IUL
Kraft Foods Announces Latest Steps in Latin America Consolidation
30-Nov-2001Kraft Foods today announced plans by the Kraft Foods International business to close two Latin American manufacturing plants and consolidate other operations within the region as part of the ongoing integration of the Kraft and Nabisco businesses.
The former Nabisco plants to be closed are located in Guatemala City, Guatemala and San Jose, Costa Rica. The Guatemala plant will close effective today (November 30) while the San Jose, Costa Rica plant will continue production until April 30, 2002. Production from both facilities, which primarily consists of dry mix, baking powder and ready-to-eat gelatin, will shift to Kraft's other plant in San Jose, Costa Rica. Approximately 120 employees will be affected by these plant closures.
Kraft also announced the consolidation and restructuring of other Latin American production facilities. Production of dry mixes for the Andean area will be consolidated at Kraft's plant in Cali, Colombia; LifeSavers candy production will move from Barquisimeto, Venezuela to San Jose, Costa Rica; and snacks production at the Trinidad facility will shift to Kingston, Jamaica. In addition, Kraft will downsize two cashew facilities in Brazil and a grocery manufacturing plant in Valencia, Venezuela. The consolidation and restructuring of these facilities will result in an aggregate reduction of approximately 420 employees.
"These difficult decisions are a necessary part of the ongoing integration of our Kraft Foods and Nabisco operations," said Joachim Krawczyk, President of Kraft's Latin America Region. "Our goal is to accomplish these organizational changes with minimal disruption to the business and maximum sensitivity to those involved. Our affected employees will receive comprehensive and fair separation packages, as well as job search assistance."
Kraft's website is at www.kraft.com.
IUF and NGO group sign global agreement with the world’s chocolate/cocoa industry to address child labour in cocoa growing.
30-Nov-2001The IUF and a group of three NGO’s today signed a common statement with a consortium of chocolate and cocoa industry organizations representing all major interests in the global cocoa and chocolate industry, including the major global chocolate manufacturers.
The common statement commits the signatories to a long-term joint effort to address the worse forms of child labour in the sector. The common statement also recognizes that child labour does not occur in isolation and recognizes the need for action by appropriate parties to improve overall labour standards and access to education.
IUF General Secretary Ron Oswald called the common statement a significant step forward. “Those who have engaged in this collaborative effort have done so recognising that none can effectively contribute to the resolution of this difficult social issue without recognition of the important role to be played by the other signatories. In particular the recognition by the world’s chocolate and cocoa industry of the need to work with trade unions in the industry, represented through the IUF, will considerably raise the chances that this initiative will succeed.”
The common statement signed on Friday November 30, 2001 was witnessed by the International Labour Organisation, the ILO, an organisation of the UN that will play a major role in the processes that will flow from this initiative.
The initiative and the practical activities will be developed around a joint Foundation to be established in mid-2002 and will focus initially on West Africa.
For more information please contact peter.rossman@iuf.org or sue.longley@iuf.org at the IUF.
The text of the Common Statement is reproduced below.
COMMON STATEMENT
November 30, 2001
CAOBISCO, the Chocolate Manufacturers Association, the Chocolate Manufacturers Association of Canada, the Cocoa Association of London, the Cocoa Merchants Association of America, the European Cocoa Association, the International Cocoa Organization, the IOCCC, the World Cocoa Foundation, the Child Labor Coalition, Free The Slaves, the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers Associations, and the National Consumers League (sometimes hereinafter the “Signatories”) recognize the urgent need to identify and eliminate child labour in violation of International Labour Organization (“ILO”) Convention 182 with respect to the growing and processing of cocoa beans and their derivative products.
The Signatories also recognize the need to identify and eliminate practices in violation of ILO Convention 29 with equal urgency.
The Signatories affirm their support for the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) mission to improve working conditions worldwide, as exemplified in the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. We also share the view that practices in violation of ILO Conventions 182 (the “worst forms of child labour”) and 29 (“forced labour”) result from poverty and a complex set of social and economic conditions often faced by small family farmers and agricultural workers, and that effective solutions to address these violations must include action by appropriate parties to improve overall labour standards and access to education.
The Signatories support the framework provided in the Protocol signed by the Chocolate Manufacturers Association and the World Cocoa Foundation on September 19, 2001, which provides for cooperation and for credible, effective problem solving in West Africa, where a specific program of research, information exchange, and action is immediately warranted.
This Joint Statement expresses the shared commitment of the Signatories to work collaboratively toward the goal of eliminating the worst forms of child labour and forced labour in cocoa growing.
The strategies developed as part of this process will only be credible to the public and meet the expectations of consumers if there is committed engagement on the part of governments, global industry (comprised of major manufacturers of cocoa and chocolate products as well as other, major cocoa users), cocoa producers, labour representatives, non-governmental organizations, and consumers that have joined this process.
The Signatories recognize the need to work in concert with the ILO because the ILO will play an important role in identifying positive strategies, including developmental alternatives for children engaged in the worst forms of child labour and adults engaged in forced labour in the growing and processing of cocoa beans and their derivative products.
The strategies to be developed will be effective only if they are comprehensive and part of a durable initiative. The steps to be taken to sustain this initiative include:
(i) execution of a binding memorandum of cooperation among the Signatories that establishes a joint action program of research, information exchange, and action to enforce the internationally-recognized and mutually-agreed upon standards to eliminate the worst forms of child labour in the growing and processing of cocoa beans and their derivative products
(ii) incorporation of this research that will include efforts to determine the most appropriate and practicable independent means of monitoring and public reporting in compliance with those standards;
(iii) establishment of a joint foundation to oversee and sustain efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labour and forced labour in the growing and processing of cocoa beans and their derivative products. The Signatories welcome industry’s commitment to provide initial and ongoing, primary financial support for the foundation.
We anticipate that other parties may be able to play a positive role in our important work. Subject to mutual consent by the Signatories, additional parties may be invited to sign onto this statement in the future.
Signed by:
CAOBISCO
CHOCOLATE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (USA)
CHOCOLATE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
COCOA ASSOCIATION OF LONDON
COCOA MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
EUROPEAN COCOA ASSOCIATION
INTERNATIONAL COCOA ORGANIZATION
IOCCC
WORLD COCOA FOUNDATION
CHILD LABOR COALITION
FREE THE SLAVES
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF FOOD, AGRICULTURAL, HOTEL, RESTAURANT, CATERING, TOBACCO AND ALLIED WORKERS ASSOCIATIONS (IUF)
NATIONAL CONSUMERS LEAGUE (USA)
Witnessed by the International Labour Organization this 30th day of November, 2001.
Geneva, Switzerland
Tabak: Entwicklungen in der Branche
01-Dec-2001Altadis
Der Ende 1999 durch die Fusion von Seita und Tabacalera entstandene Konzern Altadis bezeichnet sich heute selbst als "das europäische Tabakunternehmen". Nach dem Verkauf der Sparte Streichhölzer Anfang 2001 umfaßt das Unternehmen jetzt noch drei Kernbereiche: Zigaretten (drittgrößter Hersteller in Europa), Zigarren (Nummer eins in der Welt) und Logistik. Die von den beiden Gründungsfirmen vor der Fusion eingeleiteten Umstrukturierungspläne haben ein vorläufiges Ende gefunden, indem in Frankreich bisher in diesem Jahr noch keine weiteren Betriebsschließungen angekündigt wurden und im Zusammenhang mit der Schließung von acht Betrieben in Spanien im Dezember 2000 ein Sozialplan ausgearbeitet wurde. Rund 1 600 Arbeitnehmern wurden Ruhestandspakete und 700 weiteren andere Beschäftigungsmöglichkeiten innerhalb des Konzerns oder Unterstützung bei der Vermittlung in andere Unternehmen geboten. Im Bereich Zigarren wurden die 1998 von Seita und Tabacalera erworbenen Unternehmen Consolidated Cigar bzw. Havatampa im Jahr 2000 zur Altadis USA zusammengefaßt, wodurch fünf Fabriken in Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaika und der Dominikanischen Republik verlorengingen. Im Oktober 2000 erwarb Altadis einen 50prozentigen Anteil an der Corporación Habanos, der Vertriebsorganisation der kubanischen Tabakindustrie, mit ihrem umfassenden internationalen Vertriebsnetz und festigte damit weiter seine bereits starke Position auf dem globalen Zigarrenmarkt.
von der Federación Agroalimentaria UGT:
Im Juli 1999 traf die Direktion von Tabacalera unter Berufung auf das Ziel, die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit des Unternehmens in den kommenden Jahren zu gewährleisten, die Entscheidung, einen Geschäftsplan einzuleiten, dessen Durchführung voraussichtlich am 31. Dezember 2002 abgeschlossen sein wird und Folgendes vorsieht:
Schließung von acht Fabrikbetrieben;
Bau zweier neuer Fabrikbetriebe:
- Zigaretten: Fabrikbetrieb Costa in Alicante;
- Zigaretten: Fabrikbetrieb Norte in Santander;
bis zu 2.150 Beschäftigte sind betroffen.
Vor diesem Plan verhandelten die Arbeitnehmervertreter und die Gewerkschaften das ganze Jahr 2000 über im Hinblick auf die Ermittlung sozialer und finanzieller Alternativlösungen, die die Auswirkungen des Geschäftsplans auf die Arbeitnehmer abfedern und auf ein Mindestmaß reduzieren sollten. Am 13. Dezember 2000 wurden ein Sozialplan und ein Protokoll zur Regelung der Beschäftigung vereinbart. Die hauptsächlichen Maßnahmen in diesen sind:
1. Vorgezogener Ruhestand: Dieser betrifft zwingend alle Beschäftigten über 55 Altersjahren der Gruppe Altadis in Spanien (Altadis + Logista).
Die finanziellen Bedingungen ermöglichen es den Beschäftigten, bis zum Ruhestand ein Einkommen beizubehalten, das ihrem derzeitigen Realeinkommen nahezu entspricht, und garantieren ihnen ein Ruhegehalt, das zwischen dem von der sozialen Sicherheit und dem vom Rentenplan vorgesehenen liegt und dem Einkommen entspricht, das ein aktiver Beschäftigter bezieht.
2. Versetzung von Beschäftigten unter 55 Altersjahren aus den zu schließenden Fabrikbetrieben. Diese Maßnahme geht einher mit einer finanziellen Entschädigung, um die Umzugs- und Wohnungskosten der Beschäftigten und ihrer Angehörigen zu mildern.
Dennoch wurden folgende freiwilligen Alternativlösungen für den Fall festgelegt, in dem sich die Versetzung für einen Beschäftigten als traumatisch erweisen sollte:
a) Entlassung mit Abfindung in einer Höhe, die über dem ge-setzlichen Mindestbetrag liegt;
b) Vorgezogener Ruhestand für Beschäftigte im Alter von 53 und 54 Jahren;
c) Aufnahme in ein Eingliederungs- und Ausbildungszentrum, finanziert vom Unternehmen, um dem Beschäftigten die Arbeit-suche ohne Versetzung zu erleichtern.
3. Freiwillige Abgänge mit Anreizen
Für Beschäftigte unter 55 Altersjahren und mehr als acht Dienstjahren im Unternehmen, mit Entschädigungen, die über den gesetzlich festgelegten Beträgen liegen.
4. Eingliederungs- und Ausbildungszentrum
Diese Maßnahme soll die Suche der von der Schließung ihres Betriebs betroffenen Beschäftigten am Arbeitsmarkt ermöglichen, wobei sich das Unternehmen verpflichtet, Alternativprojekte zu fördern, die in derselben Region Arbeitsplätze schaffen, die vorrangig den betroffenen Beschäftigten angeboten werden.
Es ist hervorzuheben, dass das Abkommen vorsieht, dass die von den Gewerkschaften vorgeschlagenen Alternativlösungen berücksichtigt werden.
Schließlich ist zu erwähnen, dass diese Maßnahmen Anfang Mai 2001 in Kraft traten. An diesem Datum erfolgten die ersten Entlassungen durch vorgezogene Pensionierung.
