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A dispute over pay differentials that separate mineworkers of Ghana and expatriate staff employed by AngloGold Ashanti mushroomed last week into a short strike when 5,000 union miners at the gold mines Obuasi, Tarkwa, and Idruapem downed tools. 
 
The strike began on 5 August and was halted two days later upon intervention by the country&rsquo;s National Labour Commission. Tripartite talks are underway in hopes that a compromise can be reached. The Ghana Mine Workers&rsquo; Union (GMWU) warned that a further walkout would come in the next two weeks if differences are not resolved. 
<img alt="" src="" width="250" height="115" />
AngloGold&rsquo;s Vice President for Ghana, Keith Faulkner, in a published report last week, admitted the disparities have caused &ldquo;angst and grief &hellip; it is disparate, there is a gap and everyone in the industry knows that.&rdquo; 
 
The union claims, in some cases, expatriate workers are paid 30 times the rate of a Ghanaian for performing the same job. Another point of contention is AngloGold&rsquo;s decision to stop using the US dollar as the basis for salaries. The mining house had been quoting salaries in dollars and then converting that amount to cedis (GHC). 
 
AngloGold seeks now to pay salaries in cedis from the outset, a policy miners oppose. 
 
AngloGold has reaped huge profits in second quarter 2009, mostly on continued high gold pricing and the productivity of Ghana&rsquo;s Birimian field, which holds the rich deposits of Obuasi and Tarkwa.

Last Week’s Strike of AngloGold by Ghana Mineworkers’ Gets Airing

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The ICEM heralds a 20 July resolution by the Goodyear Tyre Makers&rsquo; Union in Thailand, part of ICEM affiliate Petroleum and Chemical Workers&rsquo; Federation (PCFT), to actively recruit the growing number of fixed-term contract workers in the factory. The union&rsquo;s resolution appeared the very next day on the Tyre Makers&rsquo; bulletin board inside the Goodyear-Thailand Ltd. plant in Bangkok. 
 
The union has recorded 120 workers thus far in 2009 with whom Goodyear has brought in as short-term contract employees. Most have had experience working at the tyre plant because, prior to 2009, they had been employed through a labour agency. Now they work side by side with regular workers doing the same jobs in the same production lines, such as sprays, pigments, trucking, apexing, timer, etc. 
 
Thai law, under the Industrial Relations Act of 1975, clearly states that where there is a collective agreement &ndash; such as at Goodyear Thailand Ltd. &ndash; management cannot hire workers on individual contracts unless wages, benefits, and conditions exceed the negotiated agreement. The 120 workers, many of whom are now working directly for Goodyear on 11-month contracts, are paid significantly less than the plant&rsquo;s 600 regular workers. 
<img border="0" alt="" src="" width="370" height="82" />
The collective agreement between the Tyre Makers&rsquo; Union and Goodyear excludes workers performing work under definite terms of employment, which appears to counter the law. It should be noted that Goodyear&rsquo;s decision to switch from a labour agency to fixed-term contract workers came about because a portion of the Labour Protection Act of 1998 was amended to facilitate this. But Goodyear has violated the spirit of that amendment by not improving the work conditions of the contract workers. Most are paid at the Thai minimum wage. 
 
Goodyear-Thailand has refused to consult with the union on any matters related to contract labour, and instead has persisted in defaming PCFT members who bring the company&rsquo;s legal irregularities to light. Seventy-four permanent workers were sacked late in 2008, and the union has taken up cases on 62, with an Industrial Relations Court issuing unfair dismissals. But Goodyear has appealed the ruling. 
<img alt="" src="" width="220" height="101" />
Goodyear&rsquo;s obstinacy over the contract labour issue is reminiscent of 2005-2006 when the union fought for, and mainly won, a case involving 18 contract workers in the warehouse. In November 2006, the Industrial Court made Goodyear pay up to ten years&rsquo; backpay to the workers. 
 
The ICEM commends the Tyre Makers&rsquo; Union and President Aukaphol Thongdeeleard and other trade unionists for continuing to press Goodyear on this issue, and especially with actively recruiting fixed-term workers into their ranks. The ICEM also encourages contract workers at Goodyear-Bangkok to stand up for themselves by actively joining the PCFT. 
 
Equal rights for contract and agency workers is ICEM&rsquo;s theme this year for Day of Decent Work, 7 October, and activities of the Global Union Federation will centre on worksites in Thailand and Turkey. The situation at Goodyear in Thailand is an issue that all rubber workers must mobilise around; to support the solid work being done by the ICEM affiliate, particularly with the collective bargaining agreement up for renewal this month. 
 
