[Onthebarricades] WORKER PROTESTS AND STRIKES, global South and semi-periphery
Andy
ldxar1 at tesco.net
Mon Apr 14 11:43:06 PDT 2008
My favourite quote... CSKA executive board member Emil Kostadinov added:
"The players should realise this is Bulgaria and that 10 or 15 days' delay
of their payment is not a delay."
* SOUTH AFRICA: Workers protest restructuring in Cape Town
* BULGARIA: Kremikovtzi mill workers protest over closure, problems
* INDIA: Jajpur workers strike over attack by ruling party
* POLAND: Teachers protest over pay
* GREECE: Pension reform plan sparks protests
* PUERTO RICO: Teachers strike over free education, right to strike
* INDIA: Journalists strike, protest over unpaid wages
* BULGARIA: CSKA soccer players protest unpaid wages
* BAHRAIN: Strike hits development project
* SIERRA LEONE: Administration workers protest unpaid allowances
* TRINIDAD: Boss faces protest for insulting worker
* KENYA: Council workers protest over pay delay
* SWAZILAND: Border workers protest over lack of work
* INDIA: University teachers protest over salary, infrastructure
* TRINIDAD: Trade unions protest for wage board
* INDIA: Airport workers protest privatisation
* TRINIDAD: Steel workers stage musical protest over bonus
* NIGERIA: Medical teachers protest boss appointment
* BAHRAIN: Contracting workers strike over pay, allowances
* JAMAICA: Worker strike causes airport delays
* NIGERIA: Oil workers protest against job cuts
* TRINIDAD: Trade unionists target bank for protests
* MOZAMBIQUE: Former migrant workers occupy labour ministry
* MOZAMBIQUE: Sugar workers strike
* PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Mine shut down in pay dispute
Publicly Archived at Global Resistance:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=594&art_id=vn20080120092257359C132280
Workers protest Cape restructuring
Helen Bamford
January 20 2008 at 02:58PM
Up to 10 000 Cape Town workers intend going on an indefinite strike on
Monday to voice their dissatisfaction with the city's restructuring
programme.
The SA Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu), which has called for the strike,
has 10 000 members representing half the City of Cape Town's workforce. No
workers involved in essential services are allowed to strike.
City spokesperson Charles Cooper said they would monitor the situation but
would only be able to tell by midday tomorrow how many workers had downed
tools.
It was not clear yet what form the strike action would take, but access to
the Civic Centre would be restricted during the strike. "As far as I know
they haven't applied to march or hand over a petition."
http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/kremikovtzi-workers-announce-protest/id_27140/catid_66
Kremikovtzi workers announce protest
17:32 Fri 18 Jan 2008 - Rene Beekman
Photo: Asen Tonev
Kremikovtzi workers announced they will protest on January 23 from 8.00am in
front of the central management office of the company. Organisers of the
protest were the unions KT Pokrepa and KNSB in the steelmill, zagrada.bg
said.
Unions complained that the workers in the mill did not receive their
salaries regularly. They wanted the State, who owned 25 per cent of the
company, to cancel the deal with majority stakeholder Pramod Mital from
India, zagrada.bg said. Unions accused Pramod Mital of not investing in the
mill and exposing it to the risk of being closed down because it did not
meet ecological requirements.
Economy Minister Petar Dimitrov said that the State was holding an audit of
Kremikovtzi and wanted to make the company economically healthy and meet
ecological requirements. Dimitrov said he was against closing the mill, as
Sofia's mayor Boiko Borissov proposed.
Ecology Minister Djevdet Chakurov said that he was not happy with the work
of the management of the company. "The mill received permits to operate
under the condition that it would meet legal requirements. How is it
possible that all companies in the branch can work within the norms, except
Kremikovtzi who have done nothing and are damaging a city of more than two
million," Chakurov said.
"For the two-and-a-half years that I have been minister, I have not seen any
progress at the mill," he said.
http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:WUE8OSQgYUMJ:www.thestatesman.org/page.arcview.php%3Fdate%3D2008-01-19%26usrsess%3D1%26clid%3D9%26id%3D213594+%22Protest+by+employees+of+Bari+block+office%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=uk&client=firefox-a
Protest by employees of Bari block office
JAJPUR, Jan. 18: For the second day today, the employees of the Bari block
office in Jajpur district are on a pen down strike, following an attack on
their block development officer, Mr Bishnu Mohan Bhanja, allegedly by
supporters of the ruling BJD on 16 January.
Local Congress activists led by Mr Naba Kishore Samal pledged their full
support to the agitating employees. Discontentment is brewing among the
block employees. “We are demanding the security of the employees and an
immediate arrest of the attackers. Our agitation will continue until and
unless our demand is fulfilled,” said Meghanad Jena, head clerk of Bari
block.
“Though police claimed to have arrested nine persons , none of them are the
real culprits, charged the employees. n sns
http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0118/poland.html
Poland's teachers protest over pay
Friday, 18 January 2008 18:06
Thousands of teachers from across Poland have marched in Warsaw, demanding
the country's new government raise wages in elementary and secondary
education.
The protestors demanded a meeting with Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Organisers said 12,000 teachers took part in the demonstration, the largest
since Mr Tusk took office in November after his Civic Platform defeated the
conservative-nationalist government of Jaroslaw Kaczynski in a snap
election.
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Mr Tusk's party campaigned on promises of creating an 'economic miracle' in
Poland that would benefit all, similar to the spectacular growth in fellow
EU member Ireland.
