Aacute;ngel T&eacute;llez of the CUT: Miguel &Aacute;ngel Castro, an economist; Crist&oacute;bal L&oacute;pez, who presented her concept of globalization, and Dr. Carlos Rodr&iacute;guez and Dr. Lu&iacute;s Farf&aacute;n, who both discussed leadership techniques on how to manage strikes. 
 
All those present pledged action of support and solidarity with comrades at Sintrabiogen, in their struggles for workers&rsquo; rights.

Colombian Trade Unions conduct Meetings, Workshops to Develop Solidarity in Challenging Times

<img height="39" alt="" src="" width="100" />
In October 2006, efforts to make the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure of the Rotterdam Convention apply to asbestos were blocked by a handful of countries, including Canada. The Rotterdam Convention is an international agreement on hazardous materials. 
 
PIC is not a ban. It is a requirement stating that information is to be made available, and adequate warning of a substance&rsquo;s hazards is to be made available when that substance is traded on global markets. However, even this mild requirement has been too much for the asbestos industry to accept. Their fear, no doubt, is that such warnings will cause developing countries &ndash; Canada is one of the biggest exporters of asbestos &ndash; to question the safety of asbestos. 

<img height="200" alt="" src="" width="135" />
The Canadian government made the usual public excuses about scientific uncertainty but, in fact, a government memo that became public last year proves that Canada backs the asbestos industry for crass economic and political reasons. The existence, or lack of existence,&nbsp;of&nbsp;any scientific doubt about the hazards of asbestos played little role. 
 
On 31 October, at the most recent Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention, Canada once again managed to prevent the PIC procedure from applying to asbestos. Canadian delegates, aware of the embarrassing stance of their position, chose to keep a low profile, but worked behind the scenes to organise and encourage the very few remaining supporters of asbestos to block any progress. Those nations are India, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Ukraine, Pakistan, and the Philippines. 
 
It is interesting to note that the Rotterdam Convention binds signatory countries to consider only the hazard criteria. Economic and trade issues are not grounds for excluding a substance from the PIC procedure. How then were the parties able to prevent the inclusion of asbestos under PIC when no one at the October meeting was able to refute the case that all forms of asbestos &ndash; including chrysotile &ndash; meet the Rotterdam Convention&rsquo;s scientific and legal criteria?

Canada Again Serves as Roadblock at Rotterdam Convention on Asbestos

<img height="39" alt="" src="" width="100" />
The 2008 collective agreement covering 30,000 rubber workers in Germany was put in place, following agreement on 30 October between ICEM affiliate IGBCE and the rubber employers&rsquo; association. The 15-month contract, from 1 September 2008 to 30 November 2009, was accepted by a large majority. 
 
The agreement calls for a 1 November 2008 wage increase of 2.5%. On 1 July 2009, another wage increase of 1.3% will be put into effect. The yearly training allowance per worker was increased by &euro;25.00 effective on 1 January 2009. 

<img height="242" alt="" src="" width="150" />
Rubber employers in Germany have committed &euro;4 million to the Association of Employment Promotion (VzB), which assures a flexible transition to retirement, including part-time work and other benefits for workers nearing retirement, particularly during times of redundancies. 
 
The agreement commits the union and employers to handle issues of demographics and work life in conjunction with framework negotiations during the first quarter 2009, with the aim of reaching accord by 30 September 2009.

German Rubber Workers Agree to 15-Month Labour Agreement

<img height="39" alt="" src="" width="100" />
The ICEM and some of its major mining affiliates made a historic step in trade union work around Xstrata, a major global mining house. The meeting took place in Montr&eacute;al, Canada, on 25 October. 
 
The meeting was initiated by the United Steelworkers (USW) and included mining unions from Canada, Peru, Chile, Australia, Germany, and the Dominican Republic, along with the ICEM. 
 
The meeting was a first step in building a world council of Xstrata trade unions. The company is based in Switzerland and traded on London and Swiss stock exchanges. Efforts are underway to involve other ICEM affiliates in the mining sector, as well as other trade unions. 
<img height="173" alt="" src="" width="260" />
Euclide Hache and Mike Willett from USW New Brunswick Mine, Canada 
Martin Schindler, IG Metall Wesermarsch, Germany 
Bodo Bar, Xstrata Zinc Nordenham, Germany 
Bob McGregor, USW New Brunswick Refinery, Canada 

On November 10, rank and file CFMEU delegates from Xstrata&rsquo;s coal operations throughout Australia endorsed a campaign to defend collective bargaining and fight the company&rsquo;s efforts to promote individual contracts. The delegates also voted to be part on an active international network. &ldquo;We must confront Xstrata on equal global terms or we&rsquo;ll be picked off one by one&quot;, said Andrew Vickers, CFMEU General Vice-President. 
 