The Tyre Makers&rsquo; Union at Goodyear-Thailand is also resisting a unilateral management policy that it maintains the right to dismiss any employee who has family members or relatives working for a rival company of Goodyear. Brother Aukaphol called it a violation of privacy rights and vowed the union will challenge the recent policy.

Contract Labour Issue Again Surfaces at Goodyear-Thailand Ltd.

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In this issue of the ICEM HIV/AIDS newsletter, we report on, among other items, the HIV/AIDS seminar in Mongolia and how the economic crisis affects prevention and treatment.
The ICEM Calls on its Affiliates to Contribute to this e-bulletin 
 
ICEM affiliates are already engaged in a wide range of HIV/AIDS activities. To spread the information on new agreements, awareness, and prevention campaigns, and educational activities, affiliates and project coordinators are invited to send news and information to <a href="mailto:hiv.aids@icem.org">hiv.aids@icem.org</a>. Any feedback on the format and contents of the e-bulletin is also welcome. 
Editor: Hans J Schwass, ICEM HIV/AIDS Consultant
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HIV/AIDS Workshop in Mongolia 
 
With funding from ICEM-JAF, Japan, the Taiwan Petroleum Workers&rsquo; Union, and the ICEM HIV/AIDS Project, the ICEM affiliate, the Mongolian Energy, Geology and Mine Workers&rsquo; Trade Unions (MEGMTU) organised an HIV/AIDS seminar in Ulaanbaatar from 10 to 12 August. Forty-five participants, of whom 17 were women, attended the seminar. The opening was also attended by representatives from the ILO and the Asian Development Bank, which has recently started an HIV/AIDS prevention project, focusing on infrastructure and the mining sector. 
 
Following up on the Tripartite Declaration on the prevention of HIV/AIDS at workplaces, signed in October 2007 by the Ministry of Social Welfare and Labour, the Confederation of Mongolian Trade Unions (CMTU) and the Mongolian Employers&rsquo; Federation (MONEF), the seminar had the title &ldquo;Development of Social Partner Cooperation to Prevent HIV/AIDS in the Mineral and Energy Sectors&rdquo;. In line with the objectives of the seminar, representatives from government agencies and from MONEF also attended. 
 
As an outcome of working groups, participants made detailed recommendations concerning the improvement of legislation and HIV/AIDS interventions at national, industry and workplace level. The final declaration calls for tripartite cooperation at national level and bipartite cooperation at the workplace level with action-oriented programmes to be implemented. 
 
The prevalence rate in Mongolia is still low; UNAIDS estimates 820 cases. The objective is to keep it at this low rate, or push it to zero. Prevention is therefore the focus of HIV/AIDS work in Mongolia. Mining areas and also some energy projects are in remote areas. Workers are often separated from their families for a long time; they earn wages above the national industrial average and commercial sex workers are attracted to these areas. Foreign migrant workers are also employed. The present low prevalence rate therefore hides a potentially explosive situation. 
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Disruption of Treatment Threatened by Global Economic Crisis 
 
In 22 countries, disruption of HIV prevention and treatment programmes is expected over the course of this year, as a result of the global economic crisis, according to a report by UNAIDS and the World Bank, released on 6 July. 
 
According to the report &ldquo;The Global Economic Crisis and HIV Prevention and Treatment Programmes: Vulnerabilities and Impact&rdquo;, eight countries are already facing shortages of antiretroviral drugs. Together, these countries are home to more than 60% of people receiving AIDS treatment. 
 
In 34 countries, representing 75% of people living with HIV, there is already an impact on HIV prevention programmes, focusing on high-risk groups. Furthermore, the report suggests that poor nutrition because of reduced incomes and rising unemployment could also influence the effectiveness of ARV drugs. Community networks, which often are the only social safety net for the poor, are also being crippled by the financial crisis. 
 
While there are no reports of substantial cuts in donor assistance for 2009, there is concern that financial sustainability of antiretroviral treatment programmes that depend mainly on external aid is uncertain. 
 
(Source: Press Release UNIADS, 6 July. The report can be accessed at <a href="http://www.unaids.org">www.unaids.org</a>) 
<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
SWHAP Network Meets on Economic Crisis 
 
The economic crisis was also the focus of the South Africa Network workshop of the Swedish Workplace HIV and AIDS Programme (SWHAP). Twenty-eight coordinators from 11 workplaces discussed the implications of the economic crisis and how workplace programmes on HIV and AIDS, as well as wellness programmes, could cope with the financial stress they are currently experiencing. 
 
