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RUSSIA: 300 workers of Togliatti auto-giant's assembly workshops laid down tools on August 1. Their main demand -- to raise wages up to 25,000 rubles ($1,000USD). The demand to raise wages at AvtoVAZ were put forward some time ago, such a promise had been made by the pro-presidential party "United Russia" in its regional elections' campaign. After the electoral victory the politicians forgot about the promise, but not workers. AvtoVAZ is the largest automobile company in Russia which employs over 110,000 people and impacts the life of Togliatti, a city with a population of 700,000 people. The monthly wages at the plant, 7,000-10,000 rubles ($275- $393USD), is low even by generally modest Russian standards. Two years ago the plant was acquired by a state-owned company Rosoboronexport. Many in the city hoped that nationalization would bring about improvements. However, things have proved otherwise. Rosoboronexport plans to attract a strategic investor. It is possible that this will be Magna, which already has an agreement to form a joint venture with AvtoVAZ. The current management of the company is actively increasing its "attractiveness" to foreign investors -- getting rid of the social infrastructure, refusing to adjust wages, conducting scheduled layoffs and trying to push trade unionists out of the plant. A pre-strike situation in the assembly workshops of AvtoVAZ has evolved sporadically, the workers have elected an independent strike committee. There are two unions acting in the plant -- AutoSelhozMash (Automobile and Farm Machinery Workers&#039; Union -AFW), an affiliate of the International Metalworkers' Federation, and Edinstvo, which has applied for affiliation to IMF. The AFW did not support the strike, arguing that discussions with the employer were under way and the workers' protests were politically inspired. Management together with police and company security started to mount pressure on the strike committee. One of the committee's members, Anton Vechkunin, was held under arrest for three days. The strike committee turned for help to chairman of Edinstvo, Petr Zolotarev. Edinstvo has provided necessary legal support to the strike action, and has helped to establish and keep the dialogue going with the company's management.

Strikers undeterred by company harassment and intimidation.

AvtoVAZ assembly shops strike for better wages

BOSNIA: 3,300 workers at Bosnia's largest steel maker, Mittal Steel Zenica, who went on strike on August 1, were ordered back to work two days later after a municipal court ruled that the union had not met all legal conditions before proceeding to strike. Members of the Trade Union of Metalworkers (TUM) launched the largest strike Bosnia has seen since the 1992-95 war after collective bargaining talks that started in June broke down. Workers are demanding a minimum wage of 2.50 Bosnian marka ($1.83 USD) per hour, up from the current 2 marka hourly wage. The union also wants night and overtime bonuses in line with a regional collective bargaining deal. The court denied management's move to have the strike deemed "unfounded", which leaves a window of opportunity for the union to correct any illegalities and restart the strike. "The International Metalworkers' Federation fully supports the efforts of Mittal Steel Zenica workers fighting for a decent wage and improved conditions," said IMF general secretary Marcello Malentacchi. "It is clear that the hard work and skills of the workers have made this plant extremely productive and profitable, yet the company refuses to share the rewards of their labour." Mittal Steel Zenica has a production capacity of 800,000 tonnes of metal annually and is a unit of the world's largest steel maker, Arcelor Mittal.

Court rules general strike at Mittal Steel Zenica illegal.

Bosnian steel workers ordered back to work

SOUTH KOREA: About 22,000 members of the Korean Metalworkers&rsquo; Union (KMWU) went on strike for two to six hours over a period of July 18-24 demanding improvements in the minimum wage, collective bargaining power, trade with subcontractors and labour security. Agreement was reached on July 25. Worker gains include: <ul><li>An 8 per cent increase in the minimum wage, set for next year at 900,000 won ($985 USD). The new wage applies to all employees, including temporary and migrant workers. </li><li>Management agreed to inform the union 70 days before any planned corporate division, merger or sale and execute the plans with the consent of the union. </li><li>Companies agreed to provide fair terms to subcontracting firms. </li><li>The union and management will set up a joint committee to secure employment in the metal industry.</li></ul> The KMWU is positioning itself for industry-wide negotiations, but four automakers, Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors, GM Daewoo and SsangYong Motor, which account for about 60 percent of the 143,000-strong membership, have refused to engage in recent discussions for fear of &ldquo;double bargaining.&rdquo;

Korean metalworkers win wage gains and improved conditions.