Nach Aushandlung, Abschluss und Durchführung des Sozialplans und ohne Be-rücksichtigung der enormen Bemühungen der Gewerkschaften und dessen Vor-bildcharakter sowohl in Bezug auf die Form als auch auf den Inhalt, hat das Unternehmen ALTADIS nun vor, eine Umstrukturierung durchzuführen, und – was schlimmer ist – eine neue Kultur der Arbeitgeber-Arbeitnehmer-Beziehungen einzuführen.
Diese neue Kultur beruht auf Zwang und auf fehlendem Dialog mit der Gewerk-schaftsvertretung und bricht daher mit dem Modell der Arbeitgeber-Arbeitneh-mer-Beziehungen in Bezug auf Verhandlungen und Konsens, die im Unternehmen bislang herrschten.
von der FGTA-FO:
Als Folge der Fusion der beiden Unternehmen Seita und Tabacalera gehört Seita seit fast zwei Jahren zu mehr als 95% zu Altadis, einem Konzern nach spani-schem Recht mit Sitz in Madrid.
Die Fusion hat bisher in keiner Weise die laufenden Umstrukturierungen aufge-halten. In einigen Bereichen, wie zum Beispiel in der Verwaltung, wurden Per-sonalkürzungen vorgenommen.
Wirtschaftliche Lage
Seita wirft seit sehr vielen Jahren Gewinne ab. Diese Gewinne dienen weit-gehend dazu, die Schulden des spanischen Mutterunternehmens Altadis auszu-gleichen.
Seita umfaßt nur noch drei Tätigkeitsbereiche. Der Bereich Streichhölzer wurde Anfang 2001 an ein tunesisches Unternehmen verkauft. Dieser Verkauf hatte die Aufhebung mehrerer Dutzend Arbeitsplätze zur Folge.
Ansonsten hat Seita bisher noch keine weiteren Schritte im Hinblick auf Betriebsschließungen unternommen.
Bereich Zigaretten
Der französische Markt weist nach wie vor eine negative Tendenz auf. Seita verliert weiterhin Marktanteile, im wesenlichen zu Gunsten von Philip Morris. Diese Marktanteilverluste sind zum überwiegenden Teil die Folge des ständigen Absatzrückgangs bei dunklem Tabak (rund 10% jährlich).
Der Export dagegen entwickelt sich gut. Heute exportiert Seita mehr blonde Zigaretten, als im Inland verkauft werden.
In Polen gibt es Schwierigkeiten wegen des Preiskriegs, der zu einem Rückgang des Marktvolumens von 17% geführt hat. Diese Lücke wird durch Schmuggel-ware gedeckt, deren Anteil sich von früher rund 5% bis Anfang 2000 auf 20% erhöht hat.
Schwierigkeiten sind auch in der Region Indischer Ozean zu erwarten. Hier hat ein schwindelerregender Preisanstieg einen drastischen Rückgang des Konsums um 30% zur Folge gehabt.
Bereich Zigarren
Dieser Bereich ist für Seita außerordentlich gewinnträchtig. Drei umfangreiche Transaktionen haben dazu geführt, daß Altadis innerhalb von drei Jahren welt-weit zur Nummer eins im Bereich Zigarren wurde: die Übernahme von Consolidated Cigars, die Fusion mit Havatampa und und die Übernahme von 50% von Habanos.
Seita ist mit 51,6% des Kapitals von Altadis USA (dem aus der Fusion von CCG und Havatampa hervorgegangenen Unternehmen) Mehrheitsaktionär. Paradox ist, daß Seita zwar Mehrheitsaktionär ist, die Leitung des Bereichs Zigarren von Altadis aber weiterhin von Madrid aus erfolgt.
Der Umsatz des Zigarrenbereichs von Seita hat sich von 72 Millionen Euro im Jahr 1998 auf 400 Millionen Euro im Jahr 2000 erhöht.
Mit 6 543 Arbeitnehmern zum 31.12.2000 entfiel die Hälfte der Beschäftigten von Seita auf den Bereich Zigarren.
Die Gründung von Altadis USA hatte zur Folge die Schließung von fünf Betrieben in Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaika und der Dominikanischen Republik.
Auf Zigarren entfielen im Jahr 2000 25% des Seita-Gesamtumsatzes.
Bereich Vertrieb
Der Seita-Vertriebsbereich umfaßt rund 80 000 Verkaufsstellen in Frankreich. Auf diesen Bereich entfielen 2000 17% des Gesamtumsatzes.
Konsolidierte Personalstärke der Seita-Gruppe
Im Jahr 2000 waren 6543 Arbeitnehmer/innen im Bereich Zigarren, 1681 Arbeitnehmer/innen im Bereich Vertrieb, 2816 Arbeitnehmer/nnen im Bereich Zigaretten sowie weitere 1471 Arbeitnehmer/innen (Zentrale, Forschung und
Entwicklung, Vorbehandlung usw.) tätig.
Die Belastung der Umsatzzahlen durch die gesamten Personalkosten geht aus fol-genden Gründen drastisch zurück:
* Personalverminderungen und Verjüngungen (ältere und damit teurere Arbeitnehmer/innen werden entlassen und junge und damit billigere Arbeitskräfte eingestellt (im Zusammenhang mit den Umstrukturierungen in Frankreich);
* Produktivitätsgewinne vor allem bei Zigaretten und beim Vertrieb in Frankreich;
* Zunahme zu Niedriglöhnen beschäftigter Arbeitnehmer in den ausländischen Niederlassungen.
Seit mehr als einem Jahr verhandeln die Gewerkschaften über die Errichtung eines Europäischen Betriebsrates. Diese Verhandlungen machen keinerlei Fortschritte. Auf Konzernebene besteht kein politischer Wille, ein solches Vertretungsorgan wirklich zu schaffen.
BAT
Im abgelaufenen Jahr hat BAT durch Investitionen in neue Bauten in Korea (nachdem das staatliche Monopol im Juli 2001 gefallen war), ein Gemeinschaftsunternehmen für die Errichtung eines Tabakverarbeitungsbetriebs in Vietnam und den Erwerb von Land in der chinesischen Provinz Sechuan für die Errichtung einer Zigarettenfabrik seine Tätigkeit in Asien aggressiv ausgebaut. Der koreanische Betrieb mit einer Jahreskapazität von mehr als 7 Milliarden Zigaretten wird die bereits bestehenden BAT-Betriebe in Malaysia, Singapur und Kambodscha ergänzen, während der chinesische Betrieb nach seiner Fertigstellung als Brückenkopf für die Eroberung des chinesischen Marktes mit 300 Millionen Kunden dienen soll. Außerdem hat BAT vor kurzem auf dem türkischen Markt Fuß gefaßt, indem es eine Partnerschaftsvereinbarung mit zwei lokalen Unternehmen über die Herstellung von BAT-Marken eingegangen ist, und angekündigt, es wolle eine Zigarettenfabrik in Serbien bauen, die dazu dienen solle, den Schmuggel auf dem Balkan einzudämmen. Diese Pläne sind jedoch zunächst zurückgestellt worden, nachdem sie von europäischen Zollstellen öffentlich kritisiert worden waren, weil die Präsenz einer Zigarettenfabrik im Zentrum des Schwarzhandels dem Schmuggel nur weiteren Auftrieb geben würde. In diesem Zusammenhang sei daran erinnert, daß gegen BAT zur Zeit eine Untersuchung im Vereinigten Königreich wegen des Vorwurfs einer Beteiligung an Schmuggelgeschäften läuft.
Eine Reihe von Gewerkschaften berichtete über Versuche von BAT zur Aushöhlung der Gewerkschaftsrechte. Im Zusammenhang mit ihrer Ankunft in der Türkei kamen BAT-Vertreter mit Tekgida-Is in der Region Ismir zusammen und unterrichteten sie, dass sie keine Gewerkschaften in ihren Betrieben wünschten. In Uruguay ist BAT bestrebt, dem Tabakarbeitgeberverband beizutreten – jedoch nur unter der Bedingung, dass sie vom Branchentarifvertrag befreit wird. Im April 2001, als FENTIFUMO bei der Gesundheitsbehörde darauf drang, eine Arbeitsschutzuntersuchung im brasilianischen Tochterunternehmen von BAT, Souza Cruz, durchzuführen, zwang das Unternehmen das Aufsichtspersonal, vorbereitete Schreiben zu unterzeichnen, in denen sie sich weigerten, an der Prüfung teilzunehmen, und sich von etwaigen Ergebnissen distanzierten.
Zur Zeit arbeitet BAT im Rahmen seiner sogenannten "Strategie der Unternehmensverantwortung" an einem Kodex der Beschäftigungsgrundsätze. Der Entwurf, der der IUL als Mitglied eines "externen Beraterteams" übermittelt wurde, enthält fragwürdige Formulierungen über das Recht der Arbeitnehmer, sich durch "vom Unternehmen anerkannte Gewerkschaften" vertreten zu lassen, und erwähnt in keiner Weise die Möglichkeit von Kollektivverhandlungen. Die IUL hat dem Unternehmen mitgeteilt, daß sie grundsätzlich keine Stellungnahmen zu einseitigen Verhaltensordnungen abgibt.
Gallaher
Das im Vereinigten Königreich beheimatete Tabakunternehmen expandiert seit einiger Zeit weit über seine traditionellen Märkte im Vereinigten Königreich und Irland hinaus. Nachdem es 1999 in Kasachstan Fuß gefaßt und den größten russischen Zigarettenproduzenten Liggett-Ducat übernommen hat, schloß es im August 2000 eine Vertriebsvereinbarung mit Shanghai Tobacco, einem Unternehmen, das zur China National Tobacco Corporation gehört, wonach Gallaher künftig die führende chinesische Zigarettenmarke in Städten des Vereinigten Königreich mit einem hohen chinesischen Bevölkerungsanteil, Shanghai Tobacco dagegen die Gallaher-Marke Sobranie in China vertreiben wird. Mit der Übernahme von Austria Tabak hat das Unternehmen Zugang zu neuen Märkten in ganz Europa gewonnen, vor allem in Österreich, Ungarn, Deutschland, Schweden und den baltischen Ländern. Parallel zu seinem Vordringen auf dem internationalen Markt mußte Gallaher allerdings seine Position als Marktführer im Vereinigten Königreich an Imperial abtreten.
Imperial
Ganz im Einklang mit der branchenweiten Tendenz, Übernahmen und Investitionen in Regionen zu tätigen, in denen die Diskussion über Gesundheitsgefahren und Einschränkung des Tabakkonsums noch sehr zaghaft ist, hat Imperial einen 75prozentigen Anteil An Tobaccor, dem zweitgrößten Zigarettenunternehmen in Afrika südlich der Sahara erworben. Tobaccor produziert und vertreibt seine eigenen Marken und außerdem Marken von Altadis, BAT und Philip Morris in Lizenz und hat ferner eine Lizenz- und Vertriebsvereinbarung in Vietnam geschlossen.
Japan Tobacco
Aufgrund der negativen Entwicklung des Zigarettenmarktes in Europa und, konkreter, wegen des Rückgangs des Umsatzes und des Verlustes an Marktanteilen seiner Marken beschloss das multinationale Unternehmen Japan Tobacco die Schließung seines Fabrikbetriebs auf der Insel La Palma.
Diese Schließung wurde bereits vorgenommen und hatte einen Verlust von 185 direkten Arbeitsplätzen zur Folge, und zwar zu finanziellen Bedingungen, die über den von der spanischen Gesetzgebung für diese Fälle vorgesehenen Beträgen liegen, mit der Schaffung eines Finanzfonds zu Lasten des Unternehmens für die Ausbildung und Umschulung der betroffenen Arbeitnehmer und sogar mit der Möglichkeit der Versetzung in Fabrikbetriebe in Trier (Deutschland), auf der iberischen Halbinsel und den Kanarischen Inseln selbst.
