[mobglob-discuss] The World of Labor (June 2, 2006)

[Gordon Flett]

The World of Labor            (June 2, 2006)
By Harry Kelber

 Indian Factory Workers  Strike, But Remain on Their Jobs

The 700 workers at the Hindustan Lever, Ltd. factory on May 30 boycotted the 
company's canteen to protest against the management's refusal to consider 
their demands.  Their action was the third phase of a strike which the 
workers have been organizing while continuing to work on their jobs.  The 
preceding Thursday, they staged a demonstration outside the main gate of the 
factory, followed two days later by everyone wearing protest badges to work.

The Hindustan Lever Limited Personal Products Factory Workers Union has been 
demanding better medical facilities. A one-year negotiated agreement to 
provide these facilities expired December 22, 2005, and the company has 
stalled on renewing that provision.

In boycotting the canteen,  union members refused to collect their food 
coupons, which the company subsidizes at Rs 4 (9 cents) per meal.They will 
be meeting  to intensify their strike, unless management agrees to resolve 
their grievances, said union president Nirendra Barman.

Garment Workers Confine Top Bosses to Factory for Back Pay

Workers at a garment factory in Bangladesh's Dhaka Export Processing Zone 
May 29 confined their top executives inside the plant for hours, demanding a 
wage hike and payment for arrears. About 1,600 workers in the foreign-owned 
garment factory, Ownerway, began to take the afternoon off, while they held 
the executives in what could be called "factory arrest."

The workers became agitated when they learned that the company had recently 
increased the wages of only 300 of its employees and that the owners had 
declared there would be no pay raise for the other 1,300 people. At one 
stage, the aggrieved workers stopped working and closed the factory's doors 
and windows, keeping the executives confined.

The workers set the executives free after getting assurances from the owner 
that they would resolve the problem through discussion, according to a 
police report from Dhaka.

New Contract for Colombian Banana Workers Averts Strike

The Colombian rural workers union SINTRAINAGRO has successfully negotiated a 
new three-year agreement for the country's 16,000 banana workers, averting a 
sector-wide strike for which the union had prepared. Agreement was reached 
May 25, following intense negotiations with employers and involving direct 
participation by the Federal Minister for Social Protection in the final 
phase.

The new agreement provides a wage increase of 6.5% for the first year, full 
adjustment for the cost-of-living in the second year, and a cost-of-living 
increase plus 1.5% in the third year. Employers will also make substantial 
contributions to the social fund (administered jointly with the union) and 
to the fund for education, culture and sport.

SINTRAINAGRO President Guillermo Rivera emphasized that the new agreement 
demolishes the employers' claim that the new European Union banana tariffs 
render impossible any improvement in working and living conditions for 
banana workers.

Pay Is Pledged to Palestinian Workers

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya said that 40,000 low-paid public 
employees will receive a month's salary despite a crippling financial 
crisis. Others in the 165,000 work force would get a monthly advance, he 
said.

Civil servants, who have not been paid for three months, had staged protests 
May 30, warning their anger could turn to violence. Western donors halted 
direct aid after the election of Hamas, which refuses to renounce violence 
or recognize Israel.

Haniya said at a cabinet meeting that workers earning up to 1,500 shekels 
($330) a month would get a full month's salary. While those earning more 
would get 1,500 shekels as an advance. The prime minister did not say where 
the money would come from, but it could total as much as $55 million.

2,000 Lecturers at Irish Colleges Strike for Second Time

Staffs at Northern Ireland's 16 advanced education colleges went on strike 
May 31, their second walkout within a week. The 2,000 lecturers are in a 
dispute over a pay deal which management has agreed to, but which is now 
stalled by a government limit on pay raises.

About 1,900 college staff in Northern Island are members of Natfhe, the 
education union, which has voted for three separate day-long strikes and a 
"work-to-rule" protest strategy. The lecturers claim their pay has fallen so 
far behind that the average salary is 2,500 ($4,700) lower than school 
teachers.

Jim McKeon, a Natfhe member, said the lecturers had been left with no 
choice. "We have had promise after promise from the employers over the past 
five years, which they haven't honoured. We need to see something concrete 
on the table."

Hong Kong Cabin Crew Protests Forced Retirement

Workers employed by airlines based in Hong Kong are being subjected to a 
discrimination rule which allows some cabin crew to choose their retirement 
age up to 55, while others are forced to retire at 45. The unions at a 
number of airlines are supporting the cabin crews's complaint, as well as 
the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions.

At an "Action Day" on June 1, union representatives, who had sent a letter 
about the retirement  issue to the Permanent Secretary for Economic 
Development and the Labour Commissioner, organized a rally at the Hong Kong 
airport and encouraged passengers to sign a petition against the 
discriminatory practice.

Our weekly columns (LaborTalk and The World of Labor) can be viewed at our 
website: www.laboreducator.org
Harry Kelber's e-mail address is: hkelber at igc.org