Over the past three years, contract workers on Iranian oil projects have improved their conditions through a series of wildcat strikes. Now an activist from IndustriALL’s Iranian affiliate UMMI has been formally mandated to represent the workers in negotiations with the oil companies, the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and the government.

In a serious violation of workers’ rights, Bangladeshi police first banned a number of union meetings and then physically stopped participants from joining a meeting where a regional committee of the IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC) was to be formed.

The strike at the Salar de Atacama facility in Chile's Antofagasta region has ended after the union reached an agreement with Albemarle Corp, the world's leading lithium producer.

The Prime Minister of Cambodia’s announcement of a US$2 increase to the minimum wage has left trade unions dissatisfied.

The second regional meeting of the glass sector was held online on 22 September, with participation of leaders from IndustriALL affiliates in Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. Aiming to promote solidarity, organizing and better union presence in the glass sector in Latin America, participants agreed to launch a regional glass network and continue regular information exchanges.

The union of Farmindustria workers in Peru, part of Peru's federation of manufacturing workers (FETRIMAP), an affiliate of IndustriALL Global Union, went on strike on 1 September to demand increased wages and better working conditions.

IndustriALL Global Union, the International Transport Workers’ Federation and UNI Global Union, with the support of the Friedrich-Ebert Foundation, are calling for tenders regarding a specific research on the labour impact of new mobility concepts.

Indian unions are taking action against the government’s plans to privatize key assets and sectors on 7 October, World Day for Decent Work, as the so-called National Monetisation Pipeline could violate human and worker’s rights and fail to create decent jobs.

According to the first joint WHO/ILO monitoring report, at least 1.9 million workers lose their lives every year due to the work-related diseases and injuries. However, when adding causes of death by risk factors not included and filling in information gaps from poor record-keeping to the data from 2000 – 2016, the number is closer to a staggering 3 million deaths.

IndustriALL Asia Pacific affiliates in base metals and mechanical engineering sectors are demanding that governments and employers ensure a Just Transition for workers impacted by Industry 4.0 and green technology.

In just a week, two more workers have been killed and three have been injured due to the deplorable lack of safety in Chittagong’s shipbreaking yards. IndustriALL affiliates BMF and BMCGTWF have repeatedly brought up the issue of health and safety with both Bangladesh’s government and the ship owners, but to no avail.

The National Union of Metal and Allied Industries of Zimbabwe (NUMAIZ), affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, is protesting workers’ rights violations at Chinese-owned Afrochine Smelting that include unfair termination of contracts for 33 workers, non-payment of wages, and the beating up of workers by supervisors.

The 90th session of the OECD Steel Committee on 22 September focused on global steel market prospects and key issues in the steel sector, including global overcapacity. TUAC, IndustriALL Global Union and industriAll European Trade Union used the opportunity to raise awareness among OECD member countries and steel industry associations of the importance of global minimum standards for steelworkers, based on core ILO Conventions, as well as reiterate the importance of responsible business conduct in the steel sector, as set in the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

When Salcomp Turkey, who produces smart phones for Chinese Xiaomi, the second largest smartphone maker in the world, fired 170 workers for joining a union, the union members took action. After six days, Salcomp agreed to reinstate all dismissed workers.

Workers at Leoni, one of Tunisia’s largest employers, will receive a retroactive wage increase of six per cent for 2020 and an 8.5 per cent increase for 2021. Unions in the country say the increase is the result of a mature and healthy social dialogue. 

Ukrainian unions are planning a protest action on 7 October, World Day for Decent Work, against the current labour law reform, which risks undermining workers’ and trade union rights.

The pressure on IndustriALL affiliate Belarusian Independent Trade Union has dramatically increased in the last days. Union leaders and activists have been arrested, fined, and their homes have been searched.

Originally planned to take place in Cape Town, South Africa, the Covid-19 pandemic meant that IndustriALL’s 3rd Congress instead became a virtual event from a television studio in Geneva. On 14-15 September, more than 3,000 delegates and observers from more than 100 countries discussed and debated, elected a new leadership and adopted an ambitious action plan for the next four years.

After years of negotiating for a merger, three IndustriALL Global Union affiliates organizing in the textile, garment, shoe, and leather sectors held their inaugural congress in Harare on 12 September to form the Clothing, Leather and Textile Workers’ Federation (CLTWF).

IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, the Ghana Mine Workers Union (GMWU), says one of the strategies to organize artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM) is to adopt an approach that seeks to formalize and promote a decent work agenda in the informal mining sector.