At the 25 October meeting, a statement was adopted. It can be found at <a href="/index.php?id=5&amp;doc=2855">here</a>.&nbsp; (please note that the strike by members of the Canadian Auto Workers has been settled)

Mining Unions, Gathering in Canada, Focus on Xstrata

<img height="39" alt="" src="" width="100" />
A recent workshop in Buenos Aires, Argentina, saw workers&rsquo; representatives from 18 labour organisations, representing 50,000 rubber workers, come together to shape an action plan for the region&rsquo;s rubber industry on Contract and Agency Labour. The ICEM and FUTINAL, the Latin American Rubber Unions&rsquo; Front covering trade unions in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay organised the event. 
 
It was hosted by SUTNA-CTA, the Rubber Workers&rsquo; Union of Argentina, and 35 delegates attended. 
 
Following a presentation on the general, regional, and national trends in the rubber sector by ICEM Chemicals and Rubber Officer Kemal &Ouml;zkan, workshop participants heard about the ICEM&rsquo;s global campaign on Contract and Agency Labour, as well as examples from different industries throughout the world. 

<img height="172" alt="" src="" width="380" />
 

The issue inside the Brazilian rubber industry exists in the areas of maintenance, warehousing, security, cleaning, and catering. Brazilian labour agreements in the sector do have strong language preventing outsourcing, or the use of contractors or agency labour in production. In Argentina, the rate of outside labour during the 1980s was low, but in the 1990s, with the liberalised policies of then-President Carlos Sa&uacute;l Menem, employment flexibility flourished, particularly concerning employment practices with use of short-term contract workers. 
 
In Argentina&rsquo;s rubber industry, there now is a trend, led by SUTNA, to roll back that labour liberalisation. With a new collective agreement recently put in place, tyre producers have agreed to reduce the number of agency workers, much to the credit of SUTNA bargaining on the issue. 

<img height="164" alt="" src="" width="149" />
SUTNA General Secretary Pedro Wasiejko
&ldquo;In a globalised tyre industry, we must react globally to the challenges in our respective countries,&rdquo; said SUTNA General Secretary Pedro Wasiejko. &ldquo;The kind of detailed cooperation displayed here is an important base for international trade union solidarity.&rdquo; 
 
&Ouml;zkan said the ICEM has now put together viable rubber workers&rsquo; networks in the Asia-Pacific and Latin American/Caribbean Regions, and that recent meetings provide &ldquo;much hope for future activities,&rdquo; including the ICEM&rsquo;s World Conference for the Rubber Industry, to be held in 2009.

South American Rubber Workers’ Develop Joint Work Plan to Address Contract and Agency Labour

<img height="39" alt="" src="" width="100" />
A small group of warehouse workers in Auckland, New Zealand, members of ICEM affiliate National Distribution Union (NDU) are waging a fierce battle to get a first labour agreement. They are paid up to 30% less than distribution workers in nearby facilities and have faced indignities from managers, including a boss&rsquo;s ludicrous claim that benefit levels were adequate since workers receive discounts on L&rsquo;Oreal products. 
 
Following two short strikes in late October by the 11 workers, the ICEM took up their cause. The Global Union Federation contacted European unions that represent workers of the cosmetics company, and asked them to lodge complaints with the French-based company. 
 
The New Zealand dispute came within weeks of ICEM involvement in a meeting in Brussels with French, Belgian, German, Spanish, and Italian trade unions on L&rsquo;Oreal. That meeting held serious discussions on the company&rsquo;s social conditions inside Europe, particularly as it relates to the company&rsquo;s European Works Council. 

<img height="92" alt="" src="" width="200" />
Participating unions are now keen to watch the developments in the New Zealand dispute. 
 
The NDU organised workers at the new warehouse earlier this year, but L&rsquo;Oreal quickly engaged outside counsel to repel any notion of a first collective agreement. In bargaining on 5 November, the company took NDU&rsquo;s proposal for pay equity with other distribution workers under advisement, but said managers were unsure if they even wanted a collective agreement. 
 
