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<img height="40" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/InBrief201.gif" width="100" />
At an ICEM Latin American meeting, several South American unions involved in labour-energy strategies, met in Montevideo, Uruguay, on 29-30 August. 
 
The ICEM invited two other Global Union Federations (GUFs), Public Services International (PSI), and Union Network International (UNI), as well to participate. Unions from the oil, gas, and electricity sectors attended, as did Uruguay&rsquo;s paperworkers&rsquo; union. The major theme across the two days of discussions was discerning differences between a solely Latin-focused social plan and union network, and a more far-reaching, global network of energy and manufacturing unions. 
<img height="208" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/0709Montevideo1.jpg" width="350" />
From left to right: Fernando Berasain, coordinadora Mercosur unions, Achim Wachendorfer, FES Mercosur Office, and Manfred Warda, ICEM General Secretary
The ICEM stressed the number of multinationals operating in the region, including ones from Spain, Italy, Germany, France, and Russia. &ldquo;With the high number of progressive changes coming politically in many Latin countries,&rdquo; said ICEM Gen. Sec. Manfred Warda, &ldquo;we can expect multinationals to be more open about entering dialogue toward global agreements.&rdquo; The ICEM already is partner with companies in countries above in global framework agreements. 
 
Warda invited all Latin American trade unions to join the ICEM, or one or another of the GUFs, in order to support the current trend of cooperation among global trade unions and federations. &ldquo;The ICEM calls on all unions in the region to build a strong movement, not just in Latin America but in energy sectors across the world,&rdquo; said Warda. &ldquo;The ICEM asks Latin trade unions not to formally establish a separate organisation, but give support to the existing organisations and strong influence on the global issues that matter, especially energy.&rdquo; 
<img height="212" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/0709Montevideo2.jpg" width="350" />
Trade unions from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela attended the meeting, including representatives from national centres from several countries. 
 
For the ICEM, the conference served to advance a recently started project in Brazil on social dialogue with several multinationals, a project similar to the ICEM project launched in Colombia in 2004. The ICEM also opened the debate on Contract and Agency Labour (CAL). Contributions on this topic came from nearly all participants, and many had positive examples that shed new light on the issue. The union delegates discussed the ICEM&rsquo;s CAL Project, and agreed that a priority must be on organising contract workers. They also pledged to write letters to respective energy ministers on the dangers of sub-contracting. 
<img height="210" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/0709Montevideo3.jpg" width="350" />
And also from the ICEM, Vice President Sergio Novais, Latin America/Caribbean Region chairman of the ICEM, presented a training and leadership programme, which would start with 30 trade union leaders doing a residential course. In between, the 30 would be engaged in an intense, 200-hour training in distance and e-learning, with the union leaders expected to each train 20 other union members. 
 
The formal meeting adopted two resolutions, one on the continuing threats and deaths of Colombian trade unionists. The other one extended support to workers in Peru, who experienced death and destruction from the recent earthquake in the country. The <a href="/en/26-Latin-America-Caribbean/2384-ICEM-resolution-on-Colombia-ICEM-Latin-America-energy-meeting-in-Montevideo-Uruguay ">Colombian resolution can be found here</a>. The <a href="/en/26-Latin-America-Caribbean/2383-ICEM-Resolution-on-Peruvian-earthquakes-ICEM-Latin-America-energy-meeting-in-Montevideo-Uruguay">Peruvian one is here</a>. 
 
The meeting was aided by help from the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES).

Latin American Energy Conference in Uruguay Gets Sound Footings

Trade unions from ten Arabic-speaking Middle Eastern and North African countries gathered in Amman, Jordan, on 2-3 September, and the result was a loud cry for global union solidarity from the unions of the politically troubled region. The event was an ICEM regional conference, and the Global Union Federation has now received 11 requests for affiliation from unions that attended. 
 
Jordanian Labour Ministry official Majeed-el Hbachena opened the conference, and said it is important that states offer constitutional and legal rights to trade unions so that they may fulfil their obligations. He also said governments must engage trade unions in developing education and training strategies for workers. 
<img alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/0709Amman2.jpg" width="300" height="219" />
Key items in discussions over the two days included efforts by Iraqi unions to defeat the proposed oil law in that country, and winning respect and fair treatment for Palestinian workers from Israel and the global community. The 35 trade union leaders that attended stood united behind the position that Iraq&rsquo;s natural resources belong to all Iraqi people! 
 
