English

Español

Français

Aerospace

Automotive

Base metals

Chemical, pharmaceutical and bio-science

Energy

Glass, cement, ceramic and associated industries

ICT, electrical and electronics

Mechanical Engineering

Mining and DGOJP

Pulp and paper

Rubber

Shipbuilding and shipbreaking

Textile, garment, shoes, leather and textile services

Sectors

Action on textile and garment industry

Clean up shipbreaking

Ratify ILO C176

United for a just future - time to pay up!

Disinvest from Myanmar

Action Plan 2021-2025

Global Framework Agreements

Union building

Women

Youth

White-collar workers

Health & safety

Industry 4.0

Just Transition

Organizing with industriALL

What we do

Affiliates

Statutes

Elected Officials

Executive Committee

Geneva head office

South East Asia

Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus

Latin America and the Caribbean

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

Regional offices

About us

Global worker No1 2022

Global worker No2 2022

Publications

Resources

Press

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
Japanese tyre-maker Bridgestone&rsquo;s failure to listen to alternatives on redundancies in social talks has caused a fiery strike at the company&rsquo;s airplane tyre factory in Frameries, Belgium. The strike by all 140 workers and led by ICEM Belgian affiliate FGTB Centrale G&eacute;n&eacute;rale started on 11 June over eight job cuts. 
 
A day into the strike, trade unionists convinced managers to stay away from the factory and the plant has been idle since. 

<img src="" width="250" height="171" alt="" />
Bridgestone seeks to unilaterally lay off eight workers. FGTB and the 140 workers say that decision ridicules a plant rule on job security. They also point to the fact that Bridgestone employs 14 workers on short-term contracts at Frameries. The FGTB states that Belgium&rsquo;s pre-pension plan qualifies 24 workers for leave, but Bridgestone will not consider other solutions to its reduction in force. 
 
The factory is a Bridgestone re-treading plant. The strike at the plant comes at a time when Bridgestone is boasting to global financial markets that its 2009 earnings sheet will be better that previously predicted because of a stronger yen and already-implemented expense reductions.

Bridgestone Tyre Strike in Belgium Erupts

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
ICEM&rsquo;s Bridgestone Global Union Network held its 9th Steering Committee meeting in Tokyo, Japan, on 26-27 June, and is was hosted successfully by the ICEM&rsquo;s Japanese affiliate, Rubber Workers&rsquo; Unions Confederation (GOMU-RENGO) and its member organisation, the Bridgestone Workers&rsquo; Union. 
 
GOMU RENGO President Toshiaki Hojo chaired the meeting with the assistance of Akihiro Nagasawa and Gen Tashiro, President and Vice President, respectively, of the Bridgestone Workers&rsquo; Union. (Gen Tashiro also serves as secretary of the Network.) 
 
Following the general report by ICEM&rsquo;s Chemicals and Rubber Officer Kemal &Ouml;zkan on developments and challenges in the tyre and rubber industry at global level, delegates to the meeting gave country and regional reports. They came from Japan, Spain, Brazil, and South Africa. 

<img src="" width="350" height="144" alt="" />
As the central focus to the Network, delegates deliberated on industrial accidents within Bridgestone across the world. Delegates were informed of the circumstances around serious recent accidents in Japan and Brazil. A lengthy discussion then ensued on measures to improve occupational health and safety at the Japan-based company. 
 
The meeting also saw an extensive report by ICEM&rsquo;s &Ouml;zkan on the ongoing strike at a Bridgestone plant located in Frameries, Belgium, as well as problems in obtaining trade union recognition and health and safety concerns at a factory in Tatabanya, Hungary. 
 
The Japanese host union promised to put these problems before executives at Bridgestone headquarters in Japan. The delegates from Spain, Brazil, and South Africa extended solidarity both to ICEM affiliate FGTB Centrale G&eacute;n&eacute;rale in Belgium and VDSz, the affiliated Chemical and Energy Workers&rsquo; Federation in Hungary. 
 
Along with Hojo, Nagasawa, Tashiro, and &Ouml;zkan, delegates attending included Daniel Demetrio and Batista Goncalves, Rubber Workers&rsquo; Union of Brazil (FUB); Jesus Delgado, Secretary of the European Works Council of Bridgestone and Eduardo Alonso, shop steward at Burgos, Spain, both members of the Federation of Related Industries of Spain (FIA-UGT); Nicholas Masilo from National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA); and Yoshio Sato, General Secretary of ICEM&rsquo;s Japanese Affiliates Federation (ICEM-JAF). 
 
