[Onthebarricades] Workers' protests, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Apr-Aug 2008

[Andy]

ON THE BARRICADES:  Global Resistance Roundup, April-August 2008
https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/onthebarricades
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/



*  PERU:  Protest hits copper trade

*  ZAMBIA:  Striking workers deported

*  TRINIDAD:  Telecom workers protest

*  GUYANA:  Sugar workers protest, bosses complain

*  NIGERIA:  Sacking of oil workers leads to ultimatum

*  CHAD:  Aid groups strike over killing of aid worker

*  SOUTH AFRICA:  Municipal workers protest at Mandela statue

*  SOUTH AFRICA:  Durban municipal workers march

*  SOUTH AFRICA:  Water board staff protest

*  SOUTH AFRICA:  Unrest as angry crowd protests dismissals at stadium

*  BARBADOS:  Sanitation workers protest dismissal of boss

*  SOUTH AFRICA:  Legal aid workers protest

*  SOUTH AFRICA:  Metalworkers protest interest rate hike

*  CHILE:  Agricultural workers block factory in protest

*  MEXICO:  Miners protest for union recognition

*  NIGERIA:  Local government union protests reorganisation

*  ZAMBIA:  Copper mine shut down during protest

*  SOUTH AFRICA:  Mine workers strike over deaths, safety

*  ARGENTINA:  Bus drivers strike

*  ETHIOPIA, SUDAN, DJIBOUTI:  Shell workers protest "being sold", company 
transfer

*  RWANDA:  Telecom workers protest conditions


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=amNLHnGh0ZVg&refer=africa

Copper Trades Near Record on Peru Protest, Crude Oil, Dollar
By Glenys Sim
July 3 (Bloomberg) -- Copper rose for a third day in Asia, trading near the 
highest ever, as an ongoing strike in Peru raised concerns that supplies may 
be cut.
Copper also climbed as a slumping dollar, record oil prices and falling 
equities boosted demand for alternative investments. The metal has advanced 
32 percent this year partly on output disruptions at mines in Latin America.
`Strike action has affected most of the base metals, but it is copper that 
is understandably wielding the most support given the extreme tightness mine 
supply is facing this year,'' analysts at Barclays Capital Inc. said in a 
report yesterday.
Copper for delivery in three months rose as much as $160, or 1.8 percent, to 
$8,880 a metric ton on the London Metal Exchange, and traded at $8,810 at 
9:28 a.m. Singapore time. The contract reached a record of $8,940 yesterday.
Copper for September delivery on the Shanghai Futures Exchange added as much 
as 1.8 percent to 64,830 yuan ($9,282), the highest for a most-active 
contract since May 7. It stood at 64,740 yuan at 9:33 a.m. local time.
Peruvian workers are on strike at mines run by Barrick Gold Corp., Southern 
Copper Corp., Renco Group Inc.'s Doe Run Peru unit, Shougang Corp.'s 
Hierroperu iron unit, Cia. Minera Antamina and Volcan Cia. Minera SA, 
according to the country's Mining Federation.
Copper is also being ``dragged higher'' by crude oil prices and the soft 
U.S. dollar, said Darren Gibbs, chief economist at Deutsche Bank AG in 
Auckland.
Oil gained to a record $144.44 a barrel after a U.S. government report 
showed an unexpected decline in inventories, while the dollar traded near a 
two-month low against the euro ahead of the European Central Bank interest 
rate decision and U.S. jobs report.
Among other LME-traded metals, aluminum was up 0.6 percent at $3,218 a ton, 
zinc gained 1.8 percent to $1,898, lead rose 0.9 percent to $1,720, and 
nickel added 1 percent to trade at $21,350. Tin had not traded as of 9:36 
a.m. in Singapore.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200804230580.html