Participants also discussed how health workers and lay counsellors in the programme can be empowered with the necessary skills and knowledge needed to ensure effective adherence to treatment by workers. ICEM HIV/AIDS Project Management Assistant, Paule Ndessomin, attended the meeting in Johannesburg. 
 
(Source: Information on the SWHAP website <a href="http://www.swhap.org">www.swhap.org</a>) 

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Ethiopia: Nurses are Empowered to Boost ARV Treatment 
 
Facing mounting difficulties in bringing antiretroviral drugs to people living with HIV and AIDS who need them, the Ethiopian Government has given nurses the authority to prescribe and supervise ARV therapy. This will expand access to treatment, especially in rural areas where there are few doctors. The number of clinics staffed by nurses trained to dispense the drugs will increase from 400 to 1,300 over the next three years with help from the Global Fund. 
 
About 370,000 of the 1.1 million Ethiopians with HIV/AIDS need ARVs but only 120,000 are getting the medication. Ethiopia hopes to more than double that number to meet the United Nations Millennium Goal of having 80 percent receiving treatment by 2010. 
 
The target is ambitious. Half the children under five years old are chronically malnourished and almost 40 percent of the 85 million population live below the poverty line, but the biggest hurdles are training and keeping enough doctors to distribute the drugs, bringing health services to the 80 percent of the population who live in the countryside, and making the programme self-supporting, should money from the donors dry up. Poor pay and difficult working conditions have driven many health professionals to seek higher-paid jobs abroad. 
 
(Source: IRIN PlusNews, 7 August) 

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Namibia: Court Case Highlights Workers&rsquo; Rights 
 
An out-of-court settlement was reached in the case of the Namibian hotel workers (see <a href="/en/72-HIV-AIDS/3322-ICEM-HIV-AIDS-e-bulletin-No.-46-July-2009">HIV/AIDS e-bulletin no. 46, July 2009</a>). The workers had fought a nine-year legal battle after being tested without their consent, and for having their confidentiality breached by their employer, the Oshakati Country Lodge. They settled for monetary compensation before the case was heard in court. 
 
While a court case would have set precedents, the Legal Assistance Centre in Namibia nevertheless managed to re-emphasise fundamental principles during the drawn-out case, such as: no testing without informed consent, and maintenance of confidentiality. 
 
(Source: Additional information provided by Robert E. Lovelace, Washington) 

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AIDSPAN Releases Beginners&rsquo; Guide to the Global Fund 
 
Aidspan has released a new guide, designed to provide a broad introduction to the Global Fund for people who have little or no prior experience of the Fund. A Beginner&rsquo;s Guide to the Global Fund will be of interest to a wide range of people. 
 
A Beginner&rsquo;s Guide to the Global Fund comes in three versions: the full guide (about 60 pages), an eight-page summary and a two-page summary. All three versions are available in English at <a href="http://www.aidspan.org/guides">www.aidspan.org/guides</a>. French-, Spanish- and Russian-language editions of all three versions will be available by early September 2009 at the same site. The full version of the guide contains numerous links to the websites of the Global Fund and Aidspan, for people who need in-depth information. 
 
(Source: Global Fund Observer, Issue 105, 28 July. GFO is a free service of Aidspan (<a href="http://www.aidspan.org">www.aidspan.org</a>). To receive GFO, send an email to <a href="mailto:receive-gfo-newsletter@aidspan.org">receive-gfo-newsletter@aidspan.org</a>. 
<img alt="" src="" width="40" height="40" />
News from the Global Union Federations 
 
The fortnightly HIV/AIDS updates of 1 and 15 July of the International Transport Workers&rsquo; Federation report, among others, on the integration of HIV/AIDS in ITF Inspectors&rsquo; seminars, and the progress of the US Government to end its longstanding ban on HIV positive visitors and migrants. (<a href="http://www.itfglobal.org">www.itfglobal.org</a>). 

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This ICEM HIV-AIDS Newsletter &ndash; How to Subscribe or Translate? 
 