The next meeting of the Steering Committee is scheduled to take place during the last week of June 2010 in Spain.

Bridgestone Global Safety Steering Meets in Tokyo

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
ICEM&rsquo;s Brazilian affiliate, the ABC Chemical Workers&rsquo; Union of S&atilde;o Paulo state, chose the motto &ldquo;Strengthen Regional Integration and Decent Work&rdquo; for its 10th Congress, which was held from 16-19 May. Aimed at promoting discussions over key challenges faced by workers in the workplaces as well as in the communities, the Congress extended over a period of 60 days and was divided into three stages. 
 
At part one on 16 May, some 800 workers opened the Congress by starting political discussions over various topics dealing with more recruitment, and mobilization against the impact of global economic crisis. The session also took up the challenges at regional and national levels. 
 
The second portion of the Congress was realised from 29 May to 17 June when chemical workers and union members were invited to discuss union actions in four main areas: the workplace; local, regional, and national councils and committees covering health, social security, environment, employment, and development; the various segments of the chemical industry, including plastics, pharmaceuticals, paints, and petrochemicals; and the union movement at both national and international levels. 
 
In these sessions, participants adopted resolutions and elected delegates for the third and final step of the Congress programme, which will take place 17-19 July. This forum will approve and begin implementation of the main struggle points for the ABC Chemical Workers&rsquo; Union over the next three years. 

<img src="" width="250" height="186" alt="" />
ABC Chemical Workers' Union President, Paul Lage
The President of the union, Paulo Lage, stated: &ldquo;Instead of presenting prepared arguments and proposals to debate, we adopted a methodology that facilitates participation in the sessions and working groups, where arguments and resolutions are developed for debate and adoption at the final Congress round.&rdquo; 
 
ICEM&rsquo;s Latin American/Caribbean Region Vice-President S&eacute;rgio Novais, who is also an officer of the ABC Chemical Workers&rsquo; Union, also believes strongly in the innovative methodology of this process. He said it &ldquo;improves the organization in the workplace, facilitates the organization of workers&rsquo; networks to understand globalization, and it presents real challenges and opportunities in which to find solutions.&rdquo;

Brazil’s ABC Chemical Workers’ Union in Unique 60-day Congress Period

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
A massive methane gas explosion in a coal mine in the West Sumatra province of Indonesia, 560 miles northwest of capital Jakarta, killed 31 mineworkers earlier in June. Shafts inside the mine, in Suwahlunto district, collapsed on Tuesday 16 June, following the explosion. 
 
The mine, owned by a local company without union representation, was unregulated by either the central Jakarta government or provincial authorities. 
 
The Sarana Arang Sejati mine has had a history of safety problems. A similar explosion happened in 2007, killing three workers and leading to public calls for the mine to be closed. Instead, the PT Dasrat mine was given a license to mine in December 2008, and then the local enterprise outsourced mining work to the same operator who had previously operated the pit. 

<img src="" width="180" height="132" alt="" />
Miners were left unprotected with the absence of modern safety measures, and were using traditional methods to mine the coal, including explosives. The ICEM contacted both its mining union affiliates in the country, and urged them to push for ratification of ILO Convention 176, the Safety and Health in Mines Convention. 
 
The ICEM also called on the ILO to convene a tripartite meeting in Indonesia as soon as possible on the Convention. 
 
Indonesia is the Asia-Pacific&rsquo;s second largest coal exporter behind Australia, with a projected output this year of 230 million tones. It is the region&rsquo;s largest exporter of thermal. It is estimated that there are some 77,000 illegal mines in Indonesia, employing 465,000 workers. The informal mining sector exploits ten times the number of miners than that of the formal sector.

Colliery Deaths in Indonesia Reinforces Call for Ratification of ILO 176

<img height="39" src="" width="100" alt="" />
The ICEM will change its Secretariat headquarters from Brussels to Geneva, Switzerland, effective 1 April 2008. A letter to all affiliates and others can be found <a href="/index.php?id=12&amp;doc=2609&amp;la=EN">here</a>.

Effective Date of ICEM Move to Geneva: 1 April 2008

<img height="39" src="" width="100" alt="" />
The ICEM joined trade union leaders from Canada, the UK, the US, and Ukraine at the Canadian Nuclear Association&rsquo;s annual meetings in Ottawa, Canada, from 27-29 February. 
 
