STRUGGLES AROUND

Europe

Thousands of Romanian railway workers protest in capital

Thousands of railway workers protested in Bucharest last week against plans to privatize the state rail company and better work conditions. Demonstrators gathered outside the transport ministry and marched to the government headquarters.

The government plans to put some workers on a four-day week and sell the debt-saddled freight operator to satisfy demands from the International Monetary Fund.

Last year, 1,100 railway workers were laid off.

The Associated Press cited technician Marius Dumitras, who earns €320 ($424) a month. “What really upsets us is the privatization, which would mean layoffs, a shortening of the working schedule, worse working conditions,” he said.

Greek public sector workers strike

A 24-hour strike of public sector workers was called by the Adedy trade union federation in the Attica region, which includes the Greek capital of Athens on Thursday to protest mass layoffs.

?As part of the stoppage, workers marched to the Finance Ministry in Syntagma Square. A further protest will be held on Friday outside the Administrative Reform Ministry in the capital.

Dairy farmers from Epirus, Greece storm Dodoni headquarters to demand payment

On July 26 hundreds of dairy farmers from Epirus, north western Greece, protested outside the Dodoni dairy factory to demand payment for milk delivered but not paid for. Some 6,000 farmers from the Epirus area supply Dodoni and had given the company until July 24 to pay the outstanding money.

According to greekreporter.com, “Reports said they broke the company’s main gate and tried to invade the company’s building but were stopped by riot police amid clashes, stone-throwing and tear gas.”

The company’s CEO declared that April’s milk supply will be paid for in August, four months later, and May’s in September.

 

Keeptalkingreece cited the comments of one protester who said, “We have been unpaid for four months, we cannot feed our families”.

Dodoni is Greece’s leading producer and exporter of cheese products and was among the first state-owned firms to be privatised as part of the 2010-2015 austerity programme. In October 2012, it was sold to Russian fund Strategic Initiatives UK LLP and Simos Food Group for 20 million euros.

UK postal workers in 9th strike of dispute

Around four thousand postal workers in hundreds of UK Crown post offices went on a 24-hour strike Monday against government plans to franchise out 70 high street branches and the possible loss of 800 to 1,500 jobs.

The employees, members of the Communication Workers Union, are calling for a pay rise of 3.5 percent for 2012-2013 and a further rise this financial year. The Post Office has refused, claiming that it is not possible when it is making losses. Instead, it is offering a series of cash payments totalling up to £3,400 before April 2015.

The 373 Crown offices, which are usually the larger ones, represent around 3 percent of the total post office network but deal with a fifth of all customers and handle an estimated 40 percent of financial transactions.

The latest strike is the ninth in the current dispute.

Workers to vote in strike ballot at UK property maintenance company

Workers at the UK property maintenance company Kier Stoke are to vote on industrial action, following changes to the way they are paid.

There are fears that further changes to wages and conditions may be introduced after Kier took the decision to pay workers on the 28th of the month instead of the 15th.

Kier said the move brought the affected sites into line with the rest of the business.

The company employs around 430 workers and is responsible for the repair and maintenance of 19,000 homes owned by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

Staff at Kier depots in Gosport, Harlow, Islington, North Tyneside and Southend will also be balloted over the same issue.

Strike ballot at University of Liverpool

Staff at the University of Liverpool in England began a ballot last week for industrial action, the first ever at the university, over threats to make them sign a new contract or face dismissal. Over half the workforce (2,803) is affected. The ballot closes September 6.

In June, university management issued dismissal notices to all staff, demanding they work longer hours, without overtime pay, and on weekends and bank holidays without compensation.

In response to a question at an all-staff meeting, the vice-chancellor, Sir Howard Newby confirmed that any member of staff who rejects the new contract will be dismissed.

Strike ballot of London Underground workers

The Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union (RMT) served notice of a strike ballot July 25 following the announcement by Transport for London (TfL) of their intention to introduce Driver Only Operation on the whole London Underground network and eliminate around 130 “safety-critical” guard posts. The strike ballot opened July 31 and will close August 15.

The RMT said, “To underscore the essential role of the guards, last week there was a major incident near Kentish Town which required the emergency evacuation of over 100 passengers in searing heat between stations. That evacuation was led by the guard and even LOROL [London Overground Rail Operations] admitted in their statement: “The prompt actions of London Overground staff enabled the incident to be brought to a close as quickly as possible.” The company and TfL are now preparing to sack those very same staff whose actions they were praising just a week ago.”

UK Hovis bakery workers take action over zero-hour contracts

At least 200 production workers at the Hovis bakery in Wigan began a seven-day strike Wednesday in a dispute over contracts and pay.

Staff were balloted for industrial action over the introduction of agency staff and zero-hour contracts that do not specify set working hours and give limited guarantees on conditions.