Trade unions from Kuwait, Yemen, Algeria, Egypt, and Iraq seek affiliation with the ICEM. &ldquo;We have an important role to play in the region,&rdquo; said ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda. &ldquo;It is oil and gas, but electrical power, mining, and chemicals are also of major importance. Faced with increased levels of privatisation and contract and agency labour, unions in MENA face the same attacks as unions everywhere,&rdquo; said Warda. 
 
The region also elected its nominees for ICEM statutory positions, posts that will be endorsed at ICEM&rsquo;s November Congress. Some positions were designated on a yearly rotation system in order to bring more Middle East and North African (MENA) unions to the global front. Selected as the ICEM Vice President and Presidium member, in a rotating role, was Mohamed el-Sayed Morsi of Egypt&rsquo;s Public Syndicate of Public Utilities. Current Executive Committee member Abdeslam Mansour of UMT, Morocco, was confirmed to retain that seat, and the substitute post will rotate between a delegate from Jordan&rsquo;s General Union of Petrol and Chemicals Workers&rsquo; Union, and the General Union of Petroleum, Mining, and Chemicals Workers in Palestine (GUPMCWP). 
<img alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/0709Amman4.jpg" width="350" height="155" />
Hashmeya Muhsin Hussein, president of Iraq&rsquo;s General Union of Electricity Workers and Technicians (GUEWT), a member union of the General Federation of Iraqi Workers (GFIW) and ICEM&rsquo;s first affiliate from the occupied country, was nominated as the future Women&rsquo;s representative on the Executive Committee. 
 
ICEM&rsquo;s work in the region was strongly supported in Amman by the presence and voices of ICEM President Senzeni Zokwana, the president of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in South Africa, and Welile Nolingo, the general secretary of South Africa&rsquo;s Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers&rsquo; Union (CEPPWAWU), who also is an ICEM Presidium Member. 
 
The conference had the support and expertise of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES). FES&rsquo;s Britta K&auml;hler, from the Jordan office, played a major role in developing and carrying out the conference. It also benefited through involvement from the US Solidarity Center.

ICEM’s Middle East-North Africa Region Surges with New Growth

<img height="113" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/0705ICEM2007Congresslogo-100.jpg" width="100" />
Thursday, 22 November 2007 
 
10.00 Opening Ceremony 
<ul>
 <li>Keynote Speakers </li>
 <li>ICEM President&rsquo;s Address </li>
 <li>Fraternal Messages </li>
</ul>
12.00 WFIW Integration 
 
12.30 &ndash; 14.00 Lunch 
 
14.00 Adoption of Agenda
Adoption of Standing Orders 
Report of Credentials Committee 
Election of Scrutineers 
Confirm composition of Motion Committee 
Ratification of New Affiliations and Disaffiliations since Third Congress 
 
15.30 &ndash; 16.00 Coffee Break 
 
16.00 Presentation of Secretariat Report on Activities - 
Discussion 
 
17.30 Congress Session closes 
 
19.00 Dinner 
 
Friday, 23 November 2007 
 
09.00 Presentation of Financial Report and background papers 
Auditors Report 
Motion on affiliation fees 
Discussion 
 
10.30 &ndash; 11.00 Coffee Break 
 
11.00 Statutory Motions 
Headquarters Location 
General Motions 
Discussion 
 
12.30 &ndash; 14.00 Lunch 
 
14.00 Continuation of discussion 
 
15.30 &ndash; 16.00 Coffee Break 
 
16.00 Elections 
a) Confirmation of Regional Seats on ICEM Executive Committee 
b) President 
c) Vice-Presidents 
d) General Secretary 
e) Internal Auditors 
 
17.30 Congress Sessions close 
 
19.30 Gala Dinner 
 
Saturday, 24 November 2007 
 
09.00 Continuation of Congress Business 
 
12.30 &ndash; 14.00 Lunch 
 
14.00 New President&rsquo;s Closing Address and Closure of Congress 
 
15.00 New Presidium meets

Fourth ICEM World Congress - Draft Congress Agenda

Bangkok, 17-18 November 2007 
&ldquo;Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre&rdquo;, Bangkok
<img height="38" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/womenlogo.jpg" width="30" />
Day 1 
 
