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In a first for the European chemical sector, the European Mine, Chemical, and Energy Workers&rsquo; Federation (EMCEF) and the European Chemical Employers&rsquo; Group (ECEG) signed a framework agreement outlining job profiles for process operators and front-line supervisors.
Signed during a 15 April conference between the social partners that was held at the offices of CSC B&acirc;timent-Energie in Brussels, the agreement is termed &ldquo;Competence Profiles for Process Operators and First Line Supervisors in the Chemical Industry.&rdquo;
<img alt="" src="" width="312" height="125" />
&nbsp;ECEG&rsquo;s Simon Marsh, EMCEF&rsquo;s&nbsp;Reinhard Reibsch, ECAG&rsquo;s Jean Pelin
The pact defines a set of four minimum core competencies and training for both occupations and is described by EMCEF as &ldquo;a strong example of how the trade unions and employers in the chemical sector have worked to help businesses and workforces through the global economic crisis and build a platform for sustainable growth.&rdquo; 

The agreement is set up to deliver equal quality and value of education and training across EU nations, and was negotiated to support the &ldquo;Europe 2020&rdquo; goals of the EU. It also references mobility across Europe in the chemical sector and establishes core competence benchmarks for national qualifications, national vocational education and training for both workers and managers in their human resource development. It also contains a principle encouraging dialogue between workers and companies on job design and development. 
The framework compact says it is not an alternative to national provisions already underway in place, nor shall it impact collective bargaining agreements or remuneration levels in the European chemicals sector. Yearly reports on actions taken under the agreement will be presented to the sector&rsquo;s social dialogue forum, and full evaluation will take place after three years. 
The signing came during a day-long social partners&rsquo; conference entitled &ldquo;Framework Agreement in the Field of Education, Training, and Lifelong Learning.&rdquo; A panel on the topic of the agreement included Alfons de Potter of CSC B&acirc;timent-Energie, Belgium, and Jan Kilmes of Odborovy svaz ECHO of the Czech Republic.
<img alt="" src="" width="112" height="100" />
Coincidentally, on the same day &ndash; 15 April &ndash; the European Metalworkers&rsquo; Federation and the Council of European Employers of the Metal, Engineering and Technology-based Industries (CEEMET) issued a joint statement, both applauding the European Commission on recognising the importance of an industrial base and urging the body take further decisive action to strengthen that base in order to meet &ldquo;Europe 2020.&rdquo; 

In part, the statement calls on the Commission to exhibit leadership and responsibility, urging strong coordination between the different Directorate Generals. &ldquo;CEEMET and the EMF underline that there are strong links between industrial and social policy. Only sustainable competitive industries can create high quality jobs and an effective industrial policy fosters the social dimension of Europe.&rdquo; 

In addressing restructurings, the statement credits sector and company level decisions in finding temporary solutions to recent economic challenges. But it also states that in a quickly changing economic landscape, &ldquo;there will still remain a need for rules on employment which provide sufficient adaptability and flexibility for companies to meet that chance.&rdquo;

EMCEF, Chemical Employers Sign Process Operators, Front-line Supervisors Pact

Chile: Help on ILO Convention 176
Dear Pulp/Paper Sector Activists: 
 
The ICEM is making a major push, together with the IMF, to get Chile to ratify ILO Convention 176, the Safety and Health in Mines Convention. 
 
We are asking for your participation. The details are in the <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/11.ICEM.IMF.Chile176.1March.pdf">Joint ICEM/IMF Letter</a> that can be found at this link. 
 
The <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/ENGLISH%20ChileModLet%20(2).doc">Letter to Chile&rsquo;s Government</a> can be found here. In this letter are the e-mail addresses, fax numbers and mail address that we are asking unions to send. Please attach this model letter to your union&rsquo;s letterhead, or your personal letterhead, and send. 
 
We are very grateful for your help on this. And please do not forget to send a copy of your letter to the ICEM, at <a href="mailto:tom.grinter@icem.org">tom.grinter@icem.org</a>. 
 
Again, thank you for your help. 
 
