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A relentless, two-year campaign by ICEM US affiliate, the Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA), against Covanta gave 140 workers in the state of Massachusetts their first labour agreement effective 15 April. The collective agreement, actually two contracts with one giving workers huge retroactive backpay and bonus awards, punctuates a capitulation by the American waste-to-energy company in resisting full workers&rsquo; rights following a successful organizing drive. 
 
That recruitment drive by UWUA Local 369 at an incinerator in Rochester, Massachusetts, that burns solid waste for conversion to electricity occurred in May 2008. Following the union vote, conducted by the US labour board, Covanta did what so many American companies do following union certification: they engage in &ldquo;surface bargaining,&rdquo; never intending to reach a first labour agreement, and they punish workers for voting union by withholding scheduled pay gains. 

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Under US labour statute, after a one-year period has elapsed from the certification vote, workers have an option to de-authorise the union as bargaining representative. 
 
But at Covanta in Massachusetts, the UWUA would have none of it. The Washington, DC-based union began an unyielding campaign that blocked the publicly-traded Covanta from expanding its waste-to-energy business into Canada, Ireland, the UK, and the Netherlands. That meant engaging trade unions, civic organizations, and environmental groups as Covanta sought to gain municipal contracts to collect trash and the necessary permits to built incinerations in those countries in order to sell power to electric grids. 
 
UWUA impeded Covanta both at home and abroad by highlighting the company&rsquo;s negligent health and safety ledger, its environmental record, and its appalling labour relations conduct, which included serious and malicious breaches of US labour law (see earlier ICEM dispatches <a href="/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3694-UWUA-Wins-US$1-Million-Judgment-for-Covanta-Workers- ">here</a>, <a href="/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3532-US-Labour-Board-Issues-Stern-Injunctive-Relief-against-Covanta ">here</a>, and <a href="/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3039-Covanta-Energy-Violates-US-Labour-Law ">here</a>). 
 
The end result was a three-year collective agreement, plus a separate contract granting workers sizeable backpay and bonus payments that had been withheld. Local 369 members at Covanta&rsquo;s SEMASS facility voted to accept the pair of agreements by a wide margin on 22 April. The pay and other gains are exceptional, and the working agreement now in place contains the best features of US union contracts. 
 
The backdated bonus and pay accord gives the 140 workers a retroactive wage increase of 3% to early 2009; an incentive bonus of 8.1% of total wages for 2008; an annual wage increases backdated to 1 January 2010 of 2.7%; and a further missed incentive bonus of 4.85% of total wages for 2009. Added up, these retroactive gains average US$17,000 per worker. 

<img alt="" src="" width="200" height="133" />
UWUA President D. Michael Langford
And on top of that, comes the three-year pay, bonus, and other union protection items which took effect in mid-April. That includes a 2.8% increase each year, a ratification bonus of US$1,250 per worker, additional incentive bonuses of up to 7% in each year of the contract, as well as new safety and health protections, including a medical surveillance programme to monitor workers&rsquo; blood levels from the handling of hazardous materials, and limits on sub-contracting. 
 
The ICEM considers UWUA&rsquo;s campaign and the end result of the Local 369-Covanta contract exemplary and an inspiring example inside America on how best to fight a recalcitrant employer attempting to deny its employees their lawful rights. In congratulating UWUA President D. Michael Langford, General Secretary Manfred Warda termed the initial labour agreement an excellent one that &ldquo;all UWUA members &ndash; in fact, all union members in America &ndash; can be justly proud of.&rdquo; (See the full letter <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/33%20Letter%20to%20UWUA%20Presiden%20-%20Michael%20Langford.pdf">here</a>.) 
 
In a joint release issued by UWUA Local 369 and Covanta, Local 369 President Gary Sullivan stated, &ldquo;Our UWUA Bargaining Committee has done an outstanding job pressing for a fair and just contract. We are hopeful this is the first step to a productive relationship with Covanta.&rdquo;

Utility Workers of America Gets Excellent First Labour Pact with Covanta

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Svenska Pappers, the Swedish Paperworkers Union, and the Forest Industry Employers&rsquo; Association (SFIF) reached agreement for 18,000 workers on 26 April, just minutes before a second set of industrial actions were to begin. Those strikes, if they had happened, would have shut a total of 12 pulp and paper mills in Sweden. 
 
