English

Español

Français

Русский

Aerospace

Automotive

Base metals

Chemical, pharmaceutical and bio-science

Energy

Glass, cement, ceramic and associated industries

ICT, electrical and electronics

Mechanical Engineering

Mining and DGOJP

Pulp and paper

Rubber

Shipbuilding and shipbreaking

Textile, garment, shoes, leather and textile services

Sectors

Action on textile and garment industry

Clean up shipbreaking

Ratify ILO C176

United for a just future - time to pay up!

Disinvest from Myanmar

Action Plan 2021-2025

Global Framework Agreements

Union building

Women

Youth

White-collar workers

Health & safety

Industry 4.0

Just Transition

Organizing with industriALL

What we do

Affiliates

Statutes

Elected Officials

Executive Committee

Geneva head office

South East Asia

Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus

Latin America and the Caribbean

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

Regional offices

About us

Global worker No1 2022

Global worker No2 2022

Publications

Resources

Press

<img src="" width="150" height="73" alt="" />
A year ago tomorrow, 28 June, Honeywell Inc. ruthlessly locked 228 American steelworkers off their jobs at a uranium conversion plant in Metropolis, Illinois. Two days ago, on 25 June, those union members of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 7-669, together with 800 supporters, held a one-year anniversary rally in the Metropolis town square. 
 
The mood was somber but angry due to Honeywell&rsquo;s economic stranglehold on workers&rsquo; lives, yet defiant mainly because the company has dared to risk the safety and well-being of 6,400 residents of this Ohio River city by operating the plant during the lockout. 
 
In Metropolis, Honeywell mills yellow-cake uranium into uranium hexafluoride (UF6) that is frozen and then sold to companies for nuclear power applications. For the past nine months, Honeywell has been using scabs provided by a contractor to do this dangerous work. 
<img src="" width="159" height="199" alt="" />
USW District 7 Director Jim Robinson
At Saturday&rsquo;s rally, workers and community members took notice once again to the dangers an outside workforce brings to their city: on 22 June, the US Labor Department&rsquo;s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) levied 17 serious workplace safety violations against the company and its scab workers. 
 
The violations stem from a 22 December 2010 release of hydrogen fluoride (HF) vapors. OHSA citations include failure to address human factors in operating valves on HF tanks, failure to establish written procedures to maintain the integrity of process equipment, failure to establish and implement written procedures to manage changes to process chemicals, equipment and procedures, and a deficient incident report that did not include factors contributing to the vapor release. The 17 violations mean US$119,000 in fines if Honeywell is unable to negotiate that amount downward. 
 
The 22 December HF vapor release was not the only time Honeywell has put the community at risk. On 5 September 2010, two days after the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission unbelievably gave approval for Honeywell to re-start the final two steps of a four-step uranium hexafluoride converting process, Metropolis was shook by a loud boom. 
 
Inside the plant, accumulated hydrogen reacted with fluorine gas during a venting process, causing the boom. Fortunately, the accident occurred in a non-regulated area of operation, meaning away from the handling of yellow cake uranium. 
 
For workers and community supporters who gathered Saturday, these incidents have become a daily reminder of the threats posed by a hugely profitable company as it unnecessarily tries to spiral downward work terms and conditions on a skilled and unionised workforce. 
<img src="" width="131" height="214" alt="" />
Metropolis, Illinois, is Concerned with Safety
To be sure, USW Local 7-669 and Honeywell would already have a new labour contract and experienced workers would have been back on the job if it had not been for the company reneging on a deal. In bargaining on 6 June, the two sides reached a compromise and a tentative agreement was imminent. Honeywell&rsquo;s negotiators said it would draft the agreed-upon language and formally present it the next day in talks. 
 
But on 7 June, the company withdrew bargaining table agreement from the day before to maintain overtime pay after eight and 12 hours worked, and returned to its original and regressive proposal of time-and-a-half pay only after 40 hours had been worked. Local 7-669&rsquo;s bargaining team already had made compromises to end the lockout. But Honeywell&rsquo;s bad-faith reversal meant the company was not ready for the lockout to end. 
 