In Unity, 
Dick Blin
<hr />
Chili: Pour la ratification de la Convention 176 de l'OIT
Chers Militants du secteur papier poulpe 
 
L&rsquo;ICEM a &eacute;largi ses forces avec le FIOM dans la lutte pour la ratification de la Convention 176, la s&eacute;curit&eacute; et la sante en Chili. 
 
A ce sujet, nous demandons votre active participation. Les d&eacute;tails concernant la ratification se trouvent dans <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/2.ICEM.IMF.Chile176.1MarchFR.pdf">la d&eacute;claration jointe de l'ICEM et du FIOM</a>. 
Vous les trouverez dans le lien suivant. 
 
<a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/FR%20ChileModLet.doc">La Lettre au gouvernement du Chili</a> se trouve ici. Dans cette lettre, vous avez les adresses e-mail, num&eacute;ros de fax et la direction postale des syndicats auxquels il faudra envoyer la documentation jointe. Veuillez SVP, joindre et envoyer la lettre mod&egrave;le en ajoutant le logo de votre syndicat, ou votre logo personnel. 
 
Nous vous remercions en avance du support et soutien solidaire a ce sujet. Une copie de votre lettre &agrave; l'ICEM, &agrave; <a href="mailto:tom.grinter@icem.org">tom.grinter@icem.org</a> serait fortement appr&eacute;ci&eacute;e. 
 
Votre soutien ainsi que vos actions sont fraternellement remercies. 
 
Dans l'unit&eacute;, 
 
Dick Blin 
ICEM Responsable Information et Communication 
Secteur Poulpe et Papier
<hr />
Chile, por la ratificaci&oacute;n al Convenio OIT 176 
 
Estimados l&iacute;deres del sector papel y pulpa 
 
ICEM ha unido fuerzas junto al FITIM para luchar por la ratificaci&oacute;n del Convenio OIT 176 en seguridad y salud en las minas. 
 
Estamos solicitando su apoyo y participaci&oacute;n. Por favor, revise los detalles <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/5.ICEM.IMF.Chile176.1March.pdf">en la declaraci&oacute;n conjunta ICEM-FITIM</a> que podr&aacute; encontrar en este enlace. 
 
<a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/SpanishChileModLet.doc">La Carta al Gobierno de Chile</a> se puede encontrar aqu&iacute;. En dicho escrito, encontrara las direcciones de correo electr&oacute;nico, n&uacute;meros de fax y direcci&oacute;n postal de los sindicatos para ser enviadas. Por favor, adjunte y env&iacute;e esta carta modelo con el membrete de su sindicato, o su membrete personal. 
 
Agradecemos de antemano su participaci&oacute;n y apoyo solidario en esta iniciativa. M&aacute;ndenos una copia de su carta a ICEM, atte. <a href="mailto:Tom.grinter@icem.org">Tom.grinter@icem.org</a> . 
 
Su acci&oacute;n y soporte son fraternalmente reconocidos. 
 
En la Unidad, 
 
Dick Blin 
ICEM Pulpa y Papel Oficial

Chile: ILO Convention 176/Chili: de la Convention 176 de l&#039;OIT/Chile, Convenio OIT 176

Estimados L&iacute;deres de la Uni&oacute;n del Trabajo de Chile! 
 
ICEM, Federaci&oacute;n Sindical Global de Sindicatos Mineros, junto con nuestra organizaci&oacute;n hermana, la Federaci&oacute;n Internacional de Trabajadores de las Industrias Metal&uacute;rgicas (FITIM), ha puesto en marcha una campa&ntilde;a para la ratificaci&oacute;n del Convenio 176 sobre seguridad y salud en las minas por parte del Gobierno de Chile. 
 
Les pedimos su participaci&oacute;n y apoyo para impulsar esta iniciativa en Chile. Esta campana se ha lanzado tan solo esta semana y la acogida ha sido tan exitosa que hemos recibido 25 cartas en solidaridad y apoyo. No hay duda, el apoyo ha sido incondicional. 
 