Strike action at six mills did occur on 16 April, taking 3,000 paperworkers out in protest against an industry attempting to make workers the scapegoats for the financial crisis. It was those strikes, the unified front of all Pappers members at 61 mills, and the threatened further strikes that gave better-than-average wage gains and contract terms to Pappers and its members. 
 
The SFIF was the driving wedge in a multi-industry employers&rsquo; front that was aimed at Sweden&rsquo;s paperworkers in an effort to shift the burden of the economic crisis onto workers. Pulp, paper, and packaging trade unions across the world recognised this and posted hundreds of solidarity messages to Pappers, all of which made their way to branch unions. 

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Svenska Pappers President Jan-Henrik Sandberg
The 26-day stand-off only ended when industry chieftains realised they were at the brink of another major set-back to Swedish pulp and paper exports. The union and SFIF agreed on a 22-month contract, totaling 3.4%, with the first increase taking effect 1 May and the second increase due on 1 April 2011. As part of that total pay package, an extra 0.4% additional increase was won for the lowest paid workers in the sector. That was one goal met by Pappers in its bargaining aims. 
 
The other goals that were accomplished included continued company payments to a pension scheme for a period, an issue related to Swedish law, and tougher sanctions on employers who use and abuse workers hired through agency labour companies. In addition, the union&rsquo;s grittiness both at the bargaining table and on the shop floor won supplementary insurance benefits for workers injured at work and an added month &ndash; from four to five &ndash; of paid parental leave. 
 
&ldquo;We were overwhelmed by the support and solidarity given us from around the world by so many different trade unions,&quot; said Svenska Pappers President Jan-Henrik Sandberg. &ldquo;We passed these messages on to our branches and this support strengthened our resolve. We express our sincere gratitude for this outpouring of solidarity.&quot;

Swedish Paperworkers Carve Solid Gains After 11-day Strike

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With the ashes from the global financial crisis still about us, the ICEM has joined with the 11 other Global Union Federations (GUFs), as well as the International Trade Union Confederation and the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) to the OECD in issuing a joint 1 May statement. That statement follows below. 
May Day 2010 
 
Jobs, Justice and Public Services &ndash; Getting the Economy to Work
The Council of Global Unions, the voice of the global labour movement, has issued the following statement to mark May 1, 2010 
 
On today of all days, trade unionists around the world demand fresh steps to reform the global economy in favour of social justice, investment in jobs and fairness in society. This is no time for business as usual. 
 
Neo-liberal economists and reckless financial dealings have created a crisis that has put millions of people out of work and forced many more into precarious employment to survive. Social safety nets are being torn apart. Public spending that provides for cohesive communities is being savagely cut. 
 
With all of this in mind, Global Unions call on policymakers and democrats everywhere to support a new paradigm of recovery and social justice that will: 
 
&bull; Reassert in government at all levels the primacy of public interest over private gain and ensure that the protection of citizens&rsquo; rights is made a cornerstone of social and economic development; 
 
&bull; Defend the rights of workers and trade unions; 
 
&bull; Mobilise for the creation of sustainable, secure and good quality jobs for all workers, that allow workers and their families to live in dignity; 
 
&bull; Ensure that social justice is a central mission of government and take concrete measures to reduce income disparities and increase equality, in particular gender equality; 
 
&bull; Eliminate market abuse through short-term speculation and manipulation of financial markets by imposing binding and effective regulation; 
 
&bull; Promote sustainable development with job-centred policies, effective social protections and reversal of global warming and environmental degradation; 
 
&bull; Renew commitment to public service values in society and enhance the contribution of quality public services to fairer and more efficient societies, and to finance these services through progressive systems of taxation that provide sufficient resources while improving social equity; 
 
&bull; Commit to education for all and provide resources needed to achieve the enrichment of society that comes from high quality education and training; 
 
&bull; Improve the quality of people&rsquo;s lives by providing universal access to health care and other vital social welfare services, as well as such fundamental issues as clean water and adequate nutrition, and breathing new life into efforts to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals. 
 
May Day 2010 is a moment to change course, to meet the aspirations of workers and communities for a new beginning, to put to flight self-serving politics and corporate greed, and, above all, to build a new solidarity in society in support of people-centred values that will enrich the lives of all. 
 
 
The PDF of the statement can be found <a href="http://www.world-psi.org/Template.cfm?Section=Home&amp;CONTENTFILEID=29028&amp;TEMPLATE=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm">here</a>.

