UNION NETWORKS BULLETIN
Special Edition: Slave Labor
uCompanies sign accord to combat slave labor
More:
uBank workers in the Southern Cone protest layoffs
uDesemprego atinge 88 milhões de jovens no mundo
Nº 53 - August 17, 2004
Report published by the Social Observatory leads iron and steel industry companies to sign agreement against slave labor
The
leading iron and steel companies operating in Northern Brazil signed
a letter in Brasilia on Friday Sept. 13 in which they agreed to no longer
use slave labor in the production of vegetable charcoal, the basic raw
material for the production of pig iron.
These companies produce the world's best pig iron, used principally in production of automotive parts. The use of slave labor had been denounced in July by a report published in the Observatório Social em Revista (Social Observatory in Review) magazine that shows how giants in the iron industry benefit from the use of slave labor in the production of pig iron, which is later exported to the United States.
After
the publication of the report, various government and non governmental
organizations joined to request that the companies take a definitive
position against slave labor in the steel production chain. In the northern
region alone, pig iron accounts for US$ 400 million in sales for companies
based in Maranhão and Pará.
The
accord was signed by all of the companies associated to ASICA the (The
Carajas Association of Iron and Steel Companies). It was also signed
by the Social Observatory Institute, the Ethos Institute for Companies
and Social Responsibility, the National Confederation of Metallurgical
Workers, the Charcoal Citizens' Institute and the federations of industry
of the states of São Paulo (FIESP), Rio de Janeiro (FIRJAN),
Bahia (FIEB) and Parana (FIEP).
Signing
as witnesses were the: International Labor Organization (ILO), the Superior
Labor Court, the Attorney General for Labor, the Ministry of Labor and
Employment, and the National Commission for the Eradication of Slave
Labor - Conatrae.
Social
Observatory technical coordinator Odilon Faccio emphasized the economic
and humanitarian importance represented by the initiative. "Brazilian
pig iron exports have grown. Their destination is often Europe and the
United States. Commercial barriers can be placed against companies that
export pig iron that use degrading and labor. Moreover, the use of slave
labor is absolutely intolerable in the 21st century".
Odilon explained that the next step will be, together with the companies, to build a strategy to accompany the actions that will be conducted because of the agreement: "The companies must now begin to act to place in practice the agreement signed in Brasilia". The agreement was signed in the auditorium of the Attorney General for Labor.
Letter
of agreement for the end
of slave labor
|
Special
Edition: Slave Labor
|
Letter of agreement
Letter of agreement for the end of slave labor in the production of vegetable charcoal and to dignify, formalize and modernize work in the iron and steel production chain.
Considering:
a)
that there are still work environments at the base of the production
chain in the iron and steel sector that do not offer decent working
conditions;
b) that there are still a large number of workers, at the base of the
iron and steel production chain who are not supported by the required
legal protections;
c) that outdated techniques are still used at the base of the production
chain in the iron and steel sector;
d) that, despite the efforts and advances undertaken by iron and steel
companies, government agencies and civil society entities, there are
still locations with degrading and slave labor in the productive chain
in the Brazilian iron and steel sector, the immediate eradication of
which must be a priority for governments and society;
e) that degrading and slave labor are grave violations of human rights
that are expressly condemned by legal instruments such as the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, Conventions 29 and 105 of the International
Labor Organization (ILO), the declaration of Basic Rights and Principles
of Labor of the ILO and the American Convention for Human Rights;
f) that the broadening of the promotion of a positive campaign to strengthen
the commitment of companies in the iron and steel sector to social responsibility
and sustainable development is of extreme importance;
the signatories agree to join forces to dignify, formalize and modernize labor relations in the productive chain in the sector by means of implementation of the following agreements:
1.Conduct
a diagnosis that allows the identification of the remaining locations
of degrading labor exploitation and that of slave labor in the Brazilian
iron and steel production chain;
2. Define goals for the regularization of labor relations in this production
chain, which requires the formalization of employment relations by producers,
in compliance with all of the labor and social security obligations
as well as preventive actions related to the health and safety of workers;
3.Define commercial restrictions on those companies identified in the
production chain who are identified as users of slave labor;
4. Develop and support actions of social and production reintegration
of workers who are still found in degrading or indecent labor relations
and guarantee them the opportunities to overcome this situation of social
exclusion in partnership with the different spheres of government and
not for profit organizations;
5.Develop and support actions of information for workers who are vulnerable
to being lured into slave labor, as well as campaigns to prevent slavery;
6.Undertake actions, in partnership with public and private entities,
in order to offer training and professional improvement to workers in
the charcoal production sector;
7. Develop proposals that support and call for the implementation by
the government of activities included in the National Plan for the Eradication
of Slave Labor, based on the successful experiences now underway in
the productive sector;
8. Monitor the implementation of the activities described above and
the attainment of the proposed goals, and publicize the results of this
joint effort;
9. Systematize and promote the experience, in order to promote the multiplication
of actions that can contribute to the end of degrading labor exploitation
and slave labor in all of its forms, in Brazil and in other countries;
10.Publically evaluate, after one year of enactment of this agreement,
the results of the implementation of the policies and actions called
for in this agreement.