9:30&nbsp; Opening
Evgenia Esenina, Chair of ICEM Women&rsquo;s Committee 
Senzeni Zokwana, President of ICEM 
Manfred Warda, General Secretary of ICEM 
 
Greetings from: Elsa Ramos, ILO, Vesna Rodic, FES 
 
THEME ONE: PEACE 
 
Contributions from: 
<ul>
 <li>
 <div>Burma</div>
 </li>
 <li>
 <div>Sintraelecol, Colombia</div>
 </li>
 <li>
 <div>General Union of Electricity Workers and Technicians, Iraq</div>
 </li>
 <li>
 <div>General Union of Petroleum, Mining Chemicals and Similar Substances Workers in Palestine</div>
 </li>
 <li>
 <div>Zimbabwe Electricity and Energy Workers Union </div>
 </li>
</ul>
11:00 Coffee break 
 
11:30 Conference reconvenes 
 
 
THEME TWO: CONTRACT AND AGENCY LABOUR 
 
Presentations by: Thailand and India 
 
Discussion 
 
13:00 Lunch 
 
14:30 Conference reconvenes 
Two presentations by Government Pharmaceuticals Organisation 
 
 
THEME THREE: HEALTH 
 
Presentations by Brazil and Germany 
 
17:00 Meeting of ICEM women from Central Europe, Northern Europe, Western Europe 
 
18:00 End of Day One 
 
 
Day Two 
 
9:00 Presentation by Japanese Affiliates on work-life balance 
 
9:30 Working Groups on work-life balance 
 
10:30 Report Back from Working Groups 
 
11:00 Coffee break 
 
11:30 Conference reconvenes 
 
13:00 Lunch 
 
14:30 Conference reconvenes 
 
14:30 Working Groups on Motions 
 
16:00 Elections of Chair and Vice-Chair of Women&rsquo;s Committee 
 
17:00 End of Women&rsquo;s Conference

4th ICEM World Congress - Women’s Conference

<img height="28" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/2007Congresslogo25.jpg" width="25" align="absMiddle" />
<a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2485&amp;la=EN">ICEM Congress Closes with Strong Motions on Burma, Iraq</a> 
24 November 2007
<img height="28" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/2007Congresslogo25.jpg" width="25" align="absMiddle" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2484&amp;la=EN">ICEM elects Senzeni Zokwana, Manfred Warda to lead 20-Million-Member Global Union Federation</a> 
23 November 2007
&nbsp;<img height="28" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/2007Congresslogo25.jpg" width="25" align="absMiddle" />
<a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2481&amp;la=EN">ICEM Congress Opens with Cry of Better Mine Safety, Curbs to Capital Markets</a> 
22 November 2007
<img height="28" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/2007Congresslogo25.jpg" width="25" align="absMiddle" />
<a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2482&amp;la=EN">4th ICEM World Congress 
Opening Speech by ICEM President Senzeni Zokwana</a> 
22 November 2007
<img height="28" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/2007Congresslogo25.jpg" width="25" align="absMiddle" />
<a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2483&amp;la=EN">4th ICEM World Congress 
Speech by ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda</a> 
22 November 2007
<img height="28" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/2007Congresslogo25.jpg" width="25" align="absMiddle" />
<a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2479&amp;la=EN">Contract and Agency Labour - a Global and Negative Phenomenon</a> 
21 November 2007
<img height="28" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/2007Congresslogo25.jpg" width="25" align="absMiddle" />
<a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2474&amp;la=EN">ICEM Women Elect New Vice President, Adopt 7-Point Programme</a> 
18 November 2007

4th ICEM World Congress - CONGRESS NEWS

<a href="#PPT">For a collection of Powerpoint presentations at the meeting, click here</a>
<img height="113" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/0705ICEM2007Congresslogo-100.jpg" width="100" />
Draft Agenda 
Chair of the meeting: Sjaiful DP, FSP KEP Indonesia
<ul>
 <li>9.00. Opening by Manfred Warda, ICEM General Secretary 
 </li>
 <li>9.10 Welcome by Vesna Rodic, Resident Director FES Thailand 
 </li>
 <li>9.15. Aranya Pakapath, ICEM Project coordinator, overview of the contract and agency labour situation in Asia 
 
