12 December, 2011National Executive Members of the National Engineering Workers Union (NEWU) and the Zimbabwe Metal Energy and Allied Workers Union (ZMEAWU) met in November 2011 to evaluate progress towards a merger and the level of cooperation that they have achieved.
9 December, 2011In a unanimous vote, IMF Central Committee decides to convene an extraordinary Congress in June 2012 to create a new global union for industrial workers.
8 December, 2011On December 7 the mobilization launched by the European Metalworkers' Federation (EMF) was answered at all of ArcelorMittal's European sites. Tens of thousands of workers in ten European countries protested against the company's industrial strategy and job cuts.
8 December, 2011November 23-25 the Gerdau Workers' World Council met in Paipa, Colombia. The Council approved an action plan for 2011-2012 that will be distributed shortly to all unions belonging to the Council.
8 December, 2011The US tire and rubber company on November 28 announced that it would lock out 1,051 unionized workers at its plant in Findlay in the state of Ohio, USA. The United Steelworkers (USW) and its Local 207L condemned the move and on December 6 filed charges with the National Labour Relations Board (NLRB) against the company for unfair labour practices in bargaining.
8 December, 2011IMF delegates gathered from different parts of the world at the Central Committee meeting in Jakarta to evaluate the work over two years since its last meeting, and to discuss the issues of precarious work and social security, and the future of the new global union.
16 December, 2011Amid mounting international pressure against GEA the IMF and EMF joined the picket line at GEA's subsidiary in Turkey on December 16 to address locked-out workers and show solidarity with their struggle.
12 January, 2012Berne Declaration and Greenpeace launch the Public Eye Awards, a project where the public votes for the companies with the worst corporate practices in 2011.
12 January, 2012A delegation of locked-out workers from Cooper Tire in the USA meets Serbian union leaders to discuss common approaches and mutual support when dealing with the company.