The education ministry has proposed a 200-zloty (€55) wage hike, but the
teachers' union wants 600 zlotys for junior staff and 11,000 zlotys for
senior staff.
Teachers are among the worst paid public sector employees in Poland, with
maximum gross salaries for senior teachers running under 2,000 zlotys per
month. Salaries for public sector nurses and physicians are comparably low.
The new government has become the target of several groups of public sector
employees. Health service staff have also staged protests demanding wage
rises in recent weeks.
Coal miners from the southern Polish Silesian coal basin staged underground
protests, while their wives lobbied for wage hikes in Warsaw yesterday.
http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=165029
Greeks to participate in protest against pension reform plan
ATHENS (Chinaview) -- Tension is intensifying between the Greek government
and trade unions in view of the debate on social security system reforms,
opening in the competent Parliament Committee, on Tuesday.
Trade unions react against increase in age of retirement, reductions in
supplementary pension and merging of social security funds.
The General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE) and the Civil Servants
Supreme Administrative Council (ADEDY) are staging a three-hour work
stoppage and rally on Wednesday, March 12, while they have announced a
24-hour nationwide strike on March 19.
Garbage bags continue to pile up on the streets as local administration
employees strike goes on till Wednesday. Municipal authorities appeal to
citizens to keep garbage at home.
Employees in the banking sector have also joined in industrial mobilizations
with work stoppage on Wednesday along with GSEE and ADEDY while the
Federation of Bank Unions, OTOE is staging a 48 hour strike on Thursday and
Friday, on March 13 and 14.
Bank of Greece employees are staging a 24-hour strike on Tuesday while
doctors, pharmacists, lawyers, notary publics and engineers on Wednesday.
------------------------------------------------------------
On February 7, 2008 over 50 individuals & representatives of different
organizations met to create a NYC - solidarity committee for the teacher's
union of Puerto Rico, FMPR (la Federacion de Maestros de Puerto Rico). We
are organizing fundraising, media, and outreach committees. Join us!
AN URGENT CALL TO SUPPORT
THE TEACHERS'FEDERATION OF PUERTO RICO AS FEBRUARY NATIONAL STRIKE LOOMS
February 2, 2008
Puerto Rico's teachers and workers are fighting for their rights to free
quality public education, to union independence, to freely strike, to
democratic representation and against privatization. The government of
Puerto Rico, in collaboration with leaders of several U.S. unions, (e.g. the
American Federation of Teachers, SEIU, Change To Win) is attempting to
destroy the rising militant and effective organizing efforts of the FMPR to
improve educational and teaching conditions on the island and to undermine
opposition to President Bush's No Child Left Behind, a privatization program
on the island.
In January '08, the Puerto Rican government acted to decertify the Teachers
Federation of Puerto Rico (FMPR), which represents 42,000 teachers. The FMPR
called for a strike vote of its Delegates' Assembly in September 2007 that
was overwhelmingly ratified by the membership. The colonial government is
using the anti-strike and other anti-labor clauses of Law 45 in its attempts
to destroy the democratically elected representative of the teachers. (Law
45 is similar to the New York State Taylor law.) The unconstitutional nature
of Law 45 is currently being challenged in the courts by the FMPR.
The FMPR has successfully fought government attempts to squash the voice of
teachers and community in decision-making in Puerto Rico's school system.
The FMPR effectively seceded in 2006 from American Federation of Teachers
which abysmally failed to crusade for better conditions while collecting
millions in dues money from Puerto Rican teachers.
The FMPR has a proven track record of defending teachers, students, parents,
and community control of the educational process. It has successfully
opposed the U.S. federal government's efforts to undermine the rights of
Puerto Rican teachers to exercise their judgment in the classroom and in
making decisions about instruction according to their needs and within their
own context. The FMPR has steadfastly opposed all attempts at privatization
fomented by the federal NCLB, inclusive of Charter Schools.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bangalore/Protest_by_cricketers_scribes/articleshow/2706484.cms
Protest by cricketers, scribes
17 Jan 2008, 0221 hrs IST,TNN
BANGALORE: They have not received their salaries for the past four months.
To draw the governor’s attention to the plight of wildlife protection staff,
the Journalists Association of Wildlife (JAW) held a protest on Wednesday.
"The forest department received Rs 700 crore from Japanese Bank Forestry
Project to ‘grow forests’. However, the staff is not in a position to
protect existing forests. Unfortunately, the budgets of wildlife reserves
are heavily loaded with civil works," said a JAW member.
Apart from wildlife reporters and freelancers, cricketers Sunil Joshi, Vijay
Bhardwaj and Brijesh Patel took part in the protest.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldFootballNews/idUKL2388094620080123
Soccer-CSKA Sofia players protest over unpaid wages
Wed Jan 23, 2008 5:00pm GMT
SOFIA, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Bulgarian premier league leaders CSKA Sofia's
players turned up 30 minutes late for training on Wednesday in protest over
unpaid wages.
The players went on to the pitch with their pockets pulled out of their
tracksuits to symbolise the lack of money.
"I hope that the club management can find a solution to the problem," CSKA
captain Alexandar Tunchev told reporters. "We are ready to become champions
and play in the Champions League but we don't want to be deceived."
Club sources said CSKA's management owed several cash bonuses to the players
as well as monthly wages.
"I'll punish those responsible for this act of protest, even if I have to
punish all the players," said CSKA president Alexandar Tomov.