Philip Morris
Im Juli begann Philip Morris mit dem Bau einer Zigarettenfabrik auf den Philippinen - seinem größten Investitionsprojekt in Asien - in der bis 2003 mehr als 1 000 Arbeitsplätze geschaffen werden sollen. Einen Monat später machte das Unternehmen Schlagzeilen, als seine tschechische Tochtergesellschaft eine Studie veröffentlichte, in der die Kostenersparnisse für die tschechische Regierung durch die "frühe Sterblichkeit" in Folge des Rauchens dargelegt wurden. Der Bericht war von dem Unternehmen in Auftrag gegeben worden, nachdem in der Tschechischen Republik Besorgnisse über die hohen Kosten der medizinischen Versorgung der Opfer durch Rauchen verursachter Krankheiten laut geworden waren.
Privatisierung
Austria Tabak
Im Rahmen ihrer Privatisierungspläne gab die österreichische Regierung im Jahr 2000 bekannt, sie wolle ihren restlichen Anteil an dem ehemals staatlichen Unternehmen Austria Tabak veräußern. Die österreichische Gewerkschaft der Landwirtschafts-, Nahrungsmittel- und Tabakarbeitnehmer ANG kämpfte an vorderster Front gegen den Verkauf eines Unternehmens, das hochwertige Arbeitsplätze bietet und dessen gewinnträchtige inländische und internationale Geschäfte und Linzenzverträge dem Staat beträchtliche Einnahmen bringen. Nach wilden Spekulationen in der Finanzpresse, wer wohl den Anteil erwerben werde (Altadis, Gallaher und Imperial hatten Gebote eingereicht), erwarb das im Vereinigten Königreich beheimatete Unternehmen Gallaher im Juni 2001 die noch im Regierungsbesitz verbleibenden Anteile und hat seither seinen Anteil an Austria Tabak auf 98% erhöht.
Im August kündigte Austria Tabak an, es werde seinen Betrieb in Malmö (1999 von Swedish Match übernommen) in Schweden schließen. Dieser Beschluß, eine seiner vier Fertigungsstätten (die übrigen drei befinden sich in Österreich) zu schließen, wurde mit der Notwendigkeit begründet, die Produktion zu konzentrieren, um die Produktivität zu steigern und weiterhin wettbewerbsfähig zu bleiben. Trotz der Erkenntnisse einer von der Gewerkschaft in Auftrag gegebenen Studie, aus der hervorging, dass die Schließung des Betriebs in Malmö nicht die vorteilhafteste Option für Austria Tabak war, und der Gewerkschaftsbemühun-gen, den Betrieb zu retten, war das Unternehmen nicht bereit, seine Entscheidung zu überprüfen. Die Gewerkschaften arbeiteten rasch, um angemessene Abfindungen für die von der Schließung betroffenen 350 Beschäftigten zu sichern, bevor Gallaher die Verantwortung übernehmen würde. Laut Aussagen der schwedischen Lebensmittelarbeitnehmer-Gewerkschaft Livs war die Entscheidung, den schwedischen Betrieb zu schließen, politischer Natur und wurde angesichts des Privatisierungsgesetzes in Österreich getroffen, das Bestimmungen für den Schutz der Beschäftigung in privatisierten Unternehmen enthält.
Korea Tobacco & Ginseng
Nach der Lockerung der für die südkoreanische Tabakindustrie geltenden Gesetze im Juli 2001 sieht sich das ehemalige Monopolunternehmen nunmehr der Konkurrenz der TNKs ausgesetzt. Philip Morris und Japan Tobacco beherrschen zusammen bereits 10% des Marktes, doch werden ihre Möglichkeiten, weitere Marktanteile zu gewinnen, dadurch beeinträchtigt, daß gleichzeitig mit der Aufhebung des Monopols ein Zoll auf Importzigaretten eingeführt wurde. BAT ist in einer besseren Wettbewerbssituation, da das Unternehmen seinen eigenen Fertigungsbetrieb in Korea baut. KT&G dürfte jedoch von der Liberalisierung am stärksten profitieren, da das Unternehmen nunmehr die Zigarettenpreise frei festsetzen und Tabak selektiv kaufen kann. Früher mußte es für jede Preiserhöhung die Zustimmung der Regierung einholen und war verpflichtet, die gesamte jährliche Tabakernte Koreas abzunehmen. Auch mit Hilfe seines gut entwickelten Vertriebsnetzes dürfte KT&G noch auf Jahre hinaus erfolgreicher sein als die TNKs.
Tekel (Türkei)
Unter dem Druck der internationalen Finanzinstitutionen (Weltbank und IWF) leitete die türkische Regierung in den Neunzigerjahren einen Prozess zur Privati-sierung der staatseigenen Industrieunternehmen ein. Dieser von den Gewerkschaften heftig angefochtene Prozess wird zurzeit in der Tabakindustrie durchgeführt, wobei das türkische Tabakmonopol Tekel kontrolliert wird, das nun in einem ersten Schritt der Privatisierungsbehörde unterstellt wurde. Die IUL-Mitgliedsorganisation in der Türkei, Tekgida-Is, schloss sich mit Tabakanbauer-, Staatsbediensteten- und Verbraucherorganisationen zusammen, um die Privatisierungsvorhaben der Regierung und ihre Unterlassung, sich mit allen beteiligten Gruppen zu beraten, zu verurteilen. Trotz dieser allgemeinen massiven Kritik verabschiedete das Parlament kürzlich einen Gesetzgebungsentwurf, der darauf abzielt, den Privatisierungsprozess zu beschleunigen. Der Präsident der Türkei legte indessen aus sozialen, wirtschaftlichen und verfassungsmäßigen Gründen sein Veto gegen die Gesetzesvorlage ein. Der Kampf gegen die Privatisierung in der Türkei hatte eine nie dagewesene Zusammenarbeit zwischen den drei nationalen Gewerkschaftszentralen Türk-Is, Disk und Hak-Is, zur Folge.
Tabaco: Acontecimientos de la industria
01-Dec-2001Altadis
Altadis, creada mediante la fusión de Seita y Tabacalera a fines de 1999, se promueve actualmente a sí misma como “la compañía tabacalera de Europa”. A continuación de la venta del negocio de los de fósforos a principios del 2001, la compañía ahora se concentra en tres actividades fundamentales: cigarrillos (el 3er fabricante mayor de Europa), cigarros (número 1 en el mundo) y logística. Los planes de reestructuración iniciados antes de la fusión por las compañías integrantes han llegado a una terminación provisoria, sin nuevos cierres anunciados en Francia para este año, así como un plan social que ha sido acordado en diciembre del 2000 con relación al cierre de 8 plantas en España. Se ofrecieron paquetes de jubilación a unos 1.600 trabajadores y se brindaron oportunidades de redistribución del personal o asistencia de servicio de empleo en otras firmas a otros 700. En el sector de los cigarros, las ex empresas Consolidated Cigar y Havatampa adquiridas en 1998 por Seita y Tabacalera, respectivamente, fueron fusionadas en el 2000 para constituir Altadis USA, con la resultante pérdida de 5 fábricas en Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica y República Dominicana. En octubre del 2000, Altadis adquirió una participación del 50% en el ramo de comercialización de la industria tabacalera de Cuba, Corporación Habanos, y en su extendida red de distribución internacional, acrecentando así su posición ya fuerte en el mercado global de los cigarros.
Informe sobre Altadis presentado por la Federación Agroalimentaria UGT
En el mes de julio de 1999, invocando como objetivo garantizar la competitividad de la Empresa en los próximos años, la Dirección de Tabacalera tomó la decisión de poner en marcha un Plan Industrial cuya ejecución se prevé finalizar a 31 de diciembre del año 2002, que supone:
Cierre de ocho fábricas
Construcción de dos nuevas fábricas:
- Cigarrillos: Fábrica Costa en Alicante
- Cigarrillos: Fábrica Norte en Santander
Hasta 2.150 trabajadores afectados
Ante este Plan, la representación de los trabajadores y los Sindicatos, negociaron durante todo el año 2000 la búsqueda de alternativas sociales y económicas que amortiguan y minimizan el impacto sobre los trabajadores del Plan Industrial, acordándose el 13 de diciembre de 2000 un Plan Social y Expediente de Regulación de Empleo cuyas principales medidas son las siguientes:
1. Prejubilaciones: que afectan con carácter forzoso a todos los trabajadores mayores de 55 años del Grupo Altadis en España (Altadis+Logista)
Las condiciones económicas, permiten a los trabajadores mantener hasta la jubilación unos ingresos muy próximos a su salario real actual, y garantizar una pensión entre la derivada de la Seguridad Social y el Plan de Pensiones, en línea con lo que le correspondería como trabajador en activo.
2. Traslados para los trabajadores menores de 55 años de las fábricas que cierran. La medida va acompañada de indemnización económica para paliar los gastos de traslado y vivienda de los trabajadores y de sus familias.
No obstante, en previsión de que a algún trabajador el traslado le resulte traumático, se establecen las siguientes alternativas, con carácter voluntario:
a) Baja indemnizada, con cantidades superiores al mínimo legal
b) Prejubilación para trabajadores con 53 y 54 años de edad
c) Integración en un Centro de Integración y Formación, financiado por la empresa, para facilitar al trabajador la búsqueda de un empleo sin traslado.
3. Bajas Incentivadas Voluntarias
Para trabajadores de menos de 55 años de edad y más de 8 años de antigüedad en la empresa, con indemnizaciones superiores a las establecidas legalmente.
4. Centro de Integración y Formación
Con el objetivo de posibilitar la investigación en el mercado de trabajo de los trabajadores afectados por el cierre de su centro, para lo que la empresa se compromete a promover proyectos alternativos que generen empleo en la misma zona, que se ofrecerán, con carácter prioritario, a los trabajadores afectados.
Es importante destacar que el acuerdo estipula que se tendrán en consideración las alternativas que propongan los Sindicatos.
Por último, cabe señalar que estas medidas han entrado en vigor en los primeros días del mes de mayo pasado, fecha en la que han empezado a producirse las primeras bajas por prejubilaciones.
Una vez negociado, acordado y puesto en marcha el Plan Social y sin tener en cuenta el enorme esfuerzo realizado por los Sindicatos y la forma modélica en la que se ha culminado, tanto por las formas como por su contenido, la empresa ALTADIS, pretende imponer un cambio organizativo y, lo que es más grave, una nueva cultura en las relaciones laborales.
Se basa esa nueva cultura en la imposición y la falta de diálogo con la representación sindical, rompiendo así el modelo de relaciones laborales de negociación y consenso que, hasta ahora, imperaban en la empresa.
Informe sobra Seita/Altadis presentado por la FGTA-FO
Pronto harán dos años que la Seita se convirtió en una filial (en más de un 95%) perteneciente a Altadis, después de la fusión de las antiguas empresas Seita y Tabacalera. Por derecho, el grupo Altadis es español y su sede social está situada en Madrid.
Hasta el presente, la fusión no entorpeció en absoluto las reestructuraciones. En ciertos ámbitos, como ser los servicios administrativos, hubo disminución de efectivos.
Situación económica
Hace ya muchos años que Seita es una empresa rentable. Por otra parte, las ganancias son muy útiles para compensar las deudas de la empresa matriz española Altadis.
La Seita está compuesta sólo de tres ramas de actividad. La actividad fósforos fue vendida a una empresa tunecina a principios del año 2001. Esto se tradujo en varias decenas de supresiones de empleos.
En el 2001 y hasta el día de hoy, la Seita no ha proyectado ningún otro procedimiento de cierre de establecimientos.
Actividad cigarrillos
El mercado francés se mantiene dentro de una tendencia negativa. La Seita continúa perdiendo partes de mercado, beneficiando principalmente a Philip Morris. En su mayoría, esas partes de mercado son el resultado de la disminución constante en las ventas de tabaco negro (± 10% por año).
En la exportación, la Seita se desarrolla. Hoy en día, las exportaciones de cigarrillos rubios son superiores a las ventas en el mercado nacional.