Global Labour’s Joint 1 May Statement

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ICEM Hungarian affiliate, the Federation of Chemical Workers Union at the MOL B&aacute;ny&aacute;sz Szakszervezet (MOL RT), held its Congress in Budapest, 27 March. 
 
The Congress unanimously elected L&aacute;szl&oacute; Biri as the new President of the union. He replaces the outgoing J&oacute;zsef Kudela, who has retired. In letters between outgoing J&oacute;zsef Kudela and ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda, each of the two thanked the other for a long period of friendship and close cooperation, protecting the interests of Hungarian oil and gas workers, and developing international trade unionism in the region. 

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ICEM congratulates L&aacute;szl&oacute; Biri on his election, and looks forward to continuing good relations and successful work together. 
 
The MOL Group is an integrated oil and gas company, also present elsewhere in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. With 34,000 employees in total, MOL is the second largest company in Central and Eastern Europe.

Hungarian Chemical Workers’ Congress Elects New President, József Kudela Retires

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ICEM General Secretary, Manfred Warda, in a letter to the Iraqi Minister of Petroleum, condemned the recent decision of the government-owned Southern Oil Company to transfer four trade union leaders, in an attempt to silent the union. 
 
The key leaders of the Basra-based Refinery Workers&rsquo; Union find themselves out of their jobs, transferred to remote locations, as an apparent punishment for trade union activities. Those targeted are Ibrahim Radhi, President of the Refinery Workers Union and Vice President of the umbrella Iraqi Federaton of Oil Unions (IFOU, an ICEM affiliate); Ala&rsquo; Sabah Miri&rsquo;e, Refinery Workers Union Vice President and President of the Central Council of the IFOU; Faraj Rbat Mizba, Refinery Workers Union media officer and IFOU Central Council member; and Khez&rsquo;al Kadhim. 
 
This is a clear attempt by the company to block the union from continuing their campaign for reforms. Since March 2010, the trade union has been organising peaceful protests, calling for fair pay, payment of overtime owed since 2007, an end to the recruiting of CAL workers into permanent jobs, a transparent recruitment process, modernisation of production equipment, but most importantly the recognition of the union. 

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As Manfred Warda states in the letter to the Oil Minister, these actions by the company constitute a clear breach of the Freedom of Association, recognised in Iraq&rsquo;s Constitution, as well as in the core ILO Convention. 
 
This latest case is yet another example of the urgent need for new labour legislation in Iraq, legislation that is fair and ILO compliant. 
 
ICEM Director Jim Catterson was part the international delegation to hand deliver the ICEM letter to officials at the Iraqi Embassy in Washington D.C. last week. The letter was delivered with a similar letter from AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. This followed a rally, last Wednesday, outside the Iraqi Consulate in the American capital, under the slogans &ldquo;Democracy for Iraqi Workers&rdquo; and &ldquo;Labour Rights are Human Rights&rdquo;. 

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Jim Catterson told the rally &ldquo;Workers are being sent into exile to places where their lives are in jeopardy, just because they are unionising for better conditions. It&rsquo;s time now that Iraq accepted freedom of association&rdquo;. 
 
Pressure was placed on the Iraqi Government last week by TUC (UK) General Secretary Brendan Barber, who protested against the latest union busting to the Iraqi Embassy in London. 
 
See the ICEM letter, sent to Dr. Hussain Al-Shahristani, Iraqi Minister of Petroleum, <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/31.ICEM.Letter.Iraq.Oil.12April.pdf">here</a>. 
 
Support the LabourStart campaign for new labour legislation in Iraq <a href="http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=669">here</a>. Similar tactics, against Iraqi trade unionists have been reversed in the past, thanks to international solidarity and pressure.

ICEM Condemns Transfer of Iraqi Oil Trade Union Leaders

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RadioLabour, the online news radio service of international trade unionism, interviewed ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda, last week, on the ICEM Global Campaign on Contract and Agency Labour (CAL). 
 
As companies throughout the world, and in every sector, continue to outsource their workforce in the race to lower costs, the significance of the campaign grows. As directly employed jobs are lost to sub-contracting companies or agencies, workers find themselves with little or no job security, inferior benefits, and with substandard working conditions. This is leading to a two-tier workforce with fewer and fewer directly employed workers, and increasing numbers employed through contracts or agencies. 
 
