Siemens anti-union campaign bullies workers out of organizing13 September, 2012IndustriALL-affiliated United Steelworkers (USW) was not surprised by an unsuccessful workplace election at Siemens in North East, Maryland, USA, on 7 September. Siemens management had employed harsh bullying tactics pressuring workers to vote against the union, besmirching the international reputation of the company weeks after it became a global framework agreement partner with IndustriALL.
Siemens GFA put to early test in the US28 August, 2012The new Global Framework Agreement (GFA) with electronics multinational Siemens is being put to the test in a USW organizing drive at a plant in Maryland, USA. Join the LabourStart campaign to support workers threatened by company-hired union busters ahead of a 6 September vote.
Lock out of New York utility workers ends30 July, 2012UWUA reached a tentative contract settlement with Consolidated Edison on Thursday 26 July ending a month-long lockout and a return to work for all 8,500 utility workers in New York.
IAM members fight Caterpillar on wage freeze26 July, 2012Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) union have been on strike at a Caterpillar plant in Illinois, USA since 1 May, 2012 rejecting deep contract concessions at a time when business is booming.
USW sets bargaining agenda for pulp & paper negotiations26 July, 2012Determining a common negotiating agenda for bargaining, and setting policy goals, objectives and action plans for the next two years was the task of the USW’s biannual Paper Sector Bargaining Conference in Pittsburgh from 10 to 12 July.
Bridgestone workers still on strike in Bahia, Brazil20 July, 2012The workers have been on strike for 20 days and have received support from the USW in the United States, which has promised to seek channels of mediation with the company.
8,500 utility workers locked-out in New York19 July, 2012IndustriALL affiliate, the Utility Workers Union of America is calling for solidarity after the electric and gas utility company Consolidated Edison locked out 8,500 workers on 1 July 2012.
Recognition victory for Mexican metalworkers19 July, 2012The protracted battle of Mexican metalworkers at DMI to organize into STIMAHCS finally ended in victory on 6 July, after a patient and determined fight that illustrates the barriers to trade union freedoms in Mexico.
The true cost of Olympic uniforms 18 July, 2012Recent debate in the US about Team USA’s Olympic uniforms being produced in China has sparked controversy on the trend of clothing multinationals resorting to cheaper production in developing countries. This trend is not new and continues to impact workers in low wage countries, Play Fair demands that multinational companies do more.
The true cost of cheap clothes 18 July, 2012Last week United States Senators expressed dismay and outrage to learn that the uniforms for American Olympians were produced in China. But this is not new. For years unrestrained globalization has seen textile and clothing multinationals race to the bottom in the search for cheaper and cheaper production.
