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The Board of Management of the Freudenberg Group acting for all companies of the Group in which it exercises corporate leadership (&ldquo;Freudenberg Group&rdquo;), 
 
and 
 
The International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers&rsquo; Unions (ICEM), as well as 
 
Industriegewerkschaft Bergbau, Chemie, Energie (&ldquo;IG BCE&rdquo;) 
Agree on the following principles for cooperation between the parties, which shall have worldwide effect. 
 
Preamble 
This Agreement is - on the basis of long-term economic success in all companies in the Freudenberg Group - aimed at the following:
<blockquote dir="ltr">
&middot; to promote cooperation and social responsibility 
 
&middot; to strengthen social dialogue as well as mutual information and joint consultations 
 
&middot; to adhere to and continue to develop the required and necessary standards concerning occupational safety, health and environmental protection. 
</blockquote>
This agreement is intended to create an open level of information exchange between the Board of Management of the Freudenberg Group on the one hand and ICEM and its affiliated organisations on the other hand thereby serving as an important basis for developing labour relations in the company. 
 
This agreement is based on the social commitment that the Freudenberg Group has towards all its employees. 
 
 

Economic Success, Social Progress, Basic Ethical Principles 
The contracting parties agree that on the basis of cooperation geared to the long-term economic success of the Freudenberg Group they wish together to pursue job security and social justice. Even though their interests may sometimes differ, the joint efforts of the contracting parties are aimed at finding mutually viable solutions, also in case of conflicts, on the basis of appropriate dialogue. 
 
In order to guarantee the long-term economic success of the Freudenberg Group and to fulfil its social commitments vis-a-vis its employees a successful development of all corporate functions and business groups and healthy growth are necessary. 
 
Confidence and cooperation between management, employees and their representatives, innovation and flexibility in work organisation are the basis for the employees&rsquo; future success and that of the Freudenberg Group. 
 
The Freudenberg Group condemns involvement in unethical or illegal business. As a matter of principle no weapons or any kind of war materials similar to weapons shall be produced. 

Labour Relations &ndash; Minimum Standards 

The relationship between employees and the Board of Management of the Freudenberg Group are marked by mutual respect, understanding and confidence. Both contracting parties confirm their support for human rights in society and at the workplace. Existing ILO agreements stipulating these minimum standards are guidelines for the Freudenberg Group. This particularly includes the following conventions banning: 
<blockquote dir="ltr">
&middot; forced labour according to the definitions included in ILO Conventions 29 and 105; 
 
&middot; child labour according to the definitions included in ILO Convention 138; 
</blockquote>
as well as the demand to ensure 
<blockquote dir="ltr">
&middot; equal opportunities and equal treatment on the job in accordance with ILO Conventions 100 and 111; 
 
&middot; safeguarding freedom of association and the respect for basic trade union rights in accordance with ILO Conventions 87 and 98. 

</blockquote>
 
The Role of Workers&rsquo; Representatives and Trade Union Rights
The right of the employees in the Freudenberg Group to freely join trade unions of their choice, to elect workers&rsquo; representatives and to represent their interests in negotiations concerning collective bargaining agreements is acknowledged. 
 
It is part of the cooperation and confidence between the Board of Management of the Freudenberg Group and employees that wherever the employees wish to organise themselves in trade unions and trade unions apply for recognition, ways are sought to develop good labour relations in joint dialogue. This rules out any kind of unequal treatment, discrimination or sanctions against trade union organisation. The basis for this is the ban on discrimination against shop-floor or trade union representatives included in ILO Convention 135. 

 
Ecological Progress &ndash; Occupational Safety and Health and Environmental Protection 
Sustainable protection of the environment and natural resources is one of the aims established in the guiding principles for the Freudenberg Group. The Freudenberg Group and its family shareholders are committed to protecting the environment and being responsible corporate citizens in all states, countries and communities in which they do business. They take all possible care to ensure the safety of the workplace and of their products. 

 
Flexibility, new Forms of Work Organisation 
The Board of Management of the Freudenberg Group on the one hand, and ICEM and IG BCE on the other, agree that the long-term and sustainable economic success of the Freudenberg Group, necessary for guaranteeing jobs, depends on the individual business groups&rsquo; international competitiveness and their ability to maintain and assert themselves on the world market. Every effort shall be made on the local and international level to achieve a consensus about the introduction of flexible, efficient and customer-oriented forms of work organisation. When implementing this, the needs of the employees shall be taken into account while respecting local diversity. 