Aparecieron dificultades en Polonia debido a la guerra de precios que condujo a una detracción en el mercado de un 17%, compensada por el contrabando, el que pasó de un 5% a un 20% del mercado polaco a principios del 2000.
Otras dificultades a prever en el Océano Índico: la escalada vertiginosa de precios en detrimento de la cantidad global, lo que trajo como consecuencia un descenso de un 30% en el consumo.
Actividad cigarros
Esta actividad es muy rentable para la Seita. A lo largo de 3 años, tres operaciones de envergadura ubicaron al grupo Altadis en la posición número uno mundial del cigarro: adquisición de Consolidated Cigars, fusión con Havatampa y adquisición de un 50% de Habanos. El grupo Seita terminó siendo el accionista mayoritario con un 51,6% del capital de Altadis USA (empresa surgida de la fusión de CCH y Havatampa). Lo que es paradójico es que la Seita es mayoritaria pero la dirección de la rama cigarros de Altadis está situada en Madrid.
El volumen de negocios de la rama cigarros del grupo Seita pasó de 72 M€ en 1998 a 400 M€ en el 2000.
La afiliación de la rama cigarros en el grupo Seita representan la mitad de los efectivos, con 6.543 trabajadores al 31/12/2000.
La creación de Altadis USA trajo como consecuencia el cierre de 5 fábricas: Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica y República Dominicana.
En el año 2000, el volumen de negocios de la rama cigarros fue de un 25% en el grupo Seita.
Actividad distribución
La actividad distribución del grupo Seita representa ± 80.000 puntos de venta en Francia. La actividad distribución representó un 17% del volumen de negocios del grupo Seita en el 2000.
Efectivos del grupo Seita
En el año 2000 los cigarros representaron 6.543 trabajadores/as, en distribución 1.681 trabajadores/as, en cigarrillos 2.816 trabajadores/as y otros 1.471 trabajadores /as (Sede Central, R&D, DAL, Pre-elaboración).
El peso de los gastos de personal estables en el volumen de negocios está en baja con motivo de:
Reducción de efectivos y efectos noria (despido de trabajadores/as de más edad y por lo tanto más costosos/as para la empresa y contratación de jóvenes menos costosos) asociados a las reestructuraciones en Francia;
Ganancias de productividad obtenidas principalmente en el sector cigarrillos y en la distribución en Francia;
Aumento de efectivos con bajos salarios en las filiales del extranjero.
Desde hace más de un año, las organizaciones sindicales negocian la creación de un Comité de Empresa Europeo. Esta negociación no ha avanzado. A nivel del grupo, no existe una real voluntad política que lleve a la creación de este órgano representativo.
BAT
Durante el año pasado, BAT ha estado ampliando agresivamente sus negocios en Asia, mediante inversiones en una nueva construcción en Corea (después del levantamiento del monopolio gubernamental en julio del 2001), una empresa conjunta para edificar una planta de procesamiento de tabaco en Vietnam y la adquisición de tierras en la Provincia de Sichuan en China para la construcción de una planta manufacturera de cigarrillos. Las instalaciones coreanas, que contarán con una capacidad anual de más de 7 mil millones de cigarrillos, se sumarán a las instalaciones existentes de BAT en Malaisia, Singapur y Camboya, en tanto que se espera que las instalaciones chinas, una vez edificadas, habrán de servir como cabecera de playa para las futuras conquistas de la compañía en el potente mercado chino de 300 millones. Por otra parte, BAT ha ingresado recientemente al mercado turco mediante un contrato de asociación con dos compañías locales para producir marcas de BAT y anunció sus planes de edificar una planta manufacturera de cigarrillos en Serbia, lo que contribuiría ostensiblemente a combatir el comercio del contrabando en los Balcanes. Estos planes, sin embargo, han sido suspendidos luego de las críticas públicas por parte de las autoridades aduaneras europeas, quienes alegan que la presencia de una planta de fabricación de cigarrillos en el centro del comercio del mercado negro únicamente habrá de incrementar el nivel del contrabando. Se debe recordar que BAT está siendo investigada en el RU bajo alegatos de estar implicada en el contrabando.
Una serie de organizaciones sindicales ha comunicado los intentos de BAT de debilitar paulatinamente los derechos sindicales. En relación con su arribo a Turquía, los representantes de BAT se han reunido con Tekgida-Is en la región de Yzmir y le informaron que no estaban a favor de contar con organizaciones sindicales en sus plantas. En Uruguay, BAT está interesada en incorporarse a la asociación de empleadores del tabaco -pero sólo bajo la condición de que sea exonerada del convenio colectivo sectorial. En abril del 2001 en Brasil, cuando FENTIFUMO exigió a la autoridad de salud pública que llevara a cabo una auditoria sobre salud y seguridad en la subsidiaria brasileña Souza Cruz de BAT, la compañía coaccionó al personal de supervisión para que hiciera firmar cartas ya preparadas a todos los/as funcionarios/as, expresando su rechazo en cooperar con la auditoría y a tomar distancia de todo resultado o, de lo contrario, correrían el riesgo de perder sus empleos.
BAT está en proceso de desarrollar un código de principios de empleo dentro del marco de lo que denomina su “estrategia empresarial de responsabilidad”. El proyecto, que ha sido recibido para ser comentado por la UITA, como integrante de un “equipo externo de consulta”, contiene una redacción dudosa acerca del derecho de los/as trabajadores/as a ser representados por "sindicatos reconocidos por la compañía” y no hace mención alguna de conversaciones o de negociaciones colectivas. La UITA ha informado a la compañía respecto a su política de no realizar comentarios sobre códigos unilaterales de conducta.
Gallaher
La compañía tabacalera con sede en el RU se ha expandido recientemente mucho más allá de sus mercados tradicionales del RU e Irlanda. Tras su ingreso en Kazajstán en 1999 y su adquisición del mayor fabricante de cigarrillos de Rusia, Liggett-Ducat, en agosto del 2000, ha concretado un acuerdo de comercialización con Shanghai Tobacco, que integra la Corporación Tabacalera Nacional de China, bajo cuyas condiciones Gallaher distribuye la principal marca de cigarrillos de calidad superior de China en las ciudades del RU con muchos habitantes chinos, en tanto que Shanghai Tobacco comercializa la marca Sobranie de Gallaher en China. La adquisición de Austria Tabak por parte de la empresa le proporciona mercados adicionales a través de Europa, especialmente en Austria, Hungría, Alemania, Suecia y los países bálticos. No obstante haber acrecentado su participación en el mercado internacional, Gallaher ha perdido su posición de liderazgo en el mercado del RU frente a Imperial.
Imperial
Continuando la tendencia de la industria hacia las adquisiciones e inversiones en regiones aún libres de trabas por las pláticas en torno a los riesgos para la salud y el control del tabaco, Imperial ha adquirido una participación del 75% en la segunda compañía de cigarrillos más grande de África subsahariana, Tobaccor. Además de su propia fabricación y distribución, Tobaccor también produce marcas de Altadis, BAT y Philip Morris bajo permiso y mantiene un acuerdo de concesión y distribución en Vietnam.
Japan Tobacco
Basándose en la negativa evolución del mercado de cigarrillos en Europa, y más concretamente en la caída de ventas y pérdida de cuota de mercado de sus marcas, la multinacional Japan Tobacco, decidió el cierre de su factoría en la isla de La Palma.
Cierre que ya se ha hecho efectivo y que ha supuesto la pérdida de 185 puestos de trabajo directos, en unas condiciones económicas superiores a lo que prevé la legislación española para estos supuestos, la creación de un fondo económico a cargo de la empresa, para la formación y el reciclaje de los trabajadores afectados, e incluso la posibilidad de traslado a la fábrica de Trier (Alemania), la Península española y las propias Islas Canarias.
Philip Morris
En julio, Philip Morris inició la construcción de una fábrica de cigarrillos en Filipinas – su mayor proyecto de inversión en Asia – el cual para el 2003, habrá de emplear más de 1.000 trabajadores/as. Un mes después, la firma fue noticia cuando su subsidiaria checa divulgó un estudio que detallaba los ahorros en los costos de la República Checa debido a la “temprana mortandad”, como resultado del hábito de fumar. El informe había sido encargado por la compañía, como reacción a las inquietudes surgidas en la República Checa acerca del alto costo de los servicios de salud a ser brindados a las víctimas de las enfermedades relacionadas con el hábito de fumar.
Privatizaciones
Austria Tabak
Como parte de sus planes de privatización, el gobierno austríaco anunció en el 2000 su intención de vender su restante participación en Austria Tabak, anteriormente de propiedad estatal. La organización sindical de trabajadores/as agrícolas, tabacaleros y de la alimentación de Austria, ANG, estuvo a la vanguardia de las protestas contra la venta de una compañía que proporciona empleo de calidad y cuyos negocios internos e internacionales, así como sus acuerdos de concesiones, producen rentas públicas importantes para el estado. Tras mucha especulación en la prensa financiera acerca de quién obtendría la participación (Altadis, Gallaher e Imperial habían presentado ofertas), Gallaher, con sede en el RU, adquirió las acciones de propiedad gubernamental en junio del 2001, habiendo desde entonces incrementado su posesión de Austria Tabak al 98%.
En agosto, Austria Tabak anunció la clausura de sus instalaciones en Malmö, Suecia, adquirida a Swedish Match en 1999. La decisión de cerrar una de sus cuatro plantas manufactureras (las otras tres se encuentran en Austria) fue adoptada a raíz de la entendida necesidad de concentrar la producción, a los efectos de incrementar la productividad y seguir siendo competitiva. A pesar de las conclusiones de un estudio encargado por los sindicatos, que demostraba que el cierre de la planta de Malmö no era la opción más ventajosa para Austria Tabak y los esfuerzos sindicales para salvar la planta, la compañía no lo quiso reconsiderar. Las organizaciones sindicales se movieron rápidamente para lograr disposiciones favorables sobre indemnizaciones por cese de empleo para los 350 trabajadores/as afectados por el cierre, antes de que Gallaher asumiera la responsabilidad. Según la organización sindical de trabajadores/as de la alimentación de Suecia, Livs, la decisión de clausurar la planta sueca fue de carácter político, adoptada contra el trasfondo de la ley de privatización en Austria, la cual incluye disposiciones para la protección del empleo en las compañías privatizadas.
Korea Tobacco & Ginseng (KT&G)
Tras la liberalización de la legislación sobre la industria tabacalera en Corea del Sur en julio del 2001, actualmente la ex compañía monopólica está enfrentando la competencia de las CTNs. Philip Morris y Japan Tobacco ya cuentan en conjunto con un 10% del mercado, pero la introducción de un arancel sobre los cigarrillos importados coincidiendo con el levantamiento del monopolio debilitará su potencial para expandir su participación en el mercado. BAT ocupa una posición mejor para competir, ya que ha invertido en la construcción de su propia planta de fabricación en terreno coreano. Sin embargo, se espera que KT&G sea la gran beneficiaria de la liberalización, ya que ahora será capaz de fijar libremente los precios de los cigarrillos y comprar tabaco en forma selectiva. Anteriormente, la compañía debía obtener la aprobación del gobierno para cada suba de precio y estaba obligada a adquirir la cosecha anual íntegra de tabaco de Corea. La red de distribución bien establecida de KT&G la mantendrá también muy en la delantera de las CTNs por muchos años más.
Tekel (Turquía)
Bajo la presión de las instituciones financieras internacionales (Banco Mundial y FMI), el gobierno de Turquía se embarcó en un proceso de privatización de las industrias de propiedad estatal en los años 90. Este proceso, que es altamente disputado por los sindicatos, está ahora siendo implementado en la industria del tabaco, con la transferencia actual del control del monopolio turco del tabaco, Tekel, a la autoridad privatizadora, como un primer paso. La afiliada de la UITA en Turquía, Tekgida-Is se ha unido a las organizaciones de los agricultores del tabaco, de los funcionarios públicos y de los consumidores para denunciar los planes de privatización del gobierno y su fracaso en consultar a todos los grupos de los actores sociales. A pesar de esta condena popular masiva, el parlamento ha aprobado recientemente el proyecto de legislación destinado a acelerar el proceso de privatización; esta ley, sin embargo, ha sido vetada por el Presidente de Turquía por motivos sociales, económicos y constitucionales. La lucha contra la privatización en Turquía ha producido una cooperación sin precedentes entre las tres centrales laborales nacionales, Türk-Is, Disk y Hak-Is.
