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ICEM Netherlands affiliate FNV Bondgenoten has temporarily suspended talks with the Social Economic Council over policies of the right-wing government. Those include deterioration of social benefits for the unemployed and those sick, and a proposed block on workers seeking to take early retirement. On 20 September, a mass union rally in Rotterdam entitled “This Government Policy is a Bridge Too Far” will occur spanning the Erasmusbridge and Willemsbridge into the center of Coolsingel. And then on 2 October at 12:00 noon, a mass strike expected to draw hundreds of thousands of citizens is set for Amsterdam at Museumplein prior to Parliament’s debate over taxes.

Unions in Netherlands Gear Up to Protect Social System

The ICEM launched an aggressive global campaign to stem the use of contract and agency labour at a conference in Brussels 16-17 September. Trade union leaders of ICEM affiliates were uniform in their consensus that long-term and wide-ranging strategies are needed to protect the community-enriching benefits that permanent employment offers. Central among all strategies developed will be a programme aimed at primary employers in all ICEM sectors.

ICEM Launches Bold Campaign on Contract and Agency Labour

<p>
	Canadian affiliate CEP at the same 13 September labour rally and march over health care issued a call to adopt a national pharmacare programme aimed at providing low-cost and accessible drugs to Canadian citizens. The rising cost of drugs, the CEP asserts, has produced a number of examples of bargaining table discord between the union and employers.</p>


CEP Proposes 'Pharmacare' Programme for Canada

Nigerian affiliates NUPENG and PENGASSAN launched a two-day warning strike 7-8 October against Royal Dutch Shell in Nigeria. The strike was over Shell’s planned 2,000-worker job cuts, a restructuring the unions feel is baseless. The two-day strike was meant as a precursor for further industrial action aimed at curtailing production if the Anglo-Dutch firm does not change its position.

Nigerian Affiliates Launch Warning Strikes against Shell

US affiliate United Steelworkers took advantage of union-friendly language in last year’s Goodyear tyre contract to win card-check recognition status at a tyre mold plant in Statesville, North Carolina. A vast majority of the 130 workers at the non-union plant expressed a desire for USWA representation through a card signing process, and an independent arbitrator verified that. The union and local management will now negotiate a first collective agreement for the 130. USWA has also submitted a majority of cards to an arbitrator for representation at another Goodyear tyre facility employing 350 workers in Asheboro, North Carolina.

USWA’s Neutrality Language with Goodyear Pays Off

ICEM German affiliate IGBCE entered a second round of bargaining with chemical employers 7 June with hopes of achieving a real wage increase for 550,000 workers, as well as special bonuses for trade union members. IGBCE also seeks to include more mid-level and small chemical employers in mandatory industry pension plans. The union and chemical employers association BAVC, representing 1,900 companies, did make progress in May talks toward increasing the number of trainees in the chemicals sector and establishing a fund to pay special stipends to workers in the event of job displacement.

IGBCE, Employers Continue Efforts to Resolve Chemical Talks

German and French unions are teaming up to block the hostile takeover of German-French pharmaceutical Aventis by French rival Sanofi-Synthelabo. Hubertus Schmoldt, president of German IGBCE and Patrick Pierron, general secretary of the French union FCE-CFDT, oppose the hostile takeover. They fear massive job cuts in both countries will result, and jointly expressed disdain over how the takeover was set up. “A hostile takeover such as this is counter-production to the stock market. There are hardly any winners with such actions, but certainly plenty of losers,” the two unions said. <br/>
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French, German Unions Resist Aventis, Sanofi Chemical Merger

Two US ICEM affiliates—USWA and PACE—have been jointly working on legislative and member mobilization projects for several years. The two unions have now officially consummated that bond by entering into a formal strategic alliance with each other. The cooperative bond “recognizes that it is in each union’s mutual interest to coordinate their activities and share with each other the knowledge, techniques and experiences each has gained in areas in which they excel.”

US Unions USWA, PACE Form Strategic Accord

An announcement by the Canadian government to sell off its remaining 19% stake in Petro-Canada was denounced by the country’s leading energy union, Communications, Energy, Paperworkers of Canada. The Calgary-based company was established in 1975 to promote domestic supply of oil and gas and as a counter to the US-based oil giants. Petrocan is involved in Arctic gas, oil sands in western provinces, exploration and production of eastern seacoast reserves. It also operates a chain of petrol stations across Canada. “Canadians want and need a role in our oil and gas industry, and now is not the time to sell off Canada’s station,” said CEP President Brian Payne. “There are more than six million Canadians who drive up to Petro Canada regularly, believing that this company in part belongs to them. I can’t think of a better way to alienate Petro Canada’s loyal customers than by selling out.”

CEP Resisting Canadian Petro-Canada Sell-Off

IGBCE in Germany has warned employers in the chemical industry not to deviate from their social responsibilities in bargaining that begins in April for 580,000 chemical workers. Emphasizing that only some employers are stating the industry needs to “catch its breath” free of any wage increases, IGBCE said in a statement it would not change directions in upcoming talks. The union maintains that only through meaningful increases can the consumer economy in Germany improve.

German IGBCE Warns Chemical Industry Ahead of Bargaining

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