KMWU ends week-long strike

GLOBAL: Speaking at a World Health Organisation seminar on the prevention of occupational and environment cancer in Geneva, Anita Normark, General Secretary of the Building Workers' International launched the global "zero cancer" campaign and called on workplace regulators and employers to do more to end the worldwide epidemic of occupational cancer, which claims at least one life every 52 seconds. Occupational cancer is the most common work-related cause of death, ahead of other work-related diseases and accidents. "Bad, and often illegal, working conditions cause ill health that mean disaster for hundreds of thousands of families every year," said Normark. "The social invisibility of the impact of working conditions on our health creates a vicious circle where diseases are not recognised as occupational, so they are not recorded, notified, treated or compensated and, worst of all, they are not prevented," said Normark. A coalition of 11 global unions together representing over 300 million members in more than 150 countries has produced a new cancer prevention guide, which reveals that over 600,000 deaths a year -- one death every 52 seconds -- are caused by occupational cancer, making up almost one-third of all work-related deaths. IMF General Secretary Marcello Malentacchi added: "This epidemic has to stop. Trade unions in hundreds of countries have joined the campaign. We'll be calling for widespread workplace mapping, inquiries and surveys, and a big drive to get rid of the top killers, such a achieving a global ban on asbestos." Occupational Cancer/Zero Cancer: a union guide to prevention, provides information about workplace cancer risks and advice on practical steps workers and unions can take to make workplaces safer and is available at: <a href="../cancer">www.imfmetal.org/cancer</a>

A global "zero cancer" campaign aimed at tackling the number one workplace killer was launched today, one day prior to April 28 Workers' International Memorial Day.

Global unions call for &quot;zero cancer&quot; in the workplace

GENEVA: In Organising the Unorganised: Career Development and Lifelong Learning the IMF publishes a series of presentations and reports given at a seminar on this issue held in Paris on October 24-25, 2006. Lifelong learning is fundamental to empowering workers in the knowledge-based economy and in facilitating their career development. The reports at the seminar looked at developments and current practices in various countries and examined the way in which unions have been advancing lifelong learning on the bargaining agenda. Mari-Ann Kranz, Sif general secretary and president of the IMF non-manual workers department, said that adopting new perspectives, like the lifelong learning, is crucial when it comes to organizing new members. &ldquo;Unions have an increasingly important role to play when it comes to supporting members in their professional career. To me the meeting in Paris showed the vitality and creativeness among the IMF-affiliated unions around the world,&quot; she said. The IMF publication is available in English and French and is available for downloading under &quot;Publications&quot; on the IMF website.

IMF publishes report on lifelong learning.

IMF longlife report (pdf)

Laufbahnentwicklung und lebenslanges Lernen (pdf)

Déroulement de carrière et formation tout au long de la vie (pdf)

Lifelong learning report

<img src="" width="150" height="50" align="right"> 

GLOBAL: The International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) and the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) have signed an international framework agreement (IFA) with Brunel, a Netherlands-based international recruitment and service provider specialised in deploying skilled workers in the fields of engineering, ICT, legal, finance and insurance and banking.

By signing the agreement, Brunel formalised its commitment to ensuring fundamental human rights by working with labour and the IMF. The agreement, which initially applies to Brunel's operations which fall within the scope of the IMF, includes specific reference to the core labour Conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining, the right to equal pay, no forced or child labour and no discrimination.

The IFA provides for abstention from anti-union discrimination and commits on working against corruption. Brunel also commits to equal opportunity recruitment practices, continuous skills development and to ensuring that remuneration is better than, or at least equal to, conditions set forth in national legislation and collective bargaining agreements. Brunel also expects suppliers and subcontractors to adhere to the ILO conventions, with non-compliance resulting in sanctions, including withdrawal from future contracts.

The agreement came in response to the Howard Government's use of temporary migrant labour to undercut wages and conditions in Australia. "Under the Howard Government, temporary migrant labour has been terribly exploited through large agency fees, excessive costs for poor quality housing, dismissal when workers become injured, threat of deportation if they join the union and poor wages and conditions," explains AMWU president Julius Roe.

"While strongly supporting immigration on the basis that migrant workers have full citizenship and other rights, the AMWU has sought to expose the plight of these migrant workers and tried to reach collective agreements with companies that seek to use temporary migrant workers," he said.

"The agreement with Brunel ensures that temporary migrant workers are only used where absolutely necessary and that they receive training, equal wages and conditions and union and collective agreement protection. Given the international nature of employment in this sector, an international agreement with the support of the IMF was essential," he said.