Los detalles al respecto est&aacute;n <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/5.ICEM.IMF.Chile176.1March.pdf">en la declaraci&oacute;n conjunta ICEM-FITIM</a> que pueden encontrar en este enlace. 
 
<a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/SpanishChileModLet.doc">La Carta al Gobierno de Chile</a> se puede encontrar aqu&iacute;. En dicho escrito, encontraran las direcciones de correo electr&oacute;nico, n&uacute;meros de fax y direcci&oacute;n postal que les pedimos env&iacute;en a los sindicatos. Por favor, adjunte y env&iacute;e esta carta modelo con el membrete de su sindicato, o su membrete personal. 
 
Agradecemos de antemano su solidario apoyo y su acci&oacute;n en esta iniciativa. Por favor, mande una copia de su carta a ICEM, atte. <a href="mailto:tom.grinter@icem.org">tom.grinter@icem.org</a> . 
 
Muchas Gracias! 

Fraternalmente, 
 
Manfred Warda 
Secretario General ICEM

ICEM necesita su ayuda! Ratificación de  la Convención OIT 176 en Chile!

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The ICEM was deeply saddened early last week to learn of the sudden passing of Gabriel Miranda, a leader in France of the CGT glass and ceramics section. Comrade Miranda, long active in the ICEM&rsquo;s Materials Sector, died of an aneurysm late in the evening of 21 March. He was 59. 
 
In a statement of sympathy to CGT General Secretary Bernard Thibault, the ICEM said: &ldquo;Many ICEM affiliates across the globe are indebted to Comrade Miranda for his selfless and devoted works of solidarity not only in France, but throughout the world. ICEM recognised Gaby as always the first person to respond to a call for solidarity and he never hesitated to extend support to the struggle of glass workers from Thailand to Korea to Australia and in many other countries.&rdquo; 
<img alt="" src="" width="150" height="153" />
Gabriel Miranda
Miranda served as secretary of CGT&rsquo;s glass sector from 1987 to 2005. He was mayor of his village of Saint-Beno&icirc;t de Carmaux, in province Tarn near Toulouse, beginning in 2009. He served on the town council there since 1983. On the evening of his death, he was leading a meeting of his communist compatriots regarding an agenda on community affairs for upcoming local elections. 
 
He was a working man who stayed true to his political convictions of liberty, freedom, and justice for the common person throughout his life. He fought for retaining post offices in small villages, public-sponsored day-care centers, and public health clinics. 
 
Miranda began as a glass fitter at a factory in Albi and also worked for Saint-Gobain in Tarn province. He had been secretary of the French Saint-Gobain Works Council. He is survived by his wife Brigitte and four children. A celebration of his life and work was held in the Saint-Beno&icirc;t town hall on 25 March.

ICEM Mourns Death of French Glass Sector Leader, Gaby Miranda

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A strike by 450 mostly Hispanic foundry workers in the US enters its second week today. The strike by members of the Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers&rsquo; Union (GMP) is against Pacific Steel Castings in Berkley, California. 
 
Workers began the strike at midnight, March 20, at contract expiration after the privately-held company refused to move from a concession-laden contract offer that contained skyrocketing increases to the share of employee-paid health care. A leading American trade union journalist, David Bacon, reported that the out-of-pocket increase in health coverage to US$300-per-month would mean a 10% drop in workers&rsquo; salary earnings. 
 
The company also seeks to increase the yearly deductible for health coverage from the current US$1,500 to US$6,000. 
<img src="" width="240" height="144" alt="" />
Bacon reported that Pacific Steel Castings is seeking a two-year wage freeze, with only miniscule raises after that. Workers of GMP Local 164B have gone without pay raises for the past two years. 
 
Pacific Steel also wants work-rule changes that will inhibit seniority and promote job speed-ups, discrimination, and favouritism. GMP International Vice President Ignacio De La Fuente told Bacon that wage freezes over the past two years were meant to offset rising private health insurance costs. 
 
On 22 March, Berkeley police in riot gear used force to disperse strikers who were attempting to discourage truck drivers from making deliveries into the plant. A seven-month pregnant worker, Norma Garcia, was pushed to the ground and hospitalised. 
 