As Warda stated in the interview with RadioLabour presenter, Marc B&eacute;langer, &ldquo;In some countries, we must unfortunately say that contract and agency labour has almost become the &lsquo;regular&rsquo; employment situation&rdquo;. 

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Marc B&eacute;langer
Use the audio player below to listen to part of Manfred Warda&rsquo;s interview with Marc B&eacute;langer, or click <a href="http://www.radiolabour.net/ICEM/cal-warda.mp3 ">here</a> to find the interview on the RadioLabour website. 
 
RadioLabour reports on events of interest to unionists via &quot;The Solidarity Report&quot;, a half hour audiocast of international union news every Sunday morning. Part of Manfred Warda&rsquo;s interview can be heard on yesterday&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.radiolabour.net/">Solidarity Report</a>. Marc B&eacute;langer also presents &quot;RadioLabour 5&quot;, a five minute global labour news update, every Friday morning. 
 
RadioLabour is an important instrument in the building of international solidarity amongst unionists, also serving as a model and source of expertise for unionists who want to start a service similar to RadioLabour in their country or for their organization. Contact us if you need advice or assistance in developing a labour-based audiocasting service. 
 
Canadian national, Marc B&eacute;langer, producer and host of RadioLabour, is a labour union educator. He worked for the Workers' Activities Programme of the training centre of the ILO in Turin, Italy, from 2000-2008. He was head of the Programme from 2007-2008. The Programme operates the largest international union education school in the world.

RadioLabour Interviews Manfred Warda on CAL

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Each of the three Industrial European Trade Union Federations has given their leaders a mandate to move towards a merger. ICEM&rsquo;s sister organisation, the European Mine, Chemical and Energy Workers&rsquo; Federation (EMCEF), the European Metalworkers&rsquo; Federation (EMF), and the European Trade Union Federation for Textiles, Clothing and Leather (ETUF:TCL) seek to create a single European industrial trade union federation. 
 
On 25 March 2010, the presidents and general secretaries of the three organisations met in Berlin, to discuss next steps in the merger process. A merged organisation will bring together 8 million workers in the manufacturing industries, and united they will be stronger. Other factors cited include continued integration of countries in Europe, globalisation, the recent financial and economic crisis, and several significant recent mergers at the national level. 

<img alt="" src="" width="201" height="151" />
The three presidents and three general secretaries, present at the Berlin meeting, underlined their belief that the combining of their resources would increase efficiency and strength, in their role of representing and protecting European workers throughout the industrial sectors. 
 
The leaders of the three federations agreed to oversee intensified discussions within their statutory bodies over the creation of a joint EMF-EMCEF-ETUF:TCL organisation. 
 
A joint Working Group for building the new organisation was created, and will now produce a timetable for the process.

Discussions Advance in Building Single European Industrial Trade Union Federation

More Sappi Activity in South Africa 

Sappi: Health &amp; Safety is Sacred &hellip; Respond to this Call 

Sappi management at the Enstra mill in South Africa refuses to accept responsibility for a chain of events that happened at the pulp and paper mill 50 days ago. The matter involves safety, or more specifically, a worker who refused to perform unsafe work. 
 
Because CEPPWAWU shop stewards took up his case, 19 are now suspended and face discipline following spirited safety strikes. Now, Sappi refuses to do what is right and just and fair &hellip; to reinstate the trade unionists. 23 other workers face disciplinary panels. They are still on the job, but with no legitimate, duly-elected union representation. 
 
ICEM is urgently calling for further, decisive action. Write to Sappi and tell the company to drop this ugly dispute and correct the wrongs that have gotten out of hand at Enstra. Write Sappi CEO Ralph J. Bo&euml;ttger at <a href="mailto:Ralph.Boettger@sappi.com">Ralph.Boettger@sappi.com</a> and <a href="mailto:Wikus.van.Zyl@sappi.com">Wikus.van.Zyl@sappi.com</a> and <a href="mailto:Jan.labuschagne@sappi.com">Jan.labuschagne@sappi.com</a> with the message below, or one from your own hand. 
 
The ICEM considers the Sappi/Enstra situation at present a serious violation of basic trade union rights. Consider only part of the chain of events sequence: CEPPWAWU branch union and Sappi get bridge-building tools to forge a new relationship. A worker refuses unsafe work and the dispute escalates. But the issue is still safety. And that is borne out when the manager who ordered the unsafe work, supposedly apologizes inside a joint and subsequent report. The probe was done to get at the causes and effects of the work disruptions. But the report, presumable containing a different set of conclusions than what Sappi is now pursuing, has not been circulated. 
 
