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The unaffiliated Bahamas Electrical Workers Union (BEMU) rallied last week and commenced industrial actions against government-run Bahamas Electricity Corporation. Industrial actions officially began on 1 September. About 150 of the union’s 900 members rallied on that day outside the utility’s headquarters in Nassau. The company has failed to reach compromise on five key issues separating the two sides: safety, a pension scheme, salary disparities, management of work hours, and contract breaches. The union, part of the National Congress of Trade Unions (NCTU) of The Bahamas, is now conducting sit-down actions, go-slow procedures, and action might escalate to power cuts if management remains unwilling to address the concerns of electrical workers

Electric Workers in The Bahamas Start Job Actions

The ICEM today, 12 September, signed its first Global Framework Agreement in the Materials Sector—a social responsibility code of behaviour with French-based Lafarge, a building materials manufacturer. The agreement was signed in Paris jointly with the global union federation International Federation of Building and Wood Workers (IFBWW), and the World Federation of Building and Woodworkers Unions (WFBWU), a Christian labour federation. 
 
The Global Agreement marks ICEM’s twelfth such international code of standards contract with a multinational enterprise, and the second that has been jointly signed with another global union federation. 
 
“We welcome Lafarge’s commitment to uphold high principles of social responsibility in all global operations, whether it’s on workers’ rights, union recognition, environment, health and safety, or other recognised international work standards,” stated ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs. 
 
IFBWW General Secretary Anita Normark also welcomed the commitment of Lafarge to apply international labour standards at all worksites worldwide. “The value added of the agreement with Lafarge must be seen, that the three federations have a global network of trade unions which are able to monitor the agreement,” said Normark. 
 
“Lafarge is convinced that there can be no sustainable economic success without progress in the fields of social responsibility and environmental protection,” said Christian Herrault, the company’s Executive Vice President for Human Resources and Organisation. “Consequently, this broader vision which goes beyond economic factors to embrace human, labour and environmental aspects has been built into our programmes underpinning performance and managerial processes.” 
 
Herrault added that Lafarge “has consistently valued the central role played by its workforce within the company and signature of this agreement represents a further step forward in our ongoing dialogue with staff.” 
 
The agreement cites the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the ILO’s Tripartite Declaration of Principles on Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, the United Nations Global Compact, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. 
 
The agreement states in its preamble: “Lafarge considers respect for workers’ rights to be a crucial element in sustainable development” and the 172-year-old company “will seek to use the services of those trading partners, subcontractors and suppliers, which recognise and implement principles” contained in the Global Agreement. 
 
Those principals include: 
• No forced labour; 
• No discrimination in employment; 
• No use of child labour; 
• Freedom of association and right of workers to collective bargaining; 
• Living wages paid at least at the level of national legislation or collective agreements, as applied in the industry/sector concerned; 
• Working hours comply with relevant national legislation, national agreements and industry/sector standards; 
• Safe and healthy work environment in accordance with ILO Convention 156 and ILO Guidelines for Occupational Health Management Systems; and 
• Development of Skills Training for all workers in cooperation with trade unions. 
 
The Lafarge Global Agreement establishes a review process group composed of representatives from company management and the signatory trade union federations that will meet at least annually for review and implementation of the principles in all Lafarge worksites. 
 
Lafarge employs 77,000 workers in 75 countries. The company is the worldwide leader in building materials; number two producer of aggregates and concrete; and the world’s number three producer of gypsum. 
 
The ICEM has 420 affiliated trade unions in 125 countries, encompassing 20 million workers. The IFWBB has 10.5 million members in 281 trade unions, also in 125 countries. The WFBWU represents 1.5 million workers affiliated to 55 Christian unions in 41 countries.

ICEM Signs Global Agreement with French-based Lafarge

With a Trade Union and Human Rights Conference scheduled for Kathmandu this weekend, 10-12 September, the 20-million-member ICEM has again protested loudly to the King of Nepal over actions taken by royal police to suppress free assembly and free speech in the Himalayan kingdom. 
 
In a letter today to King Gyanendra, ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs specifically referred to harsh actions by police yesterday and Sunday. Police used tear gas and brute force in the country’s capital to break up a march of political and Trade Union leaders, who were calling for full restoration of fundamental political liberties in Nepal. Some 400 leaders of Nepal’s seven political parties as well as leaders of Trade Unions, including ICEM affiliates, were arrested over the two days. In addition, 65 protesters on Monday were hospitalized due to unnecessary force by the royal administration on 5 September. 
 