The effect was another insult aimed at the community and at steelworkers of Local 7-669, who most assuredly will return &ndash; perhaps soon &ndash; to their jobs but with a bitter taste in their mouths about all things Honeywell. 
 
In the three weeks since the failed settlement, Honeywell has publicly chastised Local 7-669 for failing to provide the company with further bargaining dates. Local union President Darrell Lillie made it clear at the 25 June anniversary rally that Honeywell can now end the lockout with a telephone call or fax over the final conclusive issues. 
 
The overtime issue is foremost. Other issues to be resolved, but not considered deal threatening, are company insistence that workers who take Family and Medical Leave under the US federal statute, must concurrently take vacation leave; a different pension pan for future new hires; and company-paid meal allowance for staff who work overtime hours. 
 
At the Saturday, 25 June rally, headlined by USW District 7 Director Jim Robinson, who travelled seven hours together with steelworkers from Chicago and northern Indiana on buses to southern Illinois to support Local 7-669, Illinois state legislators Brandon Phelps and Gary Forby told the community that they will now commence hearings in the state capital of Springfield on Honeywell&rsquo;s reckless disregard for community safety. 
 
ICEM coverage of the US company&rsquo;s callous social conduct in its home country can be found at these four links: <a href="/en/3-Energy-Oil-and-Gas/4429-EMCEF-EMF-EPSU-Condemn-Honeywell-Lockout-in-US ">15 May 2011</a>, <a href="/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/4120-Talks-Again-Fail-in-Honeywell-s-US-Lockout-of-Steelworkers ">29 November 2010</a>, <a href="/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/4066-Talks-Fail-Between-USW-Honeywell-in-US-Uranium-Lockout ">18 October 2010</a>, <a href="/en/78-ICEM-InBrief/3977-Lockout-of-USW-represented-Uranium-Processing-Plant-in-US-Continues ">6 September 2010</a>.

Steelworkers Mark Year-long Honeywell Lockout in US

<img alt="" src="" width="120" height="59" />
The&nbsp;ICEM today condemned the bad-faith bargaining strategy of BHP Billiton-Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) in coal talks in Australia. At the same time, it pledged full support to Queensland miners, who today commence a second justified set at industrial actions inside BMA&rsquo;s rich coking-coal mines of Queensland&rsquo;s Bowen Basin. 

The Geneva-based ICEM, representing 20 million workers globally, condemns BMA for side-stepping the Single Bargaining Unit (SBU) of 4,000 workers and attempting to justify its regressive workplace demands in the public arena. 

Three unions affiliated with the ICEM &ndash; Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), the Australian Manufacturing Workers&rsquo; Union (AMWU), and the Communications, Electrical, Plumbing Union (CEPU) &ndash; are legitimately enjoined as the SBU, but have seen BMA reject honest dialogue on major issues such as work rights, salaries, and social benefits for subcontract workers, and job security for Australian workers employed by BMA and legitimately represented by the three unions. 

BMA instead has flaunted its unwanted agenda in paid advertisements and shameless pay boasting in central and eastern Queensland. Because of this, the ICEM fully and unequivocally supports the 24 June second round of strike actions at BMA&rsquo;s seven mines and alerts miners and other workers of BMA that they have a firm global ally in the ICEM with their three unions. 

In a 22 June letter to leaders of the three unions, ICEM General Secretary Warda said: &ldquo;As miners and others in Queensland at BMA begin a second round of industrial actions this weekend, please extend to each and every one of them the principled Support and Solidarity of the ICEM and its family of 467 trade unions throughout the world. Let them know that the eyes of the global trade union movement are on their courageous fight to get a just and deserved enterprise labour agreement with BMA.&rdquo; See the <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/63.ICEM.BMA.CFMEU,AMWU,ETU,CEPU.Australia.22June.pdf">full ICEM letter</a> here. 