Adhesion
to this agreement is open to any social actors committed to labor dignity,
formalization, and modernization and to the eradication of degrading
labor and slave labor.
Brasilia,
August 13, 2004
- Associação
das Siderúrgicas de Carajás - Asica, in the name of its
members:
Cia. Siderúrgica do Pará - CosiparCia. Siderúrgica Vale do PindaréCosima - Cia. Siderúrgica do MaranhãoFergumar - Ferro Gusa do MaranhãoFerro Gusa Carajás S AGusa Nordeste S/AMaranhão Gusa S/A - MargusaSidepar - Siderúrgica do ParáSiderúrgica do Maranhão S/A - SimasaSiderúrgica Ibérica do Pará S/ASimara - Siderúrgica Marabá S/ASusa Industrial LtdaTerra Norte Metais LtdaViena Siderúrgica do Maranhão S/AUsimar Ltda
- Sifema
- Sindicato da Indústria do Ferro-Gusa do Estado do
Maranhão
- Instituto Ethos de Empresas e Responsabilidade Social
- Instituto Observatório Social
- Confederação Nacional dos Metalúrgicos / CUT
- Instituto Carvão Cidadão
- Federação das Indústrias do Estado de São
Paulo - FIESP
- Federação das Indústrias do Estado do Rio de
Janeiro -
FIRJAN
- Federação das Indústrias do Estado da Bahia -
FIEB
- Federação das Indústrias do Estado do Paraná
- FIEP
Witnesses
International Labor Organization
Superior Labor Court
Attorney General for Labor
Conatrae
Ministry of
Labor and Employment
August
25 - 26
Meeting of Akzo Nobel workers.
September
13 - 14
Unionism and Social Responsibility Workshop. Union Connection
and CONTAG. Brasilia.
November
6 - 15
IV German-Brazil-Holland Exchange. In Germany
November
20 - 30
V German-Brazil-Holland Exchange. In Holland.
Bank workers in the Southern Cone protest layoffs
Banks
are increasing investments in their image related to social responsibility.
But behind the propaganda, bank workers face deteriorating working conditions,
with their work pressured by goals, the shift extended by overtime and
threats of layoffs.
These factors contradictory to social responsibility are being combat in the Continental Workshop for Struggle under the theme: "Social Responsibility begins with employment", the campaign that takes place this week will mobilize bank workers from five Latin American countries and is organized by the Union Centers Coordinator of the Southern Cone (CCSCS). Bank workers from Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Chile and Argentina will engage in simultaneous protests, with special activities and even work stoppages at some workplaces.
In
Brazil, banks have profited 1,000% in the past 10 years. Meanwhile, in
2003, alone 10 thousand bank workers lost their jobs.
Unemployment reaches 88 million young people
Unemployment of young people from 15 - 24 years increased in the past 10 years and has reached 88 million in 2003, according to the International Labor Organization.
Youth account for 47% of the world's unemployed, although they are only 25% of the working population.
The
situation is considered worse in the developing countries. The chance
that a young person is unemployed is 3.8 times greater than that of an
adult older than 25. In developing countries, the chances of a young person
being unemployed is 2.3 times greater than older professionals.
"We are throwing away an important part of the energy and talent
of a generation with the best level of education the world has had",
said ILO director general Juan Somavia.