“It has become obvious to the ICEM that King Guyanendra of Nepal is using an anti-corruption task force to repress political liberties and restrict universally accepted principles of free speech and free assembly,” said Higgs. “It also is obvious that this device is being used to restrict Trade Union activity.” 
 
In his letter, Higgs cited a statement by the king on April 30, 2005, lifting the state of emergency and authoritarian rule that Guyanendra had imposed on 1 February. “But you left in place a powerful anti-corruption panel and continued to ban free speech, assembly—most notably Trade Union meetings—and protests. It has become apparent to the ICEM and to the world that your lifting of authoritarian rule was not genuine, but rather a ruse to the outside world while still retaining a ban on free and democratic participation, particularly by trade unions.” 
 
Higgs pointed out that the ICEM, representing 420 chemical, energy, mining and other unions in 125 countries, will participate fully in the 10-12 September conference in Kathmandu aimed at producing an agenda toward restoration of full democracy. The conference, sponsored by national trade union centers and others in Nepal, is backed by global trade union confederations and will draw 1,500 participants. 
 
At last May’s Annual Executive Council meeting of the ICEM, global trade union leaders condemned King Gyanendra’s “irrational and unacceptable acts of denial to democratic rights and liberties.” The Global Union Federation’s Exectutive produced a resolution calling for five specific actions in Nepal: 
 
• Immediate restoration of democratic governing principals and acceptance of a representative, parliamentary system, and release of all detainees; 
 
• Withdrawal of censorship on media and guarantee of freedom of association and information; 
 
• For the G-7 governments, the EU, India, and the rest of the International Community, to focus on the problem of liberty and democracy in Nepal and to use political and economic influence to bring about peace and a return to full democracy; 
 
• For all civil societies of the World to mobilize and engage every possible means to wage campaigns and protests against the oppression of basic human rights in Nepal; 
 
• For strenuous work, together with Global Union Federations and other Trade Unions of the World to support Trade Unions in Nepal through assistance in union building and other measures until full democracy and complete compliance with international labour standards, particularly freedom of association, are rediscovered in Nepal.

ICEM Again Calls for End to Nepalese Repression

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In Poland, workers of nine trade unions at KGHM Polska Miedz S.A., a publicly-traded copper and silver mining company in which the state holds 45% stake, won an extra month’s salary in collective negotiations due to the high copper prices. 
The unions demanded the increases for 17,000 workers after the company stated its 2005 profit projections would be doubled. After first offering a half-month’s extra pay, KGHM’s board met the demands of the unions, and the extra paycheck will be awarded prior to 4 November.

Polish Copper Workers Score Pay Gains

<img height="55" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/InBrief 1.gif" width="138" alt=""/>
The first issue of ICEM’s e-bulletin on HIV/AIDS was published in early October and can be found on the GUF’s website, <a href="http://www.icem.org" type="internal">www.icem.org</a>. 
The e-bulletin will be a regular monthly feature to ICEM’s information strategy on the pandemic, and gives useful links to materials and websites for union activists who desire to deepen their knowledge on the fight against HIV/AIDS.

ICEM's HIV/AIDS Project Gets Newsletter

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Union members at the Esso Union of Petroleum and Chemical Workers Federation of Thailand (PCFT) are in a pay dispute with Esso Thailand Co. Ltd. The 354 union members at a refinery in Sti-racha, Chonburi province, have staged protests at ExxonMobil’s Thai offices since 10 October over Esso’s refusal to meet adequate pay demands. 
Despite record profits and high petroleum prices, the company has stonewalled union demands to match pay increases equal to Thailand’s inflation rate. PCFT has reduced its pay demands in two government-conducted conciliation sessions and arbitration on the pay matter is scheduled for 4 November. 
Under Thai labour law, the Esso Union of ICEM affiliate PCFT is prohibited from striking because of its strategic importance in the energy industry.