The walkout comes after 26 workers were laid off in April and plans to make another five workers redundant and cut hours from 52 to 40 per week. Agency workers were brought in almost immediately after the redundancies in April.

The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) has said that it believes that Premier Foods plans to use agency workers to take on work that is likely to fall to the Wigan bakery after the closure of Hovis bakeries in Birmingham and London. The action at the Wigan bakery—one of 10 Hovis sites in the UK—could hit deliveries of bread in the north-west.

 

UK postal staff in dispute

Around 4,000 postal workers at 372 Crown Post Offices struck again this week in an ongoing dispute over office closures, jobs and pay.

Postal workers across the UK voted to strike on Saturday. The workers fear hundreds of job losses as a result of the plans to franchise or close dozens of Crown offices, as well as being forced to accept a three-year pay freeze.

The latest industrial action constitutes days 10 and 11 in a five-month dispute.

Crown Post Offices are the biggest branches in larger towns and cities, making up three percent of the entire Post Office network and handling around one fifth of customers.

Strike notice among pilots of Azores-based airline

On August 20, the National Civil Aviation Workers Union (SINTAC) issued a strike advance notice regarding a stoppage to be carried out by SATA Airlines’ workers from September 1 through December 31.

The dispute is over concerns about labour policies drafted in a memorandum of understanding by SATA Airlines regarding working overtime, breaking time, on-call employee policies and working on holidays.

SATA Airlines’ pilots staged strikes in April and May over the same concerns as well as those regarding budget reductions, job security, layoffs and pay cuts.

Based in the Azores, SATA Airlines links the nine islands of the Azores with Portugal’s mainland, Europe and North America.

German lock workers suspend action

The German public sector union Verdi suspended strike action on the country’s 7,500 kilometres of river canal systems this week for talks with the government.

The “pause” comes after a series of rolling strikes over the last weeks, which have caused widespread disruption. The government plans to “downsize” the state-run Waterway and Shipping Administration, which employs 12,500 people. In response, Verdi is calling only for negotiations on wages and “job security.”

 

Middle East

Dispute declared in Israeli civil service

The Histadrut (General Federation of unions in Israel) declared an official dispute in the civil service Sunday evening, over the government’s “unilateral decision on civil service reform.”

As always, the unions eagerly advertised their willingness to collaborate in any government plans with Histadrut Trade Unions Division chairman Avi Nissenkoren saying, “The labor dispute was declared following the unilateral decision. Civil service reform cannot be carried out unilaterally. We are demanding that the government should avoid unilateral acts, and that any reform should be carried out by agreement, with a view to what is good for the public service and to protecting workers’ rights.”

Turkish municipal workers strike despite union sabotage

Municipal workers in Izmir, Turkey staged a strike July 26, “but only half of the 7,500 workers who were expected to attend were able to participate due to a last-minute board decision revoking the right to strike of some workers,” according to the Doğan News Agency. The High Board of Arbitration blocked the decision the night before workers were planning for the strike.

?“A group of [Izmir municipality subsidiary] IZELMAN workers protested the union, Genel-İş, by walking to the union building, claiming they had been “fooled.” They chanted slogans against both the union and the Izmir Mayor Aziz Kocaoğlu in front of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK), as union executives were holding an assessment meeting.”

?Workers were cited as saying, “The municipality applied to the High Board of Arbitration while negotiating with us at the table. Our right to strike has been blocked and union executives appear to know it.”

?Meanwhile, 3,500 workers of another Izmir municipality subsidiary İZENERJİ also walked out despite a union executive declaring that a similar Arbitration Board decision was applicable to them.

Foreign labourers strike in Bahrain

Up to 500 workers went on strike August 24 demanding better living conditions and increased wages following the suicide of a colleague.

“They were also outraged by the death of their Nepali colleague, who took his own life on Thursday under mysterious circumstances after only being in Bahrain for 20 days,” said Gulf Daily News .

Deu Ram Rai, 22, hanged himself at the company’s labour camp. The workers say Rai was denied any sick leave, despite being “very” ill. There was tight security following the death and four police patrols were sent to the camp.

The labourers—from Nepal, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh—staged an indefinite strike, demanding additional vacation days and a canteen inside their Sitra accommodation. A Nepali labourer, who wished to remain anonymous, said they will continue the strike until their demands are met. “We will not stop the strike until the company meets our simple demands,” he said. “We want to get better pay and better food in our accommodation instead of facing troubles to find transport to buy our own food every day.”

Another worker said of the five-storey camp. “A few months ago, four people stayed in one room but now there are eight to nine people in the same room,” he said. “It’s a five-storey building but we are crammed into small rooms with no food and other facilities.”