Tabac: Évolutions de l’industrie
01-Dec-2001Altadis
Altadis, issue de la fusion entre Seita et Tabacalera à la fin de 1999, se présente maintenant comme «la société de tabac de l’Europe». Après la vente de ses activités dans le secteur des allumettes, la société se concentre aujourd’hui sur trois activités de base: les cigarettes (3e fabricant en importance en Europe), les cigares (premier producteur mondial) et la distribution. Les plans de restructuration engagés par les deux sociétés avant la fusion ont été temporairement mis de côté; aucune nouvelle fermeture n’a été annoncée en France cette année et un plan social a été conclu en décembre 2000 à l’égard de la fermeture de huit établissements en Espagne. Un programme de retraite anticipée a été offert à quelques 1 600 salariés/es tandis que 700 autres se voyaient offrir une relocalisation ou une aide au reclassement. Dans le secteur du cigare, les anciennes sociétés Consolidated Cigar et Havatampa, acquises respectivement par Seita et par Tabacalera en 1998 ont été fusionnées en 2000 pour former Altadis USA, ce qui a entraîné la fermeture de cinq usines au Honduras, au Nicaragua, en Jamaïque et en République dominicaine. En octobre 2000, Altadis a racheté 50% de l’organe de commercialisation de l’industrie cubaine du cigare, Corporación Habanos, et de son immense réseau de commercialisation international, améliorant encore sa position déjà avantageuse sur le marché mondial du cigare.
Rapport sur Altadis présenté par la Federación agroalimentaria UGT
Au mois de juillet 1999, la direction de Tabacalera a pris la décision d’introduire un plan de reconversion industriel dont la mise en œuvre devrait prendre fin le 31 décembre 2002, dans le but avoué de préserver la compétitivité de l’entreprise dans les années à venir. Ce plan prévoit :
La fermeture de huit usines
La construction de deux nouvelles usines :
- cigarettes : usine Côte, à Alicante
- cigarettes : usine Nord, à Santander
Près de 2150 travailleurs seront touchés par le plan.
Suite à l’annonce de ce plan, les représentants des travailleurs et les syndicats ont négocié durant toute l’année 2000 la mise en œuvre de mesures sociales et économiques visant à amortir et minimiser les retombées du plan de reconversion sur les travailleurs. Le 13 décembre, les partenaires sociaux sont parvenus à s’entendre sur un plan social et sur des mesures de reconversion, dont voici les points saillants :
1. Retraites anticipées : obligatoires pour tous les travailleurs du groupe Altadis Espagne (Altadis+Logista) âgés de plus de 55 ans
Grâce à ces mesures économiques, les revenus des travailleurs pourront être maintenus à un niveau très proche de leur salaire réel actuel jusqu’à la retraite. Les travailleurs percevront par la suite une rente, versée en partie par la sécurité sociale et en partie par le régime de retraite, dont la globalité approchera également la rente qu’ils toucheraient s’ils étaient restés en activité.
2. Transferts. Les travailleurs de moins de 55 ans travaillant dans les usines qui seront fermées bénéficieront d’une aide économique en vue du déménagement et du relogement du travailleur et de sa famille.
Cependant, l’entreprise propose, au choix, les alternatives suivantes aux travailleurs qui ne supporteraient pas un tel transfert :
a)Indemnisations de licenciement supérieures au minimum légal
b)Retraite anticipée pour les travailleurs âgés de 53 et 54 ans
c)Admission dans un centre de réinsertion et de formation à la charge de l’entreprise, pour faciliter la recherche d’un nouvel emploi pour les travailleurs qui ne souhaiteraient pas déménager.
3. Encouragements au départ volontaire
Offerts aux travailleurs de moins de 55 ans ayant plus de 8 ans d’ancienneté dans l’entreprise, avec des indemnités supérieures au minimum légal.
4. Centre de réinsertion et de formation
Afin de faciliter les recherches effectuées sur le marché de l’emploi par les travailleurs touchés par la fermeture d’un centre de production, l’entreprise s’engage à promouvoir des initiatives permettant de créer des emplois qui seraient offerts prioritairement aux travailleurs touchés par les fermetures dans la même région.
Il convient de remarquer que l’accord prévoit que les initiatives proposées par le syndicats seront dûment prises en considération.
Enfin, il convient de rappeler que ces mesures ont d’ores et déjà commencé à être appliquées au début du mois de mai dernier, lorsque les premières mises en retraite anticipée ont commencé à prendre effet.
Après avoir négocié et mis en œuvre le plan social, et faisant fi de l’effort considérable consenti par les syndicats pour parvenir à une solution exemplaire, du point de vue de la forme comme du contenu, l’entreprise ALTADIS entend introduire un changement d’organisation et, qui plus est, une nouvelle culture dans le domaine du dialogue social.
Cette nouvelle culture prévoit l’imposition des décisions prises en l’absence de tout dialogue avec les représentants syndicaux, en rupture évidente avec le modèle de négociation et de compromis qui prévalait jusque là au sein de l’entreprise.
Rapport sur Seita/Altadis présenté par la FGTA-FO
La Seita est depuis bientôt deux ans une filiale à plus de 95% d’Altadis, suite à la fusion d’égale à égale des deux sociétés qu’étaient Seita et Tabacalera. Le groupe Altadis est de droit espagnol et le siège social se situe à Madrid.
Ce rapport ne parle que du groupe Seita.
La fusion n’a en rien, à ce jour, ralentit les restructurations. Dans certains domaines, comme les services administratifs, il y a eu resserrement des effectifs.
Situation économique
La Seita est une société bénéficiaire depuis de très nombreuses années. Les bénéfices sont d’ailleurs fort utiles pour compenser les dettes de la société mère espagnole Altadis.
La Seita n’est plus composée que de trois branches d’activités. L’activité allumettes a été vendue à une société tunisienne au début de l’année 2001. Cela s’est traduit par plusieurs dizaines de suppressions d’emplois.
En 2001, et à ce jour, la Seita n’a pas engagé d’autre procédure de fermeture d’établissement.
Activité cigarettes
Le marché français reste sur une tendance négative. La Seita continue à perdre des parts de marché, au profit essentiellement de Philip Morris. Ces pertes de marchés résultent pour une très large part de la diminution constante des ventes de tabac brun (± 10% par an).
À l’exportation, la Seita se développe. Aujourd’hui les exportations de cigarettes blondes sont supérieures à celles vendues sur le marché domestique.
Des difficultés sont apparues en Pologne du fait de la guerre des prix qui a conduit à un recul du marché de 17% compensé par la contrebande, passée d’environ 5% à 20% du marché polonais début 2000.
Autres difficultés à prévoir dans l’Océan Indien: la montée vertigineuse des prix au détriment des volumes qui a entraîné une chute de 30% de la consommation.
Activité cigares
Cette activité est très profitable pour la Seita. Trois opérations d’envergure ont, en 3 ans, conféré au groupe Altadis la position de numéro un mondial du cigare: acquisition de Consolidated Cigars, fusion avec Havatampa et acquisition de 50% de Habanos. Le groupe Seita se retrouve l’actionnaire majoritaire avec 51,6% du capital d’Altadis USA (société issue de la fusion de CCH et Havatampa). Le paradoxe est que la Seita est majoritaire mais la direction de la branche cigares d’Altadis est localisée à Madrid.
Le chiffre d’affaire économique de la branche cigares du groupe Seita est passé de 72 M€ en 1998 à 400 M€ en 2000.
Les effectifs de la branche cigares dans le groupe Seita représentent la moitié des effectifs avec 6543 salariés au 31/12/2000.
Il faut signaler que la création d’Altadis USA a eu comme conséquence la fermeture de 5 usines: Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaïque, République dominicaine.
Le chiffre d’affaire économique de la branche cigares a été de 25% dans le groupe Seita au titre de l’année 2000.
Activité distribution
L’activité distribution du groupe Seita représente ± 80 000 points de vente en France. L’activité distribution a représenté 17% du chiffre d’affaire économique du groupe Seita en 2000.
Effectifs consolidés du groupe Seita
En 2000 les cigares représentent 6543 salariés/es, la distribution 1681 salariés/es, les cigarettes 2816 salariés/es et autres 1471 salariés/es (Siège, R&D, DAL, Prétraitement).
Le poids des frais de personnel consolidés dans le Chiffre d’affaire économique est en forte baisse en raison:
Des réductions d’effectifs et des effets noria (on licencie des salariés/es âgés/es donc plus chers/ères et on embauche des jeunes donc moins chers/ères) liés aux restructurations en France;
Des gains de productivité réalisés principalement dans les cigarettes et la distribution en France;
De l’accroissement des effectifs à bas salaires dans les filiales à l’étranger.
Depuis plus d’un an, les organisations syndicales négocient la mise en place d’un comité d’entreprise européen. Cette négociation n’avance pas. Il n’existe pas de véritable volonté politique au niveau du groupe pour faire aboutir ce dispositif de représentation.
BAT
Au cours de l’année écoulée, BAT a poursuivi le développement de ses activités en Asie avec la construction d’une usine en Corée (à la suite de la levée du monopole gouvernemental dans ce pays en juillet 2000), la constitution d’une coentreprise en vue de la construction d’une usine de transformation du tabac au Vietnam et l’acquisition de terrains dans la province du Sichuan en Chine pour la construction d’une usine de cigarettes. L’usine coréenne, qui aura une capacité annuelle de plus de sept milliards de cigarettes, viendra s’ajouter à la capacité de production déjà existante de BAT en Malaisie, à Singapour et au Cambodge, alors que l’usine chinoise, une fois construite, devrait servir de tête de pont pour la conquête du marché chinois, fort de 300 millions de fumeurs/euses. En outre, BAT a récemment fait son entrée en Turquie grâce à une entente de partenariat avec deux sociétés locales pour la production des produits BAT et annoncé des plans en vue de la construction d’une usine de cigarettes en Serbie, une décision de toute évidence destine à combattre la contrebande dans les Balkans. Ces plans ont toutefois été mis en veilleuse à la suite des critiques formulées par les autorités douanières européennes, qui prétendent que la présence d’une usine de cigarette au cœur du marché noir ne pourra qu’alimenter la contrebande. On se rappellera que BAT fait l’objet d’une enquête au Royaume-Uni suite à des allégations de participation à la contrebande.
Un certain nombre de syndicats ont signalé des tentatives d’atteintes aux droits syndicaux de la part de BAT. Dans le cadre de l’entrée de la société sur le marché turc, des représentants de BAT ont rencontré l’organisation syndicale Tekgida-Is dans la région de Ýzmir et l’ont informée qu’ils ne souhaitaient pas la présence d’un syndicat dans leurs usines. En Uruguay, BAT souhaite vivement se joindre à l’association des employeurs du secteur du tabac – à la condition de n’être pas liée par la convention collective sectorielle. Enfin, en avril 2001, lorsque FENTIFUMO a amené les autorités sanitaires à effectuer une enquête sur les conditions de santé et de sécurité au travail chez la filiale brésilienne de BAT Souza Cruz, la société a obligé le personnel d’encadrement à signer des lettres indiquant qu’ils refusaient de coopérer à l’enquête et qu’ils se dissociaient à l’avance des résultats.
BAT a entrepris la rédaction d’un code de principes d’emploi dans le cadre de ce que la société appelle sa «stratégie de responsabilité corporative». Le projet, que l’UITA a reçu pour commentaires à titre de membre d’un «groupe consultatif externe», contient des dispositions de formulation ambiguë sur le droit des travailleurs/euses d’être représentés/es par un «syndicat reconnu par la société» et ne fait aucune mention du droit à la négociation ou à la négociation collective. L’UITA a informé BAT de sa politique de ne faire aucun commentaire sur les codes de conduite unilatéraux.