Zambia: 24 Protesting Indian Workers Sent Back Home

The Times of Zambia (Ndola)
23 April 2008
Posted to the web 23 April 2008
Ndola
Twenty-Four Onshore Construction Company employees in Chingola have been 
sent back to India for gross misconduct and inciting fellow employees to 
strike.
This follows Monday's protest and strike action by Onshore employees who 
were demanding better conditions of service. For the sake of maintaining 
peace and order, police from Chingola escorted the 24 to Lusaka 
International Airport. Meanwhile, the strike action has reached day four and 
all the employees have maintained that they will not return to work until 
their demands are met.
They said if their demands were not met, they would stay in their guest 
houses and plan the next step. According to a letter obtained in Chingola, 
assistant general manager responsible for projects, Denesh Shetty, said the 
company had no option but to send the ring leaders back to India. Mr Shetty 
said following discussions on Monday afternoon in the presence of some 
labour and immigration officers and the employees, after which the 
employees' guest houses were visited, the company management resolved to 
send the protest masterminds back to their country of origin.
"Even after our repeated requests along with the mentioned authorities 
during the visit to the guest houses, our workmen are not willing to 
commence the job at the site. We are sending them back to India according to 
the availability of tickets. "The first lot we are sending today (yesterday) 
are as per the attached list. The same will follow as and when the tickets 
are available," he said Onshore Construction is one of the companies 
contracted by Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) in Chingola to build a new 
multi-billion Kwacha smelter. More than 360 employees on Monday morning 
downed tools and later staged a protest. This was after management refused 
to meet their terms for new conditions of service. The workers, who claimed 
they worked 12 hours a day and were paid only K1 million per month, 
complained about being crammed into one shabbily-furnished house which had 
no running water with only one toilet.
They demanded leave days bonus, actual bonus, and their salaries to be paid 
in the Indian currency. They also complained that they ate the same type of 
food and that they were not entitled to tea or lunch breaks despite working 
for longer periods of time. Subhas Chandra Mallick on Monday said they were 
not given medical claims, identity cards to access the plant, and that they 
could not go out of Chingola because they did not have immigration cards 
which management had withdrawn from them.
Mr Mallick said the strike started on Saturday when the workers asked to 
meet the company managers but were not allowed to. He said one guest house 
was accommodating more than 60 workers and described the situation as a 
danger to their health.However, Onshore administrative manager, Iyer 
Ramachandran, on Monday said the management was guided by an agreement the 
company signed with the workers before they came to Zambia.
Mr Ramachandran said the company would not make any adjustments to the 
agreement and advised those aggrieved to return to India. He said the 
company was spending over K10 million on each worker for travel, work 
permits, and other necessary documents. He said the company did not recover 
any money that went into importing labour into Zambia, hence, it would not 
bend to the workers' demands.
The number of those to be sent back to India was likely to increase as many 
said they would rather return to India than continue working under the 
current conditions. And Mr Shetty said the 24 Indian employees were paid 
between K800,000 and K1 million, depending on one's position. He said the 
air fares between Lusaka and India would be met by the company. Copperbelt 
police commanding officer, Antoneil Mutentwa, confirmed the departure of the 
24 employees. Mr Mutentwa said the police escorted them to Lusaka 
International Airport to prevent any possible misconduct. Meanwhile, 
Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee chairperson, Charles Milupi, has 
urged the Government to quickly terminate the contract for Onshore 
Construction Company to allow Zambians an opportunity to undertake such 
jobs.
Mr Milupi, an engineer who worked in the former Zambia Consolidated Copper 
Mines, said it was a well-known fact that Zambian engineers in other 
countries were holding senior positions, an indication that they could not 
fail their country. "It is disappointing that the Government can allow 360 
employees to work at Onshore. What I know is that there are 600 workers at 
Onshore when there are many Zambians out of employment and can undertake the 
works done by the Indians. Everybody knows that Zambia has better expertise 
than some foreigners.
"For many years, Zambians managed to run the copper smelter in Mufulira, 
Nkana, and Luanshya. Zambians managed to run the cobalt smelter, the kilns 
in Kabwe and Ndola, in short we have more than enough expertise to deal with 
smelters."

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_business?id=161314134

TSTT to take action against protesters
Curtis Rampersad and Rohandra John

Thursday, April 24th 2008

taking a stand: Members of the Communications Workers Union outside the 
Crowne Plaza Hotel yesterday. -Photo: ANISTO ALVES

Telecommunications provider TSTT intends to take disciplinary action against 
a number of employees if they are found to be guilty of participating in 
industrial action outside a Port of Spain hotel.
TSTT alleged that dozens of its staff members lined the entrance of the 
Crowne Plaza hotel yesterday morning as the company held what was scheduled 
to be an all-day meeting with the Communications Workers Union to discuss 
the upcoming retrenchment of 85 workers.
When TSTT management and union members returned to continue the session 
after lunch, the hotel's management asked both parties to leave as they had 
disrupted the operations of the hotel and bothered guests.
The disturbance comes as the company-which posted a multi-million dollar 
loss last year-continues to restructure its organisation which could result 
in more job cuts.
Edghill Messiah, vice president, Human Resources and Administration at TSTT, 
told the Express that the owners of the hotel wanted TSTT out because 
employees outside the entrance of the hotel and in the parking lot had 
disrupted services.
Messiah said the employees' actions were in breach of the Industrial 
Relations Act as TSTT provided a necessary service to the country.
He said a number of TSTT's vehicles were also at the hotel and the company 
was investigating if the vehicles and the employees outside the building 
should have been on duty yesterday.
Messiah said the investigation into the workers' actions would be completed 
within days after which action would be taken.
The CWU said yesterday it would not support any disciplinary action against 
the TSTT employees who were outside the hotel, because as far as the union 
was concerned, the workers did nothing wrong.
CWU president John Julien said it was customary for workers to assemble 
outside any establishment where the union was engaged in talks with the 
company on industrial relation issues and this was why they gathered outside 
Crowne Plaza yesterday.
Scores of workers gathered in solidarity outside the hotel where they again 
protested against the company's plan to retrench some 85 employees.
The meeting between the union and TSTT's management to discuss the 
retrenchment ended on a sour note yesterday after Crowne Plaza's management 
asked the parties to leave its compound as a result of the protest.

http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-7279--13-13--.html

Protest action threatens sugar industry viability in Guyana
Published on Saturday, April 19, 2008Email To Friend    Print Version

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has 
expressed its disappointment with the protest staged by employees of the 
Rosehall, Blairmont and Albion estates over issues that are not related to 
the corporation.