 
Concluding Remarks 
In order to inform each other of the implementation of the agreement and any issues in connection with it as well as to have an exchange of experience, consultations shall take place once a year. This includes monitoring the agreement reached. Participants shall be the Member of the Freudenberg Board of Management responsible for Personnel and the General Counsel of the Freudenberg Group, a member of ICEM's Secretariat and the Head of the International Department of IG BCE. Good examples of developing labour relations, improving occupational safety and health and environmental protection and other items particularly worthy of support can be the object of this dialogue in order to possibly utilize them in the cooperation at other corporate levels. 
 
Both sides commit themselves to contact each other directly and immediately in case any conflicts or violations of the agreement arise, in order to seek a common solution. 
 
ICEM will inform its affiliates about the agreement reached. Similarly the Board of Management of the Freudenberg Group will inform the Management of the business groups about this Agreement. 
 
This Agreement enters into force with the signature of both parties and will be valid until 31 December 2001. An extension and further development in the spirit of the Agreement is intended. 
 
This Agreement was originally signed and executed in the German language. In case of any discrepancy between this version and the German version, the German version shall prevail. 
 
 
Weinheim, 18. August 2000 
 
 
Freudenberg &amp; Co. 
Board of Management 
 
International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers&rsquo; Unions (ICEM) 
 
Industriegewerkschaft Bergbau, Chemie, Energie

Text of the ICEM Global agreement with Freudenberg

<a href="/?id=77&amp;doc=648">Original release No. 14/2000 
</a> 
Nationalratswahl und Regierungsbildung in &Ouml;sterreich 
 
Das Wahlergebnis 
 
Am 3. Oktober haben die &Ouml;sterreicherinnen und &Ouml;sterreicher ihren Nationalrat (Parlament) neu gew&auml;hlt. Stimmenst&auml;rkste Partei wurde dabei die Sozialdemokratische Partei &Ouml;sterreichs (SP&Ouml;) mit 33,15 Prozent der Stimmen, gefolgt von der Freiheitlichen Partei (FP&Ouml;) mit 26,91 %, danach folgten die &Ouml;sterreichische Volkspartei (&Ouml;VP) mit 26,91 % und die Gr&uuml;nen mit 7,40 %. Das bis dahin im Nationalrat vertretene Liberale Forum erreichte nur 3,65 % und ist wegen der n&ouml;tigen 5 %-H&uuml;rde nicht mehr im Nationalrat vertreten. 
 
Die Ausgangslage 
 
Schon vor der Wahl hat sich abgezeichnet, dass die innenpolitische Situation nach der Wahl nicht einfach sein w&uuml;rde: 
 
Die zwei &quot;Gro&szlig;parteien&quot; SP&Ouml; und &Ouml;VP haben in den letzten Jahren stetig W&auml;hlerinnen und W&auml;hler verloren, die FP&Ouml; hat dazu gewonnen. Inzwischen muss man also schon von drei &quot;Mittelparteien&quot; sprechen. 
Die bis zum 3. Oktober in einer Koalition mit der &Ouml;VP regierende SP&Ouml; hat vor der Wahl bekr&auml;ftigt, dass sie keine Regierungszusammenarbeit mit der FP&Ouml; eingehen werde. 
 
Wenige Tage vor der Wahl hat &Ouml;VP Chef Wolfgang Sch&uuml;ssel angek&uuml;ndigt, die &Ouml;VP werde in Opposition gehen, sollte sie bei der Wahl auf den dritten Platz abrutschen. 
 
Gespr&auml;che und Verhandlungen 
 
Das Wahlergebnis vom 3. Oktober war f&uuml;r das seit 1986 von einer SP&Ouml;-&Ouml;VP Koalition regierte &Ouml;sterreich ein innenpolitisches Erdbeben. Angesichts der schwierigen Lage beauftragte Bundespr&auml;sident Thomas Klestil SP&Ouml; Chef Viktor Klima vorerst, mit allen Parlamentsparteien &quot;Sondierungsgespr&auml;che&quot; &uuml;ber die Bildung einer neuen Regierung zu f&uuml;hren. Hintergrund dieser Gespr&auml;che war es, der &Ouml;VP den Weg aus ihrer Oppositionsansage doch noch zu erm&ouml;glichen. Auch in der &Ouml;VP selbst gab es inzwischen Diskussionen dar&uuml;ber, ob man wie angek&uuml;ndigt in Opposition gehen oder doch mit der SP&Ouml; in Verhandlungen treten sollte. 
 
