The World of Labor - October 4, 2008



	THE WORLD OF LABOR — October 4, 2008 By Harry Kelber Global Trade Unions Speak Out on World Economic Crisis The International Confederation of Trade Unions (ICTU) and the European Confederation of Trade Unions (ETUC) have called for governments to embrace radical change in the face of the current worldwide financial crisis. They issued statements demanding an end to the underwriting of corporate greed. They also called for the effective regulation of the capital markets accompanied by a strong focus on decent work and collective bargaining rights, declaring: "The imbalances, which have seen real wages fall or stagnate, at the same time as capital has reaped record profits, need to be redressed." The global unions call on European institutions "to fight for worker rights, for fair and decent wages, for stable jobs and for strong collective bargaining practice, independent of and not subordinate to law courts and judges." European Unions Seek to Extend Paid Maternity Leave The European Commission on Oct. 3 will unveil plans to extend minimum paid maternity leave in Europe from 14 to 18 weeks, a move that would force several EU nations to offer more support to new mothers. In seeking to boost the rights of working moms and moms-to-be, EU Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimir Spidia hopes to find "a better balance between professional, private and family life." The 27 EU nation states, generally ill-disposed to harmonizing their diverse social rules, are yet to approve the plan, which will require their unanimous support-plus a green light in the European Parliament-to come into full force. A draft of the new rules specifies that women should be given at least 18 consecutive weeks of maternity leave, six of which must be taken after the birth, with the rest available either before or later on. A 1992 EU law provides for a minimum of 14 weeks of maternity leave throughout Europe, two weeks of which are compulsory before or after birth. Among the most generous EU states are Great Britain and Ireland (26 weeks), and Slovakia (28 weeks). Germany offers the 14-week minimum, while women in France, the Netherlands and Spain are entitled to 16 weeks. Agreement Ends Strike by 100,000 Indian Film Makers A strike by more than 100,000 Indian film workers was called off when producers agreed to major union demands. Dinesh Chaturvedi, head of the Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association, said: "The strike is over. We have agreed to the same demands as in the Memorandum: of Understanding (MoU)." Early last year, the two sides signed an MoU detailing wages for each category of worker in Mumbai's film and TV studios. It also guaranteed wage increases of up to 15 percent a year. However, since then, producers and workers have argued about implementation of the MoU. The strike by a coalition of 22 film unions representing 147,000 workers was caused by a series of worker grievances that included excessively long working hours, monthly lags in the payment of wages, and job insecurity. The strike came as the industry is enjoying a huge international boom. Global Union Signs Agreement with Danske Bank UNI, the global union, signed an agreement with Danish-based financial multinational Danske Bank, covering 24,000 workers. The agreement, negotiated by UNI Finance President Allan Bang, with the help of six unions in Scandinavia and Ireland, recognizes the competitive benefit for the company of good relations with trade unions, and guarantees labor rights for workers worldwide. The global agreement commits the corporation to International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions, covering labor rights, health and safety and equal remuneration. The bank also will promote the agreement in companies where Danske Bank has a minority shareholding and with outsource partners and suppliers. The majority of the bank's employees are in Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway and Sweden. UNI is the global union for skills and services, with more than 900 unions in 160 countries and 15 million affiliated members worldwide. Mexican Teachers' Long Strike Gathers National Support School teachers in the state of Morelos on Oct, 4 completed their 48th day of an indefinite strike against a proposed educational reform being forced through by their union leader that would remove their job security. Yesterday, their protest march was joined by teachers around the country. The reform bill was negotiated by Elba Ester Gordillo, head of the union SNTE, and the federal government, of which Gordillo is a prominent supporter. She set up a rival government-favored union, which was used in 2004 to break up a strike of her own union. She is supporting the government's reform plan. Teachers say that the ACE reform proposal will strip them of any security in their positions and impede their ability to plan classes. Their protests have included a variety of actions beside their continuing strike. They have burned the election propaganda of all three major political parties; occupied state education offices and erected encampments in every capital city of every active state. In Morelos, the teachers vow to continue their strike until the ACE plan is dropped. Germans Initiate Broad Campaign to Save Their Hospitals Germany's deteriorating hospitals has become a major concern to its citizens. On Sept. 25, 130,000 protesters met in Berlin in a massive demonstration against the decline of working conditions in the nation's hospitals. For the first time ever, trade unions, civil servants organizations, doctors and professional associations, municipalities and employers demonstrated together to tell the conservative German government to properly fund the hospitals. Politicians refuse to allocate the necessary funds for hospitals that deliver health services to the public 24 hours a day. More than one-third of all public hospitals are under severe bankruptcy risk, but out of the 7 billion euros ($9.5 billion) needed to finance quality health care services, the government has assigned only 3 billion euros ($4.1 billion). After massive privatization and contracting out, the conditions for workers and patients are such that quality care is not guaranteed. 100,000 health workers' jobs have been lost in recent years, but today dedicated health workers care for one million patients more than they did 10 years ago. Check our web site: http://www.laboreducator.org

THE WORLD OF LABOR — October 4, 2008

By Harry Kelber

Global Trade Unions Speak Out on World Economic Crisis

The International Confederation of Trade Unions (ICTU) and the European Confederation of Trade Unions (ETUC) have called for governments to embrace radical change in the face of the current worldwide financial crisis. They issued statements demanding an end to the underwriting of corporate greed.