In a press release on Friday, the corporation stated that "the action of the 
workers is hampering the reputation of GuySuCo in the international markets. 
We have customers both in the Caribbean and Europe whom we have contracted 
to deliver sugar and if the workers don't come back to work immediately we 
will be in danger of failing to meet our markets."

It added that the situation further aggravates the low labour turn-out as 
some estates have experienced difficulties in attracting the required 
workforce on a regular basis. There has been a reduction in the average 
weekly turnout by workers which has affected some estates' production level.

According to GuySuCo, the production target for the first crop has already 
been reduced from 124,000 to 108,000 tonnes as a result of erratic weather 
conditions earlier this year. It is possible that the new target may not be 
achieved due to the actions of the workers at most of the Berbice estates.

It further stated that, the loss of production to date is 1,308 tonnes over 
the three estates and is equivalent to US$1 million or $200 million in 
revenue. This is likely to double if the protest is not brought to a speedy 
conclusion and production resumed, the release stated.

It added that, "the workers have ignored and blatantly disregarded the 
established grievance procedures, which require workers to follow due 
process before proceeding on strike, leaving burnt canes in the fields and 
punts full in dock, unable to be crushed further adding to the losses of the 
corporation. This type of action will affect the company's ability to 
guarantee employment opportunities."

In addition, it was clearly stated that the corporation has no control over 
the factors which the workers are striking about and it is therefore beyond 
the comprehension that workers should harm the company that provides them 
with employment.

The workers are expected to return to work immediately or face the 
possibility of serious disciplinary action consistent with the collective 
labour agreements signed with the Unions.

It was also pointed out that approximately US$180 million has been recently 
invested in the new factory and estate expansion at Skeldon, which is 
expected to be commissioned in the second crop of this year. Additionally, 
there has been significant spending in agriculture toward mechanization.

The additional investments in agricultural and factory during the past two 
years is valued in excess of $3 billion and the consideration may no be 
given to additional investments in mechanization to address the general 
labour issues affecting the industry.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200804211139.html

Nigeria: Pengassan Protests Sack of Members
Leadership (Abuja)
21 April 2008
Posted to the web 21 April 2008
Abuja
The PENGASSAN at Qua Iboe oil fields has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the 
management of Mobil Producing Nigeria over the sack of 41 members.
The union is protesting the sack of the workers without compliance with the 
terms of their contract.
According to PENGASSAN, the contract stipulates the participation of the 
labour union in the exercise whenever the need arises.
The oil company last week commenced a staff rationalisation to trim the 
workforce by 250 between April and June at the Quo Iboe Oil Export Terminal 
in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom.
The affected workers told NAN in Eket yesterday that they were embarrassed 
that their contracts were terminated while labour leaders were still 
negotiating with management on the modality to adopt for the exercise.
Mr Isaac Umanah, one of the affected workers' faulted the appraisal system 
used as criteria for the staff rationalisation.
"Elsewhere appraisals are used as a tool for improving performance and the 
employee is privy to his scores,but here our supervisors do it in isolation 
and use it for punishment.
Chairman of PENGASSAN, contract workers branch, Mr Peter Akpenka, said that 
the management carried out the policy without regard to the agreements 
signed with the company
He said PENGASSAN would commence a strike at the expiration of the ultimatum 
on Monday.(NAN)

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2008-05-02-chad-aid-groups-strike-after-killing-of-worker

Chad aid groups strike after killing of worker
NDJAMENA, CHAD May 02 2008 13:31

Aid groups in Chad on Friday began a two-day suspension of all humanitarian 
operations in the country to protest the slaying of a French aid worker the 
previous day, a United Nations statement said.

"The humanitarian community decided to recommend a suspension of 
humanitarian activities, apart from emergency ones," said a statement from 
the UN humanitarian coordinator in Chad, Kingsley Amaning.

The move aimed to "protest the deteriorating security in eastern Chad and to 
reiterate our solidarity with the families and colleagues of all victims of 
this insecurity", the statement said.

A group of armed men shot dead Pascal Marlinge (49), a member of the 
London-based charity Save the Children, as he was driving in a convoy in 
Chad's war-stricken eastern region, his employer said on Thursday. -- AFP

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_South%20Africa&set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20080513125002618C925946

Protesters gather at Mandela function

    May 13 2008 at 01:33PM

Striking SA Municipal Workers Union members on Tuesday descended on 
proceedings at Pretoria's Church Square where hundreds of people were 
witnessing the bestowal of the Freedom of the City on former president 
Nelson Mandela.

About 100 members of the union protested around the square, singing 
derogatory songs and saying they wanted Mandela to hear their call for 
better working conditions.

"We want Mandela to hear our call," said union member Thomas Paledi.

Union members have been on strike since last week, demanding that the city 
halt its restructuring process, employ all its workers directly and stop 
investigations into outsourcing the bus service.

Tshwane mayor Gwen Ramokgopa is expected to bestow the award to Mandela at a 
private ceremony in Johannesburg.