CSKA executive board member Emil Kostadinov added: "The players should
realise this is Bulgaria and that 10 or 15 days' delay of their payment is
not a delay." (Reporting by Angel Krasimirov; Editing by Sonia Oxley)
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/510747-gulf-hit-by-more-labour-strikes?ln=en
Bahrain hit by further labour strikes
by Amy Glass on Sunday, 10 February 2008
INDUSTRIAL ACTION: Over a thousand workers on the $6 billion Durrat Al
Bahrain development have gone on strike.
Bahrain has been hit with its second major labour strike in under a week,
with over a thousand labourers on the $6 billion Durrat Al Bahrain
development downing tools over pay and conditions.
Around 1,300 employees of contractor GP Zachariades, who live at an on-site
labour camp, went on strike Saturday, demanding higher salaries and better
living conditions, Bahrain's Gulf Daily News reported on Sunday.
Employees are calling for an increase in their monthly pay, which is
reportedly just 57 Bahraini dinars ($151), and for adequate medical
facilities, the newspaper said.
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_Articles.asp?Article=209055&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=30335&date=2-18-2008
Another Durrat company hit by protest
By Begena p Pradeep
MANAMA
WORKERS at a second company working on the $6 billion (BD2.26bn) Durrat Al
Bahrain project downed tools yesterday, demanding improved pay and living
conditions.
Asian workers from the Bokhowa Construction Company, based at labour camps
in the landmark Durrat Al Bahrain development, Tubli, Ma'ameer and Sitra,
staged the wildcat strike.
It comes just days after workers of another leading Bahrain contracting
company working on the project, G P Zachariades (GPZ), resumed work on
Friday after a six-day strike.
Nearly 1,300 GPZ returned to work after being promised an increase of BD15.
Labourers of Bokhowa Construction Company yesterday claimed that all workers
employed by that firm had now gone on strike.
However, the company rejected this figure and said only 500 had downed
tools.
A spokesman for the workers claimed their basic monthly pay was BD57 and
said they were living in poor conditions.
The company rejected this and said they were paid BD60 to BD85 a month.
"There are nearly 2,200 labourers who work for this company in four
different camps," the spokesman told the GDN.
"The salary of labourers who have been working for 10 years is BD57 - the
rest get BD53."
The spokesman said the decision to strike was their own and blamed the
company for it.
"The company agreed to increase our salary from January, though an amount
was not fixed," he added.
"But when we got our salaries for January on Thursday, we found there was no
increase and we decided to strike."
The workers alleged that the company gives them a one-way ticket to go home
on holiday after two years and takes BD40 from their salary to make sure
they return. The company denied the claim.
They also complained that they do not get a food allowance.
However, a spokesman for the company admitted the workers were being locked
inside the camps while they continue to strike.
"I am sure the labourers can survive with the same salary they earn now," he
said. "They wouldn't be getting this much in India, but now they are making
a big deal out of it.
"They have come to Bahrain aware of what they would get and have signed
contracts."
The spokesman also described the strike as illegal.
"We will not be threatened into increasing wages and will not tolerate
strikes," he added.
Meanwhile more than 350 workers out of almost 450 at the Technical
Construction Company and the Luqman Al Haddad Construction Company - who
downed tools on Saturday - resumed work yesterday after the company verbally
agreed to their demands.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200802081064.html
Sierra Leone: Junior Workers Protest At Ipam
Concord Times (Freetown)
8 February 2008
Posted to the web 8 February 2008
By Ibrahim Jaffa Condeh
Freetown
Junior workers at the University of Sierra Leone's Institute of Public
Administration and Management (IPAM) Thursday protested for allowances and
drawback salaries due them since 2007.
An executive member of the staff association Edward A Kamara told Concord
Times on their AJ Momoh Street campus in Freetown that 30 percent of their
basic allowance has not been paid to them by the university authority.
He said the authority promised to pay all allowances on January 15 this year
but to no avail.
Ali Kamara, a junior staff worker said two years ago half of their salaries
were deducted for social security but they later learnt that from the
National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) that none of them is
registered with the scheme.
Meanwhile, minister of labour Minkailu Mansaray has told the demonstrators
to stay away from work until their backlog salaries and allowances are paid.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_business?id=161275538
Protest at TSTT over CEO's e-mail
Rohandra John rohjohn at trinidadexpress.com
Saturday, February 9th 2008
An e-mail sent out by the CEO of the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad
and Tobago (TSTT) Roberto Peon to a female employee last week sparked a
rowdy protest outside the company's headquarters in Port of Spain yesterday
with employees accusing their boss of violating the work ethic when he
called her a "fool".
A couple dozen employees participated in the lunchtime protest which was
held outside the company's headquarters in Port of Spain and which received
the support of their representative union-the Communication Workers Union
(CWU).
CWU's general secretary Lyle Townsend charged that Peon's "insult" to the
female employee "was a total disrespect" to all employees of the company and
by extension citizens of this country.
Townsend said the worker had done nothing to provoke Peon's reaction.
"The worker simply asked through an e-mail, why it is that TSTT employees
have to go to the Square in order to get one of the Carnival jerseys that
they themselves produce and that was his (Peon's) disrespectful outburst,"
he said.
Townsend said the union was repeating its calls for the company to remove
Peon, "a foreigner", from his current post.
TSTT in an immediate response said Peon had "unreservedly apologised" for
the e-mail issued "both to the affected staffer and to the entire company",
last week.
The company in a statement said the majority of TSTT employees had "accepted
the CEO's apology in good faith" but charged that CWU was only "now seeking
to capitalise on this within the context of the ongoing collective
bargaining negotiations".
