Read this article in:
18 November, 2007
Mobilisation of European trade unions is in full force, counting down to a 4 December European Day of Action in Rotterdam, Netherlands, against food and chemicals company Unilever’s unjust job cuts. The mobilisation is being headed by the European Federation of Food, Agriculture, and Tourism Trade Unions (EFFAT), and has the full support of the European Trade Union Congress (ETUC), the European Mine, Chemical, and Energy Federation (EMCEF), and the ICEM.
In August, the Anglo-Dutch company announced a global reorganisation plan that would make redundant one-tenth of its 180,000 employees. Unilever would close 60 workplaces, out of 300 worldwide. In Europe, the company’s global plan results in 10,000 to 12,000 job losses, with 20 to 25 plants endangered over the next 3 years.
In The Netherlands, where a number of strikes have already occurred, FNV Bondgenoten and CNV Voeding came to agreement with Unilever recently over a new collective agreement, as well as job security terms over closure of three Dutch plants by the end of 2008. The plants targeted for closure are in Delft, where Calvé food products are made; in Loosdrecht, a plant making Knorr food products; and in Vlaardingen, a Lever Fabergé plant where consumer products are made.
The job security terms state that plant-site Works Councils will study the company’s plans and be allowed to develop alternatives. Those alternatives will then be seriously considered by the company in consultations with workers’ representatives. The two unions also agreed to fair compensation for any proposed job cuts. Unilever also guarantees that there will be no compulsory redundancies.
In the collective agreement, running from May 2007 to March 2009, Dutch workers received a retroactive backpay award of 3% to last May. On 1 March 2008, they will receive a structural pay raise of 3.5%. The contract covers 3,000 workers.
For the 4 December manifestation, the ICEM and EMCEF issued a joint declaration regarding Unilever’s global restructuring. In part, it reads, “Unilever’s August 2007 announced restructuring is the wrong response to the financial community’s criticism of the company.”
The ICEM, along with its sister Global Union Federation, the International Union of Food Workers’ Association (IUF), cites Unilever’s anti-worker behaviour elsewhere as well. In India, the company has engaged in union-busting with the Hindustan Lever Employees Union at a factory in Assam. In trying to avoid social dialogue with the union, Unilever sold the food operation to a shell company. In Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan, at a foods and tea factory, Unilever called in armed militia to break workers protest against a plan to replace 950 permanent jobs, out of 1,200, with casual and contract workers.
In Vinheido, Brazil, Unilever took an uncompromising position in collective negotiations that set the worst precedents on implementing precarious work. Likewise, in Chile, South Africa, and Colombia, Unilever has exhibited clear and negative attitudes relating to labour relations.