A copy of the agreement is published on the IMF website.

IMF and affiliate AMWU signs an International Framework Agreement with Brunel, a global recruitment and service provider.

Indesit (previously Merloni)

Volkswagen

Daimler

Leoni

Rheinmetall

Bosch

Prym

Renault

EADS

Röchling

PSA Peugeot Citroën

Brunel

Umicore

Vallourec

Aker

Electrolux

Norsk Hydro

IMF signs IFA with Brunel

SOUTH KOREA: Members of the Korean Metalworkers' Union (KMWU) kicked off a series of rallies against the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (Kor-US FTA) in central Seoul and regionally on June 29. In Seoul 20,000 workers, farmers and students, under the umbrella of the Korean Trade Union Confederation (KCTU) and the Korean Alliance against the Kor-US FTA (KoA), voiced their opposition to the agreement, which was signed by Korea and the U.S. on Saturday June 30.

The Kor-US FTA, which is yet to be ratified by the US Congress and Korean unicameral National Assembly, will pit both Korean and U.S. workers against one another in a race to the bottom, while enabling capital mobility and financial speculation. The agreement fails to include meaningful protection of fundamental workers' rights and is based on a system where economic growth is achieved through the destruction of good jobs, increased casualisation of employment, and by undermining universal health care and other public services.

Prior to the rallies on Friday, the KMWU held a series of regional and national strikes against the Kor-US FTA, expressing its serious concerns about the impact the FTA will have on its members. Employers have since filed damages claims for economic losses, resulting in the government investigating 67 KMWU officers and issuing 27 arrest warrants against KMWU leaders, including its president, first vice president, general secretary, and 14 regional branch chairs.

On June 28, 110,000 KMWU members across the country downed tools, including KMWU Hyundai Motors Branch union members in Ulsan who halted production at 12.30. Workers at Hyundai Motors had been the focus of attacks by government, employers and press for striking against the FTA. To avoid a violent crackdown at a mass rally, the workers gathered in nine areas throughout the plant complex for smaller rallies near their lines.

About 9,000 KMWU members struck on June 25 in Chungcheong and North Jolla regions, and over 20,300 workers in Seoul Metropolitan region and Kwangju/South Jolla province took strike action on June 26, and 38,000 workers went on strike in Yeongnam region on Wednesday.

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC), joined with the IMF and several of its affiliates and others in sending letters of solidarity to the KMWU on the occasion of its first national strike since becoming an industrial union.

KMWU conducts strikes and protests against the Korea U.S. Free Trade Agreement, which was signed on June 30.

Korean metalworkers strike against FTA

110,000 KMWU members strike against FTA

The meeting was chaired by Dick Davis, Assistant Int. President USWA and attended by some 200 plus delegates from all of the aluminium plants in Canada and the USA, including several delegates from the IAM. In addition IMF affiliated trade unions from Australia, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Russia, Ghana and South Africa, as well as two representatives from a non-unionised Alcoa-subsidiary in Mexico and the IMF. 

Sheila Block and Carey Burnell from the USWA Research Department presented a report on all aspects of the bauxite alumina and aluminium industry, including an analysis of all of the major aluminium companies, addressing such issues as labour relations, company finance, capacity, production and consumption, prices, international trade, as well as the implications on employment resulting from merger activity. 
Patti Seehafer and Kelly C. McCaffrey, USWA, presented very comprehensive reports on negotiating occupational pension plans and improved health and accident benefit provisions. 

Leo W. Gerard, the newly-appointed International President of the USWA, pointed out that he was pleased to have the opportunity to address this important conference, so soon after his appointment, as it provided an opportunity to underline the importance of international trade union solidarity and to portray his vision of the future and the role of the USWA. 

Mike Wright USWA Director for Health and Safety stressed the fact that the resolution of health and safety problems at work was a political rather than a technical issue, as the solutions were known and it was simply a question of the allocation of resources. 
 To assist all workers in the aluminium industry develop both an awareness of the problems and the required health and safety programmes, it was suggested that the IMF should produce a booklet for the aluminium industry, similar to the one produced for steel. 

Len Powell, IMF, drew attention to the extremely serious consequences arising from exposure to radioactive contaminated scrap.&lt;br

While the tonnages of radioactive non-ferrous metal scrap were much less than those of steel, increased amounts would be coming on to the scrap metal market in the near future. and it was necessary to ensure the proper precautions were taken to avoid any risk of exposure, and this meant in effect the adoption of a zero-exposure policy. 

