IUF-EFFAT Brewery Unions' Meetings - via videoconference, March 24-25, 2021
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
IUF-EFFAT Brewery Unions’ Meetings
via videoconference, March 24-25, 2021
AB InBev Unions’ Meeting: Wednesday, March 24, 13:00 – 15:00 CET
Heineken Unions’ Meeting: Wednesday, March 24, 15:00 – 17:00 CET
IUF-EFFAT Brewery Unions’ Conference: Thursday, March 25, 13:00 – 17:00 CET
TNC Update #42, 10-2019
Brewery Division Conference
The IUF Secretariat organized an International Brewery Unions’ Conference on
September 30-October 2, 2019, in Brussels, Belgium. The conference allowed affiliates to
exchange experiences and discuss issues arising from beer company developments. Focus
was on the possible impact of corporate strategies and consumer trends on employment and
other issues affecting Brewery Division members. The conference helped to further develop
practical actions to strengthen international links and organization amongst unions
representing brewery workers including plans for future joint actions and activities in support
of affiliates, notably the Haryana Breweries Limited Mazdoor Union (HBLMU) in Sonepat,
India currently fighting for union and collective bargaining rights (see below).
AB InBev
HBLMU and the four union committee members fired three years ago for organizing an
independent union at the factory are more determined than ever to have their rights
respected. On July 7, to mark the 500 days of continuous peaceful protest, union members
together with the families of the dismissed union leadership and community supporters
gathered in front of the factory gates to reaffirm their solidarity and to call on the company to
reinstate the terminated union committee members.
If you have not yet supported this struggle PLEASE CLICK HERE to tell the company to act
to remedy its ongoing human rights abuses by reinstating all dismissed HBLMU union
leaders and entering into good faith negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement
with the HBLMU union.
The Trade Union of Beverages and Related Industries (STIBYS) represents AB InBev and
Coca-Cola workers in Honduras. The union held a protest in front of the Honduran Brewery,
a subsidiary of beer giant AB InBev, in Tegucigalpa on September 17, 2019 to condemn the
company’s violation of the collective agreement.
Diageo
In August 2019, members of IUF-affiliated unions GMB and Unite the Union voted for strike
action at the Diageo facilities in Scotland following the collapse of pay talks. The IUF sent a
message supporting GMB and Unite the Union’s planned strikes at Diageo facilities in
Scotland. The IUF also contacted Diageo’s corporate management calling on the company
to re-enter good faith collective bargaining talks with GMB and Unite the Union.
In addition, affiliates with Diageo membership were asked to support members of GMB and
Unite the Union by sending letters to the company and to the unions. GMB and Unite the
Union have thanked UFCW in the US, ICU in Ghana, UNIFOR in Canada, NUFBTE and
FOBTOB in Nigeria, LIWU in Liberia, Tekgıda-İş in Turkey, KUCFAW in Kenya, and SIPTU
in Ireland for their solidarity and support.
IUF-EFFAT Brewery Unions’ Meetings via videoconference, March 24-25, 20212
TNC Update #43, 12-2019
Brewery Division Conference
Trade union representatives from 26 unions in 22 countries met in Brussels, Belgium on
September 30 and October 1-2 to strengthen union action to protect members' jobs and
advance rights in the brewery sector. Fighting job destruction, stopping the growth of
precarious and outsourced work, mitigating the negative impacts of automation, digitalization
and technology changes through reskilling of jobs, prioritizing the OH&S issues and avoiding
companies weaponizing Behavioral Based Safety to use against members, and defending
trade union rights were all identified as key common issues. A report of this conference can
be requested from burcu.ayan@iuf.org.
AB InBev
The IUF Secretariat organized an International AB InBev Unions’ Meeting on September 30
in Brussels. Representatives from 15 unions participating in this meeting welcomed the
opportunity to share issues arising from changes affecting AB InBev workers following the
acquisition of SABMiller in 2016 and unanimously adopted a statement about their concerns
and conclusions. The full statement can be requested from burcu.ayan@iuf.org.
The IUF is demanding the reinstatement of sacked union leaders and members at the
Sonepat, India factory. We are also demanding that management enters into good faith
negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement with the Haryana Breweries Limited
Mazdoor (HBLMU) Union. An online petition is available for signature in English, French,
Spanish, Russian, German and Dutch.
