O c t o ber 2013 2 No. THE BIANNUAL MAGAZINE OF INDUSTRIALL

Feature The Middle East and North Africa

SPECIAL REPORT Rio Tinto’s unsustainable corporate behaviour

Profile Angeline Chitambo Welcome to

Struggle for dignity We are determined to give all it takes to produce a profound change in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, the Middle East and North Africa, as well as at Rio Tinto, In the Middle East and North Africa IndustriALL Global Union is leading (MENA) region, IndustriALL is supporting the development and growth of free and the struggle of workers for dignity independent unions. In this issue of Global and respect. Worker, we tell you how. In April, the eight-storey Rana Plaza In January 2011, Tunisian people overthrew building collapsed near Dhaka in the regime of president Ben-Ali in an uprising Bangladesh, killing 1,129 garment that marked the beginning of the Arab workers. This industrial homicide expedited Spring. Unrest, revolutions and even wars negotiations on a legally binding Accord on followed in several countries in the region. Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh in the retail sector, led by IndustriALL and our People had clearly had enough of poverty, sister organization UNI. unemployment, social injustice, lack of democracy and lack of hope for a better Following the first signatures by H&M, life. They were angry and took to the Inditex and C&A, more than 100 leading streets to demand a change. brands and retailers of the world have signed the historic Accord that will help Today, more than two years after the make the Bangladeshi garment industry Arab Spring, we have seen changes safe and sustainable in a major five-year in the Middle East and North Africa project. (MENA), but also deep frustration and disillusionment among people because of The participating companies have high expectations and broken promises. committed themselves to exhaustive Dictatorship is not automatically followed inspections, finding funding for the by democracy. In a number of countries, necessary repairs of dangerous factories, the freedom of association is under threat. and training for management and workers. Jyrki Raina IndustriALL is therefore taking very General Secretary It will be a long and winding road, as concrete action to safeguard union problems with factories that have already rights and help independent unions build been identified as unsafe show. Many capacity to grow in Egypt, Iraq, Tunisia and difficult and impopular decisions lie elsewhere in the region. “We are determined ahead. But we have to get rid of lethal factories making cheap t-shirts for Western In this issue of Global Worker we expose to give all it takes consumers. Indeed, we hope that the human and trade union rights abuses to produce a ongoing compensation negotiations after by mining giant Rio Tinto. IndustriALL is Rana Plaza, Tazreen Fashions and Aswad building a counter-power through a global profound change could be the last ones. union network to make the company in Bangladesh.” respect its workers. The struggle for dignity IndustriALL will also continue to exert around the world will never stop. pressure to raise the US$38 monthly minimum wage towards living wages; insist Jyrki Raina on an ILO-compliant labour law reform; General Secretary and launch a major organizing project in cooperation with our partner organizations. @JyrkiRaina

IndustriALL Global Union Represents 50 million workers across the supply chains in the mining, energy and manufacturing sectors at the global level.

HEAD OFFICE SOUTH ASIA OFFICE LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN 54 bis, route des Acacias No. 5-E, Rani Jhansi Road Avenida 18 de Julio No 1528 CH 1227 Geneva New Delhi, 110 055 India Piso 12 unidad 1202 Switzerland Tel: +91 11 4156 2566 Montevideo Uruguay Tel: +41 (0)22 308 5050 Email: [email protected] Tel: +59 82 408 0813 Fax: +41 (0)22 308 5055 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] SOUTH EAST ASIA OFFICE Website: www.industriall-union.org 252 Tembeling Road 03-07 Tembeling Centre AFRICA OFFICE 423731 Singapore Published twice a year in English, French, Spanish and Russian Physical address: Tel: +65 63 46 4303 by IndustriALL Global Union. North City House Email: [email protected] Office S0808 (8th Floor) Opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily 28 Melle Street, Braamfontein CIS OFFICE represent the views of IndustriALL Global Union. Str. 2, d 13, Grokholsky per., Room 203. Johannesburg 2001 South Africa President: Berthold Huber Tel: +27 11 242 8680 12090 Moscow Russia General Secretary: Jyrki Raina / [email protected] Email: [email protected] Tel: +7 495 974 6111 Email: [email protected] Editor: Petra Brännmark / [email protected] Postal address: P O Box 31016 Cover photo: IndustriALL Braamfontein 2017 South Africa Design: Nick Jackson / www.northcreative.ch

2 Contents

Page 05 tackling the precarious situation of garment workers in Bangladesh

Page 18 Page 09 Merger in Canada creates super union

Page 10 Marcio Pochmann on industrial development in Page 5 Latin America and the need for a common strategy

Page 12 Feature on the Middle East Page 23 Page 9 and North Africa, a priority for IndustriALL

Page 18 angeline Chitambo speaks about her struggle at ZESA

Page 19 Special report on the Page 10 Page 19 unsustainable business practices of Rio Tinto

Page 23 georgia: successful organizing in difficult conditions

Page 12

Our t-shirts are produced by unionized labour

Workers organized by IndustriALL affiliate, the South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (SACTWU), and employed at a Mazpah clothing factory in Cape Town produce IndustriALL’s t-shirts.

“We are proud to say that it is the SACTWU members that have manufactured our IndustriALL t-shirts.” Jyrki Raina

3 Over to you... Join IndustriALL on facebook, twitter, YouTube and flickr and share with your friends.

Check out industriALL’s regional Facebook pages

Follow IndustriALL and Jyrki Raina on Twitter @IndustriALL_GU, @JyrkiRaina

Jyrki Raina @JyrkiRaina Jyrki Raina @JyrkiRaina Six months after #RanaPlaza - Sweatshop owners in #Bangladesh may start to sweat as workers Brands must pay compensation get organized @IndustriALL_GU thespec.com/news-story/415... via NOW | #Industriall #UNI @thespec industriall-union.org/six- months-aft... Jyrki Raina @JyrkiRaina Unions mobilize around the world against #precarious work #Industriall #WDDW industriall-union.org/unions-mobiliz...

Find IndustriALL’s most recent Flickr sets at www.flickr.com/photos/industriall_gu/sets Pictures of meetings and events can be found in their original size and can be downloaded free of charge. Please acknowledge their source in your materials. global worker | report

Main Photo: Garment worker in Accord factory in Gazipur. Abir Abdullah IndustriALL leading the struggle for Bangladeshi report TEXT garment workers Tom Grinter

The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is an historic breakthrough covering more than 2 million garment workers. Breaking from failed corporate-led social auditing of the past, under the Accord trade unions and multinational companies are working together to improve the precarious situation of garment workers in Bangladesh.

