Death of an outstanding public education union leader
Doug McAvoy, former General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers passed away on the morning of 12 May at the age of 80. “Many trade unionists in the UK will agree that his contribution to education and the working…
Accra forum strengthens social and policy dialogue in Africa
Education International’s Social and Policy Dialogue Forum, held in Accra, Ghana, on 8-9 May, served to support stronger social and policy dialogue in Africa, where mechanisms for social and policy dialogue are often either weak or non-existent. Significantly, the participants…
IUF Climate Workshop: Secure, stable employment requires action on global warming
The role and responsibility of unions in agriculture, meat and dairy faced with global warming was the issue confronting participants from 18 countries in an IUF climate change workshop hosted by the North American UFCW in Omaha, Nebraska May 6-7….
Global agreement on sustainable employment in Unilever manufacturing
On May 10 in London, the IUF, IndustriALL and Unilever signed an agreement to ensure that the rights of all workers in Unilever manufacturing operations are adequately protected from the potential adverse human rights impacts stemming from the use of…
Unilever and global unions sign agreement to restrict temporary jobs
The Joint Commitment on Sustainable Employment in Unilever Manufacturing sets out principles and procedures to prevent potential harm to fundamental workers’ rights caused by non-permanent employment. The agreement applies to workers in over 300 Unilever factories in 69 countries, whether employed…
CUPE BC convention 2019 positions province’s biggest union to take on upcoming challenges
More than 500 delegates wrapped up four days of debate at CUPE BC’s 56th annual convention in Victoria, electing a new executive board, debating a wide range of resolutions, and passing an action plan to guide the union over the…
What unions can do to close the gender pay gap
The gender pay gap stands at 18.8 per cent across the world. It is not simply due to factors like experience, education, productivity or performance, that would usually determine wages in the labour market. Instead, occupational segregation and the polarization…
CUPE MB calls on more support to midwives on International Day of the Midwife
CUPE MB is joining thousands around the world in celebrating the International Day of the Midwife on May 6 and is calling for the government to improve midwifery in the province. Recent reports that Manitoba-trained midwives are unable to find positions here…
We will not give up on democracy in Turkey
Ruling on unsubstantiated complaints by President Erdogan’s ruling AKP party, Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Body caved in to government pressure and annulled last month’s vote, ordering a rerun for 23 June. Victory by the opposition in winning the powerful seat of…
In Kenora—Rainy River, 75% don’t support Ford government health overhaul
Kenora—Rainy River ON residents polled say they don’t support the massive changes the PCs are planning to make to the province’s health system. More than 300 Kenora area residents who responded to the local poll were asked whether they supported different…
Malaysian law reforms must comply with ILO Convention on Freedom of Association
Three Malaysia affiliates of IndustriALL Global Union, the National Union of Transport Equipment & Allied Industries Workers (NUTEAIW), Electronics Industry Employees’ Union Coalition (EIEU Coalition) and Paper and Paper Products Manufacturing Employees Union (PPPMEU, participated in the consultation meeting on…
Mythbuster on the elimination of tuition
Over 80 countries around the world provide some level of free post-secondary education. More than 20 provide free post-secondary education to all their citizens. Yet in Canada, tuition fees are increasing year after year. There’s no reason why Canada can’t…
End the repression of trade unionists in Fiji
Felix Anthony, national secretary of the FTUC, was arrested, along with 29 members of National Union of Workers (NUW) and a union staff member. Felix is also president of the ITUC Asia Pacific. He was arrested at a tripartite meeting,…
New report shows overworked and underpaid teachers
Teachers in Switzerland are often overworked and underpaid, especially if they work on part-time contracts, according to the latest report on working time of the Dachverband Lehrerinnen und Lehrer Schweiz (LCH) and the Syndicat des Enseignants Romands (SER). Every ten…
Law amendment will rid sham cooperatives from South Africa’s textile sector
The previous law treated workers in cooperatives as self-employed and exempt from paying minimum wages and conforming to labour standards. However, this will change with the Regulations for the Cooperative Amendment Act (2013) which came into effect on 1 April….