 
Take the message below and send it to Sappi executives above, with the simple heading Enstra: 
 
Sappi is displaying malicious, anti-democratic, anti-people conduct at the Enstra Pulp &amp; Paper Mill in South Africa. It is wrong to target union stewards and others because they have taken a stand on safety. It is wrong to deny workers at Enstra &ndash; CEPPWAWU members &ndash; no shop-floor protection because Sappi has suspended all 19 CEPPWAWU shop stewards at Enstra. 
 
First and foremost, safety; Sappi cannot afford this kind of reputation. Drop the disciplinary cases, Sappi, and get on with making paper at Enstra. 
 
(Signed) 
&nbsp;
<hr />
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<img height="81" alt="" src="" width="300" />
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Poursuite de l&rsquo;action &agrave; Sappi, Afrique du Sud 
 
Sappi : la sant&eacute; et la s&eacute;curit&eacute; sont sacr&eacute;es &hellip; Merci de r&eacute;pondre &agrave; cet appel 
 
La Direction de Sappi r&eacute;cuse sa responsabilit&eacute; dans un encha&icirc;nement d&rsquo;&eacute;v&eacute;nements survenus il y a 50 jours dans la papeterie sud-africaine d&rsquo;Enstra. Cette affaire concerne la s&eacute;curit&eacute;, ou plus pr&eacute;cis&eacute;ment le refus par un ouvrier d&rsquo;effectuer des travaux dangereux. 
 
Pour s&rsquo;&ecirc;tre empar&eacute;s de cette affaire et avoir r&eacute;solument cess&eacute; le travail pour leur s&eacute;curit&eacute;, 19 employ&eacute;s affili&eacute;s au CEPPWAWU (Syndicat des travailleurs de la chimie, de l&rsquo;&eacute;nergie, du papier, de l&rsquo;impression et du bois) ont &eacute;t&eacute; mis &agrave; pied et risquent des mesures disciplinaires. Or Sappi refuse de rendre la plus &eacute;l&eacute;mentaire des justices &agrave; ces syndicalistes, c. &agrave; d. de les r&eacute;embaucher. Et 23 autres travailleurs sont expos&eacute;s &agrave; des proc&eacute;dures disciplinaires. Ils sont encore &agrave; leurs postes, mais sans repr&eacute;sentation syndicale l&eacute;gitime et d&ucirc;ment &eacute;lue. 
 
L&rsquo;ICEM appelle urgemment &agrave; poursuivre des actions r&eacute;solues. &Eacute;crivez &agrave; la soci&eacute;t&eacute; Sappi, exigez qu&rsquo;elle mette un terme &agrave; ce conflit indigne et qu&rsquo;elle redresse les torts qui n&rsquo;ont cess&eacute; de s&rsquo;aggraver &agrave; l&rsquo;usine d&rsquo;Enstra. &Eacute;crivez au PDG de Sappi, Ralph J. Bo&euml;ttger, <a href="mailto:Ralph.Boettger@sappi.com">Ralph.Boettger@sappi.com</a>, &agrave; <a href="mailto:Wikus.van.Zyl@sappi.com">Wikus.van.Zyl@sappi.com</a> et &agrave; <a href="mailto:Jan.labuschagne@sappi.com">Jan.labuschagne@sappi.com</a> en joignant le texte ci-dessous ou un message &eacute;crit de votre propre plume. 
 
L&rsquo;ICEM voit dans l&rsquo;actuelle situation &agrave; Sappi/Enstra une grave violation des droits syndicaux fondamentaux. Il suffit de se rem&eacute;morer quelques &eacute;v&eacute;nements de cette escalade : le syndicat de branche CEPPWAWU et Sappi tentent de se rapprocher et de forger de nouvelles relations. Mais un travailleur refuse d&rsquo;effectuer des travaux dangereux, le conflit s&rsquo;envenime et la s&eacute;curit&eacute; reste le probl&egrave;me. D&rsquo;autant plus que le dirigeant ayant ordonn&eacute; ces travaux dangereux se serait par la suite excus&eacute; dans un compte rendu conjoint. Une enqu&ecirc;te a &eacute;t&eacute; men&eacute;e pour conna&icirc;tre les causes et les effets de ces interruptions du travail. Or ce compte rendu, qui contient vraisemblablement des conclusions diff&eacute;rentes de celles que Sappi avance maintenant, n&rsquo;a pas &eacute;t&eacute; publi&eacute;. 
 