The presentation of the award will be broadcast to the square and Pretoria 
City Hall. - Sapa

 http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_South%20Africa&set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20080522140958669C196257Samwu announces Durban protest    May 22 2008 at 05:13PMeThekwini municipal workers on Thursday announced a planned march throughcentral Durban in protest against current salary increases, privatisationand a host of other issues.Julius Mkwanyana, the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) branchchairperson, said at least 6 500 municipal workers would converge at Botha'sPark at 9am on Friday and would march to the City Hall where a memorandumdetailing their concerns would be handed over to the eThekwini Municipality.A statement released by Samwu said an 8.3 percent wage increase was an"insult considering the rising prices of food and petrol".The union is also demanding an end to privatisation and the outsourcing ofvarious municipal services.The union has demanded that the city's bus service operated by the RemantAlton bus company be returned to the control of the city.It also demanded that the municipality "should deflate increases on water,lights and rates to accommodate food and petrol hikes currently beingexperienced by our communities."It is Samwu's view that communities have a right to these basic services."Municipal manager Mike Sutcliffe could not immediately be reached forcomment. - Sapahttp://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Finance%20And%20Labour&set_id=1&click_id=594&art_id=nw20080523140456713C519337Samwu stage a peaceful protest    May 23 2008 at 02:15PMAt least 500 eThekwini municipal workers marched through Durban centralstreets on Friday over salary increases and privatisation.Metro police spokesperson Superintendent John Tyala said no violence wasreported during the South African Municipal Worker's Union (Samwu) protest."The march was peaceful and a memorandum was handed over to city officialsat noon," he said.Samwu branch chairman Julius Mkwanyana said at least 6 500 municipal workerswere unhappy with the eThekwini Municipality.In a statement released on Thursday, Samwu said an 8,3 percent pay increasewas an "insult considering the rising prices of food and petrol".The union is also demanding an end to privatisation and the outsourcing ofvarious municipal services, and that control of the city's bus service,operated by the Remant Alton bus company, be returned to the city. - Sapahttp://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_South%20Africa&set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20080625092039234C802600Rand Water staff hold protest    June 25 2008 at 09:25AMAdministration staff at the Rand Water Board's head office in Johannesburgheld a protest outside its offices on Wednesday morning as wage negotiationscontinued, the SA Municipal Workers' Union said.Provincial organiser Silas Letsimo said the protest was held between 7am and8am and more than 100 staff members took part.Samwu and the Rand Water Board will hold a meeting on Wednesday to discusswage increases.The "deadlock breaking" meeting was scheduled to finish by 1pm, Letsimosaid. - Sapahttp://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Development&set_id=1&click_id=124&art_id=nw20080625124619457C865282Dismissed Mbombela workers hold protest     June 25 2008 at 12:53PMFour former workers from the Mbombela 2010 stadium in Nelspruit werearrested for violent protests against their dismissal, Mpumalanga policesaid on Wednesday.Spokesperson Inspector Dawie Pretorius said several workers gathered outsidethe stadium on Wednesday morning."The angry protesters burnt a heavy duty truck, two motorbikes and a mobileguard house."Police managed to disperse the angry crowd and the situation is calm at themoment. Police are still at the stadium to maintain calm," he said.Cases of malicious damage to property, arson and public violence have beenopened.The four are expected to appear in the Nelspruit magistrate's court soon.About 500 Mbombela stadium workers was dismissed on Monday by the Basil Readand Bouygues Civil Works joint venture.The workers were dismissed after an illegal strike, the SABC reported.They were demanding nightshift allowances, bonuses and better workingconditions.Spokesperson for the workers, James Maseko said the protest followedmanagement's refusal to pay them an R800 nightshift allowance, thebroadcaster said."We have an agreement in place which says they are supposed to pay us R1 500and then, now they decide to pay us R500 ... They say if we don't want towork nightshift then they are going to pay us R500.Basil Read spokeperson Frikkie Botha said Mbombela Stadium Joint Venturetook the decision to terminate the employment of all the employeesparticipating in an unlawful and unprotected strike action at the stadium."These employees have persisted with repeated unlawful and unprotectedstrike action since April 2008""Employees have gone on another unprotected strike in pursuit of theirdemands in breach of the final ultimatum. The strike has also been marred byviolence," he said.The Building and Wood Workers International (BWI) said they were dismayed bythe dismissal of the workers.Spokesperson Eddie Cottle said most of the workers had worked tirelessly onthe project which was only months away from completion in March 2009."It is even more surprising that Basil Read, SA's leading black-empoweredconstruction company which is chaired by Bulelani Ngcuka is the first of all2010 construction companies to undertake this drastic and shameful path,"Cottle said. - Sapahttp://www.nationnews.com/story/353606555102834.phpSSA workers protest boss' firingPublished on: 6/25/08.A United front: NUPW president Walter Maloney (right) speaking to the newsmedia, while the union's assistant general secretary, Roslyn Smith (secondleft) listens attentively.by MARIA BRADSHAWEMPLOYEES at the Sanitation Service Authority are protesting yesterday'sfiring of acting general manager Stanton Alleyne.But by this morning they will be informed by the National Union of PublicWorkers (NUPW) what form of industrial action will be taken.Several workers parked trucks and put down their tools yesterday morning