A strong trade union contingent at the nuclear association&rsquo;s annual seminar brought representatives from local branches of the United Steelworkers (USW) and Communications, Energy, Paperworkers (CEP) of Canada, together with national labour leaders from the Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA), the Power Workers&rsquo; Union (PWU) of Ontario, Unite of the UK, and the Nuclear Power and Industry Workers&rsquo; of Ukraine (Atomprofspilka).
<img height="24" src="" width="200" alt="" />
All are ICEM affiliates. ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda and other international guests attended at the invitation of the PWU. Atomprofspilka President Valeryi Matov attended, as did UWUA President D. Michael Langford from the US. Representing Unite was Bill Tynan, who heads up Trade Unions for Safe Nuclear Energy in the UK. 
 
Among speakers at this year&rsquo;s event were Canadian astronaut Dr. Marc Garneau, environmentalist Steward Brand, and Province of New Brunswick Energy Minister Jack Kier.
<img height="225" src="" width="300" alt="" />
&nbsp;Manfred Warda, left, with protesting CEP members at Petro-Canada in Ottawa 
 

The ICEM&rsquo;s Warda utilised the visit to Canada&rsquo;s capital city to also participate in CEP&rsquo;s 29 February National Day of Action. He helped to handbill PetroCanada retail petrol outlets in Ottawa. Members of CEP Local 175 have been locked out by the company since 17 November 2007 at a refinery in Montr&eacute;al. The union is urging Canadians not to buy petrol or other products from the Alberta, Canada-based company.

Labour Leaders Attend Canadian Nuclear Association’s Annual Event

<img height="39" alt="" src="" width="100" />
Late in February, a 150-page judgement by an Employment Tribunal in Aberdeen, UK, granted offshore oil and gas workers 14 days of paid holidays under the European Union&rsquo;s Working Time Regulations. 
 
The ruling puts to rest a four-year battle between UK unions and the industry group, Oil and Gas UK, in which employers were trying to count break time while working offshore toward the four-week holiday entitlement.
Amicus, the predecessor to UK&rsquo;s largest union, ICEM affiliate Unite, brought the case before the tribunal on behalf of 500 workers, who filed claims for added holiday pay entitlements. The effects of the ruling, however, will give two weeks of extra holiday pay to some 25,000 workers, mostly drillers, sub-sea workers, catering and other service staff. 
<img height="99" alt="" src="" width="100" />
An agreement between Amicus, GMB Union, and the Offshore Contractors Association last year gave 10,000 other offshore workers involved in the production process four weeks&rsquo; paid leave. This ruling covers other offshore workers and is significant because paid leave must be granted to workers when they are offshore, not during periods when they are onshore between work shifts. 
 
North Sea workers generally work two weeks offshore, before getting two weeks onshore leave. The ruling states that workers are entitled to the paid holidays, which on the pro rata basis out of four weeks&rsquo; work, is equivalent to 14 days of paid annual leave under the EU&rsquo;s Working Time Directive. 
 
&ldquo;Paid holidays for offshore workers are no longer a gift from employers, but a legal right,&rdquo; said Unite Regional Officer Graham Tran. He called on offshore operating companies not to appeal the ruling, which could drag the issue on for another five years. &ldquo;I call on all companies operating offshore to accept this ruling and to meet with the recognised unions to discuss how best to implement the ruling,&rdquo; said Tran.

UK Offshore Oil/Gas Workers Win Work-Time Ruling, and Two Weeks’ Holiday Pay!

<img height="39" alt="" src="" width="100" />
A broken social accord by employers&rsquo; groupings in Slovenia has caused the nation&rsquo;s largest trade union federation, Zveza Svobodnih Sindikatoc Slovenije (ZSSS), to call a mass strike for this Wednesday, 12 March. The strike, which could bring up to 200,000 workers and their families to the streets and eclipse Slovenia&rsquo;s largest mass strike ever, on 17 November 2007, will be joined by union members from other Slovenian national trade union centres.
<img height="50" alt="" src="" width="100" border="1" />
After negotiating for six months on pay, holiday bonuses, and other work-related expenses, social partners came to a deal on 25 January, thus halting plans for a mass strike scheduled for 6 February. But when it came time to sign the agreement in early February, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Employers&rsquo; Association (ZDS), backed away from the deal that would have given gains equal to Slovenia&rsquo;s spiralling inflation rate. 
 
In a letter issued on 6 February, ZSSS President Du&scaron;an Semolič said the various employers&rsquo; associations were now &ldquo;manipulating&rdquo; inside individual companies, by forcing contracts with low percentage pay adjustments to workers. The union federation then called the 12 March strike on 18 February.
<img height="203" alt="" src="" width="200" />
In December 2007, the country&rsquo;s gross average monthly earnings, based on inflation-adjusted terms, had risen by less than 1%, compared to the same period in 2006. The country&rsquo;s inflation rate in December 2007 had grown to 6.4%. A short 11 months earlier, when Slovenia adopted the euro as currency, its inflation rate had been 2.8%. 
 