Nach harten und intensiven, insgesamt aber konstruktiven Verhandlungen zwischen SP&Ouml; und &Ouml;VP gab es in weiten Bereichen Ann&auml;herungen, die eine Einigung auf ein gemeinsames Regierungsprogramm in greifbare N&auml;he r&uuml;ckten. 
 
Am Thema &quot;Pensionen&quot; entspann sich aber ein Konflikt, der unter anderem Anlass f&uuml;r das Scheitern und den Abbruch der Verhandlungen war. Rudolf N&uuml;rnberger, Vorsitzender der Metallergewerkschaft und als Chef der Sozialdemokratischen Gewerkschafter Mitglied im Verhandlungsteam der SP&Ouml;, verweigerte seine Zustimmung zu den Pensionspl&auml;nen. Dabei sollte das gesetzliche Antrittsalter bei Fr&uuml;hpensionen um zwei Jahre erh&ouml;ht werden, begleitende Ma&szlig;nahmen zur Erhaltung und Schaffung von Arbeitspl&auml;tzen f&uuml;r &auml;ltere Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer oder die Angleichung der unterschiedlichen Pensionsysteme fehlten in den Pl&auml;nen jedoch. 
 
SP&Ouml;-Chef Viktor Klima blieb also nichts anderes, als Bundespr&auml;sident Thomas Klestil vom Scheitern der Verhandlungen mit der &Ouml;VP zu berichten. Klima schlug Klestil die Bildung einer Minderheitsregierung vor. 
Relativ rasch war aber klar, dass eine SP&Ouml;-Minderheitsregierung im Parlament - mit Ausnahme der Gr&uuml;nen in einigen Bereichen - keine Unterst&uuml;tzung finden w&uuml;rde und dass baldige Neuwahlen die Folge daraus w&auml;ren. 
 
Die FP&Ouml;-&Ouml;VP Koalition 
 
&Ouml;VP und FP&Ouml; hatten inzwischen schon Verhandlungen &uuml;ber die Bildung einer FP&Ouml;-&Ouml;VP Koalition begonnen. Binnen weniger Tage gab es ein fertiges Regierungsprogramm. Demgegen&uuml;ber standen mehrere Wochen lange Verhandlungen der SP&Ouml; mit der &Ouml;VP, vielfach wurde daher vermutet, dass die &Ouml;VP nur zum Schein mit der SP&Ouml; verhandelt hatte und eine FP&Ouml;-&Ouml;VP Koalition schon l&auml;nger ausgemachte Sache war. 
Noch vor dem offiziellen Auftrag zur Regierungsbildung durch den Bundespr&auml;sidenten unterzeichneten &Ouml;VP Chef Wolfgang Sch&uuml;ssel und FP&Ouml; Chef J&ouml;rg Haider den ausverhandelten Pakt vor der internationalen Presse. Bundespr&auml;sident Klestil, der nie seine Ablehnung gegen eine FP&Ouml;-&Ouml;VP Koalition verhehlt hatte, gelobte die neue Bundesregierung am 4. Februar in der Wiener Hofburg an. 
 
 
Die Position der Gewerkschaften zum FP&Ouml;-&Ouml;VP Regierungsprogramm 
 
Der &Ouml;sterreichische Gewerkschaftsbund und seine Fachgewerkschaften lehnen den Regierungspakt ab: 
Er bringt massive, einseitige Belastungen f&uuml;r die Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer, besonders f&uuml;r ArbeiterInnen, aber auch f&uuml;r Jugendliche, Arbeitslose, Kranke und PensionistInnen. 
 
Der Pakt sieht beispielsweise eine Anhebung des Pensionsantrittsalters und scharfe Abschl&auml;ge bei vorzeitigem Pensionsantritt vor - er&ouml;ffnet aber keine Perspektive, dass &auml;ltere Arbeitnehmer &uuml;berhaupt l&auml;nger arbeiten k&ouml;nnen. Die Unternehmer sind n&auml;mlich immer weniger bereit, &auml;ltere ArbeitnehmerInnen zu besch&auml;ftigen. Die Pl&auml;ne der Regierung bedeuten massive finanzielle Einbu&szlig;en f&uuml;r ArbeitnehmerInnen, die ab Oktober 2000 in Fr&uuml;hpension gehen, weil sie arbeitslos oder krank sind. 
 