Pacific Steel&rsquo;s customers are in the petroleum, truck assembly and repair, and heavy equipment industries. It is one of the largest steel casting foundries in the US with revenues totalling US$100 million annually. It is wholly-owned by the holding company Tri-Pacific &amp; Pvt. 
 
GMP was a long-time affiliate of the ICEM but dropped global union activity in the early 2000s. The ICEM has been encouraging the Media, Pennsylvania-based union to return to the ICEM family because of joint work being done in the glass industry in Colombia.

Bitter Strike Breaks Out Between US GPM Union, Pacific Steel Castings

<img alt="" src="" width="100" height="39" />
The governing body of Metalliliitto, Finland&rsquo;s Metalworkers&rsquo; Union, gave leadership of the union authority to establish a blockade of construction at Olkiluoto III, the country&rsquo;s long-delayed fifth nuclear power reactor now underway on the southwestern coast. The approval for industrial action was given because of wage arrears and noncompliance of Finnish social standards by a Polish subcontractor, KMW Engineering. 
 
The blockade could come as early as this week and will largely depend on an audit report by a regional state agency, and on further negotiations between the union and contractors. The blockade has the support of Finland&rsquo;s Construction Trades Union, the Finnish Electrical Workers&rsquo; Union, and Pro, the union for salaried workers in Finland. 
<img alt="" src="" width="337" height="190" />
Photo: YLE/Termonen Tapio
The Polish company is hundreds of thousands of euros in wage arrears, has failed to keep overtime pay records, and reportedly has been negligent over health and safety matters. Metalliliitto has asked for pay records for all of 2009 and 2010. The union also claims that KMW&rsquo;s employment practices are substandard to those established in the national metal sector collective agreement. 
 
The French nuclear company Areva is the main contractor for Olkiluoto III , which is being built alongside two other nuclear reactors by the private-sector Finnish energy company Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO). Metalliliitto has attempted to negotiate with all parties connected to the 1.6 gigawatt (1,600 megawatt) nuclear project but none have been willing to hold KMW responsible for its social dumping. KMW is building cooling units at Olkiluoto III. 
<img alt="" src="" width="96" height="128" />
Metalliliitto President Riku Aalto
Metalliliitto President Riku Aalto said the union has consistently been denied even the bare minimum of data on its information requests. He said social dumping continues at Olkiluoto III, in part, because unions in Finland are restricted from filing legal cases to stop such practices. Aalto said that is not the case in countries such as Sweden, Norway, and Germany. 
 
Olkiluoto III is already three years behind schedule, with construction now scheduled to end late in 2012. Commissioning of the reactor would then happen late in 2013. The original &euro;3.95 billion project is reported to be &euro;1.5 billion over budget and has been marked by litigation among contractors and between contractors and TVO.

Finland’s Metalworkers close in on Blockade of Nuclear Plant Work

<img alt="" src="" width="100" height="39" />
Second-year salary adjustments for some 20,000 white- and blue-collar Finnish pulp and paper workers ran separate courses over the past 12 days, with ICEM affiliate Ammattiliitto Pro &ndash; representing 4,000 salaried professionals &ndash; issuing a strike notice on 23 March against one company. A two-week strike will begin on 6 April at all UPM operations if official government mediation beginning today fails. 
 
Meanwhile, Paperiliitto, representing 16,000 workers at some 60 paper operations, agreed to terms with the Finnish Forest Industries Federation (FFIF) on 16 March. Workers will receive a guaranteed 2.5%, or &euro;.41-per-hour increase. The union also granted other adjustments in the collective agreement. 
 
Both ICEM affiliates have been negotiating separately with the FFIF on wage terms for the back end of a two-year labour agreement. The parties had until last week to reach accord, or bargaining is automatically shifted into the government&rsquo;s dispute resolution process. 
 