They also called for the effective regulation of the capital markets accompanied by a strong focus on decent work and collective bargaining rights, declaring: "The imbalances, which have seen real wages fall or stagnate, at the same time as capital has reaped record profits, need to be redressed."

The global unions call on European institutions "to fight for worker rights, for fair and decent wages, for stable jobs and for strong collective bargaining practice, independent of and not subordinate to law courts and judges."

European Unions Seek to Extend Paid Maternity Leave

The European Commission on Oct. 3 will unveil plans to extend minimum paid maternity leave in Europe from 14 to 18 weeks, a move that would force several EU nations to offer more support to new mothers. In seeking to boost the rights of working moms and moms-to-be, EU Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimir Spidia hopes to find "a better balance between professional, private and family life."

The 27 EU nation states, generally ill-disposed to harmonizing their diverse social rules, are yet to approve the plan, which will require their unanimous support-plus a green light in the European Parliament-to come into full force. A draft of the new rules specifies that women should be given at least 18 consecutive weeks of maternity leave, six of which must be taken after the birth, with the rest available either before or later on.

A 1992 EU law provides for a minimum of 14 weeks of maternity leave throughout Europe, two weeks of which are compulsory before or after birth. Among the most generous EU states are Great Britain and Ireland (26 weeks), and Slovakia (28 weeks). Germany offers the 14-week minimum, while women in France, the Netherlands and Spain are entitled to 16 weeks.

Agreement Ends Strike by 100,000 Indian Film Makers

A strike by more than 100,000 Indian film workers was called off when producers agreed to major union demands. Dinesh Chaturvedi, head of the Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association, said: "The strike is over. We have agreed to the same demands as in the Memorandum: of Understanding (MoU)."

Early last year, the two sides signed an MoU detailing wages for each category of worker in Mumbai's film and TV studios. It also guaranteed wage increases of up to 15 percent a year. However, since then, producers and workers have argued about implementation of the MoU.

The strike by a coalition of 22 film unions representing 147,000 workers was caused by a series of worker grievances that included excessively long working hours, monthly lags in the payment of wages, and job insecurity. The strike came as the industry is enjoying a huge international boom.

Global Union Signs Agreement with Danske Bank

UNI, the global union, signed an agreement with Danish-based financial multinational Danske Bank, covering 24,000 workers. The agreement, negotiated by UNI Finance President Allan Bang, with the help of six unions in Scandinavia and Ireland, recognizes the competitive benefit for the company of good relations with trade unions, and guarantees labor rights for workers worldwide.

The global agreement commits the corporation to International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions, covering labor rights, health and safety and equal remuneration. The bank also will promote the agreement in companies where Danske Bank has a minority shareholding and with outsource partners and suppliers.

The majority of the bank's employees are in Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway and Sweden. UNI is the global union for skills and services, with more than 900 unions in 160 countries and 15 million affiliated members worldwide.

Mexican Teachers' Long Strike Gathers National Support

School teachers in the state of Morelos on Oct, 4 completed their 48th day of an indefinite strike against a proposed educational reform being forced through by their union leader that would remove their job security. Yesterday, their protest march was joined by teachers around the country.

The reform bill was negotiated by Elba Ester Gordillo, head of the union SNTE, and the federal government, of which Gordillo is a prominent supporter. She set up a rival government-favored union, which was used in 2004 to break up a strike of her own union. She is supporting the government's reform plan.

Teachers say that the ACE reform proposal will strip them of any security in their positions and impede their ability to plan classes. Their protests have included a variety of actions beside their continuing strike. They have burned the election propaganda of all three major political parties; occupied state education offices and erected encampments in every capital city of every active state. In Morelos, the teachers vow to continue their strike until the ACE plan is dropped.

Germans Initiate Broad Campaign to Save Their Hospitals

Germany's deteriorating hospitals has become a major concern to its citizens. On Sept. 25, 130,000 protesters met in Berlin in a massive demonstration against the decline of working conditions in the nation's hospitals. For the first time ever, trade unions, civil servants organizations, doctors and professional associations, municipalities and employers demonstrated together to tell the conservative German government to properly fund the hospitals.

Politicians refuse to allocate the necessary funds for hospitals that deliver health services to the public 24 hours a day. More than one-third of all public hospitals are under severe bankruptcy risk, but out of the 7 billion euros ($9.5 billion) needed to finance quality health care services, the government has assigned only 3 billion euros ($4.1 billion).

After massive privatization and contracting out, the conditions for workers and patients are such that quality care is not guaranteed. 100,000 health workers' jobs have been lost in recent years, but today dedicated health workers care for one million patients more than they did 10 years ago.

Check our web site: http://www.laboreducator.org