The ICEM stands solidly behind BMA workers who begin lawful 12-hour rolling strikes tonight at BMA&rsquo;s Blackwater mine, and then Saturday and Sunday nights, 25-26 June, at Saraji, Norwich Park, Gregory Crinum, Peak Downs, and Goonyella Riverside mines. And the ICEM condemns the attack on the strike by BMA, as if it was illegitimate. It is not. 

The ICEM believes BMA&rsquo;s tactics reflect poorly on the joint venture&rsquo;s equal parents &ndash; BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi &ndash; and on BMA&rsquo;s standing in metallurgical coal markets. Following the breakdown of talks on 20-21 June, the ICEM will monitor this dispute and stands ready in the event it escalates.

ICEM Condemns Tactics of BHP Billiton, Mitsubishi in Australia Coal Talks

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
Domestic workers are among the most vulnerable in the world. The 100th session of the International Labour Conference, on 16 June, achieved the adoption of the Decent Work for Domestic Workers Convention No. 189, and its accompanying recommendation. 
 
The convention sets out a set of basic protections for domestic workers under law, in countries that ratify. Governments around the world must now be pressured to ratify and implement the provisions. Attention will be on the countries in the Gulf, where an underclass of migrant domestic workers exists. But also countries such as the United States have labour law protections which exclude domestic workers of the &ldquo;informal economy&rdquo;. This must now change. 
 
Domestic work is one of the main locations for slavery and child labour, as well until now very low levels of inspection and regulation, non payment and low payment of wages, and violence, with the work often carried out by migrants, and women. This convention symbolically recognises domestic workers as regular workers, entitled to all the rights enjoyed in other sectors. Domestic workers should be emboldened by this global recognition, into organising collectively across the sector.

ILO Convention on Decent Work for Domestic Workers

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
In a letter to Ukraine&rsquo;s President, Viktor Yanukovych, ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda called for the recent escalation of government intimidation and interference into trade union activities to end. 
 
The national centre, Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine (FPU) has born the brunt of a brutal attack by the Office of the General Prosecutor of Ukraine, headed by Viktor Pshonka who is said to have &ldquo;declared war&rdquo; on the unions. New teams have been established inside various government ministries charged with combating the FPU, and establishing yellow unions to oppose the FPU. 
<img src="" width="238" height="159" alt="" />
FPU Picket Office of the General Prosecutor
The illegal attack on the FPU has included brazen attempts at manipulating internal union activity. On 23 May the FPU received instructions from the General Prosecutor&rsquo;s office, banning items on the agenda of the union&rsquo;s Presidium meeting the following day. Demands for detailed information of internal union workings are continuing, with FPU leadership being summoned for interrogation to the General Prosecutor&rsquo;s office, including FPU President Vasyl Khara on 3 June. 
 
Also ongoing is a disinformation campaign run through the country&rsquo;s mass media, attempting to discredit the FPU. The lie being disseminated is that the FPU leadership unlawfully sold union assets. Whereas it is a clear fact that no FPU facilities have been sold since November 2008. 
 
The intense interference is in breach of national law, international law, and the constitution of Ukraine. 
 
On 8 June, the FPU conducted a large picket in front of the office of the General Prosecutor of Ukraine, demanding an end to the oppression of trade union rights. 
 
See the full text of <a href="/wp-content/migration/icem/62.ICEM.Ukraine%20President.FPU.20June.pdf">Warda&rsquo;s letter</a> to President Yanukovych here.&nbsp;

ICEM Protests Crackdown on Ukrainian Trade Unions

<img alt="" src="" width="100" height="39" />
From&nbsp;International Metalworkers' Federation 
Indonesian unions yesterday criticized their government for not ensuring comprehensive social security for all Indonesian people as mandated in the Global Jobs Pact that was adopted by the International Labour Organization in 2009 and supported by the Indonesian government. 
 
