4 May, 2009
With over 70 confirmed participants, the ICEM’s quadrennial World Conference for the Rubber Industries will take place in Nashville, Tennessee, USA next week, on 12-13 May 2009. The conference, to be hosted be the United Steelworkers (USW), will be presided over by USW President Leo Gerard, Chairman of the ICEM Rubber Industry Sector.
Leo Gerard, Chairman of ICEM Rubber Industry Section & USW President
The venue is the Sheraton Music City Hotel, Nashville.
Kemal Özkan, ICEM Chemicals and Rubber Industries Officer, will make a presentation on “Global Industry Trends and Challenges.”
The Conference will also feature five panel discussions: “Effects of Global Crisis on the Industry and Trade Union Challenges,” “Rising Hardships and Distortion in Work Relationships,” “Global Agreements, Global/Regional Company and Sector Networks and Campaigns,” “How to Improve Health and Safety for Workers: What Kind of Industrial Policy for a Greener Environment for Securing Jobs,” and “How to Better Coordinate Global Union Solidarity, Support and Cooperation.”
Other presentations on the agenda will include: “Collective Bargaining in the Rubber Industry,” “Global Trade Union Response Against Challenges,” and “Healthy and Safe Work, Environment and Sustainable Development.” The conference will conclude in the afternoon of 13 May with “Development of an Action Plan” for trade unions of the global rubber sector.
ICEM Health, Safety, and Sustainability Officer Brian Kohler will make the health, safety, and sustainable development presentations.
The Report for the Conference will be up on the ICEM website (www.icem.org) under ICEM Sectors: Rubber by late this week, as will the agenda and other background documents.