If you have not yet had the opportunity to support this fight, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
AB InBev workers in Colombia voted to take strike action in early October. The IUF-affiliated
National Union of Workers of the Beverages, Food, Agro-food, and Associated Industries in
Colombia (SINALTRAINBEC) started to mobilize following the collapse of pay talks.
SINALTRAINBEC had rejected the company’s offer that lowers or entirely removes benefits
that were agreed in the previous collective agreement for salaries and benefits for workers in
Colombia.
The IUF asked affiliates with AB InBev membership to support SINALTRAINBEC members
by writing a letter to AB InBev and sending a solidarity message to SINALTRAINBEC.
Following the actions of SINALTRAINBEC the Bavaria Company, a subsidiary of AB InBev,
signed a new collective agreement on October 25.
SINALTRAINBEC thanks SYNTEB in Togo, CC.OO. in Spain, SITAC in Brazil, STIBYS in
Honduras, UNIFOR in Canada, Liberia Industrial Workers Union in Liberia, GMB in the UK,
Tekgıda-İş in Turkey, and IUF-JCC in Japan for their solidarity and support.
TNC Update #44, 02-2020
New Brewery Division website
The www.beerworkers.org website is NOT active anymore. The new domain name for IUF
News for Beer Workers is: www.beerworkers.online.
It is a multilingual website. You can find IUF News for Beer Workers in English, French,
Spanish and German. Please visit the new site and change your bookmarks. Promote the
IUF website (www.beerworkers.online) in union meetings to spread information among rank
and file members.
IUF-EFFAT Brewery Unions’ Meetings via videoconference, March 24-25, 20213
AB InBev
Workers at AB InBev's Budweiser plant in Sonepat, India continue their fight for rights and
recognition. The workers have kept up continuous picketing for 700 days, supported by a
growing number of permanent workers at the plant.
Management continues to refuse to reinstate victimized union members and elected officers,
including the HBLMU President and General Secretary. The company will not engage in
collective bargaining despite the fact that the union has demonstrated its majority
membership status in the state labour department and fulfills all the legal requirements.
Management continues to opt for victimization and repression in place of recognizing the
rights of the workers and their union.
If you have not yet been able to send a message in support of these workers and their
families, click here to tell AB InBev to remedy the ongoing rights violations at the Sonepat
plant. The online petition that was available in English, French, Spanish and Russian now
includes German and Dutch versions.
IUF affiliates that represent the AB InBev workers in Jupille, Hoegaarden, and Leuven
factories in Belgium conducted actions on the first week of January. Relations with
management have been strained due to poor dialogue and major errors on the pay slips. IUF
affiliates reported that administration of wages at the Belgian subsidiary of the brewing giant
is being managed remotely from India and this causes multiple errors in the remuneration of
staff. Following the increased pressure of protests and blocked truck traffic at the gates of
AB InBev breweries, IUF-affiliated trade unions and the management reached an agreement
in principle on job security on December 6, 2019. The agreement will apply for a period of
five years. Read more here.
TCB Beverages - Gilde Brewery
The German Food and Allied Workers Union (NGG) is taking legal action against the
management of the Gilde Brewery. NGG is taking the brewery to court for splitting up the
company in order to obstruct the work of the works council.
A wage dispute has also been ongoing at the Gilde Brewery for many months. At the end of
November workers voted to take indefinite rolling strike action. After the 97-hour strike in the
3rd week of January, workers went out on strike again on January 26 for the 13th time!
Please send solidarity messages and photos to the IUF Secretariat (burcu.ayan@iuf.org)
and we will forward them to the members of NGG on strike.
TNC Update #45, 04-2020
Brewery Division
Please contact the IUF at burcu.ayan@iuf.org for the conclusions and action points that
emerged from the 3-day IUF International Brewery Unions’ Conference held in October
2019.
Trade union representatives from 26 unions in 22 countries joined the 3 days of meetings.
