Jack Layton dies at the age of 6123 August, 2011Obituary Jack Layton, leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP) of Canada and a strong ally of trade unions, died of cancer on August 22, at the age of 61.
ICEM and IMF renew global agreement with Umicore13 September, 2011ICEM and IMF renewed their global framework agreement with Umicore, the Brussels-based global materials technology group with some 14,400 employees. First signed in September 2007, the agreement has been the basis for joint union-management activities. Representatives of the company, both global union federations and the European Works Council conducted joint missions in China in 2008, in Brazil in 2009 and in South Africa in 2010 in addition to the regular monitoring activities defined in the agreement.
Here we go again - Organizing in Alcoa13 September, 2011Organizing new workers is never easy but in the United States it's tougher than most places. Participants at an Alcoa Global Unions meeting got to experience first- hand the challenges facing the US unions. The attendees from unions in Australia, Canada, Iceland, Brazil, Suriname, and United Kingdom, took part in an organizing drive assisting the United Steelworkers (USW) as part of their activities. The target company Traco is a subsidiary of Alcoa and employs around 450 workers. Incidentally "Here we go again" was the title of union busting materials Alcoa used in one of its plants and seems apt to use during this organizing drive.
Joint bargaining in the Finnish metal industry16 September, 2011Three Finnish union organizations hold negotiations with the Technology Industries' employers' organisation in close coordination. The wage rise goal is four per cent at the minimum.
Global unions fight deteriorating union rights situation in Turkey19 September, 2011Global union organizations held their second annual meeting in Istanbul on September 8 and 9 in the presence of union representatives from both Turkey and across the world, and called on the Turkish government to change its legislation to guarantee basic rights of workers.
Building international solidarity between shipbuilding and shipbreaking workers19 September, 2011The first joint shipbuilding/shipbreaking conference of IMF and EMF is seen as a positive and successful experience by the participants. Both organisations will try and explore opportunities for further international cooperation and solidarity in this field.
Indonesian unions build unity through organizing27 September, 2011Indonesian union leaders met for a strategy and planning meeting in Jakarta, and agreed on a joint organizing plan. Through a project supported by SASK 6000 workers should be recruited to FSPMI and Lomenik during 2011.
Metalworkers fight for job security in Ukraine23 September, 2011Workers of the Zaporozhye Ferroalloy Plant in Eastern Ukraine picketed in front of the government office in Kiev protesting against job cuts at the plant. Their union works closely with local and national authorities to find a solution to the acute jobs crisis.
Indonesian unions cooperate to fight precarious work30 September, 2011Indonesian unions and NGOs gathered at the end of September 2011 to step up their fight against contract and agency labour in Indonesia.
Excellon in illegal lockout at Mexican mine3 October, 2011The Miners' Union reports that workers at the Sierrita mine have been locked out and the site has been occupied by other workers, in a conspiracy between the government and the company. The union has called for the immediate withdrawal of the occupation force and called on the employer to respect the agreement reached in August.