5 global worker | report

Over 100 brands and retailers, covering over Bangladesh. As the death toll mounted On the day of the factory collapse, 2 million workers in 1,600 factories, are now each day to a final 1,129 the world’s IndustriALL General Secretary Jyrki working together with IndustriALL Global workers, consumers and media demanded Raina said: Union and UNI Global Union. This broad change. The scale of Rana Plaza coalition constitutes a critical mass of the commanded systemic change, further than “This terrible tragedy highlights the garment sector. Together they have worked the usual call for local justice and strict urgency of putting a stop to the race to hard to set up the foundations to the Accord sentencing of the local factory owner. the bottom in supplying cheap means for the work on the ground in Bangladesh to of production to international brands, a be up and running by December 2013. The industrial tragedy occurred at 9am, race in which hundreds of workers have 24 April. The collapsed building, illegally lost their lives. Global clothing brands A number of key factors make this broad constructed, contained five garment coalition new - its size; the seriousness of factories employing 5,000 workers. The and retailers have a responsibility the legally binding commitments; and the five factories were Ether Tex, New Wave for their full production chains. Now central role of national and international Bottoms, New Wave Style, Phantom it is time for them, suppliers and the trade unions. Trade unions as partners Apparels and Phantom-TAC, producing for Bangladeshi government to sit down are the only actors able to ensure several well-known western brands. with IndustriALL and its affiliates to accountability and reliable monitoring of agree on a safety program that will On 23 April, the day before the collapse, conditions and the inspection process. For ensure this will never happen again.” too long the industry publicly relied on one- large structural cracks appeared in the off safety audits in its factories, conducted supporting pillars of Rana Plaza. But by auditing companies that are created the building owner Sohel Rana and the Major brands joined, and funded by the brands themselves. garment factory owners ignored local Strong industrial relations in the industry authorities when they instructed a full more are following can replace this model and conduct evacuation. Workers were instead ordered In a rapid response to the Rana Plaza constant safety inspections in a context to be at work early the following day in disaster, IndustriALL worked in a supply where workers are empowered to refuse order to be at their workstations before the chain alliance with UNI Global Union dangerous work. authorities arrived. A Rana Plaza garment that represents the unionised retail and worker had to work three days unpaid commerce workers at the brands and The work leading up to the Accord for every one workday missed, making retailers in the global north, to build the was made possible by the horrendous workers reluctant to stay safe at home on Accord for Fire and Building Safety in industrial disaster at Rana Plaza. On 24 24 April. Managers at the Ether Tex factory Bangladesh. NGOs such as Clean Clothes April 2013 an eight-storey commercial threatened to withhold a month’s wages of Campaign, Workers’ Rights Consortium, building collapsed in Savar, a sub-district any worker who stayed away on 24 April. Maquila Solidarity Network, and the in the Greater Dhaka Area, the capital of International Labour Rights Forum, have also played an important role. Two of the world’s largest clothing companies, H&M and Inditex, were the first brands to sign the Accord on 14 May. New company signatories are joining every week. “The Accord is a source of pride for IndustriALL Global Union that will always be remembered as the achievement from IndustriALL’s first year that announced to the world the power and ambition of this new trade union force”, says IndustriALL General Secretary Jyrki Raina. “Together we will make the Bangladeshi garment industry safe and sustainable.” Preliminary discussions have taken place regarding the future possibility of expanding the Accord to other countries and even to other industrial sectors. Bangladesh is unfortunately not the only country in the world where garment workers work in dangerous conditions for poverty wages. 1

Over 100 brands and retailers, covering over 2 million workers in 1,600 factories, are now working together with IndustriALL Global Union and UNI Global Union. 2 6 global worker | report

The Bangladesh Accord offers brands and The Liberty case was successful in current US$38. On 21 September 200,000 retailers the opportunity to clean up their terms of getting workers safely out of a Bangladeshi garment workers mobilized supply chain and avoid further reputational dangerous factory where a disaster could for three days in Dhaka and elsewhere in damage through other worker deaths. have occurred at any time. Although the the country, calling for a living wage and Successful coordination will lay the way Liberty case was not conducted under strongly rejecting a derisory employers’ to similar work elsewhere. the auspices of the Accord, the new level wage offer in negotiations. of coordination and cooperation created Recent attention has focused on through the Accord had a positive influence discussions inside the wage board created on the process. by the government to recommend an @bangaccord increased sector-wide minimum wage. IndustriALL Global Union’s IndustriALL has criticized the absence of commitment to Bangladesh Tazreen fire a trade union representative on the wage In parallel to the work around implementing board. One spark that ignited the mass More than 120 workers died the Accord, IndustriALL action in worker demonstrations in September was and as many were injured in Bangladesh is focussed around four other the inadequate proposal submitted to this a horrific fire at the Tazreen points, as committed to by the Executive wage board from the BGMEA and BKMEA employers associations in the sector of Fashion garment factory near Committee: 3,600 BDT per month, a raise of less than Dhaka on 24 November 2012. • Labour law reform to secure freedom of 20 per cent. association Visit the Accord website at IBC general secretary Roy Ramesh stated: www.bangladeshaccord.org • Raising the minimum wage from US$38 a month to reach living wage by 2015 “The IBC has proposed to fix the • Launching a massive organizing project to minimum wages based on the ensure union presence in 4,500 garment Millennium Development Goals and factories the cost of living which is equal to A dangerous factory was identified in the • Establishing a compensation model for around US$120 per month.” supply chain of Accord signatory Tesco in victims of Rana Plaza and Tazreen June. The Liberty Fashions case was not Workers in the sector have directed their handled through the Accord as it came mobilizations’ anger in the industrial areas before the Accord mechanisms were of Gazipur, Savar, Tejgaon, Ashulia, Mirpur, established. Tesco, one of the largest Uttara, Badda, Dhaka at the influential brands to have signed the Accord on BGMEA and BKMEA as those blocking a Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, significant increase. deserves much credit for its leading role in identifying the risk and cooperating Progress of the minimum wage board with unions to ensure that workers were has been very slow, and the BGMEA still removed from harm’s way. seems to wait until November-December before agreeing on a deal. They apparently When Tesco’s inspection team discovered want first to travel with the ministry of in June that factory 2 at Liberty Fashions 3 labour to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam was in an imminent danger of collapse, to study the question of a living wage, a process started to see whether the The IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC) and they would like to be sure of the factory could be repaired and workers’ groups affiliated unions into unified action willingness of brands and retailers to pay jobs saved. A number of brands and under its elected general secretary Roy fair prices. In IndustriALL’s recent talks retailers worked together and secured the Ramesh. There is an enormous potential with major brands such as Inditex, H&M payment of the salaries and Eid bonuses for organizing and growth for the garment and Primark, the brands have reiterated of workers. Unfortunately, after discussions worker unions. IndustriALL will now their clear commitment to higher minimum in London, factory owner Mr Huq failed facilitate this in a major organizing project wages. Like many other brands they are to come up with a credible plan. Liberty funded partly by the Netherlands Trade willing to pay more, but so far there is no has accumulated 18 million dollars of Union Confederation, FNV. commitment from Walmart and its allies. debt and is in serious danger of closure. IndustriALL has long supported the calls Slow progress risks further unrest. Sean Ansett, the Accord interim director, of its Bangladeshi affiliates for a rise in the conducted talks with the BGMEA and also The campaign for labour law reform to minimum wage for the sector in line with a met with trade union leaders Roy Ramesh make the Bangladeshi legislation ILO living wage. The IndustriALL Bangladesh and Amirul Amin. Liberty Fashions workers compliant is a vital priority. Anti-worker Council (IBC) is united in its demand for are at the time of writing demonstrating for labour law has been a major barrier to an urgent increase in the minimum wage their owed salaries from the factory owner organizing and collective bargaining. to well over US$100 per month from the and a solution is yet to be found. The reform process is strongly lobbied