To subscribe to the e-bulletin, send an email to <a href="mailto:press@icem.org">press@icem.org</a>. Please put &ldquo;subscribe ICEM HIV/AIDS e-bulletin&rdquo; in the subject line. 
Unfortunately, the e-bulletin can only be published in English. 
For a free automated (non-ICEM) translation of this HIV-AIDS bulletin into other languages, you may want to try http://www.google.com/language_tools and insert the following URL into the window &ldquo;Translate a Web page&ldquo;: 
<a href="/index.php?id=72&amp;la=EN&amp;doc=3358">/index.php?id=72&amp;la=EN&amp;doc=3358</a>&nbsp; 
 
Or click directly on the links below: 
 
<a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icem.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D72%26la%3DEN%26doc%3D3358&amp;sl=en&amp;tl=fr&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8">Cliquez ici pour une traduction automatique en fran&ccedil;ais.</a> 
 
Cette traduction est faite automatiquement par un logiciel internet gratuit. L&rsquo;ICEM n&rsquo;assume aucune responsabilit&eacute; &agrave; cet &eacute;gard. Elle est approximative, mais peut n&eacute;anmoins vous donner une id&eacute;e g&eacute;n&eacute;rale du contenu de l&rsquo;article. 
 
<a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icem.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D72%26la%3DEN%26doc%3D3358&amp;sl=en&amp;tl=de&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8">Hier Klicken f&uuml;r eine maschinelle &Uuml;bersetzung ins Deutsche.</a> 
 
Diese &Uuml;bersetzung, f&uuml;r die die ICEM keine Verantwortung &uuml;bernimmt, erfolgt durch eine frei zug&auml;ngliche Internetsoftware. Diese &Uuml;bersetzung ist nicht perfekt, gibt aber eine ann&auml;hernende Idee, wor&uuml;ber der Artikel handelt. 
 
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</a> 
Этот перевод выполняется автоматически с помощью бесплатной Интернет-программы, и ICEM не несет за него ответственности. Перевод приблизительный, но все же может дать общее представление о содержании статьи. 
 
<a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icem.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D72%26la%3DEN%26doc%3D3358&amp;sl=en&amp;tl=ja&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8">日本語への翻訳について、無料オン� ��イン翻訳サービス利用されたい方はここをクリックしてください。ただし、当該サ� ��ビスを利用した翻訳の質等について 、ICEMは一切責任を負いませんので、� ��了承ください。</a> 
 
<a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icem.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D72%26la%3DEN%26doc%3D3358&amp;sl=en&amp;tl=es&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8">Haga clic aqu&iacute; para una traducci&oacute;n autom&aacute;tica en espa&ntilde;ol. 
</a> 
Esta traducci&oacute;n se hace autom&aacute;ticamente con tecnolog&iacute;a libre del Internet. La ICEM no se responsabiliza de ella. La traducci&oacute;n es aproximada, pero puede proveer una idea general del contenido del art&iacute;culo. 
 
<a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icem.org%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D72%26la%3DEN%26doc%3D3358&amp;sl=en&amp;tl=sv&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8">Klicka h&auml;r f&ouml;r en maskin&ouml;vers&auml;ttning till svenska.</a> 
 
Denna &ouml;vers&auml;ttning utf&ouml;rs automatiskt med kostnadsfri internetteknik. ICEM tar inget ansvar f&ouml;r den. Den &auml;r inte helt korrekt men ger dig &auml;nd&aring; en allm&auml;n uppfattning om vad artikeln handlar om.

ICEM HIV/AIDS e-bulletin - No. 47 August/September 2009

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A unique happenstance followed an ICEM workshop on Contract and Agency Labour (CAL) in Guinea recently: the Industrial Relations manager of Russian bauxite and steel producer RUSAL was expelled from the country following revelations at the conference of the company&rsquo;s horrid labour practices in Guinea. 
 
Mineworkers in Guinea, backed by leaders of the trade union federations, provided vivid evidence on working conditions, including child labour, at Compagnie des Bauxite de Kindla, RUSAL&rsquo;s joint venture bauxite mining concern with the government. 
 
The testimony resulted in the government, led by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, to expel Anatoly Pantchenko from Guinea. 
 
Trade unionists told how the RUSAL manager had organized a culture of outsourcing at the mine and at RUSAL&rsquo;s wholly-owned Friguia alumina smelting plant. The company utilises some 120 outsourcing companies. Discussion centered on how the system has aggravated poverty and created extremely poor work conditions and salaries, leaving workers under RUSAL&rsquo;s umbrella with little means for improved living conditions. 