Thai Affiliate in Pay Dispute with ExxonMobil

<img height="55" alt="" src="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/InBrief1.gif" width="138"/>
A strike by Energy and Petroleum Workers’ Union (CGTM) of Mauritania continues against contracting firm El Majabaat El Koubra Tours (MKT). The two sides were before the Labour Inspectorate of Mauritania on 27 October in efforts to settle the 14-day strike, but recommendations put forward by the ministry were rejected by MKT. 
The company, a transport and logistics provider for Australian exploration and development company Woodside Petroleum, sacked 16 workers earlier in October after it signed a protocol agreement with the union that included a first of November date for union elections. Ten of the 16 workers were to stand for union election

Mediation Fails to Resolve Contractor Strike in Mauritania

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The ICEM has issued an urgent Circular to all affiliates for solidarity action on behalf of a branch of the Communications, Energy, Paperworkers (CEP) of Canada concerning a five-month strike at a plant of Invista, a global chemicals company owned by US-based Koch Industries.
The Circular can be found at <a href="/?id=155&doc=1464" type="internal">/?id=155&doc=1464</a> and will be available in all statutory languages by clicking the respective language at the top-left of the homepage. ICEM has provided two model letters, one to the CEP local union as a sign of support, the other a protest letter to management in the US.

Urgent Action Needed in Support of Striking Canadian Union

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Croatian ICEM affiliate Autonomous Trade Union in Power Industry, Chemistry and Non-Metal Industry (EKN) has a merger agreement in place with another powerful union in the Balkan country. 
On 19 October, EKN’s Main Committee and the committee of the Metalworkers’ Trade Union of Croatia (SMH) signed a declaration of intent to merge to create the Confederation of the Trade Union of Metal and Chemical Industries.
The two unions will hold concurrent congresses in 2006 to formalize the merger, and a two-year process is proposed to coordinate the merger of affiliated unions into the new trade union, which will be independent and free from political party association.

ICEM Affiliate in Croatia to Merge with Metalworkers Union

The second issue of the ICEM e-bulletin on HIV/AIDS is here. At the beginning of this issue we would like to draw your attention to the new ICEM website <a href="http://www.icem.org" type="internal">www.icem.org</a>. Visit the website and click on HIV/AIDS. You will find the latest articles from ICEM sources. Links lead you to important HIV/AIDS sites of intergovernmental organisations and other Global Union Federations. 
You can also find useful materials such as the ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the world of work or the HIV/AIDS Mining Tool Kit produced by the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group, as well as the Annual Report of the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the statistical updates on the pandemic published by UNAIDS. 
To introduce the subject of HIV/AIDS and the workplace, the ICEM has developed Power Point Presentations, which can be accessed through the website. There are versions for the regions Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia and Latin America as well as a global generic version. Download and use them for your own awareness and prevention activities. 
 
We reiterate our call from the first issue of the e-bulletin. To spread the information on new agreements and campaigns and to build on best practices, affiliates and project coordinators are invited to send news and information to <a href="mailto:hiv.aids@icem.org">hiv.aids@icem.org</a>. Any feedback on the format and contents of the e-bulletin is also welcome. 
 
To subscribe to the e-bulletin, send an e-mail to <a href="mailto:press@icem.org">press@icem.org</a>. Please put “subscribe ICEM HIV/AIDS e-bulletin” in the subject line. 
 
Unfortunately, the e-bulletin can only be published in English. For a free automated (non-ICEM) translation of this HIV-AIDS bulletin into other languages, you may want to try <a href="http://babelfish.altavista.com/tr">http://babelfish.altavista.com/tr</a> or <a href="http://www.google.com/language_tools">http://www.google.com/language_tools</a> and insert the following URL into the window “Translate a Web page“:  
<a href="/index.php?id=72&doc=1479 " type="internal">www.icem.org/index.php?id=72&doc=1479 </a> 
 
 
ICEM-JAF Asia and Pacific Seminar Focuses on HIV/AIDS 
 
The Asia and Pacific Seminar held in Tokyo on 27 October in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of ICEM-JAF, the coordinating body of ICEM affiliates in Japan, focussed on HIV/AIDS and the workplace. In his opening address, Kiyoshi Ochiai, the Chairperson of ICEM-JAF and the ICEM Asia and Pacific Region, stressed the increasing relevance of the topic for the region and the need for increasing workplace activities by unions.
After an introduction by ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs, the Global HIV/AIDS Coordinator, Hans Schwass, gave a power point presentation and facilitated the session, which included country reports and presentations by Japanese organisations of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), such as PEOPLE Tokyo (Positive Living and Community Empowerment), the NGO-TU Forum on PLWHA collaboration and JaNP+ (Japanese Network of PLWHA). 
 
