10 January, 2012Mining giant Rio Tinto Alcan locked out union workers at its Alma smelter in Quebec from January 1, when the union contract expired.
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.
8 December, 2011IMF affiliate Metal Workers Alliance of the Philippines (MWAP) and the Philippine Metalworkers Alliance (PMA), presented a united front to their Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE). A commitment to engage in joint actions was made by both unions at the IMF National Leadership Workshop for the first time.
20 December, 2011On December 17, 2011, workers at the IKEA-owned Swedwood plant in Danville, USA, voted for their first collective bargaining agreement which will go into effect on January 1, 2012.
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.
18 January, 2012Following discussions between BMW and IMF's british affiliate Unite, BMW has agreed not to proceed with its plan to close it's current pension scheme to new entrants, and that it will not use the "Swedish derogation" to avoid equal pay for agency workers.