<img alt="" src="" width="350" height="233" />
From left to right: Ibrahima Fofana, Rabiatou Sereh Diallo, Manfred Warda and Yamodou Tour&eacute;
The report was not new to the ICEM. In 2007, after street protests in Guinea loosened the dictatorial powers of President Lansana Cont&eacute;, Rabiatou Sereh Diallo, General Secretary of the National Confederation of Workers of Guinea (CNTG), visited the ICEM in Brussels. She and other trade union leaders from Guinea then told how RUSAL relies heavily on &ldquo;phantom&rdquo; subcontracting companies that are tied to Cont&eacute; associates. 
 
In December 2008, following the death of Cont&eacute;, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara and a team of military officers took over the country. They immediately forged relations with the three main trade union federations and pledged to end corruption in the mining sector. 
 
Since then, relations between RUSAL and the government have been tenuous, and ICEM&rsquo;s CAL workshops in May provided all the evidence Moussa Camara needed to expel RUSAL&rsquo;s top manager from Guinea. In mid-April, workers at the Friguia refinery staged a strike, and RUSAL &ndash; now the world&rsquo;s second largest steelmaker &ndash; said the work stoppage was instigated by the government. 

<img alt="" src="" width="146" height="66" />
The ICEM&rsquo;s CAL conference agreed on a plan of action for Guinea&rsquo;s mining sector, which will see trade unions and the government push for a review of the national mining convention, a code that became obsolete and neglected under the corrupt Cont&eacute; regime. Such a review will make it possible to properly address outsourcing, as well as to include guarantees on working conditions in employment contracts. 
 
A new committee was established with the government that is tasked with carrying out the review. The committee is composed of 13 members, two of whom are trade union leaders. 
 
The West African nation of Guinea holds two-thirds of the world&rsquo;s bauxite deposits. A second multinational bauxite miner, called Halco, also operates in Guinea. But trade unionists tell the ICEM that work conditions there are far superior&nbsp;to those existing at RUSAL. Halco is an enterprise 51% owned by US-based Alcoa World Alumina and Alcan of Canada, with the remainder owned by Guinea&rsquo;s government.

ICEM’s Contract Labour Forum in Guinea Forces Expulsion of Russian Mine Boss

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
Including Report VI at the ILO&rsquo;s 98th session, International Labour Conference, the ILO Gender Equality Committee finished its work on 10 June with conclusions on the global economic crisis, gender and decent work, export processing zones, occupational safety and health, unequal pay, maternity protection, and social dialogue. In spite of the fact that women are often achieving better results in education than men, the gender pay gap still exists. Women are disproportionately present in low-paying jobs with poor working conditions. Gender-based violence is rampant, and HIV/AIDS affect more women, and the poor in particular. 
 
Men have a role to play in gender equality. In some countries men are taking parental leave. This leads to a change in mentalities and stereotypes. Awareness of paternity as a social value is now taking hold. 
 
Globalization has often created jobs for women that have low pay, little or no access to social security, no access to benefits of collective bargaining, and or to protection of workers&rsquo; rights. Rather, efforts must continue to ensure that gender equality is at the heart of decent work. This is a central tenet at this year&rsquo;s ILO Conference. 

<img src="" width="320" height="119" alt="" />
The current financial crisis should not be used to undermine women&rsquo;s rights and achievements. The Global Employment Agenda has to be monitored to promote gender equality as a core element. 
 
Occupational safety and health once only focused on dangerous jobs done by men, but more work must be done on work-related hazards and how they affect women and men differently. Reproductive health is equally an issue that affects both women and men. 
 
The conclusions at the ILO include wording to eliminate job segregation. That alone will be a large step to equal pay. Women can only fully participate in working life if they are assured of measures to provide for their children. The sharing of parental responsibilities is key to breaking down barriers. 
 
Social dialogue is an essential tool for achieving gender equality at work. But in order for it to effective, more women must be involved in it at all levels.

Gender Equity, Decent Work Linked at Current ILO Session

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
The 20th Congress of the Finnish Paperworkers&rsquo; Union, Paperiliitto, was held in Helsinki last week, and leaders of local branches together with national leadership forged a concise agenda in order to gain a wage adjustment in pay talks this October. 
Although the current agreement with Finland&rsquo;s Forest Industries Federation expires at the end of March 2010, a wage reopener occurs in October, and there is little doubt that if accord is not met, the contract will be terminated. 
 