Townsend said yesterday's protest was also held to highlight the union's
grouse with the company which has since failed to "execute an agreement to
pay workers their outstanding money since December 19.
The company has reneged on this agreement and it has refused to pay workers
their backpay and to implement the new terms of the agreement," he said.
TSTT dismissed the union's claims saying that "the union has already
rejected a generous offer from the company which included a proposed
employee stock ownership, salary increases well ahead of market rates, and a
series of enhanced benefits".
http://allafrica.com/stories/200802060578.html
Kenya: Council Employees Protest At Pay Delay
The Nation (Nairobi)
6 February 2008
Posted to the web 6 February 2008
Benson Amadala
Nairobi
A protest by workers over the salary delay disrupted operations at Kakamega
municipal council Tueday. The 230 workers staged a sit-in at Town Hall,
demanding their salaries amounting to Sh22 million.
Officials of the Kakamega branch of the Local Government Workers Union said
they had written to the town clerk, Mrs Margaret Jobita, demanding the pay
arrears dating back to August last year. But they said she had not responded
to the demand notice. They called on the Ministry of Local Government to
replace her for being insensitive to their plight.
"We have been patient enough but the chief officers at the council are
unwilling to address our grievances and settle the salary arrears," said the
union's branch secretary, Mr Samson Ananda.
Our grievances
Mrs Jobita was said to have travelled to Nairobi on official duty and
efforts to reach her on her mobile phone were fruitless. The provincial
Local Government officer, Mr Zachary Onchieku, said he was aware of the
problems at the council and promised to act.
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2266554,00.html
Too little work sparks protest
07/02/2008 20:39 - (SA)
Eric Lubisi
Schoemansdal - Road workers near the Swaziland border in Mpumalanga held a
demonstration on Wednesday in protest against doing too little work.
One worker, Bheki Thumbathi, said they had worked only five days in the past
three weeks because they were sometimes turned away or told not to come to
work without reason.
"We're then told that the 'no work, no pay' principle is applied. We are
going to earn very little at the end of the month. We are just like the
unemployed with no income," said Thumbathi.
Local ward councillor Bhutana Lubisi had to call an urgent meeting.
"Everything has been resolved," he said.
The foreman, Ray Mokoena, blamed the demonstration on a communication
breakdown.
"There are about three people that I take instructions from, which creates
the misunderstanding between the workers and sub-contractors," said Mokoena.
He said it had been agreed that the workers would be paid for the days they
were turned away.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Lucknow/Salary_row_Protest_spreads_to_streets/articleshow/2747356.cms
Salary row: Protest spreads to streets
1 Feb 2008, 0248 hrs IST,TNN
LUCKNOW: Demanding salary hike and better infrastructure, teachers of
Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University (CSMMU) on Thursday took to
streets and took out a procession at busy Vidhan Sabha marg.
They also gave a memorandum at Raj Bhawan in support of their demands which
included time-bound direct promotions and lifting of ban on private
practice.
As per the announcement made earlier, teachers arrived in buses at dharna
sthal and walked all the way to Sardar Patel statue for staging a
demonstration.
Carrying placards and wearing badges, over 150 teachers assembled at the
venue. They were stopped by the police in front of Vidhan Sabha. However,
administration had to relent when teachers sat on the road, threatening to
block the traffic.
While demonstration in front of Sardar Patel statue lasted for two hours, a
delegation of teachers was later allowed to go to Raj Bhawan where they
handed over the memorandum to a special secretary as governor TV Rajeswar
was not present.
The delegation was led by teachers' association president Prof Ramakant,
general secretary Dr Naim Ahmad, Prof Mazhar Hussain, Prof SC Tiwari, Prof
Ashok Sahai, Prof Shadab Muhammad, Dr Manju Shukla, Dr Indu Tandon and Dr
Suresh Kumar.
The visit to the Raj Bhawan was part of the agitation programme being run by
teachers for last ten days. They will sit on relay hunger strike from
February 4.
The general body meeting of the teachers' association has been called on
Friday to decide the future course of action. Teachers have also decided to
meet chief minister soon to press for their demands.
The teachers of CSMMU for long have been demanding better pay scales at par
with their counterparts at SGPGIMS and AIIMS, lifting of ban on private
practice, improvement in patient care and teaching facilities and time-bound
direct promotion as per Tikku Commission report.
Though teachers' association leaders said that lifting of ban on private
practice was at the bottom of their demand list, many practising teachers
were said to be lobbying hard for the cause.
Private practice is prohibited under a government order.On the directions of
the High Court, district administration and CSMMU authorities are gearing up
for action against doctors violating the ban. That's the reason why
practising teachers desperately want government to lift the ban first before
taking any other decision on pay and perks.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_business?id=161276700
Natuc threatens protest over lack of wage board
Tuesday, February 12th 2008
THE National Trade Union Centre (Natuc) is threatening worker protests over
what it says is the Government's refusal to appoint a minimum wages board.
In a statement issued yesterday, Natuc said it had made repeated calls on
both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Labour on this matter. It said
the Prime Minister had promised to implement a $10 minimum wage when he led
his party's campaign for the general election in 2002. And, it said, the
Prime Minister made an announcement to this effect in the budget for 2008
last August.
But the trade union umbrella organisation said in its statement that this
has not been done.
"Thousands of families are being adversely affected with constant increases
in the cost of living, while the authorities refuse to appoint a national
minimum wages fixing machinery," this statement said, adding that
international labour standards set by the International Labour Organisation
require all member countries to have in place such machinery.