The unions' criticism was in response to an address given by the President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, to a special session of the 100th International Labour Conference (ILC) on June 14, 2011 on the effects of the global economic crisis. 
 
In a statement submitted to the ILC by Indonesian trade unions and supported by the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF), the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) and the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation (ITGLWF), the unions demanded that the Indonesian government comply with the Global Jobs Pact by providing comprehensive social security for all Indonesian people. 
<img alt="" src="" width="220" height="147" />
9 May Indonesian Worker Demonstration
The statement points out that, &quot;the people of Indonesia continue to face problems of low wages which are not comparable with the needs of a decent standard of living, unsafe working conditions with the expansion of contract work and outsourcing and the absence of comprehensive social security for all people.&quot; 
 
&quot;In the context of social welfare, Indonesia is the most backward country in Southeast Asia in terms of delivering comprehensive social security for their people, in contradiction to the second portfolio of the Global Jobs Pact itself to &quot;build a social protection system&quot;,&quot; continues the statement. 
 
The unions argue that the existing Constitution of Indonesia and supporting legislation provides the basis for providing five social insurance programs covering health and accident insurance, pensions, retirement security and life insurance, but require the government to re-orientate the responsible state agencies to function on a not for profit basis. 
 
The statement, signed by nine Indonesian trade union organizations including IMF affiliated Indonesia Federation of Metal Workers' Unions (FSPMI), are members of the Action Committee for Social Security ( KAJS ) which is actively campaigning in Indonesia for improved social security, particularly health insurance for life and a mandatory pension fund for all. 
 
Adequate provision for social security particularly for the ever expanding number of workers in precarious forms of employment is one of the issues that will be discussed at the IMF Central Committee taking place in Jakarta, Indonesia in December 2011.

Indonesian Workers Demand Social Security for all

<img alt="" src="" width="100" height="39" />
From the International Textile, Garment &amp; Leather Workers' Federation
A historic agreement has been signed, 7 June,&nbsp;regarding trade union rights in factories in Indonesia. The pact was signed by Indonesian textile, clothing and footwear unions, major supplier factories and the major sportswear brands, including Adidas, Nike and Puma. A keynote speech was delivered by Mr. Muji Handoyo, General Director of Labour Inspection, who expressed his appreciation of the efforts of the parties to ensure that freedom of association is respected. 
 
Workers in Indonesia and in other countries producing sportswear are frequently prevented from organizing at sportswear supplier factories and from carrying out union activities. Recent research covering 18 factories in Indonesia found that all had taken anti-union measures. 
 
&ldquo;This protocol is important because our law does not cover technical implementation of freedom of association. It also ensures brands take responsibility to ensure respect for union rights&rdquo; states Lilis Mahmudah, Head of Program for SPN. &ldquo;Our members have been waiting for this agreement to be concluded. It will help us in our bargaining efforts&rdquo; adds Emelia Yanti, General Secretary of GSBI. 
 
The agreement has been made possible by the Play Fair campaign, which since 2004 has been campaigning for global sportswear brands to take concrete steps to improve conditions in their supply chains. The campaign was represented at the signing by Oxfam Australia, the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers&rsquo; Federation and the Clean Clothes Campaign. 
 
&ldquo;The signing of this freedom of association protocol is an important first step in improving the situation for the hundreds of thousands of sportswear workers facing low wages and poor conditions&rdquo; says Jeroen Merk of the CCC. &ldquo;The real test, however, will be in its implementation&rdquo; adds Ashling Seely of the ITGLWF. 
 
In the run up to the London 2012 Olympics the Play Fair Campaign will be encouraging other sportswear and garment brands to sign up to the <a href="http://www.play-fair.org/media/wp-content/uploads/FOA-Protocol_English-translation_May-20112.pdf">protocol</a>.