photo 1: photo 3: photo 4: At the site of the tragedy, families hold Major retail companies behind the Firefighters rescue a pictures of their loved ones and tell global Bangladesh Fire and Safety worker from the rubble stories of what happened to them on Accord show their commitment to after the collapse of the day of the collapse. Abir Abdullah improving the lives of Bangladeshi the eight-storey Rana garment workers at the kick-off Plaza building. photo 2: meeting, held at the International Kamrul Anam Banner containing the logos of most Labour Organization in Geneva on of the brands that have signed the 25 May 2013. IndustriALL 4 Bangladesh Accord. IndustriALL 7 global worker | report by national employers and international 5 Denouncing the absentees at the 11-12 buyers, with constant pressure on the September compensation talks in Geneva, government of Prime Minister Sheikh IndustriALL Assistant General Secretary Hasina to keep workers’ rights at a Monika Kemperle stated: minimum. “The disregard of the absent brands for The International Labour Organization the plight of workers in Bangladesh (ILO) is leading the process to pressure whose lives have been destroyed by the Bangladeshi government to enact the avoidable accidents at Tazreen and proper labour law reforms. A high-level Rana Plaza is shocking in the extreme. tripartite delegation of the ILO conducted an important mission in Dhaka on 1-4 May Empty promises and direct untruths in the immediate aftermath of Rana Plaza. since the Tazreen fire and the Rana That mission set out an important ILO Plaza collapse all so that these Western action plan including the following points: multinationals can avoid making • Submission to Parliament during its next payments that amount to a minute session, which is expected to be called in percentage of turnover.” June 2013, of a labour law reform package. This should consider inputs of the tripartite The bottom line in Bangladesh is that the partners and it should improve protection, in multinationals can afford the small price of law and practice, for the fundamental rights transforming the conditions in their supply to freedom of association and the right to chain. Without systemic change in each of collective bargaining, as well as occupational these action areas workers will continue safety and health. to toil in slave labour conditions, earning IndustriALL has been pushing for a poverty wages, without the right to join a • Implement, in full, the National Tripartite Plan proposed compensation model in the union. IndustriALL will continue to lead the of Action on Fire Safety in the RMG Industry negotiations with brands and retailers fight to bring the changes that Bangladeshi in Bangladesh. Extend its scope to include sourcing from Rana Plaza. There are workers need and deserve, and to make structural integrity of buildings to improve variants of the model and a certain degree the industry safe and sustainable. health, occupational and structural safety and of flexibility. The priority is that a decent other vulnerable sectors, to be identified in level of compensation be paid out as a consultation with the relevant stakeholders. matter of urgency, and that a mechanism • Recruit, within six months, 200 additional and precedent can be established to avoid inspectors by the Government and ensure long delays in the future. that the Department of the Chief Inspector of International experts have presented the @industriall_GU Factories and Establishments will have been negotiations with best practices for the upgraded to a Directorate. It should have an establishment of a compensation fund, annual regular budget allocation adequate overseen by a multi-stakeholder committee, Living wage to enable i) the recruitment of a minimum which could be created through an of 800 inspectors and ii) the development of agreement by all the parties involved. A A living wage is the minimum the infrastructure required for their proper durable solution will need to be found in income necessary for a worker functioning. partnership with brands, ILO, the Bangladesh to be able to meet basic needs, government, BGMEA, Bangladeshi unions such as housing, clothes and Compensations – setting a and the NGOs. The sincere hope is for a food. Poverty wages have a standard for the future solution to have been found by the time this devastating impact on workers. publication goes to print. Compensation is a difficult but important From Africa to Asia and Latin area of work that involves numerous A number of brands, such as Walmart and America the Living Wage is actors. IndustriALL is taking the lead and Gap, refused to come to the negotiating a global issue and central to was able to secure the ILO as neutral chair table, while others needed a push. So far the Decent Work Agenda. of the compensation process following British brand Primark has taken the lead IndustriALL is campaigning on the Rana Plaza and Tazreen tragedies. in the response by ensuring that 3,630 this issue with its affiliates. Although compensating the victims’ families and injured will have received full families and the injured workers of these six-month salaries until the end of October. Read more on industrial disasters is important in and of Primark also made available their local www.industriall-union.org itself, the significance of this process is banking infrastructure in Bangladesh to heightened by the possibility of setting a deliver any funds that are made available precedent for future deadly accidents. on an emergency basis.

Action on Bangladesh: photo 5: Human Chain at Rana visit www.industriall-union.org/action-on-bangladesh Plaza on 23 October 2013. to stay updated on new developments Abir Abdullah

8 COUNTRY: Canada UNION: Unifor Merger in profile

Text: Canada creates Petra Brännmark Photo Below: Jerry Dias, Unifor President, at founding convention in Toronto super union 1 September 2013. Unifor

Two of IndustriALL Global Union’s affiliates in Canada, CAW and CEP, have joined forces to form a new trade union, Unifor. The new Canadian super union represents 300,000 workers in industry and services. New president Jerry Dias pledges focus on organizing and communities.

1 September 2013 saw the creation of Taking organizing policy to Canada’s largest private sector union when the next level IndustriALL’s Canadian affiliates CAW and CEP joined forces at a founding convention The convention adopted an innovative in Toronto to form Unifor. Unifor represents organizing policy. One new element is the 300,000 members in a wide range of introduction of “community chapters”. sectors including manufacturing, energy, Through these community chapters new groups of workers may join Unifor even @UniforTheUnion forestry, services, telecommunications and @JerryPDias transportation. if they do not yet belong to a recognized bargaining unit. The new trade union has UNIFOR More than 2,500 elected delegates from plans for structures to allow students, the Canadian Auto Workers union (CAW) retirees and unemployed to become Since the merger between and the Communications, Energy and members. Unifor will dedicate 10 per the Canadian Autoworkers Paperworkers Union (CEP) voted to create cent of its income, or 10 million Canadian Union, CAW, and the the new super union. The statutes received dollars, annually to organizing new Communications, Energy 96 per cent support from the founding members. and Paperworkers Union, convention. The convention elected Jerry CEP Unifor is Canada’s Dias as national president, Peter Kennedy Unifor will carry on the tradition of social unionism of the CAW and the CEP. This largest private sector union. as secretary-treasurer and Michel Ouimet The 300,000 members are as Quebec director. Unifor’s executive political action means broad engagement found in communications, board has 25 members, of which 44 per cent in communities, participation in issue transportation, energy, are women. That is well over women’s campaigns, and involvement in elections resources, manufacturing, 28 per cent share of the membership. to raise issues and support to candidates who agree with them. and services. Jerry Dias Jerry Dias began his working life in 1978 was elected as the union’s at de Havilland Aircraft (now Bombardier The convention gave a rousing farewell first national president at Aerospace), and was elected shop steward applause to CAW president Ken Lewenza the founding convention in later that year. He became the local and CEP president Dave Coles who both September 2013. president before moving to the national retired. office in 1993 to coordinate the aerospace More information is found on In his greeting, IndustriALL General www.unifor.org sector. Before he was elected president Secretary Jyrki Raina praised the tradition of Unifor, Dias was assistant to the CAW of global solidarity provided by the founding president. organizations: “We want a Canada that treats every “In a globalized world without borders, person with decency, respect and we need to work together more than security. A Canada that values the ever. I am confident that Unifor will workers who produce the wealth, rather continue to support our sisters and than devaluing and sacrificing us,” brothers in Colombia, Mozambique and Dias said in his keynote speech. elsewhere.” 9 global worker | interview Coordinated industrial policies are essential for Latin America and the Caribbean

In a world of precarious work and increased outsourcing, industrial policies are a way of protecting workers and their rights. According to Marcio Pochmann, economist, researcher and professor at UNICAMP (Campinas University) and president of the Instituto de Investigación Económica Aplicada from 2007 to 2012, South American countries need to have a common strategy in order to face the increasing global competition.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Brazil has the biggest economy in Latin America and is the seventh biggest in the world. Marcio Pochmann sees several reasons why Brazil is in this position. One is democratization, the country has enjoyed 30 years of representative government, and another is economic Marcio growth. “The redistribution of income and increased employment between 2004 and 2005 encouraged Pochmann economic expansion and got the economy moving,” says Marcio Pochmann.

After the crisis in 2008, economic recovery began in interview developing countries such as China, India and Brazil. According to Pochmann, Brazil is the engine of the Latin Text: American economy and its economy has the potential to Valeska Solis be among the five biggest in the world. In recent years, Translation: Brazil has been one of the major beneficiaries of world Chris Whitehouse economic growth. The nation has accumulated wealth Main Photo: @MarcioPochmann by exporting minerals, oil, coal, beef and soya to Europe IndustriALL and Asia.

“Industrial development depends on having a global strategy, so policies should have a coordinated international and not just a national perspective.”