Trinidad and Tobago has been without a minimum wage board since 2006, Natuc
said, claiming that the Government had abandoned the process of minimum wage
fixing.
"Natuc is calling on all trade unions and workers in general to spare a
thought for workers who are not unionised and also have to live on an
outdated minimum wage. Recent increases in the price of milk, bread, eggs
and vegetables have impacted adversely on low income earners, and yet the
Government has refused to appoint the minimum wages," it said.
"Should the Government continue to refuse to appoint the board, workers will
have to vigorously protest this failure of the Government," it added.
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14603521
Airport employees protest privatisation Tuesday, 12 February , 2008, 15:13
Mumbai: More than 21,000 airport employees across the country launched a
day's ‘relay fast’ to protest against privatisation of airports.
“We are protesting the privatising of airports being implemented by the
Airport Authority of India (AAI) and also in support of other pending
demands,” Dilip Gujjar, National Assistant General Secretary of the Airport
Authority Employees Union (AAEU), said.
According to an official at the Mumbai Airport, the protest is unlikely to
cause any disruption in air traffic control but could hit ground operations
at airport terminals. “Most of the non-executive workforce of the union is
involved in cleaning the terminals and managing the conveyor belt
operations,” the official said.
The AAEU is also protesting the development of green field airports at
Hyderabad and Bangalore, which will close down airports currently run by the
AAI. “In Delhi and Mumbai, where the government has privatised the airports,
the employees are being compelled to join the consortium. This is not
acceptable to us," Gujjar said. He added that there were several other
demands of AAI employees that have not been met despite several requests to
the government in the past one and a half year.
The Mumbai International Airport Pvt. Ltd., which manages the Chhatrapati
Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, has said that flight operations
will not be affected.
The Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi has prepared a backup
plan to meet any emergency situation.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_business?id=161292691
Steel workers take $$ protest to Whitehall
Renuka Singh
Thursday, March 13th 2008
MUSICAL PROTEST: Arcelor Mittal Point Lisas Ltd workers and SWUTT members
play music and display placards at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain,
yesterday opposite Whitehall during their protest to demand payment of the
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and their annual production bonus which
they say is owing since January 1, 1995. (See Page 19) -Photo: CURTIS CHASE
A wave of orange washed through the streets of downtown Port of Spain
yesterday, as almost 300 employees of Arcelor Mittal walked in solidarity to
take their fight, for money they claim is owed to them, to Whitehall, Port
of Spain.
The march was dubbed the first of its kind because it was the biggest
organised march by the Steel Workers Union of Trinidad and Tobago (SWUTT).
The march moved from Riverside Plaza to the Eric Williams Financial Complex,
and then proceeded through Port of Spain until finally reaching Whitehall.
The energised crowd clapped, sang and chanted as one, kept in time and to
pace by former president of SWUTT, Elias A Williams.
The employees have been demanding their Employment Share Ownership Plan
(ESOP) and their annual bonuses, which they insist have not been paid in 12
years. The union claims the figure amounts to almost US$300 million.
He called on the curious onlookers to join the march as the fight was "a
fight for the nation".
President of SWUTT, Lex Lovell, said their intention was "to sensitise the
Government" and while he felt sure they would not have met the Prime
Minister yesterday, he was sure his office would," hear the rumbling of the
people and ask why".
Vincent Cabrera, General Secretary National Trade Union Centre of Trinidad
and Tobago (NATUC), had the crowd applauding wildly as he accused the
Government of fraud. He also promised the support of all unions of Trinidad.
"Other workers have to join the struggle as well to ensure that at the end
of the day, workers receive their just due," Cabrera said.
Steel union members said they understood that the plant sustained an almost
90 per cent absenteeism yesterday.
Contacted on the issue yesterday, Fazad Mohammed, communications manager at
Arcelor Mittal, insisted that the CEO and Human Resources would be
continuing dialogue in the hope of reaching an amicable settlement of the
issue.
"We are in the process of finalising the issue to re-present to the union,"
Mohammed said.
He claimed the company was attempting to make modifications to the
previously proposed figure of US$6.5 million and they remained open to
constructive dialogue. He said they were also still in discussions with
group management in the hope of resolving the issue as quickly as possible.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200803140184.html
Nigeria: UATH Staff Protest Medical Director's Appointment
Daily Champion (Lagos)
14 March 2008
Posted to the web 14 March 2008
Lagos
The University of Abuja Teaching Hospital(UATH)staff, on Wednesday in
Gwagwalada protested against the appointment of Dr. Peter Alabi as the
hospital's substantive Medical Director.
The staff were protesting under the umbrella of "Movement for Better
Hospital Environment".
They said in a statement signed by Mr. Steven John and Ibrahim Usman, that
the appointment was mischievous and betrayal of principle of justice.
"We wish to categorically state that Alabi was not among the three
shortlisted candidates and is not competent to represent the interest of the
hospital community.
"He was imposed like Dr. Edugie Abebe,"the statement said.
According to it, the appointment was an internal arrangement between some
ministry officials and their agents in the hospital to replace Abebe with
Alabi.
"The appointment lacked consideration for the wishes of staff," it said.
The statement blamed the Health Minister for "violating the agreements
reached between the joint unions and the ministry.
"The agreement reached included the appointment of Medical Director from the
three shortlisted and interviewed candidates,"the statement said.
"The minister gave the assurance that the three names had been submitted to
President Umar Yar'Adua for approval.
"Alabi was not among and we are surprise about his appointment."The Movement
shall continue to resist any abuse of the due process by imposing a
leadership of the
hospital," the statement said.