To ensure ongoing coordination and mutual support they exchanged contact details
including mobile phone numbers. The IUF Secretariat has created WhatsApp groups in
English, French and Spanish to improve ongoing communication and ensure better
exchanges of information amongst affiliates that represent beer workers. Please send the
mobile phone numbers for yourself and any other representatives or members in your union
to burcu.ayan@iuf.org if you want to join these language-based WhatsApp groups. Please
specify which language or languages you wish to join.
IUF-EFFAT Brewery Unions’ Meetings via videoconference, March 24-25, 20214 Beer sector members also agreed to send information to the IUF Secretariat on organizing and collective bargaining successes, improved working conditions, occupational health and safety issues, restructuring struggles, fights against attacks on rights and working conditions or any other matters which affect members employed in the breweries. These, as well as updates on actions that brewery companies are taking to protect workers’ health and safety during the COVID-19 crisis, will be posted on www.beerworkers.online and circulated to all IUF brewery sector affiliates. AB InBev Workers at AB InBev's Budweiser plant in Sonepat, India continue their fight for rights and recognition. The IUF Secretariat continues to inform and update affiliates, the public and the ethical investment community about ongoing human rights violations in the Sonepat plant. If you have not yet been able to send a message to the company in support of these workers and their families an online petition is available in English, French, Spanish, Russian, German and Dutch. A key part of this struggle revolved around the dismissal of the General Secretary of Haryana Breweries Limited Mazdoor Union (HBLMU), Deshraj for allegedly threatening a supervisor. In a final recent court verdict he was acquitted of the charges framed against him. The NGG (German Food and Allied Workers Union) Regional office and the works council at the Beck & Co brewery in Bremen had invited representatives from Sonepat to their March works council meeting to organize a series of solidarity actions. As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, those events have been postponed to later this year. The IUF Secretariat and the HBMLU in Sonepat have thanked the NGG representatives for this initiative and their support. On February 5 the IUF-affiliated Union of Workers of Beverage and Similar Industries (STIBYS) in Honduras, held a protest action at the factory gates of the Cervecería Hondureña SA (a subsidiary of AB InBev) in San Pedro Sula. STIBYS denounced repeated violations of the collective bargaining agreement that was signed in 2017. Carlos Humberto Reyes, president of STIBYS and a member of the IUF Latin America Executive Committee, pointed to the marketing of products by Cervecería Hondureña at extremely low prices in supermarkets as a key factor negatively affecting the jobs and livelihoods of workers employed in the sales department. The IUF Secretariat has produced a global update on AB InBev including recent struggles or collective bargaining successes. It has been used by the IUF Asia Pacific region for their earlier outreach work with new AB InBev unions in the region and is available from the IUF at burcu.ayan@iuf.org. AB InBev/EFES Joint Venture In Ukraine at the Chernihiv AB InBev/EFES brewery a number of workers were told prior to the COVID-19 crisis to come to the plant 10-20 minutes earlier than their shift start time to attend production meetings, effectively doing unpaid work. IUF-affiliated AIWU asked the IUF Secretariat to check with affiliates that represent AB InBev workers in Europe and EFES workers in Turkey if similar practices exist in their facilities. Blue-collar workers employed in AB InBev plants that operate in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands get overtime pay for starting their shift early. In Turkey, legally and as a result of terms and conditions within the CBA, the company action in the Ukraine cannot happen. Based on these examples AIWU will seek to negotiate a solution with the management at the Chernihiv plant once the quarantine conditions due to COVID-19 pandemic are over. IUF-EFFAT Brewery Unions’ Meetings via videoconference, March 24-25, 2021
5
Heineken
In the Netherlands members of the IUF-affiliated Federation of Dutch trade unions (FNV)
have agreed a new collective bargaining agreement with Heineken that was signed against
the background of pending industrial action. Workers agreed a structural wage increase of
7.5% over two years. In addition, agreements have been made about mutually acceptable
professional classifications and a performance bonus that now also applies to all temporary
employees who have been with Heineken for more than 1 year. Read more here.
TCB Beverages - Gilde Brewery
Gilde Brewery management has locked out workers in part of the company (for more details
see TNC Update #44). The company has also published the names of strikers, an act that is
not only a threat to fundamental workplace rights but also a violation of the legally protected
right to privacy in Germany.