Ammattiliitto Pro, formerly Toimihenkil&ouml;unioni or TU prior to a merger in December with the insurance and banking union Suora, gave the strike warning because FFIF refused to put forward a similar national pay offer as the one given and accepted by Paperiliitto. Instead, there was no increase extended on the national level, with employers saying wage hikes will only be negotiated on a mill-by-mill basis. That stand quickly became an insult to dedicated staff.
<img alt="" src="" width="100" height="129" />
Jukka H&auml;m&auml;l&auml;inen
&ldquo;We seek a binding pay formula in this portion of the collective agreement,&rdquo; said Jukka H&auml;m&auml;l&auml;inen, chief Pro negotiator for the paper sector. &ldquo;We want a system that recognizes the increased work and greater responsibility taken on by our members.&rdquo; H&auml;m&auml;l&auml;inen said only a short few years ago, there were 6,000 white-collar workers in Finland&rsquo;s pulp and paper sector. That number is now 4,000. 
 
The union will begin an overtime ban on 1 April, the date the current two-year agreement is terminated if no resolve is realized. And then at 06h00 on 6 April, a full strike by 1,000 Pro members at UPM will commence that is certain to affect production at the Helsinki-based company&rsquo;s Finnish mills. 
 
In the accord between Paperiliitto and the FFIF, blue-collar workers receive effective today a 1.5%, or &euro;.24-per-hour increase, and then another 1% (&euro;.17) will be negotiated on the local level. If that isn&rsquo;t accomplished by 21 April, then it reverts back to the national level where a process is established to guarantee that increase retroactive to 28 March. 
 
Paperiliitto also agreed to grant local branches the option to increase work shifts from ten hours per day to 12, although it is mandated that there be no accumulative increase in yearly working hours. The union also agreed to a mobility clause, granting paper firms the flexibility to make short-term transfers of new hires employed in maintenance areas to other company operations. For current maintenance workers, companies must get one-time or more consent agreements from the individual for such a temporary transfer. 
 
The union agreed to the mobility language as deterrent to the use of outside contract or agency labour, and to assure that maintenance work will continuously be performed by Paperiliitto members.

Finnish Paper Sector Wage Accords Divert Between ICEM Affiliates

<img alt="" src="" width="100" height="39" />
Co-hosted by two of ICEM&rsquo;s Spanish affiliated trade unions, FIA-UGT and FITEQA-CC.OO, the ICEM World Women&rsquo;s Conference brought together over 230 delegates from 47 countries to Seville on 23-25 March. The theme of the conference was &ldquo;Conquests and Dreams.&rdquo; 
 
The historic conference was the largest ever and women resolved to focus efforts on building and developing structures for improved coordination for the women of the ICEM. Coordinating committees already exist in some countries and this will now be extended to create a women&rsquo;s committee in each country where there is more than one ICEM affiliate. This will then be followed with a women&rsquo;s network in Europe, and several sub-regional networks. 
<img alt="" src="" width="317" height="188" />
Women&rsquo;s Officer Carol Bruce talks to Spanish TV
ICEM women look forward to combining strength and resources with the International Metalworkers&rsquo; Federation (IMF) and the International Textile, Garment, and Leather Workers&rsquo; Federation (ITGLWF) in the creation of a new international trade union federation. While the three organizations have differing levels of women&rsquo;s membership and activities, the ICEM women&rsquo;s sector will work to combine the best practices. 
 
Two campaigns launched at the conference included: the campaign to put a stop to violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); and campaign for wider use of female condoms to prevent the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Two other major work plans will also receive increased focus: preventing violence against women and creating better self-esteem. 
 
View the full <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/EN%20resolution%20to%20ICEM%20Congress.pdf">conference resolution</a> here.&nbsp; 
<img alt="" src="" width="367" height="164" />
Delegates Respect Victims of Japan&rsquo;s Earthquake/Tsunami
In his opening remarks, ICEM President Senzeni Zokwana called delegates to stand and mark a minute&rsquo;s silence in memory of those affected by the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan. 
 
ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda then said, &ldquo;Gender will be a major part of the ICEM Action Plan to be discussed at the Executive Committee and then at our Congress. We are proud of the work of the women inside the ICEM, marking this milestone conference.&rdquo; 
 
The conference attracted local- and national-level female politicians. Matilde Fern&aacute;ndez, former Social Affairs Minister, highlighted the importance of the fight for gender equality in Spain, a country where women are paid 15% less than men, meaning that they would have to work 51-52 days per year more than men to achieve wage parity. 
<img alt="" src="" width="158" height="199" />
M&uuml;zeyyen Acunal of Turkish Sel&uuml;loz-İş
&ldquo;Changes to legislation have been necessary, but they still are not sufficient,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;We need to change the attitudes of the society.&rdquo; 
 
The conference unanimously re-elected Russia&rsquo;s Evgenia Esenina as President of ICEM&rsquo;s Women&rsquo;s Committee and Zimbabwe&rsquo;s Angeline Chitambo as Vice-Chair. 
 
In closing the conference, President Senzeni Zokwana built enthusiasm for the future, in terms of gender work, and of the overall hopes heading into a new international. &ldquo;We will be new and strong, let us breed unity, breed oneness. We can achieve more together!&rdquo;

Largest Number Ever Attend ICEM Women’s Conference in Spain

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
The ICEM Secretariat was stricken with grief on 4 April upon learning of the death of Liv Undheim, former Vice President of Norwegian trade union affiliate IndustriEnergi (IE). Liv Undheim died at 07h00 that morning in an Oslo hospital after a period of illness. She was 61. 
 
She was an ICEM Vice President, representing the Nordic region, and had served on ICEM statutory bodies for the past 20 years, dating to her tenure as an officer of Norsk Kjemisk Forbund, the Norwegian Chemical Workers&rsquo; Association. She was the driving force inside ICEM in the development of gender equality and women&rsquo;s activities. 
 
In a letter to IE President Leif Sande, General Secretary Manfred Warda said her advocacy in this regard made the ICEM a leading Global Union Federation on gender issues. 
 
She began working in an industrial setting in the late 1960s at Figgjo AS, a ceramics and pottery manufacturer near Stavanger. She then became a federal secretary of the Chemical Workers&rsquo; Association and served in that capacity for nine years before being elected organisation secretary of the Norwegian Federation of Trade Unions (LO). In that capacity in 1997, she also became deputy minister with responsibility for energy issues. 
 
In 2001, she became Vice President of the Chemical Workers&rsquo; Association and in 2006, upon the merger of that union with the Norwegian Oil and Petrochemicals Workers&rsquo; Federation (NOPEF), she was elected Vice President of IE. She retired in October 2010 but retained the exemplary role she always performed as IE&rsquo;s head of international affairs. 
<img alt="" src="" width="112" height="150" />
She also had served on a number of boards and public bodies, including the research institute FAFO, Norway&rsquo;s Labour Directorate, the Labour Inspection Authority, and many others. 
 
She was diagnosed with cancer several months ago and in February 2011 was stricken and hospitalised with pneumonia, which prevented cancer treatment. The ICEM&rsquo;s Warda said she always delivered a great deal of energy and passion to global trade union work, and &ldquo;we held hope that this same energy and passion would allow her to overcome this illness.&rdquo; 
 
He added: &ldquo;Her passing at the age of 61 is a sad moment for us here. The extraordinary work she performed for the ICEM &ndash; and for all trade unions &ndash; will carry on in her honour. We pledge to re-dedicate the many workers&rsquo; issues that she championed in her memory.&rdquo; 
 
In a statement this week from Oslo, IE President Sande said, &ldquo;Following her long and devoted service to the labour union movement we all felt with all our hearts that Liv had deserved a long and pleasant retirement together with her dear Elisabeth. The holiday to Thailand was booked and she was looking forward to spending her time reading, travelling and generally enjoying life. Instead she was struck down with cancer, having to spend her last days in a hospital. It seems so unfair. She will be deeply missed.&rdquo; 
 
Liv Undheim's funeral will be 14 April in Oslo. Following, a memorial and commemoration of her life will be held at IE's offices there.

ICEM Mourns Death of Presidium Member Liv Undheim

<img alt="" src="" width="100" height="39" />
ICEM&rsquo;s two mine union affiliates in Ukraine played crucial roles in the ratification 15 February of ILO Convention 176 by the country&rsquo;s Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada. <a href="/en/209-ILO ">Convention 176, the Safety and Health in Mines Convention</a>, is a major priority for the ICEM. 
 
