Read this article in:
12 February, 2007
A meeting between representatives of ICEM, Swedish paperworkers’ union Pappers, and corporate officers of Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget (SCA) was held in Stockholm on 26 January to review and update a Global Framework Agreement between the three parties. The SCA agreement was signed by the three on 15 April 2004.
The company informed the union representatives of progress it was making in meeting social requirements with supply-chain companies, and spoke of its corporate code of conduct in relation to compliance with human rights assessments, and health and safety issues.
ICEM and Pappers proposed that the company agree to a clause into the agreement that it will comply with the ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work, which SCA readily accepted. A second union proposal was tabled calling for language on contract and agency work inside SCA. Such language would include consultations with trade unions before contracts are signed with contractors or agencies. SCA took the matter under advisement, and both sides resolved to continue discussions on this issue in future meetings.
Agreement was made that clarifies text in the Global Agreement stating that minimum labour and other standards are not to be predicated on the relevant national legislation in a particular country. The ICEM also invited the Swedish-based global pulp/paper firm to join a unique social dialogue programme in Colombia that was launched by the Global Union Federation in 2004. SCA is a joint-venture partner in a paper mill in the South American country.
One disturbing issue raised in the meeting was the company’s sacking of the SCA European Works Council (EWC) chairman. The individual, a leader from Skogstrafacket, the Swedish Forest and Woodworkers’ Union, was fired for “disloyalty” because he checked licenses and permits of contractors coming into a Swedish saw mill after a round of redundancies. SCA charged him personally with this legitimate action, rather than challenging his role as a union officer. The case is now before a Swedish labour court.
The review meeting was attended by ICEM Gen. Sec. Manfred Warda and Pulp and Paper Sector Officer Eugene Kuprin; Pappers President Jan Hennrick Sandberg and International and Research Officer Christer Larsson; and SCA’s Karin Eliasson, senior vice president for Human Resources, Bo Rhodiner, vice president for Industrial relations, Yogi Pillay, corporate social responsibility manager, and Clive Bell, the company’s senior EWC mill representative.