 9.30. Sergio Novais, ICEM Vice-President, overview of the contract and agency labour situation in Latin America 
 
 9.45. Kenny Mogane, ICEM Project coordinator, overview of the contract and agency labour situation in Sub-Saharan Africa 
 
 10.00. J&oslash;rgen Juul Rasmussen, DEF, Denmark, overview of the contract and agency labour situation in Western and Northern Europe 
 
 </li>
 <li>10.15. - 10.45. Break 
 </li>
 <li>10.45. - 12.30. Additional speakers 
 
 Bambang Surjono, FSPKEP, Indonesia, Indonesian case study 
 Mato Lalic, ICEM Project coordinator, on the situation in Central Europe 
 Tony Burke, UNITE, UK, UK case study * 
 Carol Fraser, CEP Canada, on the situation in North America 
 Lev Mironov, ROGWU, Russia, on the situation in Eastern Europe 
 Olucha Umeh, NUPENG, Nigeria, case study 
 Maria Angelica Vera Horma, FENATRAPECH, Chile, Chilean case study * 
 Hassan J&rsquo;Aama, IFOU, Iraq, on the situation in Middle East * 
 
 </li>
 <li>12.30. - 14.00. Break </li>
</ul>
<img height="202" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/CALhorse.jpg" width="142" />
<ul>
 <li>14.00. ILO representative* 
 
 14.15. Jim Baker, Council of Global Unions Coordinator, on the impact for organising and bargaining 
 
 14.30. Evgenia Esenina, ICEM Vice-President, ROGWU, Russia, on the gender aspect 
 
 </li>
 <li>14.45. Plenary debate 
 </li>
 <li>15.00. Break 
 </li>
 <li>15.30. Brendan Martin, ICEM Project consultant, past and future of the ICEM contract and agency labour campaign 
 
 15.50. Discussion 
 
 </li>
 <li>16.50. Conclusion 
 </li>
 <li>17.00. End of meeting </li>
</ul>
* to be confirmed
Conference facilitator: Jeannette van Dongen, ICEM Project Officer
<a name="PPT"></a><img height="60" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/ICEM70.jpg" width="70" align="absMiddle" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <img height="60" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/GermanyFES1.jpg" width="121" align="absMiddle" />
&nbsp;<img height="55" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/NorwayLO.gif" width="61" align="absMiddle" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<img height="44" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/SwedenLOTCO.jpg" width="200" align="absMiddle" /><a name="PPT"></a>
Presentations from the Meeting
&nbsp;

ICEM Contract and Agency labour Conference

Bangkok, Thailand, 22-24 November 2007&nbsp;
<img height="107" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/0705ICEM2007Congresslogo-100.jpg" width="100" />
<img height="57" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/ICEMCongresslogo50.jpg" width="50" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="/index.php?id=184&amp;doc=2577&amp;la=EN">Resolutions as adopted by 4th ICEM World Congress</a>
<img height="57" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/ICEMCongresslogo50.jpg" width="50" align="absBottom" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2482&amp;la=EN">4th ICEM World Congress 
Opening Speech by ICEM President Senzeni Zokwana</a> 

<img height="57" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/ICEMCongresslogo50.jpg" width="50" align="absBottom" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2483&amp;la=EN">4th ICEM World Congress 
Speech by ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda</a>
<img height="57" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/ICEMCongresslogo50.jpg" width="50" align="absMiddle" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="/index.php?id=184&amp;doc=2430&amp;la=EN">Draft Congress Agenda</a>
<img height="57" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/ICEMCongresslogo50.jpg" width="50" align="absMiddle" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="/en/?id=184&amp;doc=2431&amp;la=EN">ICEM Secretariat Report</a>
<img height="57" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/ICEMCongresslogo50.jpg" width="50" align="absMiddle" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="/index.php?id=71&amp;doc=2478&amp;la=EN">Women &ndash; Work &ndash; 21st Century</a>
<img height="57" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/ICEMCongresslogo50.jpg" width="50" align="absMiddle" />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="/sites/default/files/migration/icem/2007ICEMatwork-EN.pdf">ICEM at Work</a>

4th ICEM World Congress - Congress Documents

<img alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/InBrief100.jpg" width="100" height="39" />
Trade unionists of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) ratified a three-year labour agreement with a subsidiary of Votorantim Cimentos of Brazil on 29 July, ending a 20-week strike at a cement plant in Bowmanville, Ontario. The ratification vote, by 58%, reflected dissatisfaction by the plant&rsquo;s 87 workers for getting stuck with an inferior pension plan in two years time. 
 