10 global worker | interview

I don’t think it is appropriate for Brazil, Instituto de Investigación Económica Speaking of the demonstrations, for example, to have a trade surplus Aplicada is an economic research what is your opinion of the with neighbouring countries. It should institute in Brazil. proposed Law 4330? diversify and develop its relations with its “Outsourcing is a fact, not only in Brazil. neighbours. Precarious and informal work What is the current situation in Outsourcing is related to precarious work would be less widespread if there was less Brazil and Latin America? and I think it is essential to legislate or concern about competing. Competition regulate on this matter. However, the can be harmful because it is all about “Latin America lived through a long period majority proposal does not deal with low costs, which means keeping wages of neoliberal policies, which were applied the central issue of outsourcing. So down. However, precarious employment in different ways. This was detrimental to there is a serious risk that the proposal continues to be a way of competing and society and the economy and severely will do nothing to improve the quality is a practice also widely used in Latin limited Latin America’s development of employment and could mean more American countries.” prospects. However, post-neoliberal precarious work, including in sectors where What role can trade unions alternatives, applying different models, have precarious work is not yet common.” emerged in the 21st century. The Bolivarian play in coordinating industrial tendency in countries such as Venezuela, What is your opinion of the policy? Bolivia and Ecuador has provided timely industrial sector in Latin “The trade unions are very important, not and interesting options for countries with America? only for the consolidation of democracy, a large agricultural sector. The situation but also as standard bearers for the future. is different in Uruguay and Argentina “Industrial production is very important The unions cannot just look in the rear because these countries have a much and I think South American countries need mirror when driving their car, because more complex society that gives scope for to coordinate industrial policy. There is that would mean looking backwards. The constructing post-neoliberal alternatives. a lot of competition, with an increase of unions must look forwards. On the one This is, for example, different to Venezuela, manufacturing in Asia, especially China. hand, there is a change in the working which has a large oil production and At the same time, the new energy matrix class, the importance of new information export capacity. There is also the Brazilian may help the United States to recover, all of and communication technologies is experience, which is different to that of which could make it more difficult for South increasing and this means new workers. Venezuela or Argentina. This is because American industry to develop. It could Another issue is that workers don’t join Brazil has a very large industrial sector, and even lead to an industrial decline in Latin unions, they do not have contact with its recent investment in the oil industry has America. So it is essential for our region to unions. So the unions need to attract new put the country into an excellent position.” develop a co-ordinated industrial policy.” workers to strengthen their position, their “The new government fund will mean “Industrial development depends on having reform agenda and their demands in order increased investment in health and a global strategy, so policies should have to promote economic and social progress education. This was an important outcome a coordinated international, and not just a in their countries.” of the wave of social protest in June this national, perspective. For example, Brazil, year when large demonstrations were Argentina and Uruguay could coordinate Do you think Brazil is held across Brazil. These post-neoliberal their oil, shipbuilding and other industries. consolidating its position? Is it models are anti-neoliberal but there are They could coordinate their entire comparable to Argentina? also important differences between them.” productive system.” “Brazil is a bit different to Argentina. If What was the significance of Could such coordination Argentina were an animal, it would be one these demonstrations for the help to combat precarious that can build political majorities more development in Brazil? quickly and change direction more quickly. employment? Brazil is more like an elephant, which “The demonstrations were very important “Yes. One example of this is Mercosur, moves more slowly and takes longer to for breathing new life into the democracy in which there is still competition but build political majorities, but which can in Brazil. It was good for the country which is also becoming a forum for achieve more solid results. Despite all that people went out on the streets to cooperation. Competition often leads to the difficulties, Brazil is now going in the call for change. They were calling for the disappearance of productive sectors right direction, and should not return to its improvements to public services, to the in some countries. China has managed to previous policies. There is a feeling that quality of education and health, something organize a productive system that benefits change and the fight against inequality and that the markets cannot offer. So this its population and that has strong links with precarious work are essential elements for protest from the streets has been essential neighbouring countries. It imports many the consolidation of democracy.” for the development of Brazil.” products and exports many products.

“The trade unions are very important, not only for the consolidation of democracy, but also as standard bearers for the future.”

11 TEXT & PHOTOS: Kemal özkan, Ahmed Kamel, Jim Catterson, Carol Bruce

Location: Middle East and North Africa feature

Main photo: Protests across Egypt calling for the resignation of President Mohammed Morsi on 30 June, 2013. IndustriALL photos Opposite: Workers of Bahayra Company for Land Reclamation, demand their salaries at the picket line in Egypt. IndustriALL

12 global worker | feature

In the wake of the Arab Spring

The Arab Spring has irrevocably changed the political and social landscape in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). MENA is a priority region for IndustriALL Global Union, and these past 18 months have provided key moments with opportunities to build unions and promote social and economic rights of workers. But recent developments also show a worrying trend when it comes to fundamental trade union rights.

Workers have been given promises about democracy, human and trade union rights, but too often there is little to show in reality. Cases from Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria clearly show that peaceful freedom of association is under heavy pressure. A new Law on Associations adopted in Algeria in 2012, for example, fails to protect the freedom of association by limiting access to foreign funding and complicates the registration of new and existing organizations. IndustriALL, together with its affiliates, continue the struggle for democracy in the MENA, fighting for the respect of human and trade union rights.

13 global worker | feature

Organizing and campaigning in Egypt Since the beginning of the revolution on 25 January 2011, IndustriALL has closely followed the political The dawn of the Arab Spring paved the way for a new developments in Egypt, as well as the implications trade unionism in the Middle East and North Africa for trade unions and workers. IndustriALL supports (MENA). The region witnessed the emergence of new independent unions in Egypt through education, independent unions, not least in Egypt. feature organizing and campaigning in order to build A wave of privatization in the late nineties marginalized stronger unions. a large portion of the labour force and resulted in With the support of the solidarity center of AFL-CIO severe layoffs. In 2004, Egyptian workers started (the American Confederation of Labour) and the ITUC, an unprecedented phase of struggle for freedom of IndustriALL has held four seminars with independent association and better living and working conditions. unions since the beginning of 2013. The first planning Between 2006 and 2008, hundreds of wildcat strikes and assessment seminar took place in Cairo with 50 were conducted outside of the formal union structures. participants from IndustriALL’s industrial sectors. The Workers of Misr Mahalla Textile and Spinning Company, seminar welcomed leaders of the Egyptian Democratic the largest factory in the MENA region employing Labour Congress (EDLC) and EFITU, as well as around 22,000 workers, led the struggle. A series of representatives of ILO, ITUC and FES. The participants strikes by workers in other sectors followed, opening discussed key challenges facing their unions, such for the foundation of the first-ever independent union as non-recognition, state intervention and barriers over in Egypt, the Real Estate Tax Authority Union in 2008. collection of union dues. On 30 January 2011, independent unions gathered in Tahrir Square declaring the foundation of the Egyptian The project continued with three more seminars on Federation of Independent Unions (EFITU). The EFITU capacity building of the new unions. In Alexandria, the immediately called for a general strike to increase the 25 participants of the second seminar focused on the pressure on Mubarak’s regime to resign. energy sector. During the two-day seminar, participants In the wake of Arab Spring

