Yemen port workers strike as deman ds are ignored
13 December 2013
ITF’s new affiliate in Yemen, the Labor Committee for Aden Container Termina,l protested last week in front of the port administration, after attempts to reach the ports man agement an d the Gulf of Aden Ports Corporation failed.
For two months, the workers have been asking for improvements to working conditions, including better lighting an d repairs to the public road leading to the port. Health an d safety stan dards in the port are also on the workers’ agenda, with deman ds for basic safety equipment going unheard for the last eighteen months.
Reports suggest that man agement has not shown an y willingness to negotiate, an d there have also been reports on the use of intimidation to keep workers quiet.
The ITF has expressed its support by sending a letter to the ministry of tran sport in Yemen as well as the CEO of the compan y asking for their intervention to resolve the dispute through dialogue an d negotiation.
Bilal Malkawi commented: “The workers at Aden Port suffered when DPW used to operate the terminal. They are now unfortunately suffering again from the new public man agement. I am sure the workers are strong enough to defend the workers rights. We in the ITF global family are supporting the union in Aden, an d will be ready to act in solidarity”
ITF puts IKEA Can ada an ti-union behaviour under the spotlight
13 December 2013
ITF representatives were part of an international delegation which traveled to Sweden this week to deliver a verdict on the reported an ti-union behaviour of Ikea Can ada in the on-going dispute at Swedish retail gian t IKEA’s Richmond, British Columbia, store.
The ITF was joined by UNI global union an d US affiliate union the Teamsters, to highlight the findings of the report, How IKEA is hurting families: Report on the IKEA lockout in Richmond , British Columbia , Can ada
The report, compiled following a fact-finding trip to Can ada an ada to end its lockout of workers an d return to the bargaining table in good faith immediately.
The dispute was featured on Swedish television station SVT during it’s Rapport programme on Wednesday 11 December. Watch the clip here >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOwbbFRu3f4&feature=youtu.be
Erin van der Maas who was part of the fact-finding mission for the ITF said: “This dispute is very sad. After man y years of demonstrating a real commitment to worker welfare an d engagement with trade unions in a constructive way IKEA Can ada Can ada an d international norms but their behaviour also is beyond the norms an d values of Can adian industrial relations. They seem to be determined to demonstrate worst practices in a location where they were once keen to be seen as one of the best practitioner.”
The report also calls on IKEA Can ada to end its support of an ti-union organ isation, Labour Watch, an d ensure its legal counsel follows the global stan dards of IKEA. Around 2010, IKEA chan ged its outside legal counsel to an ti-union law firm Fasken Martineau. IKEA workers an d the local union identify this chan ge in legal counsel as the key driver of the new, divisive, man agement approach to labour relations.
Finally, the report calls on IKEA to set a new voluntary stan dard for its employees in Can ada an d worldwide, by engaging with UNI Global toward a Global Framework Agreement, ensuring a common application of IKEA values.
Alke Boessiger, Head of UNI Commerce Global Union remarked that the conflict presented a serious reputational risk for the compan y which may turn shoppers away.
"IKEA acts as a responsible compan y in Sweden an d has given itself high stan dards an d principles for respect for worker rights. But once again the compan y has been caught in serious allegations of union busting an d bargaining in bad faith. IKEA has to get a grip on what is happening in Can ada an d IKEA which promotes itself as good employer must take action."
"We wan t a good global stan dard for all IKEA workplaces, including Can ada an d that IKEA man agement promote best practices globally an d to eradicate bad practices that still exist.”
Get more on the dispute: www.ikeahurtsfamilies.com
Warning over supply chain impact of Australian car man ufacturer closure
13 December 2013
Workers all along the supply chain will be affected by the closure of a major Australian car man ufacturer
That’s the warning from ITF-affiliate, the Maritime Union of Australia an nouncement by General Motors Holden that it intends to cease man ufacturing of vehicles in 2017.
The MUA has raised concern over the knock on effect for dockers, seafarers an d other workers in the supply chain as a result of potentially reduced deman d for steel an d components.
MUA national secretary Paddy Crumlin, who is also president of the ITF an d chair of the ITF dockers’ section said: “The end of automotive man ufacturing by General Motors Holden, caused by the Abbott Government’s economic van dalism, affects man y more people than the compan y’s direct employees, with an industry that provides billions of dollars in economic activity allowed to collapse.
“This closure will flow through into the component man ufacturing sector, tran sport industries, other supply chain businesses an d even the broader business an d community service sectors in the region.”
He continued: “In our own industry — where workers in the Australian stevedoring an d freight forwarding sectors have worked hard over man y years to build a productive, safe an d sustainable industry to support man ufacturing — we will see the impact of this closure through reduced tran sportation of steel, components, an d other products linked to the automotive trade.
“While man y countries are using sovereign wealth to build communities that can grow an d function with a strong employment base, the Abbott Government is championing a reckless free market approach.
“The long-term sustainability of the Australian community must be built on education, productivity, research an d development an d a healthy national consumption of goods an d services.
“Van dalizing our man ufacturing sector undermines every one of these values an d demonstrates a negligence an d ignoran ce of economic nation building.”
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