It appealed to Yar'Adua to intervene in order to ensure justice and fair
play.
" We are calling on the presidentto look into the hidden agenda behind
Alabi's appointment by some selfish individuals of the health ministry," the
statement said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the health ministry conveyed
Alabi's appointment in a letter dated February 11.
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=211086&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=30356
Workers protest again for better pay
By BEGENA P PRADEEP
MORE than 600 workers at a contracting company downed tools for the second
time in 10 months yesterday to demand pay rises.
It was Bahrain's 12th strike in five weeks and was staged by workers at the
Mohammed Jalal Contracting Company.
They previously went on strike in May last year, but returned to work three
days later after management agreed to improve salaries.
The workers originally demanded a BD15 food allowance to be added to their
basic salaries, which the company apparently agreed to.
However, they went on strike again yesterday complaining that another demand
for a 20 per cent pay rise had not been met.
The workers claimed the company had offered increases of three to five per
cent to some employees based on their performance. They yesterday demanded
an extra BD20 a month each and threatened to continue their strike until
they get it.
The workers include Indians, Bangladeshis and Pakistanis who live at the
firm's Salmabad labour camp.
They said their salaries ranged from BD45 to BD55 before May last year, but
with the introduction of a food allowance they now ranged from BD60 to BD70.
"We also earn nearly BD40 as overtime, but it is very hard to survive on
this small amount," said one worker, who asked to remain anonymous. "The
price of everything has increased in Bahrain and back home.
"To make matters worse the Indian rupee has got stronger, which means less
money is reaching our homes.
"We need a BD20 raise and in writing this time."
Workers told the GDN they submitted a written notice to the company a month
ago threatening to go on strike if their demands were not met.
They said they were happy with their accommodation, but argued that their
salaries were too low - particularly since some had worked for the company
for many years.
"The written notice was submitted during the first week of last month
explaining our demands and the consequences if they were not fulfilled,"
said another worker."
The labourers claimed the company came forward with an offer of a BD10 pay
rise on Saturday in an attempt to avert a strike.
"They somehow came to know of our plan to go on strike and offered us a BD10
raise, but this is not good enough now," said one worker. Some workers who
joined the company recently claimed that although they had signed contracts
for a basic salary of BD70 and a BD20 allowance, they never received the
allowance.
"We signed contracts for BD70 a month with a BD20 allowance," said one
worker, who joined the company last October.
"When we didn't get the BD20 and asked for it they threatened to send us
back home." Labour Ministry officials have urged the workers to resume duty
and accept the BD10 pay rise offered by the company, but they were holding
out for a better deal yesterday.
Mohammed Jalal Contracting Company general manager David Bailey declined to
comment.
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=211000&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=30355
Workers end protest after wages rise vow
By BEGENA P PRADEEP
A FOUR-DAY strike by more than 700 workers at a Bahrain contracting company
ended yesterday after management agreed to improve their salaries.
Employees at the Olympic Contracting Company camps at Salmabad and Arad
downed tools on Tuesday demanding better pay.
Management earlier declared the strike as 'illegal', and said it had halted
work at several of its sites.
Officials allegedly offered staff a BD10 food allowance on Friday in a bid
to encourage them to end the strike, which they rejected.
Workers demanded BD20 added to their basic salaries, arguing an allowance
could be removed after two or three months.
However, employees accepted the company's offer yesterday of a pay rise of
BD15 to BD20 on their salaries.
Those who have been working in the company for less than five years will get
a BD15 increase to their salaries while those who have been working for five
or more years will get BD20.
Workers returned to their duties at around 10.30am yesterday.
"The company agreed to raise our basic salaries and this is what we have
been asking for for the past few days," said a worker who declined to be
named.
"This pay rise is fair enough, " he said.
Company officials earlier said they had taken a "soft view" of the strike
over the last few days, but it could not go on.
Human resources manager Abdulelah Saleh Abdalrehman confirmed to the GDN
yesterday that the strike was over after the workers and the company reached
a deal.
"The strike is over and the workers will resume duty," he said.
"We have agreed to increase their salaries and everything is fine now."
However, he did not reveal the amounts involved.
Mr Abdalrehman earlier appealed to the Labour Ministry to step in and
officials warned workers to return to work and make their claims through
legal channels or face action.
Indian Embassy officials also urged the men to return to work and file a
complaint at the Labour Ministry if they had grievances.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20080310T230000-0500_133394_OBS_PROTEST_CAUSES_DELAYS_AT_SANGSTER_INTERNATIONAL.asp
Protest causes delays at Sangster International
KERIL WRIGHT, Observer staff reporter
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
MONTEGO BAY, St James - A protest by frontline workers employed to All
Jamaica Air Services (AJAS) yesterday led to delays at the Sangster
International Airport.
Yesterday afternoon there were unusually long lines at several airline
check-in counters.
The workers walked off the job in protest over what they claimed was
'unsatisfactory' representation from the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union
(BITU).
"We are still operating but we are experiencing some delays," said Elizabeth
Scotton, MBJ Airports Limited's director of marketing and communications.
More than 100 of the 317 AJAS workers, employed as customer service agents,
ramp attendants, cargo handlers and aircraft cleaners for several airlines
at Sangster International, left their posts yesterday and did not return
until late evening after top AJAS officials met with them.
Scotton told the Observer that ground handlers from Air Jamaica and other
airlines had to double up yesterday to minimise delays at the airport, after
the placard-bearing employees walked off the job and staged a noisy protest
outside the airport's departure lounge.