Envoyez aux dirigeants de Sappi le message ci-dessous assorti du simple intitul&eacute; Enstra : 
 
Sappi montre une attitude malveillante, antid&eacute;mocratique et hostile aux gens dans son usine Enstra de p&acirc;te et de papier en Afrique du Sud. Il est injuste de s&rsquo;en prendre aux d&eacute;l&eacute;gu&eacute;s syndicaux et &agrave; d&rsquo;autres sous pr&eacute;texte qu&rsquo;ils ont pris position en mati&egrave;re de s&eacute;curit&eacute;. Il est injuste de contester aux travailleurs d&rsquo;Enstra &ndash; et membres du CEPPWAWU &ndash; toute protection sur le lieu de travail, alors que Sappi a mis &agrave; pied les 19 d&eacute;l&eacute;gu&eacute;s syndicaux du CEPPWAWU &agrave; Enstra. 
 
La s&eacute;curit&eacute; est la premi&egrave;re des priorit&eacute;s ; Sappi ne peut pas se permettre ce genre de r&eacute;putation. Sappi, mettez un terme aux proc&eacute;dures disciplinaires et continuez &agrave; produire du papier &agrave; Enstra. 
 
(Signature) 
 

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<hr />
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<img height="81" alt="" src="" width="300" />
&nbsp;
<hr />
 
 
Se intensifica actividad de Sappi en Sud&aacute;frica 
 
Sappi: la salud y seguridad son sagradas&hellip; es importante que respondan a este llamado 
 
La administraci&oacute;n de Sappi en la planta de Enstra en Sud&aacute;frica se niega a aceptar la responsabilidad por una serie de hechos que se produjeron hace 50 d&iacute;as en la planta de pulpa y papel que se indica. El asunto es una cuesti&oacute;n de seguridad, o, m&aacute;s espec&iacute;ficamente, de un trabajador que se neg&oacute; a realizar trabajo inseguro. 
 
Debido a que los enlaces sindicales de CEPPWAWU defendieron el caso de este trabajador, actualmente se ha suspendido a 19 personas, que enfrentan medidas disciplinarias despu&eacute;s de haber realizado algunos paros de protestas sin claudicar, reclamando soluciones a los problemas de seguridad. Ahora, Sappi se niega a hacer lo que ser&iacute;a justo y equitativo&hellip; la reincorporaci&oacute;n de los sindicalistas. Otros 23 trabajadores enfrentan paneles disciplinarios. Siguen trabajando, pero carecen de representaci&oacute;n sindical leg&iacute;tima y debidamente elegida. 
 
La ICEM est&aacute; iniciando una campa&ntilde;a con un llamado urgente para que se tomen nuevas y decisivas medidas. Rogamos escribir a Sappi, dici&eacute;ndole a la empresa que abandone su peligrosa actitud conflictiva y remedie los excesos cometidos en Enstra. Se debe escribir al Director General de Sappi, Ralph J. Bo&euml;ttger, en <a href="mailto:Ralph.Boettger@sappi.com">Ralph.Boettger@sappi.com</a>, a <a href="mailto:Wikus.van.Zyl@sappi.com">Wikus.van.Zyl@sappi.com</a>, y a <a href="mailto:Jan.labuschagne@sappi.com">Jan.labuschagne@sappi.com</a>, con el mensaje que se se&ntilde;ala m&aacute;s abajo, u otro que redacten Uds. mismos. 
 
La ICEM considera que la situaci&oacute;n actual en Sappi/Enstra constituye una grave violaci&oacute;n de los derechos sindicales fundamentales. Veamos una parte solamente de la secuencia de los hechos ocurridos: el ramo sindical de CEPPWAWU y Sappi obtienen herramientas para &ldquo;construir puentes&rdquo;, con el fin de crear una nueva relaci&oacute;n entre la empresa y los sindicalistas. Un trabajador se niega a realizar trabajos inseguros, y se intensifica el conflicto. El problema sigue siendo la inseguridad, lo cual se comprob&oacute; cuando el gerente que mand&oacute; a realizar el trabajo inseguro aparentemente pidi&oacute; disculpas en un informe conjunto posterior. Se realiz&oacute; una investigaci&oacute;n para averiguar las causas y consecuencias de la interrupci&oacute;n del trabajo. Sin embargo, todav&iacute;a no se ha hecho circular el informe, que presumiblemente contiene conclusiones diferentes de las que Sappi est&aacute; se&ntilde;alando actualmente. 
 
