28 March, 2011
A thorough survey conducted by the global trade union network of AkzoNobel reveals key points inside the Dutch chemical company’s worldwide subsidiaries, particularly related to restructuring. The AkzoNobel Workers’ Network was created only ten months ago when ICEM affiliate FNV Bondgenoten hosted the inaugural meeting in Amsterdam.
The survey saw response from nearly all workplace leaders and it shows important trends regarding use of temporary labour and contractors, labour-management communication levels, pay comparisons, and health and safety compliance. A full 96.5% of trade union leaders surveyed responded.
Also, for example, responses show that in AkzoNobel’s worldwide facilities – most of which are under 500 workers – the core labour standards regarding freedom of association and collective bargaining are in question, with 17% of all workplaces not unionised. Sixty-three percent of respondents answered that overtime work is compulsory, while 63% again said one form or another of restructuring has taken place in their plants over the past three years.
Regarding legal compliance with local or national regulations, AkzoNobel fares extremely well since 100% responding said the company complies with legal requirements, while the same number said AkzoNobel relies almost totally on legally-binding contracts.
Ninety-six percent of the respondents stated that the specialty chemicals and paints and coatings company does abide by adequate health and safety regulations.
Other results of the survey:
• 75% of those responding say that the workforce in their facility is composed of between 1-25% temporary workers, while 18% said there are no temporary workers and 7% said that the composition is between 50-75%;
• At 70% of the locations, there are regular meetings between trade union representatives and management;
• A good majority of unions (81%) have contacts with other unions inside or outside of their home country;
• 81% indicate that wages paid are in correlation to what is paid at respective national levels;
• 81% also say their worksites offer training possibilities;
• Regarding restructuring, in nearly all cases consultation took place between workers’ representatives and management;
• And in the restructurings, in 59% of the cases, 1-25% of the workforce was affected and in 33% of restructurings no workers were affected;
• And in 46% of AkzoNobel’s restructurings, there were no dismissals, while in 54% there were between 1-25% of workers at the site that lost their jobs.
In other AkzoNobel worker news, the Latin American Trade Union Network, held in December 2010 São Paulo, Brazil, created a group Facebook page called IWN-AN International Workers Network AkzoNobel. The page has an objective to ramp up communications, and post speedy opinions, documents, and other issues that participants wish to share. The facebook group is expected to obtain support for expanding the network via inputs from participants for future communications and discussion. For those wishing to participate, a Facebook account is necessary and then just to IWN-AN International Workers Network AkzoNobel.
The global network’s next activity will be to attend and follow Akzo Nobel’s Annual General Meeting, to take place Wednesday, 27 April, at 14h00 in Amsterdam.