asword spread that Alleyne had been dismissed.Many gathered at the National Union of Public Workers headquarters for ascheduled 2 p.m meeting where they vocally announced their support forAlleyne and condemnation for the way he was treated.General secretary of the NUPW, Dennis Clarke, met with the workers from allsections of the SSA and updated them on the situation.He told the workers that due process was not followed."We did not anticipate that the Sanitation Service Authority would behave insuch a manner, especially arising out of yesterday's promises that we wouldhave a meeting to resolve the matter," Clarke stated.He explained that he had received a message informing him about a meetingwith the union at 10:30 a.m on Monday."We are still waiting for that meeting. We understand that the board held ameeting at 4 p.m, but they did not get back to us. And at 10 a.m today MrAlleyne received his letter of dismissal."Clarke said there was a fundamental principle where public servants deservedthe right to a hearing."This is a serious miscarriage of justice," he said, adding that Alleyne wasalso being denied a pension and gratuity."They want us to go to court, but we are not going to any law court we willhave it at the court at Dalkeith," he said to loud applause from theworkers.He accused Government of setting a dangerous precedent and said it wasparticularly "disgusting" given that two trade union members were on theboard."They know that if you are charging a worker you should have chargesproperly drawn up and brought against that worker. We cannot allow anyGovernment in this country to develop a regime by summarily dismissingpeople like that."Meanwhile, Alleyne's attorney-at-law Hal Gollop told the DAILY NATIONyesterday that he was looking forward to an amicable settlement in thematter.He said he was in the process of taking instructions from his client and inassociation with the NUPW was negotiating to have the matter resolved.With reference to Alleyne's termination, he said there were a number ofobvious breaches in the rules of natural justice, but believed an amicableconclusion could be achieved.http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Finance%20And%20Labour&set_id=1&click_id=594&art_id=vn20080623110147525C978888Legal Aid pay protest widens    Staff Reporter    June 23 2008 at 03:48PMState prosecutors have joined forces with Legal Aid Board lawyers in protestaction this week.Legal aid lawyers last week threatened to bring the justice system to a haltunless Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla took urgent steps to improve thepay of the Legal Aid Board's professional and administrative staff.A process of ensuring alignment of salaries of legal professionals withingovernment departments, headed by a task team led by the Department ofPublic Service and Administration, led to trade unions signing agreement inNovember 2007.But the union representing the disgruntled lawyers is concerned that almostseven months later the justice department has not implemented the new"occupational specific dispensation". After a special mass meeting in CapeTown on Saturday legal aid lawyers and state prosecutors decided on awork-to-rule this week.This would include not preparing cases outside official work hours as is thenorm, not consulting clients and witnesses during lunch and tea breaks, onlycompleting administrative duties on SAPS dockets and legal aid files duringofficial working hours and not booking more than one case for plea and triala day.Prosecutors would also not be available for after-hours bail hearings, theSouth African Parastatal Union said in a press release on Sunday.Legal aid lawyers and prosecutors are demanding that the new salarystructures be implemented, that back pay accrued from July be calculated andmade known, and a 15 percent cost of living increase for legal aid lawyers -the lowest-paid legal professionals in the sector.http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Business%20Report&fArticleId=4494477Union members to protest possible rate hikeJuly 7, 2008Johannesburg - The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa)will stage a national strike next month to protest against an expectedinterest rate hike, it said on Monday.Numsa spokesman Mziwakhe Hlangani said the union wanted the government to"unveil creative and constructive plans" to deal with rising petrol and foodprices."It is also worrying that [the Reserve Bank] is expected to push for furtherinterest rate increases in August, 2008, causing considerable distress onsmall and medium-sized businesses which create more jobs," said Hlangani.The protest action would start with a one-day strike in the Western Cape,Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal on July 9, Mpumalanga, Free State andNorthern Cape on July 16, Gauteng, Limpopo and North West on July 23 andthen culminate in a national stay away on August 6. - Sapahttp://www.santiagotimes.cl/santiagotimes/2008070314104/news/business-news/employees-protest-agrosuper-in-rancagua.htmlEMPLOYEES PROTEST AGROSUPER IN RANCAGUAFriday, 04 July 2008Thirty-eight employees from giant food processor Agrosuper were arrestedearly Wednesday while blocking off the entrance to the company's porkfactory in Rosario, Region VI.  Workers were demanding higher wages andprotesting a collective bargaining process they felt would not representtheir interests. An estimated 400 or the company\s 2,600 workers have beendemonstrating this week."Until now, the collective bargaining that has taken place has not beensatisfactory," said the Rosario plant union leader Ariel Donoso. "We aredemanding a 12 percent real increase in the base salary and a CP$315.000[US$620] average salary."Protesters blocked the coming and going of the company's delivery trucks byburning tires in the middle of the road.Rosario plant manager Juan Esteban Pizarro said the protest did not causesignificant delay in production."These violent acts are executed by people that want to manipulate thenegotiating table," said Agrosuper officials. "Behaviour like this impedesthe freedom of speech of the majority of employees, who are fighting forbetter working conditions and salaries."Workers from the Agrosuper plant Lo Miranda and Candelaria, also