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Son g&uuml;nlerde Kolombiya'da ICEM Proje Koordinat&ouml;r&uuml; Carlos Bustos'un katkılarıyla iki &ccedil;alışma toplantısı d&uuml;zenlendi. Toplantılardan biri, Kolombiya Elektrik İş&ccedil;ileri Sendikası Sintralecol'un Bogota'daki genel merkezinde ger&ccedil;ekleştirildi. Bu toplantı &uuml;lkedeki sendikacıların karşı karşıya bulunduğu zor koşulların g&ouml;r&uuml;ş&uuml;lmesini ve iş&ccedil;i haklarının korunması konusunda sendikalar arasındaki iletişimin geliştirilmesini ama&ccedil;lıyordu. 
 
27-31 Ekim g&uuml;nlerinde yapılan bir dizi at&ouml;lye &ccedil;alışmasından oluşan ikinci toplantıya katılan 38 sendika y&ouml;neticisi tehlikelerle dolu zor bir d&ouml;nemde nasıl bir sendikal &ccedil;alışma y&uuml;r&uuml;tmek gerektiği konusunda fikir alışverişi yaptılar. 

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Elektrik İş&ccedil;ileri Sendikası'nın genel merkezindeki &ccedil;alışmaya değişik sendikaların temsilcileri, Endesa, Repsol ve Iberdrola gibi şirketlerdeki sendika y&ouml;neticileri ile Sintralecol genel merkez y&ouml;neticileri katıldılar. 
Kolombiya'daki politik durum &uuml;zerine konuşan katılımcılar, &uuml;lkede iş&ccedil;ilerin karşı karşıya kaldığı vahim durumdan ve insan hakları ihlallerinden duydukları ortak kaygıyı dile getirdiler. Ulusal ve uluslararası d&uuml;zeylerde ilişkileri ve dayanışmayı geliştirmenin yollarını tartıştılar. Uluslararası sendika temsilcileri Kolombiya'da iş&ccedil;i hakları i&ccedil;in verilen m&uuml;cadelede birlik &ccedil;ağrısı yaptılar ve b&uuml;t&uuml;n Latin Amerika'da insana yakışır &uuml;cret talebini vurguladılar. 
 
Ekim sonlarındaki &ccedil;alışma toplantılarında, şimdi sona ermiş bulunan şeker kamışı iş&ccedil;ilerinin grevi ve ICEM &uuml;yesi Kolombiya Kimya İş&ccedil;ileri Sendikası Sintraquim ile Laboratorios Biogen y&ouml;netimi arasındaki uyuşmazlık &uuml;zerinde duruldu. Bu iki olay iş&ccedil;ilerin ve sendikaların uğradıkları baskı ve zulm&uuml;n belirgin &ouml;rnekleriydi. 
 
&Ccedil;alışma toplantısının d&uuml;zenlenmesine katkıda bulunan &ouml;rg&uuml;tler şunlardı: Sintraquim, Sintraelecol, Sintracarbon ve Sintravidricol. Toplantının g&uuml;ndeminde k&uuml;reselleşme ve grev y&ouml;netimi teknikleri gibi konular da yer alıyordu. 
 
Katılımcılar Sintrabiogen'deki iş&ccedil;ilerle dayanışma eylemini g&uuml;&ccedil;lendirme konusunda g&ouml;r&uuml;ş birliğine vardılar.

Kolombiya Sendikaları Günümüz Koşullarında Dayanışmayı Güçlendirmek İçin Toplantılar Düzenliyor

ICEM WOMEN’S BULLETIN 32

Statement of Xstrata Union Leaders 
 
We as leaders of unions representing workers at Xstrata have met in Montreal, Quebec on October 15 and 16, 2008. 
 
We have exchanged information and discussed our experiences. 
 
We are concerned that Xstrata&rsquo;s actions are having a negative impact on workers and communities around the world. We expect Xstrata to operate at the highest labour and environmental standards around the world. 
 