Dick Davis strongly supported the proposal to publish a health and safety booklet for the aluminium industry, which would assist in the development and adoption of common health and safety provisions, based on best practices, for all aluminium workers. Adding that leading companies such as Alcoa, Alcan, Pechiney and Kaiser, would have some difficulty in rejecting such a proposal. Furthermore, the USWA would be negotiating a new master collective agreement with Alcoa later this year and such a proposal will be an important part of the union's demands. 

After conveying his message of solidarity and support, on behalf of the twenty-three million metalworkers in the IMF family, Marcello Malentacchi underlined the importance of the aluminium industry, which is growing faster than any other metal, as new applications are being developed that exploit the advantages aluminium has to offer. 

The need for stable and sensibly priced electricity supplies was highlighted by the fact that some companies in the USA could make much higher profits by closing down their plants, then re-selling the electricity they did not use. 

The aluminium industry is undergoing a period of consolidation and restructuring, with a wave of mergers and take-overs resulting in a concentration of ownership that further intensifies competition, and with the development of massive MNCs like Alcoa, for example, with subsidiaries in almost every part of the world, they become the pace setters for wages, working conditions, occupational health and safety and environmental provisions, for the industry as a whole. 

This makes it increasingly important for the trade unions which represent the interests of the workers in such companies, to develop the necessary structures to facilitate the international solidarity and cooperation that will become increasingly important in the years ahead. 

There is an urgent need to overcome the lack of unity at both the national and international level, and we will seek to achieve this by establishing IMF Country Councils where they do not already exist, and complement these developments at the individual company level, through the establishment of IMF World Company Councils. 

An important aspect is the negotiation of draft Codes of Conduct for those companies where we have established World Company Councils. 

The IMF's Corporate Code of Conduct sets out to establish that all workers in a single company are guaranteed "Core Labour Standards", and ensure decent wages and working conditions for all the company's employees, including those who work for sub-contract companies. 

It is clear that we are facing some difficult times and, with the election of a Republican President, the situation is not going to get any easier, but I am confident, that as long as the workers in the metal industries continue to cooperate, and provide the support and solidarity that was shown by those who helped to form the IMF over 100 years ago, then we can and we will succeed. 

Dick Davis pointed out that with the overall reduction in union membership, we have seen a drop in wages, pensions, cost of living agreements and retiree benefits, as well as an increase in contracting out and a shift to individual plant bargaining. Consequently, we urgently need to establish a global trade union movement. 

In the general discussion which followed, the dramatic change in the approach of management at Kaiser Aluminium, following the change of ownership, led to a strike and then to a two year-long lockout as a result of Kaiser's challenge to the long established "pattern bargaining" practice in the USA aluminium industry. 
In addition to seeking international trade union solidarity and support, it was necessary to forge an alliance with environmental groups in order to win the necessary public support, as well as pursuing our claim through the legal system. Indeed, when the lockout was declared illegal, Kaiser became liable for over $350 m. in back pay, which forced them to reinstate their employees and return to the negotiating table. 

Another significant victory was won at South Wire Aluminium, where a Federal Judge ordered the company to take back all of the former workers, but the company refused to reinstate the 17 that had been dismissed after being convicted of various offences whilst on picket duty. Following negotiations with Century Aluminium, who are in the process of buying the South Wire plant, the 17 steelworker members who were fired, will all be reinstated. 

Lawrence Mc Brearty USWA in Canada, stressed the importance of international trade union solidarity. Faced as we are with a wide range of regional trade agreements, that are designed to increase profits and eliminate all obstacles that would prevent the achievement of that goal, trade union solidarity is the only solution. Adding that the next meeting for the proposed FTAA, which will include all American countries apart from Cuba, will be meeting in Quebec next month. 
The many governments attending this meeting will be seeking to extend the rights of companies to make profits in line with those provided in NAFTA. And while the USWA has not been invited to participate in this meeting, he assured those present that the USWA in Canada would make their views known, and he invited all present to join with them in their protests. 

Gerry Fernandez USWA International Department noted that the USWA has a proud history of defensive struggles, but we now need to establish the necessary networks with other trade unions and forge alliances with NGOs, to ensure we are able to achieve our goals. 

Reference was made to the plight of Mexican employees of an Alcoa plant in the maquiladoras, where they have denied their workers the right to join or form a trade union. 