The workers said they wanted a change of union from the BITU as they were
dissatisfied with the level of representation they had been receiving.
BITU delegate, Devon Black, said the workers, many of whom took home as
little as $24,000 monthly, had requested the change of union representation,
but said they were told that there were not enough workers supporting the
move.
It was the second time in recent months that operations at Sangster
International were being disrupted.
In November last year, 150 unionised workers at the airport staged two days
of protest.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=a6kG.7CZg8Vo&refer=africa
Nigerian Oil Union Threatens Protest Over Job Cuts (Update2)
By Dulue Mbachu
March 17 (Bloomberg) -- A Nigerian union representing senior oil-industry
workers may begin an indefinite strike on March 19 to protest job cuts,
threatening to slow shipments from Africa's biggest crude producer.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers Senior Staff Association of Nigeria,
or Pengassan, may withdraw its members from ``the entire petroleum sector,''
Peter Esele, the Lagos- based union's president, said in an e-mailed
statement today. Layoffs by Mobil Nigeria Plc were unlawful and targeted
union officials working at the company, he said, accusing the Labor Ministry
of ``questionable complacency'' over the issue.
``We shall ensure that all our members withdraw their services from all
offices, base and field locations, plants and facilities in the entire
petroleum sector,'' Esele said.
Nigeria pumped 2.04 million barrels of oil a day in February, according to
Bloomberg data. About half of the West African nation's exports go to the
U.S. Pengassan members occupy senior managerial positions in the oil
industry and previous strikes by the union have slowed activity, including
oil exports.
Mobil Oil Nigeria is a unit of Exxon Mobil Corp., the world's largest oil
company. Akin Fatunke, spokesman for Mobil, wouldn't comment when contacted
today because the dispute between the company and the union is being heard
before the Lagos-based Industrial Court.
To contact the reporter on this story: Dulue Mbachu in Lagos via
Johannesburg at pmrichardson at bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: March 17, 2008 11:56 EDT
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_business?id=161296835
Workers protest in Port of Spain
Royal Bank sale
Friday, March 21st 2008
Protest time: Members of Federation of Independent Trade Unions and NGOs
protest in front of RBTT headquarters on Park Street, Port of Spain,
yesterday. -Photo: ABRAHAM DIAZ
Trade Union leader David Abdulah has sworn to stay opposed to the proposed
sale of RBTT Financial Holdings (RBTT) to the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC),
holding the first of many promised protests outside the local bank's Park
Street, Port of Spain, branch yesterday.
The head of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions and NGOs (FITUN) said
yesterday that the union's reasons are "primarily economic" but also has
roots in a "socio-economic perspective".
Just over a dozen workers placarded outside RBTT during the first half of
the morning, led by Abdulah.
In a letter sent earlier to RBTT management and copied to the media, FITUN
stated that it did not make its decision lightly. "You know our position. It
is that RBTT ought not to be sold to the Royal Bank of Canada. We make no
apologies for this position," Abdulah said.
The letter asked shareholders to consider carefully before the upcoming
March 26 Special Shareholders Meeting, where it will be decided whether or
not RBTT will be 100 per cent owned by RBC.
The proposed sale is supposed to take place by way of an amalgamation.
Abdulah said the decision will have far-reaching consequences for growth and
development of Trinidad and Tobago, which is still a very young nation.
Speaking outside RBTT yesterday, he warned, "The interests of a few must not
take precedence over the interests of many."
RBTT is a source of pride among Caribbean nationals, being one of the
financial institutions that are locally owned and developed, Abdulah said.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200803130812.html
Mozambique: Former Migrants Invade Labour Ministry
Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo)
13 March 2008
Posted to the web 13 March 2008
Maputo
Over a hundred Mozambicans who had once been migrant workers in the now
defunct German Democratic Republic (GDR) on Wednesday burst into the Labour
Ministry, demanding to speak with Labour Minister Helena Taipo.
The former migrants (known colloquially as "Madjermanes") alleged that the
Minister had interfered with their right to demonstrate. They claim that
they sent a letter to Maputo Municipal Council, informing the Council of
their intention to hold a peaceful demonstration on Wednesday. They say they
were surprised when the Council replied that, in the absence of an agreement
from the Labour Minister, the demonstration could not go ahead.
The protestors said they had been unfairly treated, since the right to
demonstrate is enshrined in the Constitution. Zeca Cossa, who claimed to
represent the majermanes, justified the invasion of the Ministry, saying all
they wanted was to know why "the Minister is interfering in the exercise of
our civic right and why she would not allow us to demonstrate".
A group of about 170 protesters tried to enter Taipo's office, but were
stopped by the security guard, so they decided to invade other offices on
the ground floor of the Ministry, including that of the Permanent Secretary.
Since the Permanent Secretary was not in his office, they decided to wait.
Shortly afterwards, the police showed up, including a unit of the Riot
Police, who forced them out of the Ministry. Two the demonstrators were
arrested, allegedly because they tried to throw stones at the police.
"All we wanted was to march peacefully to protest against the way our
problem is being dealt with by the government. We came to the Labour
Ministry, and we wanted to talk to the minister, but shortly after this the
police came, and some of our colleagues were beaten up", said Cossa.
The National Director of Planning and Statistics in the Ministry, Paulino
Mutombene, told reporters he did not know why the group had stormed into the
Ministry. "I can't tell you what they wanted, since it was impossible to
speak with them", he said.
The former migrants say they want a meeting with the government to demand
further payment for what they claim had been deducted from their wages
during the time they spent in East Germany.