Source: BBC
Embratel lays off 1,300 employees
Embratel
began a process of operational restructuring and will lay off at least
1,300 employees according to Sinttel (The Union of Workers at Telecommunications
Companies in Rio de Janeiro state).Telemex, which has a controlling interest
in Embratel, admitted to "changes" but did not confirm the number
of layoffs. If confirmed, it would correspond to 8% of the company's 15,000
employees. FITTEL, the Interstate Federation of Workers, will try to revoke
the layoffs.
Source: Folha de São Paulo
ThyssenKrupp Committee defines its first actions
The
National Committee of ThyssenKrupp Workers was created last week with
the participation of six unions. The goal is to organize workers and promote
their rights at the company's units in Brazil by means of an exchange
of information, the development of joint actions and participation in
a social dialog with the TK Group.
The representatives of the unions from Porto Alegre (RS), Jundiaí, ABC (SP), Barra do Piraí (RJ), Matozinhos, Juiz de Fora (MG) also chose the coordination of the committee that will continue to be the responsibility of Elizandro Lopes de Araújo Marques, of the Metalworkers union of Porto Alegre, and João Cardoso (Neguinho), of the Metalworkers union of Campo Limpo.
One
of the first activities will be to create an electronic network among
the workers. The next meeting was scheduled for March 2005 in Matozinhos.
The unionists also plan to visit the TK factories in order to get to know
the working conditions at each one. Another decision will be to publish
a bulletin for company workers, with information about the main decisions
of the meeting.
Olympic
campaign denounces worker exploitation
On
the eve of the Olympic Games, 17 women, their faces covered by white masks,
sat down to work at sewing machines in a central square in Athens. The
act symbolized the exploitation of women in the athletic clothing industry
throughout the world.
In factories of Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe, workers, mostly women, receive low salaries, do not earn overtime pay, do not have a right to organize in unions and suffer sexual and verbal abuse. This situation was identified in a study by Oxfam, which together with the NGO Clean Clothes Campaign and with the Global Unions Network organized the campaign "Clean Play at the Olympics".
The goal is to give visibility to the problems and request that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) demand respect for the Olympic spirit in the manufacturing of athletic clothing. The campaign also seeks to have athletic clothing companies take their responsibilities seriously. According to the organization, companies like Nike, Adidas, Reebok and Puma have already responded to the campaign proposals and have recognized the importance that their suppliers respect labor rights. The majority of the medium and small factories, however, ignore the problem.
On August 9, the IOC declined to receive a petition with more than 500,000 signatures denouncing abuses in the athletic clothing industry. The Committee alleges that it considers the labor practices unjust and contrary to the Olympic spirit but said that this is not an issue of its responsibility and that it can do nothing to resolve the problem.
The web-site is: www.fairolympics.org.
Address: Instituto Observatório Social
Av. Mauro Ramos, 1.624, sala 202, Centro, Florianópolis, SC - Brasil
CEP: 88020-302
Tel.: (48) 3028-4400
E-mail: redesindical@observatoriosocial.org.br
Site: www.observatoriosocial.org.br
Executive Board
Kjeld Jakobsen - President
Artur Henrique dos Santos (CUT/Brazil)
Ari do Nascimento (CUT/Brazil)
Maria Ednalva Bezerra de Lima(CUT/Brazil)
Carlos Roberto Horta (Unitrabalho)
Clemente Ganz Lúcio (Dieese)
Maria Inês Barreto (Cedec)
Clóvis Scherer (National Technical Coordinator)
Odilon Faccio (Institutional Coordinator)
Responsible Director: Kjeld Jakobsen
Editors: Odilon Faccio, José Drummond and Karen Brouwer
Staff: Ronaldo Baltar, Lilian Arruda, Pieter Sijbrandij
Responsible Journalist: Laura Tuyama (SC 959-JP)
Collaboration: Marques Casara and Sandra Werle (SC 515-JP)
Translation: Jeffrey Hoff and Valéria Herzberg
Layout/Proofreading: Communication Coordination of the SOI
Photos: Clóvis Scherer, Marques Casara and Banco de Imagens Instituto Observatório Social
Photo Editor: Ana Iervolino
Systems Administration: Walter André Pires