Der Pakt beendet die zuletzt erfolgreiche Besch&auml;ftigungspolitik (Nationaler Aktionsplan f&uuml;r Besch&auml;ftigung), seine Ma&szlig;nahmen werden steigende Arbeitslosigkeit verursachen. 
 
Die Mittel f&uuml;r Arbeitsmarktpolitik und Besch&auml;ftigungsprogramme werden eingefroren, die &Uuml;bersch&uuml;sse der Arbeitslosenversicherung werden f&uuml;r das Budget abgesch&ouml;pft, 15.000 Saisonniers pro Jahr werden den Arbeitsmarkt zus&auml;tzlich belasten. 
 
Mit diesen Belastungen sollen Beg&uuml;nstigungen der Unternehmen und Bauern in der H&ouml;he von mindestens 19 Milliarden Schilling finanziert werden. 
 
F&uuml;r die ArbeitnehmerInnen wichtige Reformen - vor allem der Schutz der ArbeitnehmerInnen in einer globalisierten Wirtschaft und eine echte Verbesserung der Aus- und Weiterbildung - fehlen. 
 
Die Metallergewerkschaft wendet sich auch gegen den geplanten Ausverkauf wichtiger &ouml;sterreichischer Unternehmen. 
 
Insgesamt wird der Pakt das behauptete Budgetziel nicht erreichen. Im Kern bleibt also nur die Beg&uuml;nstigung der Unternehmen, finanziert durch ein massives Belastungspaket auf Kosten der Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer. 
 
 
Die nationale und internationale Kritik 
 
Schon im Oktober 1999 gab es aus ganz Europa Stimmen, die sich gegen eine FP&Ouml;-&Ouml;VP Regierung aussprachen. Die Kritik richtete und richtet sich immer noch gegen FP&Ouml; Chef Haider und Mitglieder seiner Partei, die immer wieder mangelnde Distanz zur &ouml;sterreichischen NS-Vergangenheit (Haiders Lob der &quot;ordentlichen Besch&auml;ftigungspolitik des 3. Reichs&quot; und ehemaliger Mitglieder der Waffen SS als &quot;anst&auml;ndige Menschen&quot;, seine Forderung nach &quot;Abgehen von der europ&auml;ischen Menschenrechtskonvention&quot; u.v.m.) erkennen lie&szlig;en. (Mehr Aussagen von Haider gibt es gesammelt im Internet unter www.futurelinks.at/haiderwatch) 
 
Die Reaktion und die Sorgen der Europ&auml;ischen Union und anderer Staaten sind verst&auml;ndlich. Allerdings verwehren wir uns dagegen, die &Ouml;sterreicher pauschal als &quot;Nazivolk&quot; zu verurteilen. Immerhin haben mehr als 70 Prozent der W&auml;hlerinnen und W&auml;hler die FP&Ouml; NICHT gew&auml;hlt. Abgesehen davon treffen Ma&szlig;nahmen wie zum Beispiel ein Tourismusboykott oder die Stornierung von Auftr&auml;gen (die belgische Regierung hat einen Auftrag &uuml;ber Rettungsfahrzeuge storniert) die Falschen, n&auml;mlich die ArbeitnehmerInnen, und k&ouml;nnen auf l&auml;ngere Sicht heimische Arbeitspl&auml;tze gef&auml;hrden. 
 
In einer Zeit gro&szlig;er Umw&auml;lzungen - Stichworte EU-Erweiterung, Globalisierung, Ansteigen neuer Besch&auml;ftigungsformen etc. - ist es nicht schwierig, die Menschen mit einer Politik der Schlagworte wie sie die FP&Ouml; betreibt zu verunsichern. Haider sagt zum Beispiel, dass in &Ouml;sterreich 300.000 Arbeitslose Inl&auml;nder 300.000 Ausl&auml;ndern gegen&uuml;berstehen. Das legt eine L&ouml;sung der Probleme des Arbeitsmarktes nahe, die in der Realit&auml;t so nat&uuml;rlich nie aufgehen wird. F&uuml;r diese Art, Politik zu machen, gibt es viele weitere Beispiele. 
 
Neben der inhaltlichen Ablehnung des Regierungsprogramms richtet sich die Kritik der Metallergewerkschaft auch gegen das Klima, das die FP&Ouml; mit ihrer Politik in &Ouml;sterreich erzeugt. Die FP&Ouml; sch&uuml;rt mit ihren Aussagen - im Wahlkampf im Oktober auch mit Plakaten in Wien - immer wieder &Auml;ngste, Intoleranz und Fremdenfeindlichkeit und spielt Bev&ouml;lkerungsgruppen gegeneinander aus. 
 