Trade union leaders from 14 countries and a large number of Japanese participants responded well to the message to intensify work on HIV/AIDS in the workplace and to increase awareness and prevention campaigns. The very timely seminar laid the foundation for the expansion of ICEM’s work in the Asia and Pacific region. 
 
 
New Lafarge Global Agreement Contains HIV/AIDS Clause 
 
The ICEM jointly with the IFBWW, the Global Union Federation for building and woodworkers, signed its twelfth global agreement with a multinational company. 
The agreement with the French-based building materials manufacturer Lafarge on corporate social responsibility and international industrial relations cites the ILO’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the ILO’s Tripartite Declaration of Principles on Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, the United Nation’s Global Compact and the OECD’s Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. It contains a clause on HIV/AIDS committing the signatories to raise awareness and initiate prevention programmes in compliance with the ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the world of work. 
 
 
WHO/Global Union Meeting Welcomes Universal Access 
 
In a historic first meeting in Geneva on 6 and 7 October, WHO/AIDS representatives from field offices in Africa and from the Head Office and trade union leaders from six sub-Saharan African countries together with representatives from Global Unions discussed the unions’ support for expanded access to treatment. Although the 3x5 Initiative had brought treatment to one million people by June 2005, the goal of the Initiative of three million by the end of 2005 will not be reached. 
The WHO recognises the role unions can play in scaling up treatment and achieving universal access. Meetings are planned at national levels in the six countries to develop sustaining partnerships between trade unions, WHO/AIDS, UNAIDS and ILOAIDS. 
 
 
COSATU Slams Government’s Response to HIV/AIDS
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has renewed its attack on President Thabo Mbeki and Health Minister Tshabalala-Msimang for failing to provide leadership in addressing the country’s HIV/AIDS pandemic. Speaking at the Treatment Action Campaign’s (TAC) annual conference, COSATU General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said that “denialism” meant the effects of HIV/AIDS were all too often ignored. 
The trade union federation has long been a supporter of TAC’s campaign to force the government to roll out antiretroviral treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS. “We are sitting by while the biggest threat to our nation since apartheid is ruining our families and our communities,” said Vavi. 
 
According to TAC, about 10,000 people were receiving antiretroviral treatment at public health facilities. This meant that government had failed to reach its own (already low) target of 53,000 people. It is estimated that for every 10 people who needed antiretroviral treatment, only one was getting it through the public sector and another one through the private sector. 
 
(Source: Business Day, Johannesburg, 26 September 2005) 
 
 
Global Fund Approves Fifth Round of Grants 
 
At its eleventh board meeting in Geneva on 28-30 September, the Global Fund board approved 26 Round 5 grants in 20 countries that will cost US$382 million over the first two years, and provisionally approved, subject to sufficient funding being received next year, a further 37 grants that will cost US$344 million over the first two years. In total, these 63 "immediately approved" plus "provisionally approved" proposals will cost US$726 million over the first two years, and US$1.8 billion over five years. (The Fund approves proposals for five years but initially only commits funds for the first two years). 
 
The reason that some of the grants were only provisionally approved is that the Fund is short of cash (see article in e-bulletin No. 1); this, in turn, is because 2005 is the first year in which substantial amounts of money need to be spent on renewal of grants from earlier Rounds that have reached the end of their first two years. 
Grants that have only been provisionally approved will be formally approved in 2006 when sufficient donor pledges are received. However, any grants provisionally approved for which insufficient pledges have been received by the end of June 2006 will become "un-approved." Of the 63 grants to be eventually approved, AIDS grants account for 40% of funding while tuberculosis and malaria grants account for 27% each with the remaining funding dedicated to strengthen health systems. Africa receives 66% of the new funding. 
 
The board made no decision as to when Round 6 will take place. 
 
(Source: Global Fund Press Release of 30 September and Global Fund Observer Newsletter, Issue 51 of 3 October 2005) 
 
The GFO is an independent source of news, analysis and commentary about the Global Fund. The Newsletter is provided free of charge; to receive it send an e-mail to <a href="mailto:receive-gfo-newsletter@aidspan.org">receive-gfo-newsletter@aidspan.org</a>.

ICEM HIV/AIDS e-bulletin - No. 2

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