We agreed as follows: 
&bull; To support members of CAW 599 in their struggle in Timmins, Ontario, Canada with the company. 
&bull; To find concrete ways to offer stronger support to each other during collective bargaining, especially for unions entering into bargaining in 2008 and 2009 (including among others: the Falconbridge Workers Union in the Dominican Republic; Altonorte Smelter Workers Union, in Chile, and Antamina Workers Union, in Peru). 
&bull; To promote worker exchanges to promote solidarity and build awareness on workers&rsquo; issues. 
&bull; To improve communication between us. We need fast and effective communication as the foundation of our work. We will establish a communications network through the internet. 
&bull; To consult with and educate our members in our local unions. 
&bull; To endorse the campaign of the CFMEU in Australia on workers&rsquo; right to be represented by trade unions. We will participate in that campaign through coordinated action. 
&bull; To meet again and bring together more unions representing Xstrata workers. To work with the ICEM and its affiliates. 
&bull; To develop strategies, including media strategies, to advance union campaigns. 
&bull; To establishing an International Solidarity Fund that would provide us with the resources to undertake joint projects and support each other at the appropriate times 
&bull; To work toward: 
&bull; establishing a Workers&rsquo; World Council 
&bull; engaging the company in the establishment of common international minimum standards on occupational health, safety and environment. 
 
The following unions and union federations participated in the meeting and endorse this statement. 
 
ICEM - International Federation of Chemical, Energy, and Mining and General Workers&rsquo; Unions 
 
From Australia &ndash; 
Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union (CFMEU) &ndash; Australia, including: CFMEU branches at: 
&bull; Xstrata Newlands Coal 
&bull; Xstrata Oaky North Coal 
&bull; Northern District Branches 
 
From Germany - 
IG Metal, Nordenham, Germany 
 
From Canada &ndash; 
United Steelworkers (USW), including: 
&bull; USW Local 2020 &ndash; Xstrata Nickel, Sudbury, Ontario 
&bull; USW Local 4614 - Fonderie Generale &ndash; Montreal, Quebec 
&bull; USW Local 5385 &ndash; Brunswick Mining &amp; Smelting, Bathurst, New Brunswick 
&bull; USW Local 6887 &ndash; CCR, Montreal, Quebec 
&bull; USW Local 6486 &ndash; CEZinc, Montreal, Quebec 
&bull; USW Local 9449 - Raglan, Qu&eacute;bec 
&bull; USW Local 7085 &ndash; Brunswick Mining &amp; Smelting, Bathurst, New Brunswick 
 
From Chile &ndash; 
Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Fundidora Altonorte, Antofagasta, Chile 
 
From the Dominican Republic &ndash; 
SUTRAFADO, Falconbridge Workers Union, Dominican Republic 
 
From Peru &ndash; 
FNTMMSP, National Federation of Mine and Metalworkers of Peru 
SUTRACOMASA, Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Compa&ntilde;&iacute;a Minera Antamina, Peru

XSTRATA UNIONS GLOBAL NETWORK

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Two meetings were held recently in Colombia, as organised by ICEM Project Coordinator Carlos Bustos. One meeting was held at the Bogot&aacute; headquarters of the Colombian electrical workers union, Sintralecol, to discuss the difficult circumstances facing trade unionists in the country, and to improve communication between unions in relation to protecting workers&rsquo; rights. 
 
A second meeting, a set of workshops from 27-31 October, saw 38 trade union leaders participate in an ICEM training forum where ideas were exchanged on how to push forward during dangerous times for trade unionists, as well as for local indigenous groups. 
 
Present at the Sintralecol headquarters were representatives from labour unions ISCOD, FIA-UGT, as well as union leaders from the companies Endesa, Repsol, Iberdrola, and Union Fenosa, as well as the national leadership of Sintralecol. They included: Antonio Deusa of FIA-UGT; Monserrat L&oacute;pez of FIA-UGT; Donato Palomares, a union leader at Endesa; Antonio Rodr&iacute;guez of FIA-UGT at Iberdrola; Roberto Cabal and Walter Van Battenburg, trade union leaders at Endesa in Chile; H&eacute;ctor Fajardo, representing ISCOD; Lu&iacute;s Farf&aacute;n of Sintralecol; and Bustos. 
 

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All present spoke on the political situation in Colombia, expressing their concerns over the serious situation facing workers and the exercise of their human rights in Colombia. With these challenges, the trade unions searched for ways to improve relations at national level and ways to attract international support for workers not protected by the law. The international labour representatives present called for unity in the fight for workers&rsquo; rights in Colombia, as well as for decent pay throughout Latin America. All parties present pledged to move forward in solidarity and unity. 
 