 
Rogamos enviar a los ejecutivos mencionados de Sappi el mensaje que se se&ntilde;ala a continuaci&oacute;n, con un encabezamiento que diga simplemente &ldquo;Enstra&rdquo;: 
 
Sappi demuestra conducta maliciosa, antidemocr&aacute;tica e inhumana en la planta de pulpa y papel de Enstra en Sud&aacute;frica. Est&aacute; mal el aplicar castigos a los enlaces sindicales y otros porque han adoptado una actitud firme, reclamando mayores medidas de seguridad en el trabajo. Est&aacute; mal que a los trabajadores de Enstra, que son miembros de CEPPWAWU, se les niegue protecci&oacute;n en el lugar de trabajo, porque Sappi ha suspendido a los 19 enlaces sindicales que laboran en Enstra. 
 
Antes que nada, est&aacute; la seguridad. A Sappi no le conviene esta mala fama. Deje los casos disciplinarios, Sappi, y ded&iacute;quense a producir papel en Enstra. 
 
(Firmado)
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ICEM pulp &amp; paper/pâte et de papier/pulp y papel : Sappi

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The global recession&rsquo;s impact on the rubber industry, collective bargaining, work relationships, health and safety, global solidarity, and a plan of action to address these issues were key topics discussed in the US at the ICEM&rsquo;s World Conference for the Rubber Industries in Nashville, Tennessee, 12-13 May. 
 
The conference, which was hosted by US-based United Steelworkers (USW), attracted some 90 trade unionists from throughout the world. The swine flu epidemic and visa problems into the US prevented the conference from having even more participants. 
 
USW Secretary-Treasurer Stan Johnson, who leads the host union&rsquo;s rubber sector, opened the conference. A 22-year veteran of the tyre industry, Johnson led a successful strike as a local branch president against Italian tyre-maker Pirelli at a Nashville plant in the mid-1990s. He was unanimously elected as ICEM&rsquo;s permanent chairman for the Rubber Industry at this conference. 

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USW Secretary-Treasurer Stan Johnson
Johnson painted a picture of the current global economic crisis&mdash;a halt in the auto industry, collapse of the tyre market, and factories operating at low capacities. &ldquo;Our opportunity lies in making sure that work and the value of workers is once again important,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It is our responsibility individually and collectively to step forward and change our future.&rdquo; 
 
ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda pointed out that bad policies allowed irresponsible corporate conduct to occur. He said corporate greed was behind &ldquo;casino capitalism,&rdquo; and that national solutions alone will not work to end the crisis. A global response is needed with unions playing an integral role. 
 
&ldquo;Recovery cannot mean the status quo,&rdquo; said Warda. &ldquo;A sustainable economy must be created. There is a great need to build trade union unity to combat the excesses of unregulated globalization.&rdquo; 
 
Warda also presented a resolution on the US Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), important legislation currently before the American government that would eliminate the unfair advantages that employers commonly use to restrict workers from organising. (See the Resolution <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/EFCA%20Resolution.pdf">here</a>.) 

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USW scribe Lynne Baker (left) interviews Forestry, Logging, and Industrial Workers&rsquo; Union of Liberia&rsquo;s (FLIWUL) Austin Natee and Edwin Cisco. At right, USW&rsquo;s&nbsp;Marilyn Brown 
Photo: Kenny Carlisle, USW Communications Department 
But the conference centered primarily on the global economic crisis. Presenters mapped out the problems confronting rubber workers throughout this crisis and the opportunities for positive change. The problems cited were common to all: layoffs, reductions in pay and hours worked, outsourcing to low cost countries, leave without pay, wage freezes, use of contract and agency labour, shutdowns, production declines, and lack of investment, all factors leading to increased family and community stress. 
 
Presenters told how some employers were using the economic crisis to avoid their commitments to workers, and rather to create new work structures, including the use of non-regular and short-term contract workers. 
 
&ldquo;Trade unions need to be at the vanguard of developing a new model that guarantees globalization of rights, an agenda to decrease poverty, and to better regulate the financial sector,&rdquo; said Fabio Lins from Brazil&rsquo;s CNQ/CUT union in Brazil. 