The ZSSS-led strike has broad support among both European trade unions and global unions. Meanwhile, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has called for a demonstration on 5 April 2008 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, over the European Central Bank&rsquo;s (ECB) loud public cry for wage moderation. The protest will occur at the same time that the ECB Governing Council meets with EU Finance Ministers on economic and monetary policies in Ljubljana.

Labour Unions Mass for General Strike in Slovenia on 12 March

<img height="39" src="" width="100" alt="" />
After five days of talks intended to probe solutions to Canada&rsquo;s forest products crisis, negotiations ended 6 March between ICEM affiliate Communications, Energy, Paperworkers (CEP) and AbitibiBowater, the major paper producer in the Canadian East. 
 
&ldquo;CEP members came to these negotiations one year early to achieve more stability for the Canadian pulp and paper industry and to stop the bleeding of thousands of jobs,&rdquo; stated CEP President Dave Coles. &ldquo;However, instead of working with the union and their employees, the negotiations were ended by the company because CEP would not agree to major concessions concerning the pension plan and other issues.&rdquo;
<img height="125" src="" width="110" alt="" />
CEP President Dave Coles&nbsp; 
 

In February, delegates from the union&rsquo;s pulp and paper sector voted to enter talks early for 5,500 AbitibiBowater workers at some 13 eastern Canadian pulp and paper mills. The talks, a full 13 months before contracts for 20,000 paperworkers in eastern Canada were set to expire, were aimed at getting contract extensions and initiating productivity and efficiency practices inside Canadian mills. 
 
&ldquo;We are very disappointed in this outcome,&rdquo; added Coles. But &ldquo;we must send a clear and strong message to the industry that our position will not change one year from now when our contracts expire.&rdquo; 
 
In the Canadian West, the CEP is currently in talks with paper companies. Contracts there expire on 1 April 2008.

Early Talks Fail with AbitibiBowater in Eastern Canadian Pulp, Paper Industry

<img height="39" alt="" src="" width="100" />
ICEM affiliate Toimihenkil&ouml;unioni TU has taken the global forestry company Stora Enso to a Court of Law in Finland over a breach of the country&rsquo;s statutes. The salaried workers&rsquo; union of Finland is holding the Nordic-based company responsible for violating the Act of Cooperation Within Untertakings, a 1978 statute and part of the country&rsquo;s labour code. 
 
That is according to TU News, the union&rsquo;s newsletter. The suit alleges that Stora Enso began unilaterally cutting back operations at its Summa paper mill in southeast Finland before statutory consultations with stakeholders had begun. This related to Stora&rsquo;s harsh restructuring announcement in October 2007, in which the company said it would close mills in Finland and Sweden, and cut jobs elsewhere in Europe as well. 
<img height="60" alt="" src="" width="200" />
Toimihenkil&ouml;unioni notes that the mandatory consultation process began in early November 2007, and ran until January 2008. Yet, Stora&rsquo;s marketing team was told in October not to book any further orders from the newsprint and book papers mill, and the company cancelled all raw material orders then as well. The newsletter states that no 2008 budget for the mill was ever in planning.
Union President Antti Rinne was astonished that the Finnish government, a sizeable stockholder of Stora Enso, was not informed of the company&rsquo;s abrupt curtailments. The alleged illegal actions by Stora surfaced when Finnish Defense Minister Jyri H&auml;k&auml;mies, the statutory head of all enterprise ownership, admitted at a union forum in Helsinki on 29 January that the government had not been given advance notice. 
<img height="102" alt="" src="" width="100" />
A day later, Stora shut one paper machine at the 450-worker Summa mill, and then the next day &ndash; 31 January &ndash; the company switched off the mill&rsquo;s other paper machine, effectively closing the operation. 
 
&ldquo;During negotiations, it was no longer a question of a plan to close the mill,&rdquo; said the newsletter, but it became evident in talks that &ldquo;the decision itself&rdquo; had been &ldquo;implemented simultaneously with the negotiations.&rdquo; Finland&rsquo;s Act on Cooperation Within Undertakings is intended to improve work conditions and to further cooperation between employers and staff. 
 
Under Finnish law, the suit brought by Toimihenkil&ouml;unioni on behalf of its members, if successful, could mean pay-outs of up to &euro;30,000 for each worker who was sacked.

Salaried Trade Union, Toimihenkilöunioni, Places Stora in the Dock in Finnish Court

Archive