Gallaher
Cette société de tabac basée au Royaume-Uni a récemment entrepris d’étendre ses activités bien au-delà de ses marchés traditionnels de Grande-Bretagne et d’Irlande. Après son entrée au Kazakhstan en 1999 et l’acquisition du principal fabricant de cigarettes de Russie, Liggett-Ducat, en août 2000, la société a conclu avec Shanghai Tobacco (une division de China National Tobacco Corporation) un accord de commercialisation aux termes duquel Gallaher assurera la distribution de la principale marque de prestige de Chine dans les villes anglaises comptant une forte population chinoise tandis que Shanghai Tobacco commercialisera la marque Sobranie de Gallaher en Chine. L’acquisition d’Austria Tabak ouvre à Gallaher de nouveaux marchés en Europe, plus particulièrement en Autriche, en Hongrie, en Allemagne, en Suède et dans les pays de la Baltique. Pendant qu’elle marquait des points sur le marché international, Gallaher a toutefois perdu aux mains d’Imperial sa position de tête au Royaume-Uni.
Imperial
Suivant la tendance de l’industrie de procéder à des acquisitions et à des expansions dans des régions du globe qui n’ont toujours pas été touchées par le discours sur les risques pour la santé et la lutte antitabac, Imperial a pris une participation de 75% dans Tobaccor, deuxième producteur de cigarettes en importance en Afrique sub-saharienne. En plus de fabriquer et de distribuer ses propres marques, Tobaccor fabrique sous licence des produits d’Altadis, BAT et Philip Morris et dispose d’un accord de licence et de distribution au Vietnam.
Japan Tobacco
En raison des mauvaises perspectives du marché européen de la cigarette, et notamment de la chute des ventes et la perte de parts de marché de ses marques, la multinationale Japan Tobacco a décidé de fermer son usine de l’île de La Palma.
La fermeture, qui a déjà eu lieu, a entraîné dans son sillage la suppression de 185 emplois directs. Les mesures économiques mises en œuvre ont toutefois été plus favorables que celles prévues par la législation en vigueur en Espagne. L’entreprise a notamment mis sur pied un fonds économique pour la formation et la reconversion des travailleurs touchés par la mesure et a même offert la possibilité d’un transfert à un autre centre de production, soit ses usines de Trier (Allemagne), celles de la péninsule Ibérique, voire celles des îles Canaries.
Philip Morris
En juillet, Philip Morris a entrepris la construction d’une usine de cigarettes aux Philippines – son plus important investissement en Asie – qui devrait employer plus de 1 000 travailleurs/euses en 2003. Un mois plus tard, la société a fait les manchettes lorsque sa filiale tchèque a publié les résultats d’une étude donnant le détail des économies réalisées par la République tchèque en raison des «décès anticipés» causés par la cigarette. Le rapport avait été commandé par la société en réponse aux préoccupations soulevées en République tchèque par le coût élevé des soins de santé dispensés aux victimes de maladies reliées au tabac.
Privatisation
Austria Tabak
Dans le cadre de ses programmes de privatisation, le gouvernement autrichien a manifesté en 2000 son intention de se départir du reste de ses intérêts dans l’ancienne société Austria Tabak. Le syndicat autrichien de l’agriculture, de l’alimentation et du tabac ANG a pris la tête du mouvement de protestation contre la vente d’une société qui offrait des emplois de qualité et dont les activités nationales et internationales rentables ainsi que les ententes de production sous licence rapportaient des revenus importants à l’État. Après beaucoup de spéculations dans la presse financière quant à l’identité de l’acquéreur (Altadis, Gallaher et Imperial avaient présenté des offres), c’est Gallaher, du Royaume-Uni, qui a finalement repris la participation du gouvernement. La société a depuis porté son intérêt dans Austria Tabak à 98%.
En août, Austria Tabak a annoncé la fermeture de son usine de Malmö en Suède (acquise de Swedish Match in 1999). La décision de fermer l’une des quatre usines de la société (les trois autres étant situées en Autriche) a été prise en raison de la nécessité perçue de concentrer la production afin d’augmenter la productivité et de préserver la position concurrentielle de la société. En dépit des constats d’une étude commandée par le syndicat, qui démontraient que la fermeture de l’usine de Malmö ne constituait pas la solution la plus avantageuse pour Austria Tabak, et des efforts du syndicat pour sauver l’usine, la société a refusé de reconsidérer sa décision. Les syndicats ont agi rapidement pour assurer de bonnes conditions de licenciement aux 350 travailleurs/euses touchés/es par la fermeture avant la reprise par Gallaher. Selon le syndicat suédois des travailleurs/euses de l’alimentation, Livs, la décision de fermer l’usine suédoise est une décision politique prise dans le contexte de la loi sur les privatisations en Autriche, laquelle contient des mesures de protection de l’emploi dans les sociétés privatisées.
Korea Tobacco & Ginseng
Suite à la libéralisation des lois régissant l’industrie du tabac de la Corée du Sud en juillet 2000, l’ancien monopole doit maintenant faire face à la concurrence des STN. Philip Morris et Japan Tobacco détiennent déjà à elles deux 10% du marché, mais l’introduction d’un tarif douanier sur les cigarettes importées en parallèle avec la levée du monopole viendra réduire leur capacité de gagner des parts de marchés. BAT est toutefois en meilleure position en raison de son investissement dans la construction de ses propres installations de production en sol coréen. KT&G devrait toutefois être la principale bénéficiaire de la libéralisation, puisqu’elle sera maintenant en mesure d’établir librement le prix des cigarettes et d’acheter son tabac sans contraintes. Auparavant, la société devait obtenir la permission du gouvernement pour chaque hausse de prix et était obligée d’acheter la totalité de la production coréenne de tabac. Le réseau de distribution bien établi de KT&G lui permettra également de rester loin devant les STN pendant plusieurs années encore.
Tekel (Turquie)
Au cours des années 90, sous la pression des institutions financières internationales (Banque mondiale et FMI), le gouvernement turc a entrepris de privatiser les entreprises d’État. Fortement contesté par les syndicats, le processus touche maintenant l’industrie du tabac, le contrôle du monopole des tabacs turc ayant dans une première étape été transféré à l’autorité de privatisation. L’affiliée de l’UITA en Turquie, Tekgida-Is, a uni ses forces à celles des organisations de cultivateurs de tabac, de fonctionnaires et de consommateurs/trices afin de dénoncer le programme de privatisation du gouvernement et l’absence de consultation de l’ensemble des intervenants du secteur. Malgré un condamnation populaire massive, le parlement turc a récemment adopté un projet de loi visant à accélérer le processus de privatisation. Le Président turc a toutefois opposé son veto au projet de loi, citant des motifs sociaux, économiques et constitutionnels. La lutte contre la privatisation en Turquie a suscité une coopération sans précédent entre les trois centrales nationales Türk-Is, Disk and Hak-Is.
Tobak: Udviklinger inden for industrien
01-Dec-2001Altadis
Altadis, der er resultatet af fusionen mellem Seita og Tabacalera i slutningen af 1999, promoverer sig nu som “den europæiske tobaksvirksomhed”. Efter frasalget af tændstikforretningen i begyndelsen af 2001 fokuserer virksomheden nu på tre kerneområder: cigaretter (3. største producent i Europa), cigarer (nummer 1 i verden) og logistik. De omstruktureringsplaner, der blev iværksat af komponentvirksomhederne før fusionen, er blevet stoppet midlertidigt uden at der er annonceret nye lukninger i Frankrig i år og en socialplan er blevet afsluttet i december 2000 i forbindelse med lukningen af 8 produktionssteder i Spanien. Godt 1.600 arbejdere fik tilbudt fratrædelsesløsninger, mens andre 700 fik tilbud om at blive omplaceret eller jobsøgningsassistance. Inden for cigarsektoren fusionerede de tidligere virksomheder Consolidated Cigar og Havatampa, der blev opkøbt af hhv. Seita og Tabacalera i 1998, i 2000 og blev til Altadis USA med det resultat, at 5 fabrikker gik tabt i Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica og Den Dominikanske Republik. I oktober 2000 købte Altadis 50% af interesserne i den cubanske tobaksindustris marketingdel, Corporación Habanos, og i dens omfattende internationale distributionsnet, hvorved virksomheden fik forbedret sin allerede stærke position på det globale cigarmarked.
Rapport over Altadis v/ Federación Agroalimentaria UGT
I juli 1999 besluttede Tabacaleras direktion under henvisning til virksomhedens mål om at sikre konkurrenceevnen de kommende år, at iværksætte en forretningsplan, som forventes gennemført med udgangen af år 2002 og omfatter følgende punkter:
Lukning af 8 fabrikker;
Bygning af 2 nye fabrikker:
- cigaretfabrikken Costa i Alicante;
- cigaretfabrikken Norte i Santander;
op til 2150 ansatte vil blive berørt.
Før vedtagelsen af denne plan forhandlede arbejdstagerrepræsentanterne og fagforeningerne gennem hele år 2000 for at tilvejebringe alternative sociale og økonomiske løsningsmodeller, som kunne afbøde forretningsplanens indvirkning på arbejderne og reducere dem til et absolut minimum. Den 13. December 2000 vedtog man en social plan og en beskæftigelsesprotokol, herunder følgende hovedtiltag:
1. Fremskudt pensionering: For alle ansatte over 55 år hos Altadis i Spanien (Altadis + Logista).
De økonomiske vilkår gør, at de ansatte kan opretholde en indtægt frem til pensionsalderen, der tilnærmelsesvis svarer til den realløn, de havde ved førpensioneringen. De sikres således en pensionsindtægt, der ligger et sted mellem, hvad der kan opnås gennem det sociale sikkerhedsnet og det der er forudset i pensionsplanen, svarende til det beløb ansat ville kunne tjene.
2. Forflytning af ansatte under 55 år fra de lukningstruede fabrikker. De berørte medarbejdere og deres familie ydes samtidig en økonomisk godtgørelse som kompensation for ekstraordinære flytte- og boligudgifter i den forbindelse.
Derudover er der aftalt følgende alternative løsninger for de med-arbejdere, for hvem en forflytning ville være traumatisk:
a) Afskedigelse med en godtgørelse, der ligger over det lovbestemte mindstebeløb;
b) Førpensionering af ansatte i alderen 53-54 år;
c) Optagelse på et indslusnings- og uddannelsescenter betalt af virksomheden for at forbedre de ansattes muligheder for at søge andet arbejde.
3. Frivillig afgang med økonomisk incitament
Større godtgørelser end fastsat ved lov til alle ansatte under 55 år og med mere end 8 års ancienitet i virksomheden.
4. Indslusning- og uddannelsescentre
Dette tiltag skal være med til at gøre det nemmere for de berørte medarbejdere at finde anden beskæftigelse. Virksomheden forpligter sig til at fremme alternative projekter, der kan være med til at skaffe nye arbejdsplader i den berørte region, arbejdspladser, der først og fremmest skal tilbydes de berørte medarbejdere.
Det skal her pointeres, at det i aftalen bestemt, at der skal tages hensyn til de af fagforeningerne foreslåede alternative løsninger.
Endelig kan nævnes, at disse tiltag trådte i kraft i begyndelsen maj 2001 og at de første afskedigelser med henblik på førpensionering blev iværksat ved samme lejlighed.
Efter at have færdigforhandlet og gennemført socialplanen og uden at tage hensyn til fagforeningernes voldsomme bestræbelser og det forbillede de kunne have været i såvel form som indhold, har virksomheden ALTADIS besluttet sig for at gennemføre en omstrukturering og – hvad værre er – at indføre en ny arbejdstager-arbejdsgiver-kultur.
Denne nye kulturform bygger på tvang og på manglende dialog med fag-forenings-ledelsen og bryder således med arbejdsgiver-arbejdstager-modellen med for-handling og konsekvens, der hidtil har hersket i virksomhederne.