located inRegion VI, joined the protesters.SOURCE: EL RANGUINOBy Alice Gastinehttp://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7011511644Mexican Miners Protest Government's Refusal To Recognize Union OfficialShareThisJuly 5, 2008 10:02 a.m. ESTJupiter Kalambakal - AHN News WriterMexico City, Mexico (AHN) - Workers of Mexico's largest labor union in themining sector held a series of one-hour walk outs on Friday in protest ofthe government's rejection to recognize the re-election of a labor unionofficial.Miners returned to work after a walkout at 7 a.m., while the other walk outswere held again in 3 p.m. and 11 p.m, local time.The labor ministry refused to recognize the re-election of Napoleon GomezUrrutia, secretary-general of the National Mining and Metal Workers Union,as Gomez Urrutia, who is on self imposed exile in Canada since 2006, facesarrest warrants on charges of misappropriating union funds.The union downplayed the charges claiming that it was part of a blackpropaganda to expel Gomez Urrutia, who has been at odds with copper miningcompany Grupo Mexico SAB for the past years.A July 30, 2007, strike has halted operations of Grupo Mexico's Cananeacopper mine, the country's largest. Grupo Mexico plans to buyout workers outand re-start operations of the mine in 2009. Aside from Cananea, the unionhas been on strike for the past 11 months at two other mines.http://allafrica.com/stories/200807180961.htmlNigeria: Nulge Protests Move to Abolish LG SystemVanguard (Lagos)18 July 2008Posted to the web 18 July 2008Dennis AgboAbakalikiMEMBERS of the Ebonyi state chapter of Nigeria Union of Local GovernmentEmployees (NULGE), yesterday, marched round major streets of Abakaliki,protesting against the move by some state Governors to abolish the localgovernment system in the country.The NULGE members, who converged at their secretariat in the state capital,arrived in large numbers from all the 13 local government areas, includingthe rest of 64 Development council centres in the state, carried placards,obstructed traffic and terminated their protest march at the GovernmentHouse where they delivered their protest letter to Governor Martin Elechi.Some of the placards read: "leave local governments to exist"; "localgovernment is the 3rd tier"; "protect the local governments at thegrassroots"; No LG, no democracy."In his address at the rally, the acting state President of NULGE ComradeLeonard Nkah said they were gathered to express their opposition to theabolition of the local government system in Nigeria, ventilate theirgrievances and protest against the injustice and malignant problemsbedeviling the local government as the third tier of government.Nkah added that the rally was also to protest the continuous tinkering withthe local government statutory allocation by some states and their contemptfor the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court on the funding of primaryeducation in the country.On the call for abolition of the local government system in Nigeria , Nkahsaid "NULGE was bemused, to say the least, by the recent calls by some stateGovernors for constitutional de-recognition of the local government in theproposed amendment of Nigeria constitution."The initial response of the union was to dismiss such calls since we areconvinced that the calls for abolition of local government do not flow frompatriotism."The union said it is dismayed that calls for abolition of the LGs which wasdismissed alongside tenure elongation project of former President Obasanjoby the national assembly, could be coming again from some governors at atime when the nation is consolidating on the huge gains already recorded bythe system.http://www.iii.co.uk/shares/?type=news&articleid=6806733&action=articleZambia's Konkola shuts down plant after protestLUSAKA, July 14 (Reuters) - Zambia's Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) said onMonday it had shut down a plant in its Nkana business unit as a precautionafter a labour protest by some of its workers."A small section of workers at the Nkana Business Unit of Konkola CopperMines Plc. today staged an illegal assembly in connection with the justconcluded negotiations for a new collective agreement between the two unionsthat represent mine workers and KCM management," a KCM spokesman said in astatement."The plant was shut down as a precaution."http://allafrica.com/stories/200807150306.htmlZambia: Konkola Copper Mines Workers Protest The Times of Zambia (Ndola)15 July 2008Posted to the web 15 July 2008Moffat ChazingwaNdolaMiners at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM)'s Nkana integrated business unit (IBU)in Kitwe yesterday downed tools to protest a 15 per cent salary incrementreportedly awarded to them by management.The workers downed tools after word went round that management had awardedthem 15 per cent salary increase.A Times of Zambia reporter, who went to the plant around 15:00 hours, foundworkers for both morning and afternoon shifts milling around the loading baywaiting to be addressed by their union officials.The workers, who assembled at the loading bay at 10:00 hours, only dispersedaround 16:00 hours after National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW)branch officials addressed them.NUMAW branch official, Angel Chibuye, who advised the workers to returnhome, refused to comment on the protest referring comments to the nationalleadership.But workers talked to said they were protesting the 15 per cent salaryincrement.The workers, who vowed to continue with the protest today, said it wasmockery for management to award them 15 per cent because it did nottranslate to the amount of work they were doing.NUMAW president, Mundia Sikufele, said by Press time that he could notcomment because he had not yet received an official report from union branchofficials.KCM said in a statement that a small section of workers staged an illegalassembly in connection with the just concluded negotiations for a newcollective agreement between the two unions and KCM management.A spokesman for KCM said the assembly was staged even before the workerscould be briefed by union representatives on the results of negotiations.KCM, the Mineworkers Union of Zambia and NUMAW, recently