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Fabio Lins of CNQ/CUT, Brazil
Peter Bakvis, director of the International Trade Union Confederation/Global Unions office in Washington, D.C., presented a five-point strategy for the ICEM and other global unions to tackle the economic crisis and build a fairer and more sustainable world economy. 
 
The strategy focuses on job creation through public investment, including active labour market policies and protection of the most vulnerable; nationalization of insolvent banks and new roles and mechanisms to control global finance; extension of collective bargaining coverage and strengthening of wage-setting institutions; negotiation of an ambitious international agreement on climate change; and governance reform of the global financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organisation. 

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ICEM Rubber Conference participants
At the conclusion of the conference on 13 May, Chemicals and Rubber Industry Officer Kemal &Ouml;zkan presented an ICEM action plan that included campaigning for basic trade union rights and union organising; providing immediate solidarity during conflicts; providing effective and active solidarity for collective bargaining; striving for decent work in the rubber sector, meaning campaigning for sector-wide standards on use of contract and agency labour, equal pay initiatives, and use of Global Framework Agreements to address such issues. 

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ICEM Chemicals and Rubber Industry Officer Kemal &Ouml;zkan 
Photo: Kenny Carlisle, USW Communications Department 
As well, the work includes improving, strengthening, and creating new workers&rsquo; networks; creating a global level of industrial relations through existing instruments; establishing industry and company-wide standards for health, safety, and sustainable jobs; seeking to improve cooperation between Global Union Federations in the auto-parts and auto supply industries along the global production chain; and providing special solidarity to US unions for passage of the EFCA, to tyre workers at Hankook and Bridgestone in Hungary, to French and German workers of Continental AG, and to Mexican miners. 
To view the action plan in its entirety, as well as to see the presentations made by speakers, click <a href="/index.php?id=20&amp;la=EN&amp;doc=3207">here</a>.
Special thanks to Contributor Lynne Baker, USW Communications Department.

ICEM’s Rubber Conference Focuses on Problems, Opportunities in Economic Crisis

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The prestigious Febe Elisabeth Velasquez Trade Union Award was given last week to a woman trade unionist from Iraq, Hashmeyia Muhsin Saadawi, the President of ICEM-affiliated General Union of Electricity Workers and Technicians. 
 
The award is presented by FNV, a national labour centre in the Netherlands, and is given to a trade union leader who has worked under difficult circumstances, taken enormous personal risks, but has defended trade union rights in countries where such rights are routinely violated. 
 
Hashmeyia Muhsin, the tenth recipient of the award, was nominated by the ICEM. She was honoured at the FNV Congress in Amsterdam, and presented the award on 12 May. 

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In nominating her, the ICEM said Hashmeyia Muhsin &ldquo;has dedicated herself to the protection of both trade union rights and wider human rights in a country which remains under occupation &hellip; and which continues to apply trade union legislation from the Saddam era.&rdquo; 
 
She is the first woman to head a national trade union in Iraq, and is believed to be the first woman to lead a union anywhere in the Arabic-speaking world. The ICEM noted her courage in leading marches, demonstrations, and strikes in the Basra area, while under the threat of death. She also is a dedicated advocate for electricity access to all citizens of Iraq. 

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First elected to head the Electricity Workers and Technicians in September 2003, she has been re-elected twice since, and also is Vice Chairman of the General Federation of Iraqi Workers (GFIW). In 2007, she was elected to the ICEM&rsquo;s Executive Committee. 
 
The Febe Elisabeth Velasquez Award was named after a Salvadorian trade union leader and former General Secretary of Fenastras. Velasquez was killed on 31 October 1989 when a bomb exploded at the offices of the trade union centre. Previous FNV award recipients include Kim You Mee of Korea, Frank Kokori and Milton Dabibi of Nigeria, Maria Alieva of Belurus, Dr. Taye Woldesmiate of Ethiopia, and Mansour Osanloo of Iran.

Dutch FNV Trade Union Award to Goes to Iraq’s Hashmeyia Muhsin Saadawi

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ICEM pulp & paper/pâte et de papier/pulp y papel : Sappi

ICEM’s Rubber Conference Focuses on Problems, Opportunities in Economic Crisis

Dutch FNV Trade Union Award to Goes to Iraq’s Hashmeyia Muhsin Saadawi

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