Country reports 

Sweden 
It was noted that a 3 year collective agreement had recently been signed, providing improved job security as well as additional holidays and early retirement, and an increase of more than 10% in wages. 

It was pointed out that the Swedish aluminium industry consists of just 3 companies, which employ a total of 10,000, of which 3,000 are in Sweden. There is only one primary aluminium smelter, producing 60,000 tpa. 

Australia -	
Aluminium is important to the Australian economy, employing 13,000 workers, two-thirds of which are members of trade unions. 
 Two plants closed recently, with the companies blaming overseas competition, and although we have negotiated good redundancy packages this is not what we wanted, as we would have preferred to save the jobs of our members. 

The trade union movement in Australia has been under severe attack, with the Conservative Government supporting both the use of scab labour to break a dock strike, and BHP's attempt to force its employees to sign individual contracts of employment and abandon their collective agreement, which would result in beginning of the end of union recognition in the iron-ore mines. Despite the best efforts of the union, significant numbers are being persuaded to sign individual contracts by the offer of increased pay. 

Germany 
It is clear from the reports we are hearing that we are all suffering the same problems and we need to practice international solidarity and not just talk about it. It was suggested that we should establish a contact list with the names, addresses, etc. for union officials in all Alcoa and Alcan plants. 

The proposed mergers between Alcan, Pechiney and Alusuisse was conceived in secret and the workers only found out via the mass media. As a result IGM successfully lobbied the European Commission to reject the merger on anti-trust grounds. 

The globalisation process is likely to result in the existance of just five major aluminium companies in the not too distant future, and it is essential that we form an international world company council to ensure the workers are in these massive companies properly represented. 

A Canadian delegate pointed out that when the APA merger was announced, they were told the 10,000 job losses that were announced would take place in France and Switzerland, yet when they contacted the unions in these countries, they found that their management had told them exactly the same story. 
This underlines the need for us to cooperate much more closely in future, in order to prevent management from playing off workers in one country against those elsewhere. 

Alcan workers are planning to meet in Quebec in April to establish a WCC, and we need the IMF's help to create WCCs for Alcoa and Kaiser. 

Gerry Fernandez explained that the new International President Leo Gerard strongly supported the proposal to establish WCCs, as this type of initiative was one of his highest priorities. 

There are 13,000 non-unionised Alcoa employees in Mexico and we should target this plant to help our fellow workers who receive less than $1.00/hr, to enable them to achieve basic trade union and human rights and a decent standard of living. 

Mexico 
The problems faced by those working in the maquiladora area in Mexico do not only involve a struggle for better wages and working conditions, but even involve such basic items as toilet paper, which the company strictly rations to its employees. 

When we sought to negotiate improvements in wages and health and safety provisions, management stalled by asking for six months to prepare their response. When we subsequently asked the company for its decision, they claimed that it was only 24 workers who were causing the problems. 
Mounted police were brought in and used excessive force against the workers who organised a sit-in to draw attention to their claim. Some of the police kicked workers who were sitting on the ground and used tear gas to disperse the workers. Alcoa subsequently sacked their entire workforce, but finally agreed to reinstate all of the 1,600 workforce, with the exception of the 24 trade union leaders who management claimed were responsible for the demonstration, even though some of them did not take part in the struggle.

A second Mexican delegate noted that they are seeing the emergence of democracy in the trade union movement in Mexico. However, many local town councils try to attract companies like Alcoa to establish plants in their locality by promising union-free workforces. 
We find it more effective to speak to management of the parent company rather than those in the local plants. Indeed, when we raised this issue with Alcoa management in the USA, all of the 24 union officials were reinstated. 

It is not the working conditions that we are complaining about, but long working hours and the extremely low level of wages, which means that our living conditions are abysmal, with no running water or sanitation. 

Brazil 
Aluminium output has been steadily increasing with investment in new production capacity, making Brazil the sixth largest primary aluminium producer with 1.2 mtpa. 

Reflecting the high costs of energy, labour costs only account for 10% of total production costs, resulting in employment costs becoming less important. 

