13 January, 2011Following the 3rd international meeting of the Tenaris Workers' World Council in Brazil last November, the union in Argentina negotiates a new permanent profit sharing system at the Campana plant; in Colombia Jairo del Rio seeks government intervention in the bargaining process; and, USW in Canada requests a meeting with Tenaris CEO Paolo Rocca.
GLOBAL: Following the 3rd international meeting of the Tenaris Workers' World Council in Brazil last November (http://www.imfmetal.org/index.cfm?id=622&l=2&cid=24840) where more than twenty trade unionists, representing workers in six countries participated, the union in Argentina negotiated a new permanent profit sharing system at the Campana plant, by which 4.5 per cent of Tenaris' yearly profit is distributed among workers represented by the union and covered by the collective agreement.
The total amount is to be distributed among full time and contract workers. If Tenaris decides to provide this profit sharing system to non-unionized employees it will have to use funds from other sources. Three smaller plants in Argentina in Villa Constitución, Valentín Alsina and San Juan do not have the same profit-sharing system.
Even though Tenaris is the second most profitable company in Cartagena, Colombia, it still refuses to negotiate a collective agreement with its employees. Jairo del Rio, president of SINTRATUCAR, (profiles in Metal World here: http://www.imfmetal.org/index.cfm?c=24691) met with the Vice-President of Colombia in December requesting government intervention in the bargaining process. The union in Colombia also boycotted the end-of-the-year party offered by Tenaris.
In December, as Tenaris held its end-of-the-year party in Ontario in which Tenaris CEO Paolo Rocca participated, the United Steel Workers (USW) in Canada requested a meeting with him. Management called the union executive board asking for the reasons for their meeting. The USW explained their interest to discuss local issues and the recognition of the Tenaris Workers' World Council. In a one hour meeting, the local management resolved many of the local issues outstanding but did not talk about the Workers' World Council. At the end of the meeting they asked the USW representatives: "now, are you coming to the party?" The USW response was: "if we meet Paolo Rocca, we are going to the party." They did not attend the party.