Egypt’s Mahalla textile workers strike

Up to 10,000 shift workers at the Egyptian public sector Weaving and Textile Company in Mahalla City started industrial action Monday, claiming the company’s administration had not adhered to the payment deadline for their profit-sharing bonus.

“Mahalla workers, totalling around 24,000, went on strike last month after they were paid only half of their agreed bonus (the equivalent of 45 days salary). Management promised they would receive the remaining sum with their August paycheques, but this didn’t materialise,” said Ahram online .

The striking workers are also demanding the dismissal of the head of the Holding Company for weaving and spinning, Fouad Abdel-Alim, and the suspension of the current state-run trade union committee, which has sided with management

 

Africa

Ugandan schools hit by strike

Teachers in secondary schools in the Sheema district of western Uganda are on strike over poor food, bad sanitation, lack of cultural activities and maladministration on the part of school heads. Over 40 schools are affected, 29 of which are private and 13 government aided. Following the strike the Sheema district education officer issued an order for the schools to be closed and pupils sent home.

Tanzania road construction workers strike

Labourers, drivers and office clerks working for the Chinese owned Jianxi Geo-Engineering Group, currently upgrading a 75 kilometre section of the Sumbawanga-Kanazi road, have walked off the job. They are protesting management abuse, calling for their wages to be increased to the 325,000Sh ($200) a month minimum wage from their current 150,000Sh ($93) a month and the company’s refusal to pay them overtime rate even though they work more than 14 hours a day.

Liberian health workers end strike

The strike by Liberian nurses and health workers which began last week was suspended Wednesday.

The decision follows a meeting between Ministry of Health officials and union leaders which resulted in a memorandum of understanding, which reportedly agreed to increased wages and for an additional 2,000 full time nurses to be employed.

Kenyan teachers threaten new strike

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has issued a seven-day strike notice in response to the government delaying payment of July salaries. Teachers returned to work mid-July after several weeks strike action following an agreement on allowance payments.

KNUT officials say the withholding of salaries is in contravention of the return to work formula agreed between the union and the Teachers Service Commission.

Kenyan doctors threaten strike over pay delays

Doctors belonging to the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) have threatened to begin a three-day strike from August 5 if their salaries are not paid by August 3.

Doctors had been paid directly by the government, but this has now been devolved to county level. However, the KMPDU has called for this process to be halted until the proper mechanisms are in place to make sure payments are on time.

Zambia railway workers fired

Workers employed by Tazara, the Tanzania Zambia railway, went on strike last week over non-payment of wages. They have not been paid since May. Tazara said they had not followed proper procedure and deemed the strike illegal. At the start of this week, Tazara sacked around 1,000 employees who had not reported for work.

The nearly 2,000-kilometre railway line connects the Zambia interior to the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam and is used to take ore from Zambia’s copper and cobalt mines.

Nigerian health workers end strike

The strike of hospital workers under the auspices of the Joint Health Staff Union of Nigeria (JOHESU) that began last week has been called off, following negotiations on Tuesday between JOHESU and the federal government.

At the end of the meeting both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which included issues such as the constitution of management boards at teaching hospitals, the implementation of a 2008 job evaluation report and the retirement age.

Nigerian university staff protest threat of salary withdrawal

Staff at the Osun State University, Osogbo, belonging to the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) held a protest on Wednesday against the threat by university management to withhold their pay.  The workers are currently on strike demanding implementation of a hazard allowance, payment of arrears, and payment of an overtime allowance. They began their strike Wednesday of last week.

South Africa hit by series of strikes

On Monday, technicians working for South African Airways (SAA) went on indefinite strike. They are members of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) and are demanding a 12 percent pay increase. SAA management have offered 6.5 percent.

Around 140,000 construction workers also went on strike Monday, after talks at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) broke down. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) represents 90,000 of those involved, while the Building Construction and Allied Workers Union (BCAWU) represents 50,000.

The strike affects around half of civil engineering companies in South Africa. They are demanding a 13 percent increase this year and a 14 percent pay increase next year.

The strike by autoworkers, which began last week, continues. They are demanding a 14 percent pay increase. Around 30,000 workers are involved in the strike; they are members of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA). South Africa’s auto industry is responsible for 5 percent of the country’s GDP.

On Tuesday, NUMSA announced that 72,000 members working in petrol stations and car dealerships would strike next Monday. Talks between NUMSA and the employers’ bodies, the Fuel Retailers Association and the Retail Motor Industry Organisation over a pay increase, deadlocked in July.

Gold miners represented by the National Union of Mineworkers have voted to go on strike if their pay increase demands of up to 50 percent are not met. The NUM have withdrawn from talks with the Chamber of Mines whilst the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) and the Solidarity union are continuing the talks. AMCU has asked for a 150 percent pay increase. The gold producers are offering 6 percent.