NGG and its members at the brewery are demanding that management re-start good faith
collective bargaining negotiations. They are also demanding an end to the two-tier wage
system in the company. The IUF Secretariat asked Brewery Division members to show their
solidarity by sending solidarity messages to the workforce via the NGG regional office. NGG
and its members at Gilde Brewery thank the following IUF affiliates that have expressed their
solidarity: HBLMU-India, PFWF-Pakistan, UNIFOR-Canada, Bermuda Industrial Union,
Teamsters-North America, PRO-GE-Austria, Solidarnosc-Poland, AIWU-Ukraine and
Russia, Novoprof-Russia, Tekgıda-İş-Turkey, CCOO Industria-Spain, Kommunal-Sweden,
the IUF Latin America region, Grenada Technical and Allied Workers' Union, AVC-CSC-
Belgium and the IUF-Japan Coordinating Council.
TNC Update #46, 10-2020
AB InBev
After 763 days of picketing in front of AB InBev's factory in Sonepat, India to protest the
unfair termination of union leaders, the Haryana Breweries Limited Mazdoor Union (HBLMU)
temporarily ended its picket line on March 22 in order to protect workers and their community
during the COVID-19 crisis. Read more here.
In many countries in Latin America the IUF’s regional organization REL-UITA and the IUF
secretariat have been supporting AB InBev affiliates throughout the ongoing COVID-19
crisis.
On May 18, 2020 members of the Union of Workers of the Panama Beer Industry (STICP)
protested in front of AB InBev's production plant in the Panama City. The protest resulted
from the company’s refusal to meet with the union and to form a Special Committee on
Health and Hygiene to address COVID-19. See more here.
On June 18, 2020 STICP members held another protest, which included both the processing
plant and the local distribution and sales agencies nationwide. The workers protested the
illegal suspension of 13 workers at the Pasadena plant and violations of the collective
agreement. Read more here.
The IUF-affiliated Union of Workers in the Beer, Beverage, Food, Malt and Similar Industries
(USTIAM) in Colombia, has reacted to the unfair practices of the Bavaria Company, a
subsidiary of AB InBev.
On May 29, 2020 in Honduras workers at the Cervecería Hondureña (the Honduran
Brewery that bottles AB InBev and Coca-Cola products) who are members of the IUF-
affiliated Beverage and Related Industry Workers' Union (STIBYS) halted production at the
San Pedro Sula plant. Following the strike and after mediation by the ministry of labour, an
IUF-EFFAT Brewery Unions’ Meetings via videoconference, March 24-25, 20216 agreement was reached and the protest suspended. The agreement reinstated dismissed union member Alex Murillo, established that there will be no retaliation against union members for the strike, and set a meeting to settle outstanding issues of payment for workers who stayed away because of concerns about their safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. On August 11, 2020 STIBYS renounced the collective agreement signed in 2017 with Cervecería Hondureña and sent the company the union's demands for urgent negotiations to establish a new collective agreement. AB InBev's subsidiary La Constancia LTDA in El Salvador has been ignoring health protocols for the prevention and control of COVID-19. The IUF-affiliated Union of Constancia Workers (Sitraconsta) issued a statement denouncing the situation while demanding the company put in place immediate measures to guarantee the health and safety of its workers. From September 3 to 15, 2020 workers at AB InBev's Jupille factory near Liège, one of the main production sites in Belgium, organized strike action demanding safe and healthy working conditions. Workers in Jumet, Ans and Anderlecht distribution centers and several other branches of AB InBev staged walk-outs in solidarity with the workers of the Jupille plant. Brewery Division members were updated by the secretariat as this conflict continued. On September 15 IUF-affiliated unions, FGTB and ACV-CSC reached an agreement with the company on measures which include testing all workers who asked for COVID-19 tests, an external inquiry into the spreading of disease in the Jupille plant, deep cleaning of the plant and installation of more effective protective equipment. Carlsberg Affiliates that represent Carlsberg workers in Poland, Ukraine, Sweden, Germany, Finland, and Lithuania responded to the IUF survey about OH&S measures in place in Carlsberg factories. The IUF Secretariat held a conference call with Carlsberg corporate management in mid- May to discuss the company’s protocols designed to protect its workers against COVID-19. Carlsberg outlined their extensive COVID-19 management guidelines including details of mandatory protection measures and recommended practices for all sites. Concerns around related shift policy details