Rapport over Seita/Altadis v/ FGTA-FO
Seita har nu i næsten to år været et mere end 95% ejet datterselskab af Altadis efter fusionen af de to jævnbyrdige virksomheder Seita og Tabacalera. Altadis-gruppen er registreret i Spanien og har sit hovedkontor i Madrid.
Indtil videre har fusionen ikke betydet noget for omstruktureringen. Den forsætter i uændret tempo. På en række områder som f.eks. administrative servicefunktioner har fusionen tværtimod betydet en yderligere reduktion i personalet.
Den økonomiske situation
Seita har været et profitabelt foretagende i rigtig mange år. Virksomhedens overskud er meget nyttigt, idet det opvejer underskuddet i det spanske moderselskab Altadis.
Seita har kun tre forretningsområder tilbage. Tændstikforretningen blev solgt fra til en tunesisk virksomhed i begyndelsen af 2001, hvilket betød at en række arbejdspladser gik tabt.
Indtil videre har virksomheden ikke bebudet flere lukninger i indeværende år.
Cigaretforretningen
Det franske marked er fortsat vigende, og Seita taber fortsat markedsandele, først og fremmest til Philip Morris. Dette tab af markedsandele udgør størstedelen af den stadige tilbage-gang i salget af mørk tobak (± 10% årligt).
Seita er i gang med at udvikle sine eksportmarkeder, og eksportsalget af cigaretter af Virginia-tobak overstiger nu det hjemlige salg.
Der er opstået vanskeligheder i Polen oven på priskrigen, som betød en 17% tilbagegang i markedet. Situationen er blevet udnyttet af smuglere, hvis polske markedsandel er steget fra ca. 5% til hele 20% i begyndelsen af 2000.
Andre problemer kan forudses i regionen omkring det Indiske Ocean, hvor bratte prisstigninger har ført til en nedgang i forbruget på 30%.
Cigarforretningen
Denne forretningsenhed er forsat meget givtig for Seita. Tre storstilede tiltag udført de seneste tre år har gjort Altadis-gruppen til nummer et på verdensmarkedet inden for cigarer: Købet af Consolidated Cigars, den efterfølgende fusion med Havatampa, og købet af 50% af interesserne i Habanos.
Med en aktiepost på 51.6% er Seita-gruppen nu Altadis USA’s største aktionær (som følge af fusionen med CCH et Havatampa). Paradokset her er, at mens Seita nu er den største aktionær i USA, sidder ledelsen af cigarforretningen fortsat i Madrid.
Det samlede salg for Seita-grupens cigarforretning er steget fra 72 millioner Euro i 1998 til 400 millioner EURO i 2000.
Med sine 6.543 ansatte pr. 31. december 2000 beskæftiger cigarforretningen halvdelen Seita-gruppens ansatte.
Skabelsen af Altadis USA førte til lukning af fem fabrikker i hhv. Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica og Den Dominikanske Republik.
Cigarforretningen tegnede sig for 25% af Seita-gruppens samlede salg i regnskabsåret 2000.
Distribution
Seita’s distributionsnetværk omfatter ± 80.000 salgssteder i Frankrig. Distributionen tegnede sig for 17% af Seita-gruppens samlede salg i 2000.
Samlede antal beskæftigede
I 2000 var der 6.543 beskæftiget med cigarproduktion, 1.681 med salg, 2.816 med cigaretproduktion og 1.471 med andre aktiviteter (hovedkontoret (HQ), R&D, DAL og bladforarbejdning).
Posten personaleudgifter er i Seita-gruppens samlede økonomiske resultat faldet som følge af:
Personalereduktion og praksis med at afskedige ældre, mere vellønnede medarbejdere og erstatte dem med yngre, lavere lønnede medarbejdere i forbindelse med omstruktureringen i Frankrig;
Produktionsforbedringer, hovedsageligt inden for cigaretforretningen og i distributionen i Frankrig;
Stigning i antallet af lavtlønsarbejdere i udenlandske datterselskaber.
Fagforeningerne har forhandlet med virksomheden om at etablere et europæisk samarbejdsudvalg i mere end et år. Forhandlingerne kommer imidlertid ikke ud af stedet, da der ikke er nogen reel politisk vilje hos Seita-gruppen til at skabe et sådant organ.
BAT
BAT har det seneste år været meget aggressiv i sin bestræbelser på at udvide sin forretning i Asien, idet der er foretaget investeringer i nye fabrikker i Korea (efter at statsmonopolet blev ophævet i juli 2001), er gået ind i et joint venture samarbejde om at bygge en tobaksforarbejdningsfabrik i Vietnam og har købt land i den kinesiske Sichuan-provins for der at kunne bygge en cigaretfabrik. Den koreanske fabrik, som har en årskapacitet på mere end 7 milliarder cigaretter, vil forøge BATs allerede eksisterende produktionskapacitet i Malaysia, Singapore og Kambodia, mens den kinesiske fabrik, når den engang står færdig, forventes at skulle fungere som brohoved for virksomhedens fremtidige konkurrence på det kinesiske marked med sine 300 millioner indbyggere. Derudover har BAT for nylig gået ind på det tyrkiske marked ved at indgå et samarbejdsaftale med to lokale virksomheder om at producere BATs mærker, og har annonceret, at man forventer at bygge en cigaretfabrik i Serbien, som skulle kunne være med til at imødegå smuglervirksomheden på Balkan. Disse planer er imidlertid blevet udskudt som følge af offentligheden kritik på vegne af de europæiske toldmyndigheder, som mener, at tilstedeværelsen af en cigaretfabrik lige der, hvor sortbørshandlen foregår, kun vil intensivere smuglerierne. Der mindes om, at der i England foregår undersøgelser af BAT, som beskyldes for at være indblandet i smuglerierne.
En række fagforeninger har rapporteret om forsøg fra BATs side på at underminere de fagforeningssikrede rettigheder. I forbindelse med deres ankomst til Tyrkiet har BAT-repræsentanter haft møde med Tekgida-Is i Ýzmir-regionen og meddelt dem, at de ikke ønskede fagforeningerne repræsenteret i deres fabrikker. I Uruguay har BAT været meget interesseret i at blive medlem af tobakindustriens arbejdsgiverforening, men kun hvis de kunne blive undtaget fra den kollektive overenskomst på området. Og i april 2001, da FENTIFUMO tilskyndede miljøministeriet til at gennemføre et miljøbesøg i BATs brasilianske datterselskab Souza Cruz, tvang virksomheden tilsynspersonalet til at underskrive nogle præfabrikerede breve, hvori de nægter at samarbejde med myndighederne og tog afstand fra de resultater de måtte komme frem til.
BAT er i gang med at udvikle en kodeks for beskæftigelsesprincipper inden for den ramme som virksomheden kalder “strategi for virksomhedernes social ansvar”. Udkastet, som IUL har modtaget for kommentarer som del af et “eksternt rådgivende team”, omtaler i et noget tvivlsomt sprog arbejdernes ret til at være medlem af “fagforeninger”, og nævner overhovedet ikke noget om forhandling eller kollektive overenskomster. IUL har orienteret virksomheden om dens politik om ikke at kommentere ensidigt bestemte adfærdsregler.
Gallaher
Tobaksvirksomheden Gallaher, som har hjemme i England, har for nylig udvidet sine aktiviteter til markeder langt fra de traditionelle markeder i England og Irland. Efter at være kommet ind på markedet i Kazakstan i 1999 og efter at have opkøbt den største russiske cigaretproducent, Liggett-Ducat, i august 2000, har virksomheden indgået en marketingsaftale med Shanghai Tobacco, der er en del af China National Tobacco Corporation. Aftalen går ud på, at Gallaher distribuerer Kinas førende præmie-cigaretmærke i engelske byer med en stor kinesisk befolkningsgruppe, og Shanghai Tobacco markedsfører til gengæld Gallahers Sobranie-mærke i Kina. Opkøbet af Austria Tabak udvider virksomhedens europæiske markeder yderligere, herunder især Østrig, Ungarn, Tyskland, Sverige og de baltiske lande. Mens Gallaher har vundet markedsandele på det internationale marked, har virksomheden mistet sin markedsførende position i England til Imperial.
Imperial
Imperial har købt 75% af interesserne i Tobaccor, den næststørste cigaretvirksomhed Afrika syd for Sahara, og følger dermed den tendens der er i industrien til at foretage opkøb og investeringer i regioner, der endnu ikke er belemret med foredrag om sundhedsfarer og tobakskontrol. Ud over egen produktion og distribution producerer Tobaccor også Altadis’, BATs og Philip Morris’ mærker under licens og har en licens og distributionsaftale i Vietnam.
Japan Tobacco
På grund af den negative udvikling i det europæiske cigaretmarked og mere konkret på grund af faldende omsætning og tab af markedsandele, når det gælder egne varemærker, besluttede det multinationale foretagende Japan Tobacco at lukke fabrikken på Insel La Palma.
Denne lukning er allerede gennemført og har betydet, at 185 arbejdspladser er gået tabt. Omkostningerne til godtgørelse af arbejderene har i den forbindelse ligget over det niveau, den spanske lovgivning har fastsat for sådanne tilfælde, idet der er oprettet en økonomisk fond financieret af virksomheden, som har til formål at uddanne og omskole de berørte medarbejdere eller give dem mulighed for at blive overflyttet til fabrikken i Trier (Tyskland), på den iberiske halvø eller De Kanariske Øer.
Philip Morris
I juli måned begyndte Philip Morris at bygge en cigaretfabrik i Filippinerne – virk-somhedens største investeringsprojekt i Asien – som i 2003 vil beskæftige mere end 1.000 medarbejdere. En måned senere skabte virksomheden overskrifter, da dens tjekkiske datterselskab offentliggjorde en undersøgelse, som gjorde rede for, hvorledes den Tjekkiet kunne spare på grund af “tidlig dødelighed” som følge af rygning. Rapporten var et bestillingsarbejde fra Philip Morris som svar på den bekymring der var i Tjekkiet for høje udgifter i sundhedsvæsenet til at hjælpe ofrene for rygningsrelaterede sygdommen.
Privatisering
Austria Tabak
Som led i virksomhedens privatiseringsplaner, annoncerede den østrigske regering i 2000 at den ønsker at sælge sin resterende andel i det tidligere statsejede Austria Tabak. Den østrigske fagforening for landbrugs-, fødevare- og tobaksarbejdere ANG gik forrest i protesterne mod salget af en virksomhed, der udbyder kvalitetsjobs og hvis profitable hjemlige og internationale handel og licensaftaler giver vigtige indtægter til staten. Efter mange spekulationer i den financielle presse om, hvem der kunne tænke sig at overtage interesserne (Altadis, Gallaher og Imperial havde afgivet bud), købte den engelsk baserede virksomhed Gallaher de statsejede aktier i juni 2001 og har siden forøget sin ejerandel af Austria Tabak til 98%.
I august annoncerede Austria Tabak, at den ønskede at lukke sin fabrik i Malmö i Sverige (købt af Swedish Match i 1999). Beslutningen om at lukke det ene af dens fire produktionssteder (de tre øvrige er beliggende i Østrig ) blev truffet, fordi det er nødvendigt at koncentrere produktionen for at øge produktiviteten og for at forblive konkurrencedygtig. Til trods for resultaterne af en undersøgelse bestilt af fagforeningen, som viste, at lukningen af fabrikken i Malmö ikke var den mest givtige løsning for Austria Tabak og fagforeningens bestræbelser på at redde fabrikken, ønskede virksomheden ikke at genoverveje situationen. Fagforeningerne handlede hurtigt for at sikre gode fratrædelsesbetingelser for de 350 berørte arbejdere før Gallaher ville påtage sig ansvaret. I følge den svenske fagforening for næringsmidler Livs, var beslutningen om at lukke den svenske fabrik politisk med baggrund i den østrigske lovgivning om privatisering, som indeholder bestemmelser, der skal beskytte arbejderne ansat i private virksomheder.