Die Metallergewerkschaft beurteilt in ihrer Rolle als Vertreterin der Besch&auml;ftigten jede Regierung - egal welcher Partei - danach, was sie f&uuml;r die Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer in diesem Land tut. Gegen Ma&szlig;nahmen der neuen Bundesregierung, die die Situation der arbeitenden, arbeitslosen und pensionierten Menschen in &Ouml;sterreich verschlechtern, werden wir massiv auftreten. Gleichzeitig wenden wir uns gegen eine Verrohung der politischen Kultur in &Ouml;sterreich.

Attachment to ICEM News release No. 14/2000 - GMBE statement (in German)

Steering Committee Secretary 
Gen MINATO 
 
International Officer of Gomurengo (Japanese Rubber Workers' Union) and of the Bridgestone Workers' Union, Japan 
 
Address: 2-3-3, Mejiro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0031, Japan 
 
Tel:+81 3 3984 5656 
 
Fax:+81 3 3984 5862 
 
e-mail: <a href="mailto:gomurengo-jrc@mvi.biglobe.ne.jp">gomurengo-jrc@mvi.biglobe.ne.jp</a> 
 

 
 
Steering Committee Chair 
 
Mitsuo NAGUMO 
 
President, Gomurengo (Japanese Rubber Workers' Union Confederation) 
 
Address: 2-3-3, Mejiro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0031, Japan 
 
Tel:+81 3 3984 5656 
 
Fax:+81 3 3984 5862 
 
e-mail: <a href="mailto:gomurengo-jrc@mvi.biglobe.ne.jp">gomurengo-jrc@mvi.biglobe.ne.jp</a>
Mitsuo Nagumo is also the Japanese representative on the Steering Committee.

ICEM Bridgestone Network Chair and Secretary

At its first meeting, the Steering Committee of the ICEM Bridgestone Union Network adopted: 
ICEM Bridgestone Union Network Protocol 
Unions recognise that to ensure their members are employed by Bridgestone in well-rewarded, interesting and secure employment, the Company needs to be profitable, efficient, competitive and well- managed. To achieve this, Bridgestone and the Trade Unions should work in partnership at local, national and international level. With the appropriate commitment from the Company to such a partnership, the global union network could be a vehicle to achieve these objectives. 
 
Globalisation of the world economy is in progress, oligopoly and globalisation of capital and companies are also progressing in the rubber industry, especially in the tyre sector. In order to cope with the worldwide strategies of multinational companies, the necessity for labour unions to exchange information and cooperate with each other on a global basis is increasing. 
 
Those cooperating through this ICEM network must recognise, and understand, the differing historical and cultural backgrounds of the countries involved. 
 
Due to these national historic and legal framework diversities, industrial relations vary greatly from country to country, such differences must be recognised and respected by all Network participants. 
 
The Network will particularly concern itself with issues of a global nature, for instance ILO Core Labour Standards, Health Safety &amp; Environment and Human Rights etc. 
 
Steering Committee 
 
1. Each ICEM Region within which there is a Bridgestone site/sites will nominate one member of the steering committee, except Asia Pacific who will have two, one of which will be from Japan. (Gomurengo, the Japanese Rubber Workers' Union Confederation, have agreed to assume the role of administrators to the Network). 
 
2. The Steering Committee shall meet annually, and the venue should be rotated. 
 
3. Activities of the Network will be decided by consensus of the participants. (No decision of the Network can restrain any member organisation from pursuing any actions agreed under the rules or policy of their own organisation.) 

 
Key&nbsp; topics for the Network 
Key topics for the ICEM Bridgestone Union Network will be: 
<ul>
 <li>Health, safety and environment </li>
 <li>The significance of the Bridgestone tyre recall for the future of Bridgestone. </li>
</ul>

 
Principles for the operation of the Steering Committee 

The following principles are agreed for the efficient operation of this Network: 
 
1. All democratic unions that are or intend to be affiliates of the ICEM and which have members employed at Bridgestone shall be entitled to participate in the Network. 
 
2. The Network will not hold regular plenary meetings. It work will be guided by the Steering Committee. Activities and exchange of information are dealt with by the Steering Co mmittee. A plenary meeting of the Network shall be held, when necessary, after discussion by the Steering Committee. 
 