Indonesia:  Historic Pact Strengthens Sportswear Workers&#039; Union Rights

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
ICEM affiliates in the chemicals industry in South-East Europe met in a sectoral regional conference from 9-10 June in Belgrade, Serbia. The meeting came within the framework of the joint ICEM, European Mine, Chemical, Energy Federation (EMCEF), International Metalworkers&rsquo; Federation (IMF), European Metalworkers&rsquo; Federation (EMF), International Union of Food and Agriculture Association (IUF), and the European Federation of Food, Agriculture and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT) project, which is supported by the German Friedrich-Ebert Foundation (FES). 
 
The attending unions saw representation from some 30 unionists from KNG of Slovenia, EKN of Croatia, SSHNFBIH of Bosnia/Herzegovina, and SSHNS and GS HNER Nezavisnost of Serbia. 
<img src="" width="170" height="128" alt="" />
Mato Lalic
Chaired by Mato Lalic, coordinator of the joint project, the conference welcomed a representative from Serbia&rsquo;s Ministry of Economy and Regional Development, who spoke on problems arising from company restructurings in the chemicals industry, resulting in job losses and bankruptcies. Comment from participants included the issue of unpaid wages as a result of company liquidations. 
 
ICEM&rsquo;s Director of Industry and Corporate Affairs, Kemal &Ouml;zkan, gave an overview on global trends in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. He spoke on trends in employment, wages, and overall working conditions. 
 
At plenary sessions, particular country reports were delivered by Danijel &Scaron;pičak and Ivan Tomac from Croatia, Tomaž Kumer from Slovenia, Kata Iveljić from Bosnia/Herzegovina, and Zoran Pantelić from Serbia. All reports indicate that recovery is occurring after the global economic crisis, except that employment levels are still low. 
 
The conference also addressed the issue of rising precarious employment through a presentation by Jacim Milunovic, one of the coordinators of the joint project, who guided participants on ways to defend standard forms of employment, and to resist Contract and Agency Labour (CAL). 
 
The participants were given ICEM&rsquo;s CAL Guide amd IUF&rsquo;s manual on outsourcing. One point that was emphasized is that legislative environments in South-East Europe are not favorable for workers, which gives important responsibilities to trade unions. The conference concluded with a a joint committment to keep solidarity alive among the unions of the region in the chemicals and non-metal sectors. 
 
The ICEM&rsquo;s &Ouml;zkan also travelled to Bosnia/Herzergovina at the invitation of Independent Trade Union of Chemistry and Non Metal Workers&rsquo; Union (SSHNFBIH), led by Kata Iveljić. He visited the Canton of Tuzla, since the region is a large industrial zone. SSHNFBIH has large membership in workplaces in the cities of Tuzla and Lukavac, but some industrial relations challenges exist related to social dialogue. 
 
With a purpose to show global support to SSHNFBIH, the ICEM met with Prime Minister Sead Causevic and Minister of Industry, Energy and Mining Zeljko Knezicek, both of the Canton of Tuzla. The group later was welcomed by Dzevad Mujkic, mayor of the Lukavac community. &Ouml;zkan was interviewed by several local and cantonal televisions about purpose and results of the visit. 
 
The ICEM delegation also visited Sisecam Soda, subsidiary of a Turkish multinational company located at Lukavac, and met with General Director Umut Baris S&ouml;nmez together with local union officials. Turkey&rsquo;s Sisecam Group purchased 80% of shares of Soda Factory Lukavac Bosna i Hercegovina following a privatisation bid in 2006. 
<img src="" width="212" height="159" alt="" />
Since then, Sisecam Soda and SSHNFBIH developed a constructive social dialogue and industrial relations&rsquo; system on restructuring the workplace. Since there had been no sector-wide agreement covering workers, an individual company agreement had been signed but due to economic challenges, yearly wage agreements were not signed for 2009 and 2010. ICEM and SSHNFBIH stressed clear expectations that the company re-start dialogue with immediate effect. SSHNFBIH and Sisecam Soda are expected to settle pending issues very soon.

