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11 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 10/1998
Leaders of unions who represent 350,000 electric utility workers throughout the United Kingdom and the United States met in Washington today and pledged mutual support and solidarity with each other, particularly in their relations with common employers.
Seven regional electricity companies in Great Britain have been bought by US-based multinational companies. In addition, two US-based companies, PacifiCorp and Texas Utilities, are currently vying to take over an eighth company, The Energy Group, which operates Eastern Electricity in southeastern England, as well as Citizens Power in the United States and the Peabody Coal Company which owns and operates coal mines in the United States and Australia.
"As our employers expand globally the international community of organised labour needs to respond accordingly in the interests of workers," said Jim Dushaw, Director of the Utility Department of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).
Officials of the IBEW, Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA), and the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) from across the United States met yesterday and today in Washington with officers of the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU), Engineers’ and Managers’ Association (EMA), and Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) of the United Kingdom at an unprecedented international meeting organised by the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM).
Representatives of PacifiCorp - based in Portland, Oregon, USA - presented a keynote address to the meeting on their company’s international strategic plans, which was followed by an open discussion with the union officials. In that discussion, PacifiCorp agreed to the value of an ongoing global dialogue with the unions. In addition to its electricity and mining operations in the US, PacifiCorp owns and operates the Powercor electricity distribution company and, together with the British-based National Power, the Hazelwood electricity generation company, both located in Victoria, Australia.
"It is refreshing to talk to companies like PacifiCorp that understand the need for dialogue with unions," said Brendan Fenelon, Executive Councillor of the AEEU who serves as Chairman of the Electricity Supply Trade Union Council of the UK. "Such an open exchange of views can be beneficial to both labour and management," he said.
"We are pleased that the British and American electricity unions have forged this pact," said Kenneth S. Zinn, ICEM North American Regional Coordinator. "This is exactly the kind of cross-border solidarity that workers need in this rapidly globalised economy."
Seven regional electricity companies in Great Britain have been bought by US-based multinational companies. In addition, two US-based companies, PacifiCorp and Texas Utilities, are currently vying to take over an eighth company, The Energy Group, which operates Eastern Electricity in southeastern England, as well as Citizens Power in the United States and the Peabody Coal Company which owns and operates coal mines in the United States and Australia.
"As our employers expand globally the international community of organised labour needs to respond accordingly in the interests of workers," said Jim Dushaw, Director of the Utility Department of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).
Officials of the IBEW, Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA), and the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) from across the United States met yesterday and today in Washington with officers of the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU), Engineers’ and Managers’ Association (EMA), and Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) of the United Kingdom at an unprecedented international meeting organised by the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM).
Representatives of PacifiCorp - based in Portland, Oregon, USA - presented a keynote address to the meeting on their company’s international strategic plans, which was followed by an open discussion with the union officials. In that discussion, PacifiCorp agreed to the value of an ongoing global dialogue with the unions. In addition to its electricity and mining operations in the US, PacifiCorp owns and operates the Powercor electricity distribution company and, together with the British-based National Power, the Hazelwood electricity generation company, both located in Victoria, Australia.
"It is refreshing to talk to companies like PacifiCorp that understand the need for dialogue with unions," said Brendan Fenelon, Executive Councillor of the AEEU who serves as Chairman of the Electricity Supply Trade Union Council of the UK. "Such an open exchange of views can be beneficial to both labour and management," he said.
"We are pleased that the British and American electricity unions have forged this pact," said Kenneth S. Zinn, ICEM North American Regional Coordinator. "This is exactly the kind of cross-border solidarity that workers need in this rapidly globalised economy."