Sri Lankan unions oppose oppressive new laws
The Council, which consists of unions affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union, expressed deep concern with the proclamation of emergency rule in Sri Lanka, and the near unanimous political consensus in calling for stringent laws and harsher punishments. The unions believe…
UK Labour Party leader Corbyn supports the IUF’s Coca-Cola Zero Rights campaign
Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the UK Labour Party, took time out from a busy schedule to express his support for the IUF’s Coca-Cola Zero Rights campaign. Corbyn expressed deep concern that one of the world’s most iconic brands was allowing…
Kenya: New CBA brings gains for hotel, restaurant, catering and tourism workers
A new two-year collective agreement between the IUF-affiliated KUDHEIHA and theKenya Hotelkeepers and Caterers Association (KHCA) brings important gains for workers in some 180 catering, hotel and restaurant establishments and safari clubs, lodges and camps. Among other features, the agreement…
UK court rules in favour of hearing case of mine water pollution in Zambia
IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, the Mineworkers Union of Zambia, welcomed the court ruling in which Vedanta Resources will be tried for polluting water and making it toxic for drinking, irrigation, and for livestock thus destroying the livelihoods of local farmers…
The VIIth Mongolian Teachers’ Congress reaffirms the importance to promote and invest in quality public education
Nearly 800 delegates from every corner of Mongolia participated in the VIIth Mongolian Teachers’ Congress, where the Prime Minister informed participants of the increase of the national budget allocated to the public education sector and teachers’ continuous professional development. The…
MayDay – International Workers’ Day
CUPE marks International Workers’ Day 2019 On May 1, workers around the world rally to honour the fight for an eight‑hour workday, and to call for decent work, dignity and respect. CUPE recognizes International Workers’ Day, or May Day, in solidarity…
Time to walk the talk on equality: Human Rights forum
CUPE locals and their leaders need to be more proactive in reaching out to equity-seeking members and recruiting them for leadership positions, delegates were told at Wednesday’s packed Human Rights Forum in BC. A panel discussion chaired by CUPE National…
CUPE 905 celebrates in-house snow clearing in Richmond Hill, ON
CUPE municipal workers in Richmond Hill, ON are pleased the town is expanding its windrow clearing services and bringing the work in-house. A windrow is the snow ridge left by plows at the end of a driveway. In March, town council…
Goal is to preserve and enhance services for students, say Ontario education workers heading into bargaining
As school boards across Ontario suffer deep and destructive cuts at the hands of the provincial government, CUPE’s 55,000 education workers are heading to the bargaining table. But as they give notice to bargain, they will also be giving notice to…
New Brunswick nursing home workers occupy minister’s office
For the past three days, the office of New Brunswick’s minister of social development in Fredericton has seen more activity than usual. That’s because members of the New Brunswick Council of Nursing Home Unions have been staging a peaceful occupation…
CUPE cleared for takeoff to represent WestJet Encore flight attendants
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has been certified by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to represent approximately 600 flight attendants at WestJet Encore. With the majority of Encore flight attendants having signed cards in support of unionization,…
Hong Kong, Indonesia: global support for Myanmar hotel workers fighting for rights
IIn March, IUF members around the world showed support for 6 imprisoned leaders and members of our affiliate HLOB in Burma. The 6 are now free after serving their sentences, but IUF affiliates worldwide are taking action in support of…
Los Mineros demand union representation at LafargeHolcim Mexico
A total of 12 workers at LafargeHolcim Apasco cement plant have lost their jobs for executing their right to join a union of their choice, in 2017 and more recently in April 2019. Los Mineros are appealing to the labour…
IndustriALL condemns DowDuPont lockout of USW in Texas
Local 13-1 members of IndustriALL affiliate, United Steelworkers (USW), have been locked out since 22 April after negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement were abruptly ended by the company. The USW members have twice voted to reject the company’s…
Mexico’s labour reforms set to bring greater union democracy
The House of Deputies passed the reform on 11 April, and the bill was approved by the Senate on 29 April. The new act represents a complete overhaul of labour relations and will give workers better access to labour justice…