The late October training sessions took up the strike of sugar cane workers, now ended, and the conflict that members of Sintraquim, the ICEM Colombian affiliate representing chemical workers, has with management at Laboratorios Biogen. These cases illustrate blatant examples of worker persecution and trade union repression. 
 
Organisations assisting with the event included Sintraquim, Sintraelecol, Sintracarbon and Sintravidricol. Individuals present were Bustos, who coordinates ICEM in Colombia; Hernando Beltr&aacute;n Soci&oacute;logo, a regional expert: Manuel &Aacute;ngel T&eacute;llez of the CUT: Miguel &Aacute;ngel Castro, an economist; Crist&oacute;bal L&oacute;pez, who presented her concept of globalization, and Dr. Carlos Rodr&iacute;guez and Dr. Lu&iacute;s Farf&aacute;n, who both discussed leadership techniques on how to manage strikes. 
 
All those present pledged action of support and solidarity with comrades at Sintrabiogen, in their struggles for workers&rsquo; rights.

Colombian Trade Unions conduct Meetings, Workshops to Develop Solidarity in Challenging Times

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In October 2006, efforts to make the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure of the Rotterdam Convention apply to asbestos were blocked by a handful of countries, including Canada. The Rotterdam Convention is an international agreement on hazardous materials. 
 
PIC is not a ban. It is a requirement stating that information is to be made available, and adequate warning of a substance&rsquo;s hazards is to be made available when that substance is traded on global markets. However, even this mild requirement has been too much for the asbestos industry to accept. Their fear, no doubt, is that such warnings will cause developing countries &ndash; Canada is one of the biggest exporters of asbestos &ndash; to question the safety of asbestos. 

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The Canadian government made the usual public excuses about scientific uncertainty but, in fact, a government memo that became public last year proves that Canada backs the asbestos industry for crass economic and political reasons. The existence, or lack of existence,&nbsp;of&nbsp;any scientific doubt about the hazards of asbestos played little role. 
 
On 31 October, at the most recent Conference of the Parties to the Rotterdam Convention, Canada once again managed to prevent the PIC procedure from applying to asbestos. Canadian delegates, aware of the embarrassing stance of their position, chose to keep a low profile, but worked behind the scenes to organise and encourage the very few remaining supporters of asbestos to block any progress. Those nations are India, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Ukraine, Pakistan, and the Philippines. 
 
It is interesting to note that the Rotterdam Convention binds signatory countries to consider only the hazard criteria. Economic and trade issues are not grounds for excluding a substance from the PIC procedure. How then were the parties able to prevent the inclusion of asbestos under PIC when no one at the October meeting was able to refute the case that all forms of asbestos &ndash; including chrysotile &ndash; meet the Rotterdam Convention&rsquo;s scientific and legal criteria?

Canada Again Serves as Roadblock at Rotterdam Convention on Asbestos

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The 2008 collective agreement covering 30,000 rubber workers in Germany was put in place, following agreement on 30 October between ICEM affiliate IGBCE and the rubber employers&rsquo; association. The 15-month contract, from 1 September 2008 to 30 November 2009, was accepted by a large majority. 
 
The agreement calls for a 1 November 2008 wage increase of 2.5%. On 1 July 2009, another wage increase of 1.3% will be put into effect. The yearly training allowance per worker was increased by &euro;25.00 effective on 1 January 2009. 

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Rubber employers in Germany have committed &euro;4 million to the Association of Employment Promotion (VzB), which assures a flexible transition to retirement, including part-time work and other benefits for workers nearing retirement, particularly during times of redundancies. 
 
The agreement commits the union and employers to handle issues of demographics and work life in conjunction with framework negotiations during the first quarter 2009, with the aim of reaching accord by 30 September 2009.

German Rubber Workers Agree to 15-Month Labour Agreement

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The ICEM and some of its major mining affiliates made a historic step in trade union work around Xstrata, a major global mining house. The meeting took place in Montr&eacute;al, Canada, on 25 October. 
 
The meeting was initiated by the United Steelworkers (USW) and included mining unions from Canada, Peru, Chile, Australia, Germany, and the Dominican Republic, along with the ICEM. 
 
