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26 August, 2005
The 20-millions strong ICEM and the Italian Trade Unions FILCEA-Cgil, FEMCA-Cisl and UILCEM-Uil signed a global agreement with Italian-based energy multinational, ENI, covering some 70 000 workers worldwide. The signing ceremony took place on 29th November 2002 before three hundred delegates gathered at the ICEM World Energy Conference in Rome. The agreement arises from a Protocol on Industrial Relations entered into between ENI management and Italian trade unions FILCEA, FEMCA and IULCEM in June 2001. This protocol established procedures for dialogue on the socio-economic impact of the company's activities across the globe and respect for human and trade union rights as contained in the ILO Core Conventions.
ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs
signs Global Agreement with ENI
Founded in 1953, ENI, is a privatised company in which the Italian government has retained 30% equity. It has operations in oil and gas exploration, production, refining, marketing, engineering and oil field services, electricity generation and in the petrochemicals industries - key sectors for the ICEM. It is the sixth largest energy producer in the world with some seventy operations in sixty seven countries. It is listed on the New York and Milan stock exchanges. It has a market capitalisation of just over sixty seven billion euro. In 2001, the company generated a turnover of 49 billion euro.
With the present agreement, ENI confirms it's commitment to respecting and implementing fundamental human and social rights as enshrined in the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Core Labour Conventions adopted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) viz. the right of workers to organise and bargain, prohibition of forced labour, prohibition of child labour and non-discrimination. In addition, the agreement provides for "continuing efforts to improve" and to "guarantee the highest standards" of health and safety for workers in all of it's global operations.
The Agreement commits the parties to "work towards the cultivation of working practices capable of promoting economic and social progress". This includes skills development programmes for workers, diversity management and promoting sustainable development goals. As regards contractors, the company undertakes to "formulate suitable guarantees against violations" within the framework of the agreement. Any violations of the terms of the agreement shall be reported and any remedial action undertaken by management will be communicated to the union. The agreement will be communicated throughout all operations using both company and union networks.
To promote on going information exchange and social dialogue, company executives, our Italian affiliates and the ICEM General Secretary shall meet, at company cost, in May each year to discuss socio-economic matters such as financial reports, employment, industrial relations and corporate social responsibility. Provision is also made for the involvement of ICEM-affiliated local unions within the company's operation in such meetings.
Addressing conference delegates after the signing, Massimo Cappelli, manager for industrial relations and productivity stated that the agreement "crowns an achievement in the company's ethics and industrial relations policy". The agreement commits the company to respecting human and trade union rights in all it's operations. "This agreement takes us another step forward in our drive to improve industrial relations and respect for human and trade union rights across the globe", said Higgs after signing the agreement.