Unions in Chemicals Continue Struggle in South-East Europe

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
&ldquo;The Chemical Industry in 2020 &ndash; a New Direction is Possible&rdquo; is the motto of the project initiated by ICEM&rsquo;s Brazilian affiliate, the ABC Chemical Workers&rsquo; Union, with business, trade unions, local governments, and civil society. The project was launched at a panel discussion held on 10 June in Santo Andr&eacute; that addressed economic dimensions of chemical industry. 
 
On 8 July and 12 August, respectively, further debates will ensue on social and environmental dimensions. The final international conference will then take place on 26-28 September. 
 
For composition of panel discussions and conferences, the ABC Chemical Workers&rsquo; Union contacted with individuals from labour, business, and local and federal government agencies, as well as with the ILO, Dieese, Inmetro, and others. The idea is also finish off with a conference to include former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. 
<img src="" width="127" height="189" alt="" />
&quot;In the International Year of Chemistry, we want workers to enter into debates in chemicals over economic, social, and environmental responsibilities with a view to contribute to discussions for reaching the Rio +20 goals (year 2020 goals),&rdquo; said ABC Chemical Workers&rsquo; Union President Paul Lage. &ldquo;Our initiative aims to discuss with all social actors the promotion of sustainable development in the Brazilian chemical industry on social dialogue and decent work.&quot; 
 
The project received support from industry. &quot;It's an opportunity to take stock of all actions that meet the goals for 2020,&rdquo; said Luis Paulo Bresciani of the Inter-municipal Consortium of the Greater ABC Region. He added that the initiative is attune to the present with a view toward the future through an objective discussion on sustainability. 
 
&ldquo;The future of the chemical industry is the future of our region,&rdquo; Bresciani said, referring to the ABC region of seven municipalities around S&atilde;o Paulo. The industry will benefit not only from the debates but also in terms of public policies that will come from them, he said. 
 
&ldquo;ICEM is proud of this important initiative led by our affiliate ABC Chemical Workers&rsquo; Union,&rdquo; said ICEM Director of Industry and Corporate Affairs Kemal &Ouml;zkan. &ldquo;This is a clear example on how our affiliates in chemicals mobilize for industrial policy and sustainable development.&rdquo;

Brazil’s ABC Chemical Workers’ Union Launches Social Dialogue Project

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
Delegates to the 26th Congress of ICEM Turkish affiliate Lastik-İş, the Rubber, Chemical, Petroleum Workers&rsquo; Union belonging to DISK national labour centre, unanimously re-elected Abdullah Karacan as President for the upcoming four-year period. The Congress was held from 18-19 June in Istanbul, with 300 delegates and 150 guests attending, including ICEM Director of Industry and Corporate Affairs Kemal &Ouml;zkan and European Mine, Chemical, Energy Federation (EMCEF) Political Secretary Sylvain Lefebvre. 
 
The Congress also welcomed two prominent ex-officials of DISK, former President S&uuml;leyman &Ccedil;elebi and former General Secretary Musa &Ccedil;am, who were elected to the Turkey National Assembly as deputies during recent 12 June general elections. 
 
The Congress opened with a 40-minute documentary on 62-year-old Lastik-İş and then discussion occurred on activities of the union over the last four years with the challenges and successes. 
<img src="" width="214" height="160" alt="" />
Lastik-İş Executive Committee, from left, Muharrem &Ouml;zen, Alaaddin Sarı, Abdullah Karacan, İhsan Malko&ccedil;, Nejdet Ulusoy
&ldquo;The Turkish trade union movement has been facing very difficult changes in terms of trade union rights and freedoms and as a result, the number of workers covered by collective agreements has dropped below 700,000 across the entire country,&rdquo; said Karacan in his opening address. &ldquo;Turkey does not deserve this picture and we need to reverse the trend.&rdquo; 
 