The trade union model in Brazil is very different from that in the USA, as it was copied from the Italian fascist system. And despite the fact that Brazil has ratified the ILO Core Conventions, the major companies collect union dues from their employees and gives them to the officially recognised right wing union and not to the CNM-CUT which has the bulk of the membership. 
South Africa 
1994 was a turning point in South Africa and the trade unions played a major role in the first democratic elections, resulting in the election of the ANC Government. 
 However, the opening-up of our market resulted in many companies, which were previously protected by import tariffs, being forced into bankruptcy, resulting in widespread unemployment with many of the former factories becoming warehouses for imported goods. 

Collective bargaining takes place at the national, as well as at the company and plant-level. We negotiate 2 or 3 year contracts with automatic cost of living compensation. All trade unions meet to agree to a common platform of demands, before meeting management. 

There is a serious lack of investment in the necessary infrastructure, with many rural areas having no electricity supplied and often where it is, the workers cannot afford to pay for it. 

Billiton was a major employer in South Africa with more than 4,000 workers at four sites. Now employment has fallen by 75% and the company has invested in a new aluminium smelter in Mozambique, with the eventual intention of shutting down their South African operations, as it pays its Mozambique workers one seventh of that paid in South Africa and will be exempt from paying any taxes for several years, while they are able to purchase surplus energy production from ASCOM -- the South African public utility, at a much lower price than it pays in South Africa. 

Furthermore the workers at the Mozambique plant were forced to accept a no-union contract. 

Russia 
The Metalworkers' Union in Russia is only 10 years old, and although this has been a very difficult time, we have found our place in the Russian and international trade union movement. 

103,000 trade union members are employed in the Russian Aluminium sector, with Rusky Aluminy and Sual representing 70% and 20% respectively. 

As domestic demand is improving, we are increasing secondary transformation production and reducing the level of exports. And while the companies are seeking to reduce the level of established social provisions, we are defending them very vigorously. 

Ghana 
The aluminium industry has one 150,000 tpa primary smelter along with a hydro-electric dam and an excellent education system, which were all a part of the vision of the founding fathers when Ghana achieved its independence from British rule 44 years ago yesterday. The country, which had been subject to 24 years of military dictatorship, is in a sorry state, but elected a democratic government in December 2000. 

In summing up the issues raised in the meeting, Dick Davis stressed the need for workers to share the information they gained during the course of this meeting, and in particular to let Alcoa management know how disillusioned you are with their behaviour. 

A joint OH &amp; S meeting is one possibility and this will be put in our negotiating package when we meet Alcoa management on the 17th May. 

We also pledge ourselves to continue cooperating with the AFL-CIO to help our colleagues in the Alcoa plants in Mexico form a trade union and negotiate a better standard of living for themselves and their families. 


____________meeting terminated______________

The following is a short report of the USWA international conference on aluminium, held in Las Vagas on March 5-7, 2001.

USWA Aluminium Conference

SPAIN: April 28 marks the &quot;International Day to Commemorate Dead and Injured Workers&quot;. Trade unions worldwide have begun making plans to remember those workers who have either died or been injured in the course of their professional activity. Leading up to actions related to April 28, the trade unions in Spain have announced their intention to hold a national general strike on April 27. The one-hour strike will take place from 12 noon to 1 p.m. during which there will be a moment of silence as well as a public reading about the increase in fatality rates at the workplace. Major themes for events, which are being organised by the trade union confederations CC.OO. and UGT, will be deaths and injuries related to temporary work, subcontracting, immigrant labour as well as age and gender factors. According to the Trade Union Occupational Health, Safety and Environment Working Party, the first countries to officially adopt some form of national commemoration day related to workers&#039; health and safety are Spain, Canada and Thailand. The Spanish government approved a decree three years ago for the observance of April 28. Spain currently has an average of five workers die EVERY DAY as a result of unsustainable forms of production.

Health and safety in the workplace is the focus for April 28.

Spain to commemorate&lt;br&gt;dead and injured workers

POLAND: Eight workers have been on a hunger strike at Katowice Steelworks in southern Poland since March 8. The strikers started their sit-in to protest the decision by banks to withdraw credits from the financially troubled company. 
According to the Polish news agency PAP, protests first began a month ago with a demonstration in Katowice by 2,000 people who were demanding talks with the government. A spokesperson for the IMF-affiliated Solidarity trade union, which represents workers at the plant, said that although a delegation of hunger strikers did meet with government officials at the end of last week, there was little hope that their discussions would produce concrete results. 
Katowice Steelworks is Poland's largest steel producer, with a 5 million ton annual capacity.

Steelworkers protest the further weakening of Katowice Steelworks.

Hunger strike in Poland

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