In a strongly worded letter to L&rsquo;Oreal senior management in Clichy, France, General Secretary Manfred Warda reminded the company that its stance with the NDU violates ILO Convention 98, the Right to Organise and Bargain Collective, a standard in which both governments of France and New Zealand have ratified. 

<img height="193" alt="" src="" width="140" />
ICEM Gen. Sec. Manfred Warda
And the ICEM also reminded the company of the recent Brussels meeting. &ldquo;The focus of this meeting was to seek ways to strengthen social dialogue between L&rsquo;Oreal and trade unions on the basis of mutual recognition and respect,&rdquo; wrote Warda. &ldquo;For the ICEM, this means on a global level. 
 
&ldquo;Your New Zealand management&rsquo;s attitude toward labour relations runs completely contrary to this. The ICEM has every intention to escalate the New Zealand dispute to our affiliated trade unions at L&rsquo;Oreal worldwide unless a resolve to the Auckland situation is reached very soon.&rdquo; 
 
At the New Zealand warehouse, L&rsquo;Oreal uses some 20 agency workers. But during the two work stoppages, they were unable to perform any functions due to lack of supervision and lack of knowledge of the distribution centre&rsquo;s computer and logging system.

ICEM, European Unions Aid New Zealand’s L’Oreal Workers in Fight for First Contract

<img height="39" alt="" src="" width="100" />
The ICEM extended its congratulations to US trade union affiliates over the election of Illinois Senator Barack Obama as President of the country. In opening remarks at the ICEM&rsquo;s 6 November Presidium in Geneva, both President Senzeni Zokwana and General Secretary Manfred Warda paid tribute to the great role the American trade unions had in electing a progressive President. 
 
&ldquo;The whole world watched with pride and happiness the results that came from the US Presidential race,&rdquo; said Zokwana. &ldquo;The American people chose not only an honourable person, but an African-American. We now hope that our American comrades can convince a Democratic majority in both houses of their Congress to pass a law giving workers a level playing field in their lawful right to organise collectively.&rdquo; 

<img height="128" alt="" src="" width="110" />
ICEM President Senzeni Zokwana
In a letter to American trade union leaders, Warda said the opening of ICEM&rsquo;s Presidium was &ldquo;one of the most cheerful moments ever in a meeting&rdquo; of the body. 
 
&ldquo;Indeed, all agreed to congratulate you on your efforts and activities that contributed to this wonderful result,&rdquo; wrote Warda. &ldquo;We all feel that Barack Obama&rsquo;s election is not only the best news for the United States of America, but it also gives so much hope to the rest of the world.&rdquo; 
 
Another swift reaction to America&rsquo;s political change came from ICEM Vice President and United Steelworkers (USW) Canadian National Director Ken Neumann. In a letter to Canada&rsquo;s Prime Minister Stephen Harper, he urged Harper to establish a meeting with President-elect Obama to discuss the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). 

&ldquo;We believe it is the right time for Canada to make a case &hellip; about a revitalised Canada-US relationship based on mutual respect for our workers and our environment, something that the current North American Free Trade Agreement does not provide for,&rdquo; stated Neumann. 
 
&ldquo;Barack Obama&rsquo;s stunning election as President of the United States is cause for celebration around the world &ndash; and is a golden opportunity for Canada to take up Obama&rsquo;s invitation to rewrite NAFTA in a way that benefits Canadian, Mexican, and American workers.&rdquo;

ICEM Pays Tribute to US Unions in Key Role in Election of Barack Obama

Archive

Se reúnen en Uruguay sindicalistas globales del sector de pulpa y papel

ICEM World Conference for the Pulp & Paper Industries

XSTRATA UNIONS GLOBAL NETWORK

Colombian Trade Unions conduct Meetings, Workshops to Develop Solidarity in Challenging Times

Canada Again Serves as Roadblock at Rotterdam Convention on Asbestos

German Rubber Workers Agree to 15-Month Labour Agreement

Mining Unions, Gathering in Canada, Focus on Xstrata

South American Rubber Workers’ Develop Joint Work Plan to Address Contract and Agency Labour

ICEM, European Unions Aid New Zealand’s L’Oreal Workers in Fight for First Contract

ICEM Pays Tribute to US Unions in Key Role in Election of Barack Obama

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