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The dawn of the Arab Spring paved the way for a new trade unionism in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). 2 14 global worker | feature

their rights. IndustriALL has campaigned on their behalf and brought the cases to the attention of the Egyptian authorities and public. Since the foundation of the first Egyptian trade union structure in the late 1950s, Egyptian workers have been deprived of the right to freely organize outside of the official unions recognized by the government. A long struggle has resulted in the current discussions on the adoption of a new trade union law guaranteeing freedom of association. For the past two years, a number of drafts have been discussed and submitted to government and parliament. Due to conflicting interests of some of the 3 groups that came to power following the overturn of the Mubarak regime, the law is still waiting to be adopted. were able to express their challenges as independent Egyptian workers, the ILO, IndustriALL and other unions in oil, electricity and mining industries in Egypt. Global Union Federations are urging the Egyptian This included subcontracting, employers’ resistance of government to issue the law as soon as possible. non-recognition for independent unions, companies’ IndustriALL will continue to support Egyptian workers approaches on employing agency workers and refusing until they win the demands of their revolution: bread, to make decent work contracts. freedom and social justice. Mahalla El Kobra city, the home of Egypt’s textile and garment industry, hosted the national seminar focused on the challenges of textile workers. Participants from various branches of the industry bore witness to the large number of layoffs and early retirement experienced by the textile and garment industry in Egypt since the 1990s. This is due to economic restructuring, privatization and widespread corruption as many factories stopped work due to poor management. There is a need to establish national mechanisms to face privatization and to restart the inactive factories, as well as applying modern and efficient management in state- owned factories. The lack of organizing capacity in the private sector and absence of collective bargaining need to be countered. 4 Sadat city is one of the fastest growing industrial cities in Egypt. The city hosts foreign and national New unity in Iraq as IndustriALL private enterprises, a number of which benefit from the campaigns for fair labour law “Qualified Industrial Zones agreement between Egypt, Iraq still lacks legislation protecting workers’ rights, Israel and the USA”. This is where IndustriALL held the guaranteeing freedom of association and governing fourth seminar; supporting youth-dominated independent industrial relations. In an effort to coordinate and union movement. Workers received training on collective consolidate forces, the new IndustriALL National Council bargaining skills, as well as raising their knowledge on was established in Baghdad on 10 July. recent developments on labour and trade union laws. The current legislation, inherited from Saddam Hussein’s Within the framework of the IndustriALL special regime, rules out the existence of labour unions carrying program several groups of workers have been inspired out free and independent labour union activity. It prohibits to found unions, and then joined larger regional and independent organizing and collective bargaining in both national structures. IndustriALL has recently affiliated the the public and private sectors, as well as prohibiting General Trade Union of Electricity and Energy as the first unions from holding funds, collecting dues, and independent union affiliated from Egypt. maintaining assets. There are no provisions for the right The revolution managed to change the regime, but to strike, and workers in essential services are explicitly has not been able to eliminate inherited policies and prohibited from striking. In addition, harsh anti-union their repercussions. Recently, Egyptian workers from practices at workplaces through threats, intimidations, IndustriALL affiliates have faced several violations of kidnappings, torture and murders are not uncommon.

photo 1: photo 3: Within the framework of the IndustriALL Protesters in Cairo’s Tahrir Square Protests across Egypt calling calling for the resignation of President for the resignation of President special program several groups of workers Mohammed Morsi. IndustriALL Mohammed Morsi on 30 June, have been inspired to found unions, and then 2013. IndustriALL photo 2: On 24 April, the Egyptian Democratic photo 4: join larger regional and national structures. Labour Congress (EDLC), a new trade Hundreds of workers protest union centre saw the light in Egypt. against the South Oil Company in IndustriALL Iraq on 19 February 2013. IFOU 15 global worker | feature

In spite of this adversity, Iraqi workers have managed 6 to form their own unions. In the last few years, six Iraqi affiliates representing workers in oil, petrochemical and electricity sectors have joined IndustriALL, and there is a large interest for further affiliation. feature Establishing the IndustriALL Global Union National Council by six Iraqi affiliates is a great step towards joining forces in fighting for trade union legislation. While visiting Baghdad, IndustriALL met with Mr Osama Al-Nujaifi, Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Mr Nassar Al-Rubuiee, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, and Mr Kanna Yonadam, Chair of Labor and Social Affairs Committee at the Parliament, discussing the current Libya legislation. Under local and international pressure, the In 2011 Muammar Gadhafi’s autocratic government Iraqi government has drafted a new labour law, far below ended after a six-month uprising and civil war. The main the trade unions’ ambitions. opposition group, the National Transitional Council, NTC, declared the country liberated and pledged to create a pluralist, democratic state. Following Libya’s first free election in six decades the NTC handed over power to a newly elected parliament, the General National Congress, in August 2012. The country now faces many challenges including a plethora of armed groups who refuse to disarm. Libya is plagued by instability and is almost entirely dependent on oil and gas that account for over 95 per cent of its exports. Armed guards, including rebels who participated in the civil war, were formed by the defence ministry to protect the oil industry. A tug-of-war with the former militiamen 5 has ensued, with the guards responsible for recent strikes leaving only two of the country’s oil terminals IndustriALL made it clear that the law must cover the functioning and oil exports at just 160,000 barrels of public sector. Legislation should also make it easier to oil per day (p/d). Production has fallen from 1.5 million form a union by ensuring that requirements follow ILO to 500,000 barrels p/d. Oil sector workers, members norms and standards – trade unions must be allowed to of the Oil and Gas Sector Workers Union OGSWU, determine and establish their own democratic structures, are reported to have protested outside Congress and the law must provide effective guarantees against demanding that the government reopen the country’s interference in trade union movement by government oil fields and export terminals. and employers. IndustriALL makes strenuous efforts to be in support of IndustriALL, in cooperation with International Trade Union the new unions in Libya, particularly in the oil industry.

In the wake of Arab Spring Confederation (ITUC), Iraqi affiliated trade unions and A number of multinational oil companies are active in the national centres, campaigns for enactment of trade union country, including the ones with which there are Global legislation. For this purpose, IndustriALL and ITUC have Framework Agreements (GFA). sent a joint letter to the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament. Tunisia Somalia The Arab Spring began in Tunisia and the trade unions of Offshore East Africa is one of the newest areas for oil the General Union of Workers of Tunisia, UGTT, were at and gas, and Somalia is one of the latest countries to the forefront of the struggle. UGTT emerged as the key attract the attention of large multinational companies. mediator of the revolution, winning trust from divergent IndustriALL has been in interaction with the ITUC- political forces. affiliated National Centre in Somalia, Federation of Somali Trade Unions, FESTU, lending cooperation and It was within the union that the committee which assistance in organizing workers and defending workers’ regulated the transition to the elections of 23 October rights. FESTU is the first independent and democratic 2011 was formed. The unions have also secured trade union centre in the country and has now ten victories for their members and for workers in general, affiliated trade unions. including permanent contracts for over 350,000 formerly temporary workers.

Two meetings in Amman, Jordan, brought together Arab trade union organizations affiliated to or associated with the ITUC, the Global Union Federations, Solidarity Support Organizations, and the ILO-ACTRAV. 7 16 global worker | feature