concludednegotiations and had embarked on a series of meetings to brief members.KCM said workers at Nkana, however, decided to protest even before hearingdetails of the concluded negotiations.http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_South%20Africa&set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20080715133224253C126072 Workers protest against mine deaths    July 15 2008 at 01:35PMAbout 6 500 mineworkers downed tools at the Harmony Gold Mine in Virginia inthe Free State on Tuesday morning in protest against the recent deaths ofmineworkers, the National Union of Mineworkers said.Num spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said workers were sending a message aboutdeaths at the mines that "enough is enough".This comes in the wake of the death of another mineworker at the ElandsrandGold mine in Mpumalanga on Tuesday.Harmony gold spokesperson Amelia Soares said the mineworker was killed in anaccident involving a scraper."We do not know all the details and a full investigation has been launched.More information will be released later this week," she said.She said the work stoppage at Harmony's Virginia operations was related to adeath of a mineworker last Friday at the Unisel mine."The employee was killed after accidentaly injuring himself with a water jetthat he was operating. "Harmony deeply regretted the loss of life and would continue to do all toeliminate fatal accidents at the mines, Soares said. - Sapahttp://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Business%20Report&fArticleId=4507885Harmony workers protest mine safetyJuly 15, 2008Johannesburg - About 6 500 mineworkers downed tools at the Harmony Gold minein Virginia in the Free State on Tuesday morning in protest against therecent deaths of mineworkers, the National Union of Mineworkers said.NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka said workers were sending a message aboutdeaths at the mines that "enough is enough".This comes in the wake of the death of another mineworker at the ElandsrandGold mine in Mpumalanga on Tuesday.Harmony gold spokeswoman Amelia Soares said the mineworker was killed in anaccident involving a scraper."We do not know all the details and a full investigation has been launched.More information will be released later this week," she said.She said the work stoppage at Harmony's Virginia operations was related to adeath of a mineworker last Friday at the Unisel mine."The employee was killed after accidentally injuring himself with a waterjet that he was operating. "Harmony deeply regretted the loss of life and would continue to do all toeliminate fatal accidents at the mines, Soares said. - Sapahttp://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Finance%20And%20Labour&set_id=1&click_id=594&art_id=nw20080716170956942C728165Unions protest in Kimberley    July 16 2008 at 05:19PMAbout 2 000 workers marched through the streets of Kimberley on Wednesday toprotest against high electricity prices.The march formed part of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu)national protest action against high electricity, food and fuel prices.Protest action also took place in two other provinces.Cosatu provincial secretary in the Northern Cape William Sikali said twomemorandums were handed over by workers."The first was at the offices of Eskom in Kimberley."Cosatu General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi addressed the crowd at Eskom'soffices before the marchers moved to the buildings of the old Northern Capelegislature in Kimberley.Northern Cape MEC for Agriculture and Land Reform Tina Joemat-Petterssonreceived the second memorandum on behalf of the province's premier. - Sapahttp://www.buenosairesherald.com/argentina/note.jsp?idContent=514917UTA union meets gov't officials but fail to reach agreementBus drivers strike, subway joins protest The UTA transport union yesterday ratified a strike for the third night ina row in the Greater Buenos Aires area after they failed to reach anagreement during meetings with officials from the Buenos Aires provincialgovernment.http://www.bloggernews.net/116968Shell Employees in Africa Protest Against Being 'Sold' by ShellPosted on July 29th, 2008by John Donovan in All News, Breaking NewsShell employees in Africa protest against being "sold" by ShellBy John Donovan29 July 2008Shell has confirmed the sale of its downstream businesses in Ethiopia, Sudanand Djibouti to Oil Libya. Completion of the transfer is expected before theend of 2008. Until then, Shell continues to manage the business.Details were confirmed to Shell employees in Shell internal emails dated 10July 2008, printed below.The sale is at variance with an assurance given as recently as 19 January2008 by the External Affairs Manager for Ethiopia and Djibouti, BahiruTemesgen, who was quoted in "The Ethiopian Reporter" as saying "there was nosuch deal going on regarding the sale of Shell Ethiopia that he was awareof."  http://en.ethiopianreporter.com/content/view/113/2/Shell employees in Ethiopia had already initiated legal proceedings againstShell for an alleged fraud in the amendment of employee retirement termswithout the consent of employees. The case has been submitted to theEthiopian "EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE AFFAIRS DECIDING BOARD". The board has beenreviewing and hearing the argument of both sides for the past two months.Last week, the board advised both parties that it is ready to pass judgment,but it will gave one chance for both parties to settle the case amicablythrough negotiation. If no agreement is reached the Board will pass judgmenttomorrow, 30 July 2008.Matters are made worse because Shell employees in Ethiopia and Djiboutistrongly believe they have been discriminated against in the business salearrangements, compared with employees of Shell Sudan.Shell Djibouti staff held a demonstration outside their office a few daysago and head office based staff of Shell Ethiopia held a demonstrationoutside the main entrance of Shell Ethiopia Ltd head office. The staffcarried banners stating "WE ASK SHELL TO RESPECT ITS VALUES". The staffcalled the General Manager, Mr. Jean Pierre Wyns, and informed him thatShell must stop treating them as domestic animals and abide with Shell'sclaimed values, which supposedly includes respect for Shell employees.Shell employee protesters outside the HQ building of Shell Ethiopia(Shell employees carrying out a demonstration in Djibouti)In this connection, tempers flared during a meeting of Shell Ethiopianemployees, when an HR Manager from London, Mr Douglas, allegedly said thatall Shell Ethiopia employees were being SOLD to Oil Libya. We understandthat staff at the demonstration expressed their disgust at the word "SOLD"being used, saying that they are human beings with dignity, not commoditiesto be traded.In addition to the photographs of protests by Shell employees in AfricanCountries, we have also featured a photograph of Shell employees in Malaysiacurrently engaged in litigation with Shell over more alleged fraud, alsoinvolving retirement funds.