in Germany were raised and clarified with the company. Heineken The IUF Secretariat has developed a project proposal to support training activities to improve the negotiating skills of the SYTBRANA leadership and strengthen the union. SYTBRANA represents Heineken workers in Haiti. The IUF-affiliated Federation of Dutch trade unions (FNV) approved the project proposal and will support it financially. SYTBRANA has thanked FNV and the IUF for their ongoing support. The IUF Secretariat organized a conference call with Heineken corporate management in mid-May to discuss Heineken’s protocols and measures designed to protect its workers against COVID-19. The IUF presented a report based on information from affiliates about measures undertaken by Heineken in a number of countries in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Affiliates in Italy (FLAI), France (FGA-CFDT), Spain (FICA-UGT), UK (Unite the Union), Croatia (PPDIV), Poland (Solidarnosc), Haiti (SYTBRANA), Tunisia (FGAT-UGTT), Ghana (ICU) and Nigeria (FOBTOB) took part in the survey. In general affiliates agreed that OH&S measures in place are adequate and being effectively implemented. The conference call discussion included a commitment from the company that there would be no structural layoffs as a consequence of Covid-19 at least until the end of 2020. IUF-EFFAT Brewery Unions’ Meetings via videoconference, March 24-25, 2021
7
The IUF remains concerned that bar and restaurant businesses will take a long time to
recover and to get back to a viable level of activity. IUF and its affiliates remain on alert as
there may be some serious consequences that will more fully emerge for workers in the
brewery sector in 2021.
TNC Update #47, 11-2020
AB InBev
In Colombia, AB InBev is systematically dismissing workers and pressuring workers to
resign through what are then described as "voluntary" retirements. These dismissals have
been decimating the Union of Workers of the Beer, Beverage, Food, Malt, and Similar
Industry (USTIAM) because many of those fired or forced to leave are members of the
union. The company also refuses to recognize USTIAM which means workers are denied
their right to seek union support and representation when faced with dismisal. Please read
more here.
In August, the IUF-affiliated Beverage and Related Industry Workers' Union (STIBYS) in
Honduras denounced violations of the collective agreement by Cervecería Hondureña SA
owned by AB InBev. A month later, the union sent a new list of demands to the company.
However, national authorities have determined that it is impossible to negotiate new
agreements until the country can normalize activities during the current pandemic.
STIBYS has mobilized at the national level. The union held rallies in front of the Cervecería
Hondureña facilities throughout the country on October 6. During the rallies all COVID-19
protocols were respected. Read more here.
STIBYS has also called on the Ministry of Labor to intervene to stop the continuous abuse of
employees' rights by Cervecería Hondureña. Read more here.
The CBC Peruana Company is a strategic partner of AB InBev bottling PepsiCo soft drinks
and energy drinks under license in Peru. Negotiations have started for a new collective
agreement and workers have reported significant harassment by management. The national
employers' federation has announced that the company intends to sign a two-year
agreement. However, they have also said there would be virtually no wage increases over
those two years. You can find more here.
Heineken
Heineken experienced a sharp sales drop as a result of the pandemic crisis. In October, as
part of a significant restructuring, the company announced it plans to cut its personnel costs
by around 20% in its head office and regional offices. The company has warned that more
jobs could be lost though further restructuring across its local operations. The restructuring
will occur from the beginning of 2021 because Heineken had previously promised no
structural layoffs as a consequence of COVID-19 during 2020.
In 2019 Heineken employed 85,853 workers worldwide. Around 1,700 of these work in
Heineken's head office and regional offices. The company has declined to publicly announce
a figure for how many jobs are likely to be cut in total.
Affiliates representing Heineken workers should inform the Secretariat of any threats to
employment arising from this restructuring.
In December 2020, IUF-EFFAT compiled information received from European affiliates on
Heineken’s restructuring processes of operations in the different European countries. Please
find the information (only in English) in the link below:
https://effat.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Heineken-Restructuring-2020.pdf
IUF-EFFAT Brewery Unions’ Meetings via videoconference, March 24-25, 2021You can also read