Tunisia is now in a political and economic crisis with Palestine growing terrorism, rising unemployment and a collapsing IndustriALL has three affiliates in Palestine. All are economy. Tunisia’s ruling three-party coalition has industry federations of the Palestinian General Federation turned to the UGTT to help break the political stalemate. of Trade Unions, PGFTU, led by Shaher Sae’d. UGTT has remained decidedly outside the control of the Shaher Sae’d is the 2011 winner of the prestigious Islamist government, which has had to come to terms Arthur Svensson International Award for Union Rights, with the union’s role and status. Recent discussions have an annual award from Industri Energi, IndustriALL seen the coalition agree to a one month timeline to finish Norwegian affiliate, commemorating a leader of the the constitution and organize new elections, after which Norwegian labour movement. the government will step down. The PGFTU and its member unions fight for trade union rights in Palestine, as well as for Palestinian self- determination. Many of IndustriALL’s affiliates, particularly Belgian La Centrale Generale of FGTB, continues an extensive partnership with the petrochemicals union to support their struggle for social justice. Arab Women organize The Arab Women’s Network runs under the auspices of the ITUC, bringing together women trade unionists. The aim of the network is to strengthen women’s standing in the labour market and in trade unions across the region. In May and June training was done in Egypt to discuss the deterioration of women’s rights. The agenda also included the constitution and its impact on women, 8 women and the labor market in Egypt, promotion and discrimination at work, child care needs at work and With over 500,000 members and a strong support-base male domination in unions. Training has also been in the rural areas where the revolution started, the UGTT conducted for women in Morocco and Algeria. is a powerful force. After the revolution it became a target yet again. On 4 December 2012, as the union prepared IndustriALL has taken the first steps to create its own to commemorate the 60th anniversary of a former women’s network in the MENA region. leader’s assassination, its headquarters were attacked, wounding ten people. In response UGTT called a one- Democratic Arab Union League of day national strike. ITUC – on the road to an Arab region IndustriALL now has three affiliated trade unions, all trade union organization members of the UGTT, in Tunisia. Tahar Berberi, leader of Within the framework of the ITUC, a new trade union Fédération Générale de la Métallurgie et de l’Electronique organization for the Arab region is being created. Two is a member of IndustriALL’s Executive and Finance meetings in Amman, Jordan, brought together Arab Committees. With his assistance a joint affiliates’ meeting trade union organizations affiliated to or associated and seminar is to be held in Tunis to discuss how the with the ITUC, the Global Union Federations, Solidarity international movement can support the unions in the Support Organizations, and the ILO-ACTRAV. present situation. Participants welcomed the proposed structure aimed at strengthening democratic trade unions and agreed to provide support during this critical time. A new, independent structure is regarded as essential for trade unions to be able respond effectively to the legitimate political and social aspirations expressed by the revolutions in the Arab region. A charter setting out the fundamental principles for action is being developed, emphasizing the struggle for freedom, social justice and equality.

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photo 5: photo 7: photo 9: Hundreds of workers protest against the South Second ITUC meeting in Amman, Jordan. Ahead of the World Social Forum in Tunisia, Oil Company in Iraq on 19 February 2013. IFOU IndustriALL IndustriALL met with the government and UGTT unions to reconfirm its support for the photo 6: photo 8: democratic development process in Tunisia, Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU) Rally opening of the World Social Forum in March 2013. IndustriALL members Commemorate the World Day for Tunisia, March 2013. IndustriALL Decent Work on 7 October 2013. FESTU

17 COUNTRY: Zimbabwe UNION: Zimbabwe Energy Workers Union (ZEWU)

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Text: Aisha Bahadur Angeline Chitambo: Photo: IndustriALL Still Fighting On There can be no doubt that Angeline Chitambo, President of the Zimbabwe Energy Workers Union (ZEWU) and IndustriALL Global Union Executive Committee member, is a woman of great strength. It has been a tough year for her but she has stood her ground in the face of blatant worker and trade union rights violations by the state owned Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA).

It all started when ZESA refused to comply Angeline, who has worked at ZESA for with an arbitration ruling to implement the more than 26 years and served as Vice collective bargaining agreement signed President of ZEWU from 2000 and then off by the company on wage increases as its President from 2006, interprets “Workers have an ‘each man for himself for 2012. ZESA suspended 135 workers, the attempt to remove her as a move to and God for all’ attitude. Without unity including Angeline and other union leaders undermine the union that has grown into amongst workers, the labour movement for allegedly threatening strike action. ZESA a vibrant worker driven organization under is as good as dead in Zimbabwe,” then tried to use the reinstatement of the her leadership. “They see me as a threat Angeline says. suspended workers as leverage to have because I have been pushing forward This has severely undermined the power the union agree to abandon the collective workers’ issues but I can’t leave like balance in industrial relations, leaving bargaining agreement, but ZEWU remained this.” She adds with a laugh, “I have unions without the ability to mobilize resolute. said that I will accept being pushed workers on their demands. out if they honour the 2012 collective After a long battle all of the suspended bargaining agreement.” Again in 2013, ZEWU and ZESA are unable workers were reinstated except for to reach an agreement in the collective Angeline, who was dismissed. Angeline points out that in 2006 ZESA bargaining. ZEWU wants a wage increase tried to violate the collective bargaining “From the start of this we were not in 2013 to be applied to wages that include agreement but the difference was the alone and now when it is just me left the gains won in 2012. With limited options response from workers. “We had the out in the cold, IndustriALL continues available to the union to exert pressure, biggest strike that Zesa has ever faced, to stand by me,” says Angeline. “I never once again a legal route through arbitration it was considered illegal because we expected that I would get such support. must be pursued. are categorised as essential services The initiative taken by IndustriALL to workers and denied the right to strike, “Through the challenges I have faced in help me and my union during this time but everybody participated and nobody the last year, I have come to appreciate has given me strength and courage to could be victimised.” the importance of unity and solidarity. keep fighting.” We have come together as unions from So what has changed? Angeline speaks ZEWU took the matter to labour court, diverse sectors at a global level, but we of the demobilization of workers through which ruled that the charges against can achieve so much more if we build state repression. A particular problem Angeline were unfounded and ordered her unity amongst ourselves as affiliates at is the restrictions on gatherings that reinstatement. ZESA refuses to comply a country level. This is what I pledge to require police clearance. Employers use with the ruling, seeking to settle the matter champion in IndustriALL, this will be my victimization to manipulate workers, by paying her to leave voluntarily. thanks for the support I have received,” resulting in a decline of worker ideology. concludes Angeline.

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Rio Tinto unsustainable Text: business Glen Mpufane, Armelle Seby practice special Claiming to abide by good corporate practice, mining giant Rio Tinto’s report behaviour includes major disputes

with trade unions, communities, Main photo: IndustriALL Global Union joined a regulatory authorities, as well as diverse group of civil society activists, NGOs and community-based over indigenous people’s rights. organizations in London to protest against Rio Tinto and Anglo American unsustainable business practices on the occasion of their Annual General Meetings on 18 and 19 April 2013. Amy Scaife/London Mining Network

Rio Tinto has its headquarter in the UK, combining Rio Tinto plc, a London and New York Stock Exchange listed company, and Rio Tinto Limited, which is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. The company employs around 71,000 people in more than 40 countries.

Rio Tinto’s business is finding, mining, and processing mineral resources. Major products are aluminum, copper, diamonds, thermal and metallurgical coal, uranium, gold, industrial minerals (borax, titanium dioxide and salt) and iron ore. Activities span the world; represented in Australia and North America with significant businesses in Asia, Europe, Africa and South America.

Rio Tinto is a profitable mining company that delivers consistent dividends to shareholders. Over the last five years, underlying earnings have exceeded US$55 billion. On average, from 2008 through 2012—during a global financial crisis—Rio Tinto earned more than US$30 million per day, or US$1.26 million per hour.

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successfully de-unionised its workforce in Australia in the 1990s, becoming the first major mining company to place its workforce on individual contracts and refuse to deal with unions. At the time, Bell Bay was the first significant plant in Australia to stand without a recognised trade union. But Industriall affiliate the Australian Workers’ Union, AWU, scored a historic victory by winning back the collective bargaining rights at the Bell Bay plant in 2013. This was the result of two years of strategic and systematic trade 1 union work.

