Labour related news
Solidarity with the shipyard workers in Malta
Letter of solidarity with the shipyard workers in Malta.
Social Europe Demo in Luxembourg on 5 July 2008 at 14.00 hrs
The trade unions of the European region called „Grande Région“, which includes the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg, Wallonia in Belgium, Lorraine in France, as well as Saarland and the Western part of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany, are calling for a cross border demo in favour of Social Europe.
Workers' protest in Sarajevo
We have been informed by our affiliate SMBiH, the Union of Independent Trade Unions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, that they are organising a public protest to be held on 25th June 2008 in front of the Federal Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Workers demand to define the minimum price of work per hour as it is prescribed in the Collective Agreement of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to ensure retraining for all workers who lost their jobs in the privatisation process, as well as to revise the Act of Privatisation.
Strike to be organised in the Czech Republic on 24 June
Information also in German
Erklärung des Gewerkschaftstags von ČMKOS vom 20.5.2008
Background papers linked with the planned Warning Strike in Czech Republic - 24.6.2008.
1 hour national strike all the metalworkers
1 hour metalworker national strike on working health and safety
17 June 2008 from 11 to 12
Declared by Fim-Cisl, Fiom-Cgil, Uilm-uil
Italy
Attached: communication signed by FIM-FIOM-UILM General Secretaries about the metalworkers national strike on working health and safety.
Turkish unions on strike on 16 June against work-related accidents
Turkish unions are on strike today against work-related accidents.
Reducing work-related accidents and illness through better risk assessment
European Commission press release IP/08/931
Every year 5,720 people die in the European Union as a consequence of work-related accidents, according to EUROSTAT figures. Besides that, the International Labour Organisation estimates that an additional 159,500 workers in the EU die every year from occupational diseases. Taking both figures into consideration, it is estimated that every three-and-a-half minutes somebody in the EU dies from work-related causes. Most of these accidents and diseases are preventable, and the first step in preventing them is risk assessment. That is the message of “Healthy Workplaces. Good for you. Good for business.”, the Europe-wide information campaign on risk assessment, launched by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). The campaign focuses especially on high-risk sectors such as construction, healthcare and agriculture, and on the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises. It will run over two years (2008-09).
EMCEF Congress in Prague
EMCEF (European mine, chemical and energy workers federation) is holding its congress in Prague on 11-13 June 2008.
More than 300 participants are expected to convene as of 14:00 Hrs on 11 June, to set the course of action and the strategy for the next 4 years.
CMKOS demonstration of schooling system
Pictures from the CMKOS demonstration of schooling system workers, which was held on 9 June in Prague.
“World Young Workers’ Festival/Turkey”
Kemal Türkler Education Facilities situated in Balikesir, Gönen, 7-15 June 2008.
FO Metaux Congress
FO Metaux's 10th Congress took place in Marseille from 4th - 6th June 2008
Here you will find Congress documents.
Third CMKOS Demonstration against Governmental Reforms
Prague, 2nd June 2008
The third CMKOS demonstration in front of the seat of the Czech Government was held on 2nd June. It was again aimed against the Governmental reforms, this time mainly against the fact that the Government by its reform measures only worsens the present inflation and increase of prices. The real salaries in public sector dropped during the first quarter of 2008 by 3,6 % (by 4,2 % in civil service, 4,1 % in education, 1,4 % in health service).
Protest at GM Strasbourg Powertrain plant in France
Yesterday, information meetings were held at the GM Strasbourg plant in France, which each of the unions represented at the plant had organized to provide the status of negotiations and the strong opposition to the planned job redundancies of 168.
Community holds 2nd biennial conference May 27-29 in Bournemouth
150 delegates from across Britain are meeting in Bournemouth to discuss the issues relevant to Community members.
Also attending are Brendan Barber, General Secretary of the TUC as well as representatives of unions from Europe, India, Australia and the United States.
Reports from the Congress of the Finnish Metalworkers’ Union
The Congress is held on 25-28 May in Tampere, Finland.
CMKOS campaign against governmental reforms in the Czech Republic
Information about the CMKOS (Czech Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions) campaign against governmental rerforms in the Czech Republic.
Safety – Framework of trade union activities
“TAIEX”, Friedrich Ebert Foundation and UBU ‘’NEZAVISNOST’’ in Serbia organised a workshop on job safety and industrial hygiene for trade union representatives.
Full story from Metal Workers Branch Union "Nezavisnost": here.
Pension System Reform proposal to be approved in Czech Parliament
28.5.2008 - Pension System Reform
There is the Governmental proposal that should be approved by the Czech Parliament containing the prolongation of the pension age to 65 years. The problem is that the Governmental proposal is ignoring the working conditions of the workers, which means that certain categories of workers are not able to survive till the pension age. The difficult and hard proffessions are not taken into consideration. The motto of this demonstration is: "Against Pensions in Memoriam and against the Poverty in Old Age".
For more information please contact Dana Sakařová at OS Kovo.
Images from the demonstration:
http://www.oskovo.cz/Foto/2008/Ref/28_05/000.htm
http://www.oskovo.cz/Foto/2008/Ref/28_05m/000.htm
http://www.oskovo.cz/Foto/2008/Ref/28_05a/000.htm
Finnish unions invite Nokia to start negotiating IFA
Three Finnish IMF affiliates believe Nokia should be the first Finnish company to sign an International Framework Agreement to secure basic rights for Nokia's employees around the globe.
IMF News
Swedish IF Metall Congress re-elects it President
The first ordinary congress of Swedish IF Metall is held in Stockholm on 13-16 May 2008.
The congress re-elected its President Stefan Lofven and Leif Ohlsson was elected first vice President.
More information about the elections can be found here.
Congress slogan:
Starka tillsammans – för rättvisa lokalt och globalt
Stronger together - for justice on a local and global level
Raising issue of rights violations in Mexico at EU/LAC Summit
Ongoing trade union rights violations of miners at the hands of the Mexican Government and mining company Grupo México have called for the EMF and IMF to approch members of the European Parliament.
Long term safeguarding of Astra plants
Long-term safeguarding of Astra plants and plant in Antwerp by European Framework
Carl-Peter Forster, President of General Motors Europe, Klaus Franz and Rudi Kennes, Chairmen of the European Employee Forum (EEF) of General Motors Europe, signed a framework for the next-generation Astra/Zafira and a new SUV vehicle to be produced at the Antwerp plant in Belgium.
International Workers' Memorial Day
28 April is International Workers' Memorial Day.
Workers' Memorial Day is an opportunity to highlight the preventable nature of most workplace accidents and ill health and to promote campaigns and union organisation in the fight for improvements in workplace safety.
Organising the hi-tech ghettos of globalisation
Article to be published in “International Journal of Labour Research”
Vol.1, 2008/1 on “Trade Union Strategies on Global Production Systems. ILO (Geneva).
By Jenny Holdcroft, Director Equal Rights, EPZs, International Metalworkers’ Federation.