And the outcome of the strike itself depicts the uneven playing field in collective negotiations when an employer can dictate terms with no law in place to prevent the use of scab labour during a dispute. 
 
The chief issue was the Brazilian company&rsquo;s subsidiary, St. Mary&rsquo;s Cement, demand that a change was necessary from a defined benefit pension plan to a defined contribution plan. Nowhere in negotiations could the company prove that the current pension plan needed the financial relief that a weaker defined contribution plan would deliver. St. Mary&rsquo;s was also seeking wage and work-rules cuts. 
 
Negotiations, which resumed only in mid-July, did see the company move on some points, but the new agreement will see the defined contribution plan take effect in September 2012. Cement workers will get a C$1,000 lump sum pay-out both in 2010 and 2011, and will get a 2% wage increase in 2012. 
<img alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/Ken.Lewenza.CAW_.jpg" width="159" height="230" />
CAW President Ken Lewenza
CAW Local 222 members in southern Ontario did prevent the company from outsourcing quarry operations and control room positions. Under the back-to-work protocol, staff began reporting to jobs on 4 August, with the last of the workers to be back on 16 August. 
 
&ldquo;The situation we experienced at St. Mary&rsquo;s Cement over the last number of months is just one example of how foreign-owned corporations, in this case Votorantim Cimentos, have been allowed to buy Canadian resource companies and wreak havoc on the workforce with few, if any, obligations to the country,&rdquo; stated CAW President Ken Lewenza. 
 
&ldquo;Congratulations to these workers for having the courage to stand up for their hard earned gains, including their pension, where our government has failed to do so.&rdquo; 
 
Votorantim is a privately-held S&atilde;o Paulo-based industrial conglomerate that controls one-third of the Brazilian cement market. It purchased Lafarge&rsquo;s Blue Circle cement operations in the US and Canada in 2001 and revived the original name of the company, St. Mary&rsquo;s Cement.

Canadian Auto Workers, Brazilian Cement Company Reach Terms

<img alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/InBrief100.jpg" width="100" height="39" />
Good relations between the ICEM affiliate Mexican National Miners&rsquo; and Metalworkers&rsquo; Union (SNTMMSRM), or Los Mineros, and Luxembourg-based steelmaker ArcelorMittal have made it possible for the union to post 14% overall gains in renewal negotiations recently. 
 
The contract covers 4,000 steelworkers at massive ArcelorMittal&rsquo;s L&aacute;zaro C&aacute;rdenas SA de CV complex in Michoacan state. 
 
The new agreement was signed on Wednesday, 4 August, in Vancouver, Canada, between Los Mineros General Secretary Napole&oacute;n Gomez Urrutia, Sergio Beltr&aacute;n Reyes, Javier Zu&ntilde;iga Garc&iacute;a of the union&rsquo;s executive, and Mario Garc&iacute;a Ort&iacute;z of Los Mineros in Michoacan state, with William Chisholm, CEO of ArcelorMittal Mexico, and Jose Luis Fuentes Quiroz Director of Human Resources. 
<img alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/1008.losmineros.arcelormittal.agreement.png" width="229" height="172" />
from left, ArcelorMittal&rsquo;s Jose Luis Fuentes Quiroz-Pacheco and William Chisholm, Los Mineros General Secretary Napole&oacute;n G&oacute;mez, Sergio Beltr&aacute;n Reyes, the union&rsquo;s Secretary of Interior, Exterior and Acts
The agreement was signed in Canada where Napole&oacute;n Gomez continues to lead the union while in exile. 
 
There was no involvement by the Mexican Ministry of Labour in the negotiations. 
 
The new agreement increases direct wages by 8%, and benefits by 6%, to be paid retroactively from 1 May 2010. The agreement also includes a one-time payment of US$1,300 to each worker for outside social benefits, including those permanently employed and those employed through subcontractors. 
 