In the midst of the worst global recession However, the certification attesting to the ever to hit the world in 2008, the mining company’s highest ethical, social, and industry experienced a commodity environmental standards, raises questions boom. This boom, driven largely by about Rio Tinto’s influence over the RJC. the growth of India and China, created The London Olympics organizers were Rio Tinto prefers to unprecedented demand for coal, subjected to criticism for choosing Rio mineral resources and precious stones. Tinto without following service provider avoid negotiations with Against the background of the financial protocols for auditing and certification. mineworkers’ unions crisis, mining companies continued It also appears to have been a rushed- and find solutions with to outperform the overall market, as through process which conveniently made consumer sector dependent on demand Rio Tinto the first mining company to the workers themselves from developed economies struggled to receive this recognition. instead of having a third recover. Most mining companies came through the crisis with robust balance The award was widely condemned party involved. They sheets. However, the mining boom has by human rights NGOs, as well as by call the practice direct not delivered for workers – mining is the IndustriALL Global Union and its affiliates. engagement. most unsafe industry in the world, and it IndustriALL joined thousands of activists is tough work. around the world to vote for Rio Tinto as the worst company linked to the London The Way we Work, Rio Tinto’s global Olympics in the Greenwash awards. code of conduct, is promoted as an expression of good corporate citizenry and an expression of the company’s Direct engagement cuts In 2012 events along the same lines values. Rio Tinto is considered by many out trade unions unfolded in Alma, Québec, where 780 ethical business rankings as leading in the Rio Tinto prefers to avoid negotiations with workers were locked out at an aluminium mining sector, and it continues to enjoy mineworkers’ unions and find solutions smelter. Workers were effectively being high accolades by ethical indices such as with the workers themselves instead of punished for rejecting management the FTSE4good ethical share index. Yet having a third party involved. They call the attempts to halve salaries and outsource Swiss-based REPRISK, a firm specializing practice direct engagement. As articulated the workforce. The lock-out lasted for six in assessing the possible environmental, by David Peever, a senior company months, but after taking on the mining social, governance and reputational risks executive in 2012, legislation must take giant the United Steelworkers, USW, of companies, listed Rio Tinto as the sixth account of the need for ‘direct engagement won the fight and saw a new collective most controversial mining company of 2011. between management and the work force’. agreement ratified. It is best to limit ‘the influence of third Before being accepted as provider of the In August 2013, Redpath Mongolia, a parties in areas of the business in particular metals for the 2012 Olympic medals, Rio contractor that employs workers at the Rio that are more properly the province of Tinto went through an audit and certification Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine owned management.’ process. The company was subsequently jointly by Rio Tinto and the Mongolian the first to be certified as a responsible Since trade unions fall in the category of government, fired about 1,700 workers. mining company by the Responsible third parties, they have no place in Rio The reason for firing the workers was Jewellery Council (RJC), an organization Tinto’s world and are perceived as an never disclosed but was apparently linked of companies in the industry and which obstacle and a threat to flexibility and the to revenue sharing of the mine with the includes Rio Tinto as a founding member. need for improved productivity. Rio Tinto government of Mongolia. Turquoise Hill

Swiss-based REPRISK, a firm specializing in assessing the possible environmental, social, governance and reputational risks of companies, listed Rio Tinto as the sixth most controversial mining company of 2011. 2 20 Landmark judgement against Rio Tinto in Resources, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto, Solidarity actions in Indonesia Mongolian court announced on 12 August 2013 that and Mongolia until “matters can be resolved with the In May 2013 the roof on a non-operational Mongolian government and a new timetable underground tunnel collapsed during a A Rio Tinto worker was dismissed for has been agreed”, the funding and training session at the Freeport-McMoran’s protesting against discrimination over the remuneration paid to Mongolian development of the mine’s underground Grasberg copper mine in Indonesia killing employees. The unequal remuneration expansion would be delayed. Redpath 28 miners. The accident, which can only pay between Mongolian nationals and Mongolia was involved in the building of the be described as an industrial homicide, underground portion of the mine. expatriates employed by Rio Tinto killed 28 members of CEMWU FSPKEP- translate into a disparity of MNT 3 million In Australia, Rio Tinto has been involved SPSI. On 15-18 September, Andrew for local Mongolian, to MNT 30 million for in a run in with authorities over the future Vickers, chairperson of the mining sector expatriates a month on average. of the Gove alumina refinery in Australia, at IndustriALL and General Secretary of CFMEU in Australia, led a high-level global The Ministry of Labour has confirmed that which employs about 1400 workers. In the Oyu tolgoi and Rio Tinto were in violation midst of negotiations with authorities over solidarity mission to Indonesia to lend international support to CEMWU of Clause #8.1 of the OT IA “in the most the security of energy (gas) supply to the blatant, wanton manner and never made FSPKEP-SPSI. refinery and an apparent rejection of the a single step towards enforcing this government’s offer, Rio Tinto subsidiary The mission included delegates from the obligation”. The Supreme Court ruled that Pacific Aluminium went ahead and warned United Steelworkers of America and the the termination of the employment was Gove workers of an uncertain future. National Union of Mineworkers in South unjust and unlawful. Chief Minister, Adam Giles said, while Africa. During the three days, the mission The ruling of the Supreme Court was the the Government had been conducting delegates met with the management of PT final arbiter over Rio Tinto’s intransigence negotiations in good faith with Rio Tinto, Freeport Indonesia, as well as government and arrogance to refuse two lower court “the Northern Territory Government is representatives from the Ministry of Energy, judgements in favour of the employee. disappointed Rio Tinto has chosen to scare Natural Resources and Minerals, and the Rio Tinto took the matter on appeal to the its employees by discussing curtailment of Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration. Supreme Court and lost. its Gove refinery before all its options have “We learned with horror that the cause of IndustriALL applauds this important been exhausted and a final decision has the accident was that the roof collapsed victory, and Assistant Secretary General been made”. due to faulty lines along the rooftop and Kemal Özkan says: In New Zealand, IndustriALL affiliate the deterioration of ground support bolts. As “This is a huge victory not only for New Zealand Engineering, Printing & such no one could be held accountable,” Sainkhuu Gantuya, but for all workers in Manufacturing Union Incorporated (EPMU), Andrew Vickers says. Mongolia, especially at Oyu Tolgo. This brought a case to the courts that involved The mission’s conclusion, supported by is a significant and important pushback against Rio Tinto, particularly in the New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited, the CEMWU FSPKEP-SPSI, was that the context of IndustriALL Global Union’s a Rio Tinto Alcan majority owned smelter. cause of the accident was management The company was ordered to pay back global corporate campaign against negligence. No evidence of inspections Rio Tinto.” workers owed annual leave that they were or risk assessment performed before the legally entitled to but never received. accident could be provided. IndustriALL affiliate, the International Last year Sukhgerel Dugersuren of the Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), Mongolian NGO Oyu Tolgoi Watch, endured a bitter dispute with Rio Tinto in addressed the Rio Tinto AGM on behalf 2010 at an exclusively owned subsidiary of herders who live around the Oyu Tolgoi of Rio Tinto, the Borax mine in southern mine, saying that Rio Tinto was diverting California. Rio Tinto attempted to impose the Undai River – the sole river that new precarious contracts on workers that supports life in this Gobi desert region – would have increased overtime, scrapped without local community consent and the the seniority system in place at the time, necessary government permits. It is on this given managers discretion to cut jobs site that Rio Tinto has chosen to dump its and hours, and with little benefits for the waste rock. workers. After the ILWU put the issue to a vote that unanimously rejected the new IndustriALL’s recent mission to Mongolia to investigate claims of unethical conduct conditions, workers who turned up for on the part of Rio Tinto discovered that as work the next day found they were locked a result of a flawed investment agreement out by the company. The ILWU mounted a signed by a former government, Mongolia successful global campaign that forced will not reap the benefits from the Oyu Rio Tinto to withdraw. Tolgoi mine for another 20 to 30 years. 3

photo 1: photo 2: photo 4: IndustriALL and Swiss local union UNIA Activists protest against Rio Tinto and Olympic medals exposed at “Off the Podium” planned action at the Anglo American at their Annual General the Rio Tinto Annual General International Olympic Committee in Lausanne Meeting, April 2013. Amy Scaife/ Meeting in London, April 2012. Switzerland. May 14 2012. IndustriALL London Mining Network IndustriALL photo 3: IndustriALL 4 21 global worker | special report

