Global Union News from IndustriALL

Around 350 shipbreaking workers have been reinstated with wages after a two-day strike led by IndustriALL Pakistani affiliate NTUF. Workers are continuing to demand that the government and employers ensure basic facilities at the country's dangerous shipbreaking yards.

In the week leading up to STMicroelectronics’ annual general meeting (AGM) on 25 April, unions in France, Italy and Malaysia are protesting against the company’s financial strategy, as workers are being laid off despite an increasing workload.

IndustriALL Global Union’s Women’s Committee is determined to defend its resolution calling for a 40 per cent quota for women in IndustriALL, after meeting in Frankfurt, Germany on 24 May.

Multinational corporations (MNCs) dominate IndustriALL Global Union’s industrial, energy and mining sectors. But they employ only 6 per cent of the workers who make their products. We hold MNCs accountable for union rights and living wages throughout their supply chains.

Multinational corporations (MNCs) dominate IndustriALL Global Union’s industrial, energy and mining sectors. But they employ only 6 per cent of the workers who make their products. In this issue of Global Worker, we examine how MNCs can be held accountable for union rights and living wages throughout their supply chains.

Unions are under severe pressure to defend workers from exploitation as employers take advantage of anti-union legislation.

Why is climate change a union issue? A transformation is coming, whether the
world takes action on
climate change or takes
no action and awaits the consequences. We must not allow it to become a violent scramble for resources
such as water, energy, and fertile land that completely dismisses workers’ rights and social protection. 

Berthold Huber rose from an apprentice toolmaker in a bus factory to become leader of the world’s biggest national union, German metalworkers’ union, IG Metall, and President of IndustriALL Global Union. Huber, who says his role as President is to be the voice of affiliates, will step down at IndustriALL’s Congress in Rio in October.

The spread of production tied to multinational corporations (MNCs) worldwide has driven employment growth in many countries. And it has brought new challenges to the union movement. How can MNCs be held accountable for labour rights violations in their supply chains in the absence of global rules and enforcement mechanisms?

More than 40 per cent of workers in Brazil are affiliated to one of the two big trade union centres, the CUT and força Sindical. With their constant struggle and tireless work, they have both won major victories for the country’s workers.

Since it’s founding in 2012, action against precarious work has been at the top of IndustriALL’s policy and campaign agenda. After four years of organizing, bargaining, campaigning and fighting legislation by IndustriALL affiliates across the globe, the occasion of IndustriALL’s second Congress is an opportunity to reflect on the achievements and refocus on the struggles still to come.

Eighty women workers in Cambodia, Myanmar and Indonesia have been trained in gender equality and leadership skills as part of IndustriALL Global Union’s gender-maternity protection project in South East Asia. 

The textile, garment, shoe and leather industries employ 60 million people globally. On 22 – 23 May, union leaders from around the world met in Frankfurt for IndustriALL’s first world conference on the sector, discussing challenges and achievements.

IndustriALL affiliates in India discussed strategies and shared experiences of organizing precarious workers in the textile, garment and leather sector, in a union building workshop on 4-5 May 2016 in Bangalore.

After 5 months on strike, workers at Maghreb Steel face serious acts of repression, discrimination and harassment.

Hugo Boss shareholders heard about the luxury fashion brand’s illegal treatment of union members in Turkey at the company’s annual general meeting in Stuttgart, Germany, today.

IndustriALL Global Union is deeply concerned to learn that two workers are missing after a mine collapse in Rustenburg, South Africa.

Eight women are accused of public disorder in Belarus after posting a 14-second video protest message on YouTube against raising the retirement age.

On 9-11 May, more than 70 representatives from the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL), IndustriALL Global Union and fellow global union federations (GUFs), came together with trade union support organizations (TUSSOs) in Do Son/ Hai Phong City for an information sharing and cooperation meeting.

Two of IndustriALL Global Union’s Spanish affiliates MCA and FITAG have merged into a single federation, in a bid to more effectively represent workers, reinforce structure and make better use of resources.