Los Mineros and ArcelorMittal had been negotiating for several weeks prior to a 1 August expiration of a prior agreement. It was extended by three days to allow the Los Mineros leadership to attend the 14th National Mineworkers Forum on 30 July in Cananea, marking the third anniversary of the Cananea copper strike in northern Sonora state. 
<img alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/1008.losmineros.arcelormittal.agreement.2.png" width="230" height="145" />
Standing: Javier Zu&ntilde;iga Garc&iacute;a, Los Mineros Secretary of Labor, and Mario Garc&iacute;a Ort&iacute;z, Los Mineros Section 271 Special Delegate from Michoacan 
ArcelorMittal posted net profits in second quarter 2010 of US$1.7 billion. This compares to a net loss of US$792 million for the same period in 2009. At L&aacute;zaro C&aacute;rdenas, Los Mineros gave approval in May for merger of the company&rsquo;s four business units, a move that will give the company greater flexibility and mobility of raw materials and resources between its flat steel and slab steel production processes. 
 
Prior to the signing of the ArcelorMittal collective agreement, meetings were held in Canada between Napole&oacute;n Gomez and another General Secretary of an ICEM-affiliated Latin American mining trade union, Luis Castillo Carlos of the National Miners&rsquo; and Metalworkers&rsquo; Union (FNTMMSP). 
 
Meeting in Vancouver on 21-24 July, the two General Secretaries discussed regional issues facing mineworkers, looking towards building a strategic regional alliance. 
 
The two unions share common difficulties with Grupo M&eacute;xico, the mining corporation that is accused of corrupt ties with the Calder&oacute;n government in Mexico. Grupo M&eacute;xico&rsquo;s Southern Copper subsidiaries in Peru include mines at Toquepala and Cuajote, and smelters and refineries in the Moquegua and Tacna regions. FNTMMSP has been attempting to negotiate with Southern Peru Copper for eight months in the Tacna region, but has faced repeated refusals from management on union demands. 
 
Both unions face governments that systematically side with employers in disputes with workers. Currently, the Peruvian Minister of Labour, Manuela Garc&iacute;a Cochagne, is refusing to mediate talks to resolve the Tacna conflict. Instead, he is carrying out bilateral discussions with the company. This is in breach of the Peruvian Constitution.

Los Mineros of Mexico Achieves 14% Gains with ArcelorMittal

<img alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/InBrief100.jpg" width="100" height="39" />
A deadly accident killed four maintenance workers at the Carbones del Cerrej&oacute;n mine complex in La Guajira department, north-eastern Colombia, on Wednesday, 4 August. The ICEM affiliated trade union at the mine, Sintracarb&oacute;n, represents 3,500 direct employed workers, and has been fighting to organise many of the 4,000 outsourced at Cerrej&oacute;n, Latin America&rsquo;s largest coal mine. 
 
As prior ICEM reports indicated, organising efforts were countered with harassment and persecution by contractors, while Carbones del Cerrej&oacute;n management refused to intervene. 
 
This latest fatal accident underlines the urgent need for free trade unions among all the contractors of Cerrej&oacute;n in order to end unsafe working conditions. Carbones del Cerrej&oacute;n, and its owners Xstrata, AngloAmerican, and BHP Billiton, cannot continue to turn a blind eye to anti-union contractors. 
<img alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/articles/0805COLOMBIA3.jpg" width="220" height="185" />
Wednesday&rsquo;s accident occurred at 19h50, when a high platform holding 16 workers collapsed and fell. Contract employees of Conconcreto and Ticom were carrying out repair work in one of two coal storage silos in the massive facility&rsquo;s crushing plant. 
 
Three workers died at the scene. While 12 of the 16 were injured and taken to hospital, one died en-route. The bodies of the three dead workers could not be recovered until late into the night. 
 
Seven of the hospitalized workers have since been discharged, and the others are all in stable condition. 
 
Sintracarb&oacute;n, as well as communicating shock and sadness, moved quickly to demand a full inquiry into the accident, with a view to fully understanding its causes, and establishing a strict safety policy throughout the Cerrej&oacute;n operations. The company has responded, with external investigators due to release findings in two weeks. 
 
Production at Cerrej&oacute;n reached 30.5 million tonnes in 2009, and is expected to reach 40 million tonnes by 2011.

Contract Workers Killed at Colombia’s Cerrejón Mine, Renewing Cry for Unionisation

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