The current government is involved in a Rio Tinto and precarious work fierce battle with Rio Tinto to review the terms of that investment agreement. in Madagascar: a way to avoid As described earlier, it is a battle that responsibilities has resulted in the termination of 1,700 workers. Rio Tinto’s actions in Madagascar illustrate the company’s strategy to use outsourcing to reduce operation costs and to escape from its Rio Tinto and responsibilities as an employer. Communities and workers pay the cost. IndustriALL Global Union Rio Tinto’s voluntary commitment to the OECD Guidelines on Multinationals IndustriALL finds Rio Tinto being in and the UN Guiding principles on Business and Human Rights appears contravention of both national labour to be a facade. Rio Tinto claims no responsibilities, while this policy laws and international labour standards, which it claims to subscribe to. In order generates clear adverse impact in its supply chain. to address this untenable situation, IndustriALL and its affiliates have created a Global Network composed QIT Madagascar Minerals (QMM) is a joint venture between Rio Tinto (who owns an 80 of its affiliates with a presence at Rio per cent stake) and the Government of Madagascar. Since the end of 2008, the joint Tinto operations worldwide. The main venture has been producing limonite near Fort Dauphin, in southern Madagascar. objective and purpose of the Rio Tinto In July 2013, QMM ended its contract with the security company OMEGA Risk Global Network is to highlight and Solutions. Instead, they opted for two cheaper security companies, Protech Service combat these violations. and G4S, naming cuts in operation costs as the reason for terminating the contract. Rio Tinto must be held accountable for 300 workers were collectively dismissed with merely one month’s notice. When its conduct and behaviour. Rio Tinto IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, the Fédération des Syndicats des Travailleurs has enormous resources to drag out de l’Energie et des Mines (FISEMA), tried to engage in social dialogue with QMM regarding the breach of duties concerning social planning for the dismissed workers, disputes with individual trade unions the company’s response was flat - it refused to enter into a dispute as the matter in collective bargaining negotiations. It concerned human resource management of a subcontractor. has resources to lobby for its interests with legislative process that are aimed In August 2013, a regional tripartite labour committee was established to facilitate the at addressing some of the excesses dialogue between the workers and OMEGA. As a result of this committee, mediation of its practices. Rio Tinto succeeds agreements on the collective labour dispute of former employees of the company in portraying a practice of good OMEGA were concluded. However, representatives of the FISEMA expressed their reservations in relation to the agreement because of procedural irregularities in the corporate governance and sustainable process. Regional tripartite labour committees are not allowed to conclude such development. agreements. In this kind of negotiations workers are allowed to be represented by their Workers organized by IndustriALL elected staff reps. In this case only two reps were participating in the negotiations. affiliates have been subject to The workers’ representatives were not provided with all the relevant contracts and Rio Tinto’s worsts form of abuse. information prior to the process. But maybe more astoundingly, the QMM was not IndustriALL affiliates have on many represented as an employer but acted as one of the mediators. occasions, separately and individually, A proposal was made to 85 per cent of the dismissed workers to be hired by the new responded to these attacks with the security companies. It was also proposed that the remaining workers would have might of organized labour and global access to relevant training. The dismissed workers who are hired by the new security solidarity. Organized workers cannot companies are earning 20 per cent less than they were earning when employed be defeated. In 2014, IndustriALL by OMEGA. By October 2013, no training had yet been provided to the remaining and its affiliates are coordinating a workers, and these workers are today unemployed with no social planning. There is no comprehensive response to Rio Tinto’s longer an on-going social dialogue and OMEGA is no longer present in Fort Dauphin. unsustainable behaviour. This corporate FISEMA has tried to make an appeal to the Labour Inspectorate and the Labour campaign involves a broad alliance Court, only to be given the answer that as the employer, OMEGA, is absent there is no possibility of appeal. of civil society actors such as NGOs, communities and other global union The case in Madagascar is a far cry from Rio Tinto’s public commitment to conduct federations. The objective is to force a its activities in compliance with environmental, health, safety and the well-being of seismic shift in Rio Tinto’s relationship its employees and the community. A commitment repeated in the establishment and attitude towards trade unions, and convention of QMM: “QMM SA undertakes to carry out its various activities in the to recognize trade unions as formal environmental, health, safety and well-being of its employees and the community.” counterparts. The case in Madagascar is not an isolated case; Rio Tinto is increasingly resorting to outsourcing, leading to the casualization of labour in many of its operations.

photo: The Fédération des Syndicats des Travailleurs de l’Energie et des Mines (FISEMA) at Rio Tinto operations at Fort- Dauphin distributed flyers on 7 October to mark the World Day for Decent Work and their current struggle concerning the settlement of the mass dismissals in the plant. FISEMA

22 Country: Georgia Union: Trade Union of Metallurgy, Mining and Chemical Industry Workers of Georgia (TUMMCIWG) Georgia: successful organizing in difficult profile conditions TEXT: With its abridged 2006 Labour Code, subject to an ILO Ilya Matveev Photo: complaint, and multiple rights violations, Georgia is TUMMCIWG a difficult place for union organizing. And yet, in just three years the Trade Union of Metallurgy, Mining and Chemical Industry Workers of Georgia (TUMMCIWG) has more than tripled its membership.

Organizing a plant starts with a careful while simultaneously studying in Tbilisi, the study of its workforce. The union then tries capital of Georgia. He joined the labour to establish contacts, holding meetings at movement in 2003, and after becoming the entrance of the plant. Union activists the Georgian Trade Union Confederation’s visit workers at home and try to get them representative in one of country’s regions, to join the union. When around 20-25 new Tamaz moved on to become the assistant contacts are established, the TUMMCIWG president of TUMMCIWG. In 2010 he was invites these workers to a workshop. Within elected president of the TUMMCIWG. two or three months it begins to show who Now Tamaz looks to the future. “The most are the potential leaders, who then start important thing is that there are 10,000 building the new union. unorganized workers in the industry, “Both internal and external organizing most of which are Chiatura miners” is important”, says Tamaz. “Not all he says. “The union will strengthen its “Believe it or not, I spend only two organizing efforts are successful, communications work and fight for nights a week at home. The rest of the but this is the only way forward.” collective agreements at all the plants. Another important goal is to change time I travel around the country and talk However, there is a widespread resistance the whole ideology of union work; to to workers,” says Tamaz Dolaberidze, to organizing. At the moment, the union is talk more about rights and less about TUMMCIWG president. struggling with the employers at four plants. material aid to workers.” In 2010, when Tamaz was elected At Georgian Manganese, a metallurgical president, the union had merely 1,500 company, collective bargaining begun in TUMMCIWG and members – today it counts 5,000 in January 2013. The union prepared a draft its ranks. collective agreement, and both sides were IndustriALL Global Union ready to sign it. But at the last moment the In Georgia’s difficult circumstances In the last three years, TUMMCIWG has management rejected the agreement, which IndustriALL lends as much support as been organizing workers at large mining prompted a workers’ strike. possible to TUMMCIWG. IndustriALL and chemical plants. Local unions have general secretary Jyrki Raina has sent been created at the Zestafoni Ferroalloy At another company, the GTM Group, several letters to Georgian companies, Plant, the Chiatura processing plant, the several union activists were fired the same condemning their anti-union practices. Hercules metallurgical plant in Kutaisi, and day as the union was created. The union Tamaz plans to sign a Global Framework several others. president was verbally abused by the general director and escorted off the plant Agreement with Georgian Manganese, and “The labour market in Georgia is premises. The union filed a court complaint IndustriALL’s role in this is also crucial. extremely deregulated and employers in response to the treatment endured. “Our union advances day by day, have very few obligations to abide and IndustriALL’s help in this is very by. This situation gives collective But despite these difficulties, the important,” says Tamaz. agreements a crucial importance, TUMMCIWG is steadily growing and although it’s very difficult to get to signing new collective agreements. the point when they are signed,” Tamaz Dolaberidze, the man behind Tamaz explains. TUMMCIWG’s success, started his career as a worker at a chemical plant in 1992, 23 IndustriALL affiliates take action to STOP Precarious Work

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