The Congress took up 260 resolutions from local branches, and probed future opportunities for cooperation and joint actions with other Finnish trade unions in the wake of the Finnish Metalworkers&rsquo; Union abandoning the multi-union Finnish merger that was to be called TEAM. 

<img src="" width="230" height="136" alt="" />
Paperiliitto Executive Committee
The over 200 Paperiliitto participants, together with 18 international trade union guests, convened in Helsinki from 10-12 June at a time when all of Finland hopes the worst effects of a period of job redundancies and mill and machine shutdowns in the forest sector are over. 
 
Union President Jouko Ahonen called attention to the questionable risks, mistaken acquisitions, and mis-directed financial investment by pulp and paper companies that has brought social upheaval to Finnish communities. 

<img alt="" src="" width="180" height="151" />
President Jouko Ahonen
He predicted that employers will attempt to demand concessions, reductions to benefits, and erosion of rights in this autumn&rsquo;s negotiations. In assuring delegates that paperworkers of Finland have earned wage increases because of better productivity with fewer staff, Ahonen stated, &ldquo;If there are no pay raises, there will be no agreement.&rdquo; 
 
Paperiliitto delegates discussed the possibility that TEAM, as a single Finnish industrial union, might not occur triggered new opportunities for cohesion and cooperation for 22,000-member Paperiliitto. Three years ago, Paperiliitto declined to take part in the industrial union merger. Although delegates were quick to rule out entering any revised merger plan, they recognize that several industrial unions have upcoming wage talks, and the demand for cooperation and joint actions are evident. 
 
Lauri Lyly, President of SAK, the Finnish Central Labour Organization, stated that traditions and emotions played a key role in stopping the TEAM merger, but that its dissolution might present other openings. He was also critical of the government for having no plan or facility to match the shrinking purchasing power of Finnish citizens with reality. 
 
Finland&rsquo;s Labour Minister, Tarja Cronberg, chronicled the plight of the Finnish forestry sector and said even with recovery, previous levels of jobs and pulp and paper tonnage would not be reached. She called for reform from the inside and said social partners in collective bargaining must come to flexible arrangements and a competitive response. 
 
Also speaking at the Congress at the opening session, ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda stated that the global financial collapse is due to a &ldquo;neo-liberal model that has come broken.&rdquo; He pledged that the ICEM &ldquo;will not help to revive what we consider a dying horse.&rdquo; 
 
Warda also addressed the ICEM&rsquo;s ever-increasing work in the global pulp, paper, and packaging sectors, and the progress made in the Global Union Federation&rsquo;s &ldquo;North Meets South&rdquo; work plan. 

<img src="" width="200" height="164" alt="" />
Paperiliitto Congress, forefront Gen. Sec. Petri Vanhala and Financial Manager Seija Minervue 
With six years of hardened experience as President of Paperiliitto, Ahonen was unanimously elected to another four-year term. Elected as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Union Council were Ilkka Nokelelainen and Jouko Suomalainen, respectively. 
 
Besides Ahonen, those elected to Paperiliitto&rsquo;s Executive Committee were: Timo Virtanen, Branch 5, M&auml;ntt&auml;; Jouko Aitonurmi, Branch 42, Rauma; Pertti Susi, Branch 7, Kauttua; Mirja K&auml;ki, Branch 66, H&auml;meenlinna; Juhani Haapala, Branch 19, Kuusankoski; Ari Kujapa, Branch 17, Kotka; and 
 
Veijo Ruotsalainen, Branch 52, Pietarsaari; Jarmo Kinnunen, Branch 44, Lauritsala; Jorma Paajanen, Branch 77, &Auml;&auml;nekoski; Jari Heikkil&auml;, Branch 4, Tampere, Kai P&auml;rn&auml;nen, Branch 14, Verkaus, Timo Byman, Branch 35, Myllykoski; and Lauri Santaniemi, Branch 43, Oulu. 
 
In accepting another term, Ahonen said he is &ldquo;one and only one&rdquo; member of a unified union team that will shape the better times to come for Finland&rsquo;s pulp, paper, and forestry sector. &ldquo;I do feel optimistic that better times avail for the future,&rdquo; he said, adding the union&rsquo;s newly-named Executive Committee and the Union Council, in concert with Paperiliitto&rsquo;s 34 branch unions, will play a major role in recovery of the Nordic nation&rsquo;s most important industry.

