Read this article in:
26 May, 2010
The Executive Committee of the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM) Federation, meeting today 26 May in Geneva, passed three key resolutions. Firstly, the Executive drew sharp attention on the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and its role to improve safety conditions in the world’s mines.
The ICEM also passed resolutions reiterating its strong support to the United Steelworkers in Canada in its 11-month strike against Brazilian-based Vale, and support to the National Miners’ and Metalworkers’ Union of Mexico (SNTMMSRM), also known as Los Mineros, in its lengthy struggle against Grupo Mexico and the government of Mexico.
The adopted statement on mine safety called on the ILO to do more to press member states to ratify Convention 176, the Safety and Health in Mines Convention. Recent mining tragedies in Turkey and Russia served as a backdrop for the Executive issuing strong rhetoric for immediate action by the ILO.
“Our statutory body strongly feels that the ILO must become more pro-active in investigating causes of safety negligence, and insist on a greater trade union role in promoting safe work conditions,” said ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda.
In Turkey, the ICEM endorsed today’s three one-hour work stoppages by 10,000 miners, strikes that were led by ICEM affiliate Genel Maden-Is. The strikes across the coal-mining region of Zonguldak follow the deadly 17 May methane explosion in the Karadon mine, which killed 30 non-union and short-term contract workers. The strikes were meant as a message to the Turkish government, demanding safe work conditions inside mines, as well as ratification of Convention 176.
The ICEM Executive also condemned faulty pay schemes in mining in several countries, including Russia where monthly salaries are kept extremely low, with miners expected to achieve high production quotas to supplement their pay. This likely was the case at the Raspadskaya mine in the Kemerovo region, where 90 workers died due to methane gas explosions in early May.
The safety statement also addressed a rash of accidents in both the upstream and downstream oil and gas industries, including a refinery explosion in the US state of Washington that killed seven and the Gulf of Mexico disaster. “While much is made of the environmental destruction along the United States Gulf coast brought about by the oil rig explosion, which indeed merits attention, little is made of the fact that 11 offshore workers died and 15 others were seriously injured,” read the statement. See full resolution here.
The resolution regarding the USW strike at three locations of Vale in Canada called attention to the company’s ongoing aversion to negotiate in good faith with the union. The global campaign for justice at Vale, by the ICEM, the International Metalworkers’ Federation (IMF), and affiliates from around the world has improved conditions for workers, said the resolution. See full document here.
The third resolution, on Los Mineros’ struggle against Grupo Mexico and the government of Felipe Calderon, condemns the recent brutal and unprovoked attacks by the Mexican Federal Police on members of the union. The attack is seen as a direct attack on the autonomy of Los Mineros. Police fired on, detained, and physically attacked the workers in the city of Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán. Among those attacked was Mario García Ortíz, Los Mineros’ special delegate for the State of Michoacán, also the Alternative General Secretary of the union and President of the recent Convention of the union.
The ICEM statement calls on the Mexican government to acknowledge the result of the democratic election of the Los Mineros Congress, in which Napoleon Gomez Urrutia was elected. See the full document here.
The ICEM is a Global Union Federation consisting of 467 trade unions in 132 countries, representing in total 20 million workers.
For further information, contact ICEM Information Officer, Dick Blin, [email protected], or +41 79 734 8994 (mobile), or Tom Grinter, ICEM Communications and Campaigns, [email protected], +41 79 693 4499 (mobile).