Abdullah Karacan added, &ldquo;According to the international statistics, Turkey, together with Mexico and Chile, are the top countries globally where income equality is the worst.&rdquo; 
 
Turkey&rsquo;s poor record on health and safety was also underscored, with statistics revealing that three workers are killed on average each day in work-related accidents. Lastik-İş delegates also voiced their intense struggle to limit precarious employment which shows a rising trend. The Congress applauded the Executive Committee with its performance in recruiting new members in existing and new plants, some of which are multinational companies such as Henkel from Germany, KCC from South Korea, as well as financial management and the performance of the union with new projects establishing social facilities that serve union members. The delegates also announced strong support for creation of new industrial union federations at global and European levels. 
 
At the end of the Congress, the new Executive Committee was introduced following re-election of President Karacan. The Executive is composed of Alaaddin Sarı, General Secretary; Nejdet Ulusoy, Head of Education, Press, Publication and Legal Affairs; Muharrem &Ouml;zen, Head of Collective Bargaining and Organizing; and İhsan Malko&ccedil;, Head of Financial Affairs.

Turkish Lastik-İş Re-elects Abdullah Karacan President

<img src="" width="100" height="39" alt="" />
The ICEM Turkish affiliate &Ccedil;IMSE-İş, the Cement, Ceramics, Pottery and Glass Industry Workers&rsquo; Union, announced the successful conclusion of a sector-wide labour agreement in the cement industry for 5,800 workers at 45 cement plants. 
 
The new two-year collective agreement will run from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2012 and averts a strike called by the union&rsquo;s presidential committee on 2 June. The agreement calls for a 7% increase in salaries plus an added YTL 25, as well as an increase in social benefits ranging from 7.6% to 27.81%. &Ccedil;IMSE-İş also managed to achieve a 100% extra payment for work performed on weekends. 
<img src="" width="250" height="112" alt="" />
The union negotiated the agreement with the Cement Industry Employers&rsquo; Federation (CEIS) for which it had been bargaining with since 7 January. 
 
&Ccedil;IMSE-İş also reported that it had concluded talks in the ceramics industry, which it had been negotiating with the Soil Industry Employers&rsquo; Association of Turkey. The employers grouping covers such Turkish companies as Eczacıbaşı Yapı Gere&ccedil;leri Sanayi ve Ticaret AŞ, Vitra Karo Sanayi AŞ, Matel Hammadde (Serel Seramik) Sanayi ve Ticaret AŞ, T&uuml;tk Ytong Sanayi AŞ, Ege Seramik Sanayi ve Ticaret AŞ, and Ege Vitrifiye Sağlık Gere&ccedil;leri Sanayi ve Ticaret AŞ. 
 
This agreement covers 3,200 workers and is union members and is also valid from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2012. Wages will increase by 7% with an added YTL 30, while social benefit increases will average about 20%. 
 
&ldquo;The ICEM salutes the achievement of &Ccedil;IMSE-İş,&rdquo; said General Secretary Manfred Warda. &ldquo;After a severe period in the materials industries brought on by the financial crisis, these two sector-wide agreements bring important improvements to Turkish workers and serve as excellent examples of mature industrial relations and social dialogue.&rdquo;

Cement Agreement Reached in Turkey, Strike Averted

Archive

Steelworkers Mark Year-long Honeywell Lockout in US

ICEM Condemns Tactics of BHP Billiton, Mitsubishi in Australia Coal Talks

ILO Convention on Decent Work for Domestic Workers

ICEM Protests Crackdown on Ukrainian Trade Unions

Indonesian Workers Demand Social Security for all

Indonesia: Historic Pact Strengthens Sportswear Workers' Union Rights

Unions in Chemicals Continue Struggle in South-East Europe

Brazil’s ABC Chemical Workers’ Union Launches Social Dialogue Project

Turkish Lastik-İş Re-elects Abdullah Karacan President

Cement Agreement Reached in Turkey, Strike Averted

About IndustriALL

Follow us

Contact us