Paperiliitto Elects Leaders, Prepares for Hard Talks in Finnish Pulp, Paper Sector

<img alt="" src="" width="100" height="39" />
Both ICEM affiliate National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) have condemned Harmony Gold for lax security at its Eland Mine in Welkom, Free State province, following the deaths of 82 illegal miners. Reportedly, an underground fire that started on 18 May caused the deaths, with the first bodies brought to the surface on 30 May. 
 
A total of 294 illegal miners who lived and worked inside Harmony&rsquo;s abandoned mine were brought safely to the surface, along with the dead bodies starting two weeks ago. 
<img alt="" src="" width="100" height="150" />
Mines Minister Susan Shabangu
COSATU is supporting NUM&rsquo;s call that a full government investigation must occur. The NUM charged Harmony with failure to properly invest in security systems. South African Mines Minister Susan Shabangu, who spoke at a press conference at the mine site following the removal of 25 bodies on 2 June, said the deaths come at the hands of organized crime.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
At the same press conference with Shabangu, Harmony&rsquo;s CEO Graham Briggs said the &ldquo;criminal miners&rdquo; had requested of Harmony to provide body bags &ldquo;and we have been doing such and they have been bringing the bodies to the shaft stations.&rdquo; 
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The NUM points to a system of corrupt managers and others who lure workers into the shuttered gold mines of South Africa. With major redundancies occurring in many mining sectors in South Africa, coupled with continued high gold prices, profiteering through illegal gold mining is again rampant. Gold prices in South Africa have increased 51% from March 2008 to March 2009. In March of this year, 20 illegal miners died from a fire inside shafts of Pan African Resources&rsquo; New Consort Mine in Mpumalanga province.
The illegal miners are referred to as &ldquo;zama-zamas&rdquo; who live underground and survive by another corrupt practice, individuals delivering them food and supplies in exchange for money. The NUM believes the miners themselves are the victims and calls on the South Africa government to earnestly eradicate illegal mining.

82 Illegal Miners Dead at Harmony Gold in South Africa

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The ICEM, United Steelworkers (USW) of the US, and the International Metalworkers Federation (IMF) are coordinating a trade union and parliamentary/ congressional delegation to Mexico in support of the National Miners&rsquo; and Metalworkers&rsquo; Union (SNTMMSRM) and their fight for free and independent unionism in the Latin country. 
 
The delegation, rescheduled due to the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico, will go ahead July 8&ndash;12 and the destination is Mexico City. The delegation will meet with the Congressional Commission on Cananea, with ambassadors of delegation countries, hold an International Solidarity Conference, and a Solidarity visit to Juan Linares, a political prisoner in Reclusorio Norte prison. Delegates will then hold a public meeting to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of Los Mineros in L&aacute;zaro C&aacute;rdenas. On 13 July, delegates will visit the Pasta de Conchos mine site in Sabinas, to pay tribute to the victims, widows, and families of the deadly 2006 mine explosion in which 65 miners perished. 

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Participating unions in the solidarity mission will come from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, India, Peru, South Africa, Sweden, UK, and the US, alongside leaders of the ICEM and IMF. 
 
Participating members&rsquo; of parliaments and members of congresses that are expected to join the delegation are from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Peru, South Africa, and UK. 
 
The Mexican government has been largely successful in reaching its goal of destroying trade unionism in Mexico. Los Mineros is one of the very few unions in the country to resist government control and to continue fighting for improved wages and labour laws. Following the union&rsquo;s denouncement of the multinational mining corporation Grupo Mexico, as well as the national government, over the explosion at Pasta de Conchos, the government cooperated with Grupo Mexico in efforts to destroy the union. 
 
Mexican security forces have repeatedly been involved in beatings, death threats, and illegal arrests in the union busting campaign. Last week, a striking worker was killed by police. The courageous strike at major Grupo Mexico locations has been in place for 22 months, even though Grupo Mexico gained a decree halting it.

Solidarity Delegation to Miners’ of Mexico Slated Next Month

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The threats of strikes are now on in mining in South Africa, following the latest rounds of talks in several mining sectors. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) filed for dispute resolution last week with the country&rsquo;s Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA) in gold talks with the Chamber of Mines. 
 
In coal talks on Friday, some progress was noted on benefits and working conditions, although the NUM and other unions remain far apart on wages. Employers, through the Chamber, are offering 7.5% for lower-paid colliery workers and 6.5% for others. 
 
The talks in the gold sector, covering 150,000 miners, went to government intervention following the Chamber&rsquo;s refusal to offer more than 7%, a few percentage points less that South Africa&rsquo;s current consumer price index. In 2008, that inflation index hit 11.5%, while the current food index is at 14.9%. The NUM is seeking 15% and the possibility of a strike in the gold sector is likely. 

