Contract and Agency Labour Campaign Current Case Examples * = ICEM Affiliate: Contract and Agency Labour Campaign Current Case Examples * = ICEM Affiliate


Argentina: Argentina Who: FeTERA * When: April Company: Edea SA What: Through Dialogue and Collective Agreement, Union Wins Rights for 30 Contract Workers to move to the Energy Company’s Core Staff.


Australia: Australia Who: National Union of Workers * When: April 27 – June 4 Company: Kemelex Plastics What: Auto-plastic Boss forces 55 Migrant Women on Strike with Plans to Fire Them, then Re-hire as Individual Contractors. Strike and National labour Attention Keep Workers Permanent with New Enterprise Agreement.


Australia: Australia Who: Communications, Energy & Plumbing Union (CEPU) * When: July 5 Company: Western Power What: 700 Utility Workers in 24-hour Strike over Responsibilities of Contract Workers on Jobsites (key issue among several). Company Backs Down in Dialogue.


Finland: Finland Who: Finnish Transport Workers AKT When: Since April Companies: Steveco, Aker Finnyards, etc. What: Dock Workers Stage 24-hour Strikes, and 3 and 4-day Strikes in Rauma, Hamina, Kotka, Turko and Helsinki over Redundancies. Stevedoring Firms and Passenger Ferry Companies laying-off ¼ of all Permanent Workers in favour of Contract Workers.


France (Saint-Nazaire): France (Saint-Nazaire) Who: 20 Polish Electricians When: July 21 Company: Chantiers de l’Atlantique What: Polish Sub-contractor at Shipyard Abandons Workers Owing Back Wages. Workers Start Hunger Strike. French Contractor (Gestal) Will Not Pay, Nor Will Primary Employer Chantiers de l’Atlantique. No Clear Regulation in French Law for Who Has Responsibility. (new term: ‘Cascading Sub-contracting’)


Korea: Korea Who: KFTU-Chemical Workers Union * When: June 14 Company: San Remicon Cement Co. What: Branch Leader Kim Tae-hwan Killed on Picket Lines by Cement Truck Driven by Replacement Driver. Drivers of 3 Cement Firms Striking for Union Recognition & Permanent Work Status Under Korean Law.


Nigeria: Nigeria Who: PENGASSAN * When: Mid-June To: Nigerian Department of Petroleum Resources & All Contractors What: 4-day Workshop by Union Urging National Assembly to amend Petroleum Act of 1969 Making the Granting of Recruiters’ License More Stringent. (Draft Guidelines Taking Shape to Regulate Private Employment Agencies).


Nigeria: Nigeria Who: NUFBTE (Food Union) When: August 17 Company: Assn. of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers What: Issued a August 31 Deadline to Stop Use of Casual Workers & Outsourcing, or Direct Action will Result. Industry is Shifting Clerical, Labeling, Machine Operators, etc. from Permanent Status to Casual, and Laying-off and then Outsourcing Driving, Maintenance and Security.


Sierra Leone: Sierra Leone Who: Electricity Employees’ Union When: July 29-30 Company: National Power Authority What: Union Members Start Mass Rallies at Labour Ministry when Utility Bosses Fail to Cooperate on Investigation of Contract Labour. Some Workers at Power Authority Casual for 12 Years with No Benefits/Entitlements.


Thailand: Thailand Who: PCFT’s Tyre Makers’ Union * When: September Company: Goodyear Tyre & Rubber What: A Court Hearing on whether or not Goodyear Must Extend CBA Benefits and Labour Agreement to18 Long-term Rubber Stock/Warehouse Workers. (This is case in which PCFT Branch Chairman Anan Pol-ung was Terminated—and Later Reinstated—for Supporting these Year-by-Year Contract Workers.) Conference Resolution for Adoption


USA—Texas City, Texas: USA—Texas City, Texas Who: PACE/United Steel Workers * When: March 23 Company: BP What: 15 Contract Workers Die in the Worst US Refinery Blast in 20 Years. 170 Others—140 Contractors—are Injured. BP Granted Waiver of Refinery Safety Rules to Contractors to Set Up Work Trailers in Hazardous Zone. Exhaust Fumes from Contractor’s Truck, left running, Absorbed into Hydrocarbons Vent of Isomerization Unit.


Chad: Chad Who: Unorganised Contract Workers When: September 18 Company:Chad/Cameroon Constructors--Esso-Tchad, Chevron, Petronas (Malaysia) What: Chad national police violently break-up a peaceful sit-in, leaving 3 dead. They arrest 30. US$12 million unpaid in overtime wages after workers construct US$3.7 billion pipeline in 2003 ahead of schedule.


Mauritania: Mauritania Who: Energy & Petroleum Workers Union (CGTM) * When: Strike started October 14 Company: Woodside Petroleum & El Majabaat El Koubra Tours (MKT) What: MKT, transport/logistics contractor to Woodside, sacks 16 workers after signing agreement w/ Union establishing Nov. 1 for Unit Election. (10 of 16 were to stand for union office.) Union takes complaint to Labour Minister. MKT’s response …