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24 August, 2009
The Solvay workers of Brazil met for the fourth time under the auspices of the Solvay Network. The conference met 11-13 August, in Salvador de Bahia, on the northeast coast of Brazil. A new website was launched by the conference, as well as a new Action Plan for 2009-2010. See the new website here.
The new website is designed to assist communication and coordination, and also participation of workers at the 14 Brazilian locations of the Belgian-based company.
The new Action Plan lays out the Network’s intentions to consolidate a new database of the different conditions and working relationships currently affecting members, a study into the inclusion of workers in the profits made by the company, and analysis of the commitment made by Solvay to the Charter on Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility.
That was signed in November 2008 between the company and the European Works Council (EWC).
The meeting included visits to Solvay plants at Simões Filho, and brought together workers and trade unionists from organisations such as the Sindicato dos Quimicos do ABC, and Confederacão Nacional dos Ramos Quimicos (CNQ/CUT), as well as from CUTMulti Project, Sindicato dos Trabalhadores da Indústria Química, Petroquímica, the Chemicals and Plastics Union of São Paulo, the BASF Camaçari, and the Petrochemical and Allied Workers of Bahia Blanca (Argentina).
Network Coordinator, Juvenil Nunes da Costa
ICEM Vice-President for the Latin America/Caribbean Region, Sergio Novais, informed the Network that there will be a meeting next month with company management in Brussels, and called for meetings of the Network on training and exchange of experiences, in the month of November, in São Paulo.
There is a strong prospect of a new process of social dialogue with the company. One priority of the Network is to make the Solvay management formally recognise the Solvay Network.
The coordinator of the Network, Juvenil Nunes da Costa, described the meeting as a great success.