3. The Steering Committee will consist of one representative each from North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and two representatives from Asia-Pacific Region, of which one representative should be from Japan, as well as one ex-officio member from the ICEM Secretariat, a total of seven representatives. 
 
4. Each region shall elect its representative(s) for the Steering Committee and the Chair will be informed of any change of representative(s) by each region. 
 
5. The Steering Committee shall be held annually and the venue shall be rotated. The annual Steering Committee meeting will decide upon the venue for the next meeting. 
 
6. The Steering Committee shall nominate a secretary, who will assist it in its work. 
 
7. When the exchange of information as well as of opinions between the Bridgestone Network and the Management of the Bridgestone Group become possible, the members of the Steering Committee will serve as the representatives of the Network. 
 
8. A maximum of three key topics for the immediate attention of the Network should be agreed by the Steering Committee. 
 
9. When necessary, the Chair of the Network will distribute a newsletter, as an instrument of communication, to the member organisations of the Network.

DECISIONS of the ICEM Bridgestone Union Network Steering Committee

The CEP of Canada has chosen Abitibi-Consolidated Inc. as lead company for paper industry bargaining in eastern Canada. CEP represents 4,200 workers at 14 Abitibi worksites from Ontario to Newfoundland. The agreement with Montreal based Abitibi will be used as a pattern for talks with other paper companies covering 21,000 CEP members. The current labour agreement in pulp and paper in the eastern half of the country expires 30 April.

Abitibi Chosen as Lead in Canadian CEP Paper Bargaining

ICEM Dutch affiliate FNV Bondgenoten and four other unions at DSM&rsquo;s chemical plant in Geleen engaged in a stop-work march and rally 12 April at the firm&rsquo;s headquarters in nearby Heerlen in the southern NL province of Limburg. Some 2,500 workers participated in this first-ever such action against DSM. Under the slogan &ldquo;Stop the Breakdown of DSM Employment in Limburg,&rdquo; the unions protested DSM&rsquo;s recent announcement that 1,000 workers at sprawling industrial chemicals operations would be made redundant this year. DSM intends to replace the 1,000 with 500 contractors. The Geleen complex once had 15,000 employees. Prior to this most recent announcement, it employed 5,000.

FNV Bondgenoten Protests DSM’s Retrenchments in the Netherlands

The National Union of Mineworkers in South Africa still has not received answers to the sudden lay-offs of 400 diamond miners employed by Antwerp-based Rex Diamond Mining at the Loxton Mine in the Northern Cape. Despite inquiries by the NUM and ICEM over the status of the miners, the firm has said only the retrenchments are of a &ldquo;short term arrangement,&rdquo; yet has provided no information that would clarify the benefits due the workers.

South Africa’s NUM Awaits Answers from Rex Diamond

The Communications, Energy, Paperworkers Union of Canada picked Suncor Energy last month as the pattern-setter for this year&rsquo;s round of oil talks. That means some 10,000 CEP members at five majors and several smaller companies will have similar terms in pay hikes, shift increases and other wage-related premiums at their bargains. General pay hikes agreed to at Suncor are 3%, 3.5% and 3% over three years. The Suncor agreement has a unique company contribution to CEP&rsquo;s Humanity Fund, the union&rsquo;s assistance fund to workers in developing nations. Union leaders have made it clear that CEP members across Canada&rsquo;s oil sector are determined to get the same terms as those achieved at Suncor.

Canadian CEP Sets Oil Pattern with Suncor

A dispute has surfaced between ICEM affiliate Associated Mineworkers of Zimbabwe and that country&rsquo;s Council of Mines. The employers&rsquo; group walked out of negotiations after refusing to award reasonable wage and salary adjustments, and then unilaterally granted inferior pay hikes amounting to half of what AMWZ considers a liveable wage. Zimbabwe&rsquo;s Ministry of Labour has intervened and ordered the matter be put before conciliation.
&nbsp;

Mining Dispute in Zimbabwe Centers on Wages

The hostile Trade Union Act in Nigeria may have begun to fall apart in the country&rsquo;s Senate. Amendments to President Olusegun Obasanjo&rsquo;s union-busting measure passed last week included removal of a &ldquo;no strike&rdquo; clause to the bill, as well as language making all union membership voluntary. The General Assembly&rsquo;s lower chamber began debate late last week with the leader of the All Nigerian People&rsquo;s Party, Salik Ahmed, calling for outright dismissal of the bill.

Nigerian Unions Paring Worst Aspects from Labour Reform Bill

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