The meeting was a first step in building a world council of Xstrata trade unions. The company is based in Switzerland and traded on London and Swiss stock exchanges. Efforts are underway to involve other ICEM affiliates in the mining sector, as well as other trade unions. 
<img height="173" alt="" src="" width="260" />
Euclide Hache and Mike Willett from USW New Brunswick Mine, Canada 
Martin Schindler, IG Metall Wesermarsch, Germany 
Bodo Bar, Xstrata Zinc Nordenham, Germany 
Bob McGregor, USW New Brunswick Refinery, Canada 

On November 10, rank and file CFMEU delegates from Xstrata&rsquo;s coal operations throughout Australia endorsed a campaign to defend collective bargaining and fight the company&rsquo;s efforts to promote individual contracts. The delegates also voted to be part on an active international network. &ldquo;We must confront Xstrata on equal global terms or we&rsquo;ll be picked off one by one&quot;, said Andrew Vickers, CFMEU General Vice-President. 
 
At the 25 October meeting, a statement was adopted. It can be found at <a href="/index.php?id=5&amp;doc=2855">here</a>.&nbsp; (please note that the strike by members of the Canadian Auto Workers has been settled)

Mining Unions, Gathering in Canada, Focus on Xstrata

North Meets South 
Global Unity, Global Strength 
 
 
December 8: 
 
9h30: Welcome and Introductions, Jouko Ahonen, Chairman, Finland 
9h40: Welcome by Walter Silva, President of CUOPYC, Host Union, Uruguay 
9h50: Welcome by Sergio Novais, ICEM South American/Caribbean Region, Brazil 
10h00: Address Uruguay Minister, Tourism, Dr. Hector Lescano 
10h15: Address Uruguay Minister, Industry, |Daniel Martinez 
10h50: Address by Uruguay Minister, Labour and Social Secruity, Eduardo Bonomi 
 
11h15: Tea/Coffee Break 
 
11h40: Report from ICEM Secretariat, General Secretary Manfred Warda 
12h10: Report on Industry, Importance of ICEM Work Plan, Jouko Ahonen, Chairman 
12h40: Addendum/Additions, ICEM Written Secretariat Report, Dick Blin, ICEM Pulp and Paper Officer 
 
13h00: Lunch 
 
14h15: Introduction of Industry Panel, Jouko Ahonen, Chairman 
Ikka H&auml;m&auml;l&auml;, Chairman and CEO, Mets&auml;-Botnia OY, Finland 
Jeronimo Ruiz, Director of Pulp and Paper Industry, S&atilde;o Paulo State, CEO, BRACELPA (Brazil Pulp/Paper Assn.) 
 
 
 
16h00: Tea/Coffee Break 
 
16h20: Discussion and Questions of Industry Panel 
 
17h30: Break for the Day 
 
 
 
December 9: 
 
Note: A session likely will be interrupted with arrival and address by Uruguay President Tabar&eacute; V&aacute;squez 
 
9h30: Introduction of Trade Union Panel, Work Plan Goals, Jouko Ahonen, Chairman 
Blas Juan Alari, FOEIPCyQ, Argentina 
Jan-Henrik Sandberg, Svenska Pappers, Sweden 
Fred Wilson, Communications, Energy, Paperworkers, Canada 
Fernando Barassain, Coordinadora, Mercosur, Uruguay 
Daniela Sampaio, Instituto Observat&oacute;rio Social, Brazil 
Dick Blin, ICEM Pulp and Paper Officer, Geneva 
 
11h15: Tea/Coffee Break 
 
11h40: Discussion and Questions of Trade Union Panel 
 
13h00: Lunch 
 
14h15: Pulp/Paper Collective Bargaining in 2009; Work Plan Development 
Jouko Ahonen, Chairman; and Dick Blin, Pulp and Paper Officer 
 
14h50: Discussion of Work Plan and Collective Bargaining Agenda 
 
15h30: Tea/Coffee Break 
 
15h50: Resume Discussion, Finalise Work Plan, Elect Chairman 
 
17h15: Concluding Remarks 
ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda, Chairman Jouko Ahonen 
 
15h40: Close 
 
 
 
December 10: 
 
Day Long Social Events Commemorating Signing of the Universal Declaration of 
Human Rights on December 10, 1948 &ndash; Sponsored by Host Union, CUOPYC 
 
 
 
Supplemental Agenda Items: 
 
December 6-7: Building and Woodworkers&rsquo; International Conference on Forest 
Certification Programmes for Latin America (Spanish language only) 
 
December 7, 18h00: ICEM Meeting with Pulp and Paper Trade Unionists from 
Mercosur countries regarding Finland SASK possible 3-year Project on 
Union Building and Solidarity Activities in Latin American Sector

Piriápolis, Uruguay
December 8-10, 2008


ICEM World Conference for the Pulp &amp; Paper Industries

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After four years of existence, the Global Union Research Network (GURN), a joint ILO and global unions research forum, unveiled a more user-friendly and attractive web site. Users will find it much easier to navigate and search for documents and information on the many topics covered by the institute. 
 