However, the government reached a final settlement of the majermanes' claims
in December 2005. This amounted to payment of 48 million US dollars
(staggered over several years). Since there were around 16,000 majermanes
registered with the Labour Ministry this settlement came to an average
payment of 3,000 dollars per former migrant.
Yet the demands for more money continue: the latest is that the government
should pay them interest on their deferred wages. In the final years of the
migrant labour agreement with the GDR, 60 per cent of the migrants' wages
were paid on their return to Mozambique in the local currency, meticais. The
majermanes successfully challenged the exchange rate used and the government
agreed to revise it upwards. On top of this comes the demand for interest,
which was never raised in the earlier negotiations.
To make matters worse, the majermanes have split. The group around Cossa no
longer recognises the leadership of Alberto Mahuaie, the chairperson of the
Forum of former Workers in the GDR. He is the man who has been negotiating
with the government, and the government will not deal with anyone else until
there are fresh elections in the Forum. Zeca Cossa heads an association
called ATMA (Association of former Mozambican Workers in Germany), and it is
not clear how many former migrants it can claim to represent.
http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:wTbAMQLdnGUJ:www.gg.rhbnc.ac.uk/Simon/GG3072/Moz-Bull-125.pdf+maputo+fuel+protest&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=23&gl=uk&client=firefox-a
Xinavane sugar workers strike
About 600 seasonal workers on the Xinavane sugar plantation in Maputo
province
went on strike on Friday, demanding a wage increase of more than 100% --
from the
minimum wage of 1,126 meticais per month to 2,500 meticais (from $46 to
$104).
Angry strikers attacked the company offices, breaking windows, overturning
desks
and smashing computers. In the plantation, they set 20 hectares of sugar
cane
ablaze. Police were called in and in the clashes 14 people were injured,
four of them
seriously.
The management refused to raise wages, but immediately made concessions on
other demands, agreeing to supply workers with protective equipment, allow
them to
take the day off in the event of a death in the family, pay them for any
Sundays or
other rest days on which they work.
The majority shareholder in Xinavane is the South African sugar giant
Tongaat-Hulett,
which also owns the Mafambisse mill and plantation in central Mozambique.
The
Tongaat-Hulett group made an operating profit of $133 million in 2006.
The strike does not have the backing of the Sugar Workers Union – indeed the
strikers have dismissed the union as “sell-outs” – or the main trade union
federation,
the OTM.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/12/business/mine.php
Papua New Guinea mine looks for quick end to strike
Reuters
SYDNEY: The Papua New Guinea miner Ok Tedi Mining said Wednesday that it
hoped an unauthorized strike over wages at its copper and gold mine in the
western part of the country would end within 24 hours, after it sought
assistance from labor negotiators.
The mine is a major supplier of copper concentrate for the world smelting
market, and copper prices have been racing higher on concerns of a looming
world shortage of the concentrate.
The mine's managing director, Alan Breen, said in a statement that he hoped
for "a return to work during the next 24 hours."
Mining, milling and shipping at the mine, which is near the Papua New Guinea
border with Indonesia, halted Tuesday when disgruntled workers walked off
the job.
The strike was in reaction to a decision by management to exclude the
general work force from a pay increase of 100 percent awarded to the mine's
engineers in an effort to retain them after a number had been lost to
better-paying jobs overseas.
Local media outlets reported that Breen had closed the door on the union
after being shouted down by union members during an attempt to address the
staff.
The management "breached a 2005 award agreement that gave an undertaking for
improved benefits and working conditions for employees," said a member of
the Allied Workers Union, who asked not to be named because he was not
authorized to talk to the media.
"All employees contributed equally to the well-being of the company and
consequently should be equally remunerated for their efforts," the union
worker said. "Consequently, we want a 100 percent pay rise."
The company, which reported a 2007 profit of $707 million, has asked the
Papua New Guinea Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to intervene
to resolve the dispute, according to the statement.
Ok Tedi is 52-percent owned by PNG Sustainable Development Program, an
independent company set up to finance development projects in Papua New
Guinea. The company acquired its shares from BHP Billiton after
environmental concerns over waste discharged into local rivers.
Papua New Guinea's government has a stake of 30 percent and Inmet Mining of
Canada has 18 percent.
The mine produced 169,184 tons of copper concentrate in 2007. Its gold
production was 498,790 ounces last year.
The government has long feared that closing the mine would devastate the
economy and ruin communities in the area bordering the Indonesian province
of Irian Jaya.
The mine accounts for about 10 percent of the impoverished South Pacific
nation's gross national product and 20 percent of total exports.
Papua New Guinea has been struggling to retain overseas investment in its
mining sector. A copper mine run by Rio Tinto was left rotting in the jungle
on Bougainville island after secessionist rebels staged a bloody uprising
more than two decades ago.
Copper on the London Metal Exchange reached a record high price of $8,820 a
ton last week.
http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2008/3/12/workers-strike-at-ok-tedi-mine-in-papua-new-guinea/
Workers strike at Ok Tedi mine in Papua New Guinea
Port Moresby (ANTARA News/Asia Pulse) - Production has halted at Papua New
Guinea's giant Ok Tedi copper mine after 300 workers walked off the job over
a pay dispute.
Mining and milling operations at the Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) site,
along with concentrate handling and shipping at Kiunga, in PNG's Western
Province, came to a complete halt yesterday.
The strike was in response to OTML management's decision to implement a 100
per cent pay increase for the company's PNG engineers in a bid to stop them
heading overseas. Mining and Allied Workers Union members called on
management to increase wages for all PNG workers.
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