Ukraine became the 25th country to ratify Convention 176 since 1995 and that was due mainly to the efforts of the Coal Industry Workers&rsquo; Union of Ukraine (PRUPU) and the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine. Leaders of both unions, Victor Turmanov and Mikhail Volynets, are members of the Rada. 
<img alt="" src="" width="115" height="115" />
PRUPU's Victor Turmanov
Turmanov said the effort began in earnest in 2008 when the unions and Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine (FPU) Chairman Vasyl Khara began meeting with federal coal industry officials, as well as with managing directors of mining enterprises. Khara was chairman of the Donetsk Region Council of Trade Unions. He is also an MP. 
 
A major barrier was broken when senior leaders of the Donetsk region&rsquo;s coal to electric energy company, DTEK, agreed to support ratification, after Coal Industry Minister Viktor Poltavets &ndash;a one-time mining engineer at Sverdlov Anthracite &ndash; agreed to the global Convention. 
 
&ldquo;We took an important step in ratification because it will provide a more holistic approach to mine health and safety in Ukraine,&rdquo; said Turmanov. &ldquo;This will strengthen protection for miners, toughen the responsibilities placed on employers, and finally place national precedence on mine safety issues.&rdquo; 
<img alt="" src="" width="90" height="133" />
Mikhail Volynets, Independent Trade Union of Miners
Volynets said most Ukrainian mines have antiquated equipment and use old technologies, and he said implementation of Article 7 of Convention 176 will be important in Ukraine. Article 7&rsquo;s nine provisions refer to an employer&rsquo;s responsibility to minimize all risks in mining, including such standards that two exits of separate egress must come from underground mines. 
 
Volynets said Ukraine&rsquo;s coal mining industry is the world&rsquo;s second most hazardous behind China, and Ukraine is home to thousands of illegal mines. &ldquo;It is critically important for Ukrainian unions, with ICEM support, to address the issue of illegal mines in ILO committees,&rdquo; said Volynets. 
 
&ldquo;But, in fact, every mine whether state-owned or private has its own violations or infractions of safe mining and that should get solved in implementing Convention 176 here.&rdquo; 
 
Convention 176 will take full effect in 12 months in Ukraine, with the expectation that the country&rsquo;s national laws on mine safety will get updated to comply with global standards. 
 
The Convention spells out responsibilities for government, employers, and workers and their trade unions, and specifically gives miners the right to report hazards, dangerous conditions and accidents, as well as the right to refuse unsafe work. 
 
For employers, Convention 176 places responsibility on them to not only remove workplace hazards, but remove the causes of those hazards. The Convention also mandates that employers provide adequate safety training programmes to workers and ensure a regular routine of occupational health surveillance of miners. 
 
Of vital importance, the Convention gives workers and their trade unions participation in inspections and accident investigations, and allows workers to select their own safety and health representatives in full partnership with employers and governmental regulatory bodies. 
 
Ukraine is the first major mining country to ratify Convention 176 since Peru ratified it in June 2007.

Ukrainian Mine Unions Ratify ILO Convention 176 on Mine Safety

Archive

EMCEF, Chemical Employers Sign Process Operators, Front-line Supervisors Pact

Chile: ILO Convention 176/Chili: de la Convention 176 de l'OIT/Chile, Convenio OIT 176

ICEM necesita su ayuda! Ratificación de la Convención OIT 176 en Chile!

ICEM Mourns Death of French Glass Sector Leader, Gaby Miranda

Bitter Strike Breaks Out Between US GPM Union, Pacific Steel Castings

Finland’s Metalworkers close in on Blockade of Nuclear Plant Work

Finnish Paper Sector Wage Accords Divert Between ICEM Affiliates

Largest Number Ever Attend ICEM Women’s Conference in Spain

ICEM Mourns Death of Presidium Member Liv Undheim

Ukrainian Mine Unions Ratify ILO Convention 176 on Mine Safety

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