A new addition to the site is the topic on Public-Private Partnership, which allows GURN to provide information on eleven important research topics: Corporate Governance; Economic Alternatives and Poverty Eradication; Global Trade Union Strategies (Union Renewal); Health Politics and Trade Unions; Migration; OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises; Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) &amp; International Financial Institutions (IFIs); Public-Private Partnerships; Sustainable Development; Trade; and Wages and Collective Bargaining 
 
The new Public-Private Partnership (PPP) page is created to shed light on the issues and concerns related to PPPs in different countries. 
 
GURN is a platform for trade unionists and researchers dealing with the challenges of globalization from a labour perspective. Partners to it include the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) of the OECD, the Global Union Federations, the ILO&rsquo;s Bureau for Workers&rsquo; Activities (ACTRAV), and the ILO&rsquo;s Institute for Labour Studies. 
 
The new site can be found <a href="http://www.gurn.info/en/">here</a>.

GURN Launches New Website

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The ICEM has received a request for affiliation by the National Miners' and Metalworkers' Union of Mexico (SNTMMSRM), a progressive trade union of 250,000 members. Although formal acceptance of the affiliation is subject to approval by the regional committee and the ICEM Executive Committee, it is anticipated that approval will be unanimous. 
 
ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda, in a letter to SNTMMSRM Secretary General Napoleon G&oacute;mez Urrutia and the union&rsquo;s executive board, welcomed the application for affiliation: &ldquo;We view your affiliation as an historic step to not only align with mining unions throughout the world but also to further integrate the struggle for free and democratic trade unionism in Mexico with both the North America and Latin America regions of the ICEM.&rdquo; 
 
The ICEM has joined a global campaign, initiated by the International Metalworkers Federation (IMF), to bring more public attention and pressure on the Mexican government to stop efforts to destroy the union. Numerous ICEM affiliates have sent letters to Mexican President Felipe Calder&oacute;ne, protesting the collaboration of the government with Grupo M&eacute;xico to crush one of the few examples of democratic trade unionism in the country. The ICEM encourages additional letters, please refer to <a href="/index.php?id=155&amp;la=EN&amp;doc=2797">here</a>. 
 
Napoleon G&oacute;mez and his family, fearing assassination or incarceration on trumped up charges by the Mexican government, have been in exile in Canada under the sponsorship of the United Steelworkers. In May 2008, he was unanimously was re-elected as general secretary while in exile. 
 
In February 2006, a coal mine explosion killed 65 miners and only two bodies were ever recovered. The government has refused to investigate the cause of the accident. The government has also refused to investigate Grupo Mexico&rsquo;s involvement in the murder of Reynaldo Hern&aacute;ndez Gonz&aacute;lez, a miner who was applying for reinstatement, and the detention and torture of union members in Nacozari, Sonora. 
 
In April 2006, the government of Mexico sent 1,000 armed officers in an unsuccessful attempt to crush a strike in the State of Michoacan which resulted in two workers being killed and more than 100 persons injured. Strikes, prompted partly by health and safety concerns, continue at Grupo M&eacute;xico mines.

ICEM Welcomes Affiliation Request from Mexico’s National Miners’ and Metalworkers’ Union

Archive

Kolombiya Sendikaları Günümüz Koşullarında Dayanışmayı Güçlendirmek İçin Toplantılar Düzenliyor

ICEM WOMEN’S BULLETIN 32

XSTRATA UNIONS GLOBAL NETWORK

Colombian Trade Unions conduct Meetings, Workshops to Develop Solidarity in Challenging Times

Canada Again Serves as Roadblock at Rotterdam Convention on Asbestos

German Rubber Workers Agree to 15-Month Labour Agreement

Mining Unions, Gathering in Canada, Focus on Xstrata

ICEM World Conference for the Pulp & Paper Industries

GURN Launches New Website

ICEM Welcomes Affiliation Request from Mexico’s National Miners’ and Metalworkers’ Union

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