Italian metalworkers strike to halt non-essential production26 March, 2020UPDATE : During negotiations with the Government on CGIL, CISL, and UIL secured a revision to the definition of ‘essential productive activities’ allowed to operate during the health crisis with a new decree dated 25 March. This new decree replaces the one from 22 March and establishes a new reduced list of authorized production activities. The trade unions are satisfied with the new decree as it reduces the number of people having to go to work and therefore better protects workers’ safety and health.
Peru’s government puts economic interests before miners’ safety23 March, 2020Even though Peru’s government has introduced a curfew and state of emergency, mineworkers still have to go to work without any virus-protection measures.
Sintracarbón announces possible strike action at Cerrejón Colombia20 March, 2020The national union of workers in the coal industry (Sintracarbón, which is affiliated to IndustriALL in Colombia) voted in favour of a strike at the multinational Cerrejón 50 days after failing to reach an agreement in the negotiations to renew the current collective agreement.
Union president fired in Serbia19 March, 2020Local union president, Dalibor Antanasijević, has been harassed for his union work and subsequently dismissed from his job at auto supplier Magna Seating in Serbia.
Union picket breaks deadlock in Malaysia17 March, 2020A one-day picket of Electronics Industry Employees’ Union Northern Region (EIEUNR) forced Infineon Technologies (Kulim) Sdn Bhd to return to the negotiation table to continue bargaining for a collective agreement. The employer had declared a deadlock in the negotiations on 25 February.
BP pricing arrangement causes job losses in Trinidad & Tobago17 March, 2020The Oilfields Workers of Trinidad and Tobago is calling on the multinational BP to renegotiate a new pricing formula agreed with state-owned energy company which is damaging the fragile island economy. Companies in the petrochemical and manufacturing sector are struggling to cope with the sharp increase in price, and this has led to plant closures and job losses.
Indian Saint-Gobain worker dismissed for occupational illness17 March, 2020A former Saint-Gobain Crystals and Detectors worker in Bangalore, India, Jayaraj Mathangi, was fired for abstenteeism after developing severe health problems due to hazards he was exposed to at work.
South Africa: 378 trapped mineworkers safely rescued11 March, 2020378 mineworkers were rescued on 10 March after being trapped underground for nine hours. The workers were trapped when a UV 72 machine used to transport workers and materials underground caught fire at Sibanye Stillwater Simunye Shaft in Rustenburg.
The risks of investment treaties for the Colombian people4 March, 2020Colombia is one of the 10 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean with the largest number of claims filed by foreign investors, amounting to billions of dollars.
Vietnamese unions welcome new labour code3 March, 2020The passing of the new labour code embracing the principle of freedom of association in Vietnam is a decisive step welcomed by IndustriALL Global Union’s Vietnamese affiliates, however the struggle for workers’ rights is to be continued.