(Members of the 399 "Team A" former employees of Shell Malaysia suing Shellfor unlawful deductions from their retirement funds)Apparently Shell employees from Western Countries have not found itnecessary to protest, as there are no white faces among any of the numerouscurrent and former Shell employees shown in any of the photographs.We will shortly publish an article about another matter involving a Shellemployee, which also has racist overtones. The individual in question wassacked and put on a plane out of Nigeria on the same day of the sacking,without any satisfactory explanation. He had expressed his concern over hispersonal security. Since returning to the UK he has been batted back andforth between Shell operating companies, none of which is willing to answerhis legitimate questions about the extraordinary treatment he has beensubjected to without proper explanation. A Shell game is in progressinvolving Shell Nigeria, Shell UK Limited and Shell in Poland, all duckingresponsibility. We are awaiting supply of all emails and associatedcorrespondence before revealing the whole sorry tale.It is notable that for over four years Shell has been suing a former ShellMalaysia employee, Dr John Huong for alleged defamation. This is despiteknowing within days of issuing proceedings in June 2004, that the author ofthis article and my father Alfred Donovan, both Englishman, have admittedbeing solely responsible for the relevant publication which contained wellfounded comment about Shell. There is no libel if what is stated is true.The oil giant preferred to bury an innocent Malaysian national in multipleinjunctions rather than suing the Brits who have owned up to the allegedlibellous publication.It is obscene that Shell is treating hard working employees so meanly andruthlessly in some third world Countries while earning billions of dollarsin profits and paying multimillion remuneration packages to fat cat Shellexecutives. Shell knows that it would not get away with such ruthless,unethical and unfair conduct towards its employees in Europe, the USA, orAustralasia.http://allafrica.com/stories/200807210225.htmlRwanda: Rwacom Workers Protest Poor ConditionsThe New Times (Kigali)19 July 2008Posted to the web 21 July 2008Dan Ngabonziza And Frank KagaboKigaliWorkers at RWACOM plastic industries in Kigali have complained against whatthey call poor working conditions at the company's plant.An employee of the company who spoke to The New Times on condition ofanonymity for fear of losing his job, said that they are subjected to harshworking conditions and are paid peanuts.Most workers are paid a minimum salary of between Frw20,000 and Frw60.000.The male worker said that their bosses sometimes delay paying their monthlysalaries, something that affects their livelihoods."Some of us have big families to look after and children to send to school,but our boss does not seem to understand our situation," he cried.The employee said that they work twelve hours at night, locked inside awarehouse which has no toilet.Said the worker: "We work from 6 p.m. in the evening up to 7 a.m. in themorning; and for all this period, our boss locks us inside the factory withmachines running."He added that the machines in the factory are very hot and there isn'tenough ventilation. He said that many employers fear they will contractTuberculosis from exposure to industrial fumes.Another employee of the company said that they have complained to the policebut no action has been taken. The employees further complained that thecompany does not offer them medical insurance, yet the nature of their workexposes them to risks such as industrial accidents.They also allege that even when they have accidents while on duty, they arenot given transport to hospital. They claim that some of them lose fingerswhile on duty while others faint due to working for long hours without food."Locked up to stop them stealing oil"Contacted for comment, RWACOM's Managing Director, Hitesh Shah said thatsome of the problems came up because he had been admitted to hospital inIndia since January with brain cancer.Speaking to The New Times in his office in downtown Kigali, Shah said thatevery worker is paid according to the nature of work they do. He furthersaid that every worker is entitled to a 4 percent salary increment per year.He explained: "If you are a manager, you get paid as a manager, and if youare a casual labourer, you get paid as such."Shah refuted claims that the industry produces fumes because it is a plasticmaking industry. He defended his policy of locking the workers inside thefactory at night saying that it was a measure taken to stop the workers fromstealing oil from the industry.About non-provision of health insurance to his workers, Shah claimed thatthe policy has always been reserved for government employees.But when challenged that there are private companies offering healthinsurance, he said that it must be a new policy for "private smallcompanies" like RWACOM.The co-director of the company, Nennah Shah who was also present during theinterview, was less charitable to the workers complaints."If they are working under very harsh conditions, how come they have notleft?" she wondered.She added that anyone who wants to leave is free to go and they will give agood recommendation to any worker who chooses to leave. She said that allthese complaints are engineered by jealous competitors whom she did notmention.