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NUM General Secretary Frans Beleni
&ldquo;It has always been our intention to bargain in good faith, to try to reach a settlement through negotiations,&rdquo; said NUM General Secretary Frans Baleni. This year, he added, he NUM may have &ldquo;to use a different tool in strike action.&rdquo; The NUM is standing behind a 12th Congress mandate from late May that calls for significant wage increases across the mining sector. 
 
At that Congress, NUM President Senzeni Zokwana said, &ldquo;Let no union leader believe we are going to settle for low wages. We will demand a living wage for mine workers, construction workers, and energy workers.&rdquo; Talks in all NUM sectors are now in critical stages. 
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Senzeni Zokwana
In platinum mining negotiations, Anglo Platinum&rsquo;s wage offer of 6% was rejected by the NUM and further talks are scheduled for 25-26 June. The union is seeking 15% with AngloPlats, while it has a 20% wage proposal tabled before Impala Platinum. It also seeks a moratorium on hiring and promotions of white women at Implats, the world&rsquo;s second larger platinum producer, as well as a pension fund increase from 16.5% to 25%. Talks there are to resume on 17 June. 
In coal talks, progress was made on establishing employee stock ownership plans at companies which offer no such plans, and some progress was noted over language on sub-contracting. Talks in coal will resume on 18 June. 
In all South African mining sector talks, the NUM is pressing for full work rights and guarantees for contract workers, and an end to the use of labour brokers. The union is also seeking a six-month paid maternity leave in several sets of negotiations. 
 
The biannual wage talks are being conducted with the Chamber of Mines on behalf of several mining houses, as well as directly and bi-laterally with some major mining companies, most specifically the platinum producers and Harmony Gold. 
 
In an unrelated matter, the NUM scored a decisive Labour Court victory over diamond miners DeBeers. The court ruled that DeBeers violated the labour Relations Act when it bypassed dialogue with the NUM over severance payments for miners made redundant. The court decision, ordering payment for 1,467 displaced diamond miners, was a victory for the NUM, which argued successfully that due process under Section 189A of the labour statute, was violated.

Wage Talks Stall Across South Africa Mining Sector

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Canada&rsquo;s Paper and Forest Workers&rsquo; Federation (FTPF) of Quebec&rsquo;s Confederation of National Unions in Canada (CSN) held its 58th Congress last week in Quebec City under the banner of &ldquo;More than Ever, We Continue Our Action.&rdquo; ICEM affiliated FTPF-CSN is part of the Quebec-based CSN labour umbrella organisation representing 300,000 workers from 1,700 trade unions in 4,394 workplaces. 
 
Following the opening of the triennial Congress, the President of FTPF-CSN, Sylvain Parent, presented the report of the executive committee before an address by the President of CSN, Claudette Carbonneau. 
 
The ICEM&rsquo;s Kemal &Ouml;zkan delivered a speech at the Congress, which ran from 8-12 June, and presented the Global Union Federation&rsquo;s work plan for the pulp and paper sector, as well as union actions of late. Some 200 delegates attended the Congress. 

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FTPF-CSN, which last year celebrated its 100th anniversary, rallied its members to have a forward-looking vision for the timber, pulp, and paper industries of Quebec. According to the 13,000-member union, since the onset of Canada&rsquo;s forest crisis in 2003, plant closures have taken place &ldquo;at a rate of hell.&rdquo; 
 
Over 15,000 workers, including 3,200 FTPF members, have lost their jobs. It is estimated that out of 250 communities dependent on the forestry sector, 31 were severely strained by the job loss. Several experts spoke on new products derived from forestlands, as well as on environmental issues and an overall global portrait of the sector and in Canada. 
 
On 10 June, the future of Quebec&rsquo;s forestry industry was discussed through different panels. 
 
FTPF has 185 local branch unions, and is structured around three sectors: forestry (sawmills, golf clubs, and transportation), pulp and paper (25 unions), and wood processing (doors, windows, counters, furniture, woodworking, and printing. According to union officials, 3,500 members are in the pulp and paper sector. 
 
Its umbrella federation, the CSN, covers nine national sectors, including commerce, white-collar workers, health and social services, metal, pulp/paper/forestry, communications, education, public services, and construction.

Quebecois Paperworkers Hold 58th Congress in Canada

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