Korea Tobacco & Ginseng
Som følge af liberaliseringen af den sydkoreanske tobaksindustris love i juli 2001, oplever den tidligere monopolvirksomhed nu konkurrence fra TNCs. Philip Morris og Japan Tobacco har allerede en 10% markedsandel til sammen, men en prisliste over importerede cigaretter, som blev introduceret samtidig med at monopolet blev ophævet, vil svække deres mulighed for at erobre markedsandele. BAT er bedre positioneret til at konkurrere, idet virksomheden har investeret i egen fabrik på koreansk jord. KT&G forventes imidlertid at være den som vil nyde størst gavn af liberaliseringen, idet virksomheden nu frit vil kunne fastsætte cigaretpriserne og opkøbe tobak efter eget valg. Tidligere måtte virksomheden søge om regeringsgodkendelse af hver eneste prisstigning og var forpligtet til at købe hele den koreanske årsproduktion af tobak. KT&Gs veletablerede distributionsnet vil også være med til at holde afstand ned til TNCs i mange år fremover.
Tekel (Tyrkiet)
Efter pres fra Verdensbanken og Den Internationale Valutafond begyndte den tyrkiske regering i 1990erne at privatisere statsejede industrier. Privatiseringen, der bekæmpes inderligt af fagforeningerne, er nu nået til tobaksindustrien, hvor kontrollen af det tyrkiske tobaksmonopol Tekel nu som et første skridt på vejen er overdraget til til den myndighed, der forestår privatiseringen. IULs afdeling i Tyrkiet Tekgida-Is har sluttet sig sammen med tobaksbøndernes, de offentlig ansattes og forbrugernes organisationer for at gå imod regeringens privatiseringsplaner og for at kritisere den for ikke at have rådført sig med alle interessegrupper. Til trods for denne massive folkelige fordømmelse, er parlamentet for nylig fremkommet med lovforslag, der har til formål at speede privatiseringsprocessen up; den tyrkiske præsident har imidlertid nedlagt veto mod lovforslaget af sociale, økonomiske og forfatningsmæssige grunde. Den tyrkiske kamp mod privatisering har ført et ikke tidligere set samarbejde mellem de tre nationale organisationer Türk-Is, Disk og Hak-Is.
Tobacco: Developments in the industry
01-Dec-2001Altadis
Altadis, created through the merger of Seita and Tabacalera in late 1999, now promotes itself as “the European tobacco company”. Following the sale of the match business in early 2001, the company now focuses on three core activities: cigarettes (3rd largest manufacturer in Europe), cigars (number 1 in the world) and logistics. The restructuring plans initiated by the component companies before the merger have come to a provisional end with no new closures announced in France this year and a social plan having been concluded in December 2000 in connection with the closure of 8 sites in Spain. Some 1,600 workers were offered retirement packages and 700 were offered redeployment opportunities or outplacement assistance. In the cigar sector, the former Consolidated Cigar and Havatampa businesses acquired in 1998 by Seita and Tabacalera respectively were merged in 2000 to form Altadis USA with the resulting loss of 5 factories in Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. In October 2000, Altadis acquired a 50% share in the Cuban tobacco industry’s marketing arm, Corporación Habanos, and in its extensive international distribution network, thus enhancing its already strong position on the global cigar market.
The following is from the Federación Agroalimentaria UGT:
In July 1999, on the grounds that they needed to guarantee the company’s competitiveness in the coming years, management decided to implement an industrial plan that they expect to complete on 31 December 2002. It involves:
the closure of 8 factories;
the construction of 2 new factories:
cigarettes (Coast Factory at Alicante);
cigarettes (North Factory at Santander);
up to 2150 workers affected.
When the plan was put to them, the workers’ representatives and the trade unions negotiated throughout 2000 in an attempt to find social and economic alternatives that would cushion and minimise the impact of the industrial plan on workers, and on 13 December 2000, a social plan was agreed upon. The main provisions of the plan are as follows:
1. Early retirement: compulsory for all employees over 55 of Altadis in Spain (i.e. Altadis + Logista)
Financial arrangements enabling workers to maintain earnings close to their current real salary until retirement, and guaranteeing a pension to an amount fixed between that of the state pension and the company pension, in line with what they would have been entitled to as active employees.
2. Transfers for workers under 55 from the factories closing down. This scheme was accompanied by financial benefits to cover the moving and housing expenses of workers and their families.
However, in acknowledgement of the fact that some workers might find a transfer too traumatic an experience, the following alternative arrangements were made available on a voluntary basis:
a) a severance payment higher than the statutory minimum;
b) early retirement for workers aged 53 and 54;
c) attendance at a job training centre funded by the company, designed to help workers find employment without transferring.
3. Voluntary severance payment
For workers under 55 with more than 8 years’ seniority in the company, and benefits higher than the statutory minima.
4. Job and Training Centre
This measure should facilitate job-hunting for the workers affected by the closures, whereby the company commits itself to promoting projects that will generate jobs in the local area, and which will be offered on a priority basis to affected workers.
It is important to note that the agreement states that consideration will be given to proposals put forward by the trade unions.
Lastly, it is worth recalling that these measures came into force in early May, at a time when the first early retirements were beginning to take effect.
After the social plan had been negotiated, agreed and implemented, and without any acknowledgement of the very considerable work put in by the trade unions, or the fact that it was a model plan in terms of both form and content, Altadis decided to impose organisational changes and, worse still, a new labour relations culture.
This new culture is based on a newly imposed lack of dialogue with trade union representatives, and therefore a break with the model of labour relations by negotiation and consensus that had previously prevailed in the company.
The following is from FGTA-FO:
Seita has been for almost two years now a 95%-plus subsidiary of Altadis, following the merger of equals between Seita and Tabacalera. The Altadis Group has been incorporated under Spanish law and has its head office in Madrid.
So far, the merger has done nothing to slow down the pace of restructuring. In a number of areas, such as administrative services, there has actually been a further reduction in personnel.
Economic situation
Seita has been profitable for a great many years. Its profits play a very useful role in counterbalancing the debts of the Spanish corporate parent Altadis.
Seita has only three business lines left. The matches business was sold to a Tunisian company in early 2001, resulting in the loss of several dozen jobs.
So far in 2001, the company has not announced any more closings.
Cigarette business
The French market continues its downward trend, and Seita continues to lose market share, mostly to Philip Morris. This loss of market share accounts for most of the steady decrease in sales of dark tobacco. (± 10% per year).
Seita is developing its export markets, with export sales of Virginia tobacco cigarettes now outweighing domestic sales.
Difficulties have appeared in Poland following a price war that led to a 17% decrease in the market, with the slack taken up by contraband, which has soared from around 5% to 20% of the Polish market in early 2000.
Other problems may be forecasted in the Indian Ocean region, where steep price hikes have caused a 30% decline of consumption.
Cigar business
This business line remains highly profitable for Seita. Three large-scale operations conducted over three years have made the Altadis Group number one worldwide in cigars: the acquisition of Consolidated Cigars, followed by the merger with Havatampa and the acquisition of a 50% interest in Habanos. At 51.6%, the Seita Group has now become the majority shareholder of Altadis USA (born of the merger of CCH and Havatampa). The paradox here is that while Seita is the majority shareholder, the management of the cigar business remains in Madrid.
Total sales for the Seita Group cigar business have gone from 72 M€ in 1998 to 400 M€ in 2000. With 6,543 employees at Dec. 31, 2000, the cigar business accounts for half the employment in the Seita Group.
The creation of Altadis USA resulted in the closure of five plants in Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.
The cigar business accounted for 25% of the Seita Group total sales for fiscal 2000.
Distribution
The Seita distribution network includes ± 80 000 sales locations in France. Distribution accounted for 17% of the Seita Group overall sales in 2000.
Employment figures
In 2000, cigars accounted for 6,543 employees, distribution for 1,681 employees, cigarettes for 2,816 employees and other activities (HQ, R&D, DAL, leaf processing) for 1,471 employees.
The weight of consolidated personnel expenses in the Group’s overall financial results is decreasing due to:
Staff reductions and the practice of laying off of older, well-paid employees to hire younger, lower-paid employees linked to the restructuring in France;
Productivity gains, mainly in the cigarette business as well as distribution in France;
The increase in the number of low-wage workers in foreign subsidiaries.
For over a year, trade unions have been negotiating with the company the creation of a European Works Council. These negotiations are going nowhere. There is no real political will on the part of the Group to establish this representation structure.
BAT
Over the past year, BAT has been aggressively developing its business in Asia through investments in new construction in Korea (following the lifting of the government monopoly in July 2001), a joint venture to build a tobacco processing plant in Vietnam and the purchase of land in China’s Sichuan Province for the construction of a cigarette manufacturing plant. The Korean facility, which will have an annual capacity of over 7 billion cigarettes, will add to BAT’s existing facilities in Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia, while the Chinese facility, once it is built, is expected to serve as a beachhead for the company’s future conquest of the 300-million-strong Chinese market. In addition, BAT has recently entered the Turkish market through a partnership agreement with two local companies to produce BAT brands, and announced plans to build a cigarette manufacturing plant in Serbia which should ostensibly help combat the Balkan smuggling trade. Those plans, however, have been put on hold following public criticism on the part of European customs officials, who contend that the presence of a cigarette manufacturing plant in the hub of the black market trade will only boost the level of smuggling. It will be recalled that BAT is under investigation in the UK on allegations of involvement in smuggling.
A number of unions have reported attempts by BAT to undermine trade union rights. In connection with their arrival in Turkey, BAT representatives have met with Tekgida-Is in the region of Ýzmir and informed them they were not in favour of having unions in their plants. In Uruguay, BAT is keen on joining the tobacco employers association – but only on the condition that they be exempt from the sectoral collective agreement. And in April 2001, when FENTIFUMO prompted the public health authority to carry out a health and safety audit at BAT’s Brazilian subsidiary Souza Cruz, the company coerced supervisory personnel into signing prepared letters stating their refusal to co-operate in the audit and distancing themselves from any findings.
BAT is in the process of developing a code of employment principles within the framework of what it calls its “corporate responsibility strategy”. The draft, which the IUF has received for comments as part of an “external consultation team” contains dubious language about the right of workers to be represented by “company-recognised trade unions”, and makes no mention of negotiation or collective bargaining. The IUF has informed the company of its policy not to comment on unilateral codes of conduct.
Gallaher
The UK-based tobacco company has been recently expanding far beyond its traditional UK and Ireland markets. Following its entry into Kazakhstan in 1999 and its acquisition of Russia’s largest cigarette manufacturer, Liggett-Ducat, in August 2000, it has concluded a marketing agreement with Shanghai Tobacco, part of the China National Tobacco Corporation, under the terms of which Gallaher distributes China’s leading premium cigarette brand in UK cities with large Chinese populations, and Shanghai Tobacco markets Gallaher’s Sobranie brand in China. The company’s acquisition of Austria Tabak gives it further markets across Europe, especially Austria, Hungary, Germany, Sweden and the Baltic countries. While gaining international market share, Gallaher has lost its UK market leadership position to Imperial.
Imperial
Following the industry trend toward acquisitions and investments in regions as yet unencumbered by the discourse around health risks and tobacco control, Imperial has acquired a 75% interest in the second-largest cigarette company in sub-Saharan Africa, Tobaccor. In addition to its own manufacturing and distribution, Tobaccor also produces Altadis, BAT and Philip Morris brands under license and has a licensing and distribution agreement in Vietnam.
Japan Tobacco
Japan Tobacco International has decided to close its factory on the island of La Palma in the light of a decline in the European cigarette market and, more concretely, a fall in sales of its brands and loss of market share.
The closure has already taken place, and led to 185 directly employed staff losing their jobs. The financial conditions of these redundancies are superior to what is provided for under Spanish law, and include the company setting up an economic fund for the training and re-training of workers affected, and the possibility of transferring to the factory in Trier (Germany), mainland Spain and elsewhere in the Canary Islands.
Philip Morris
In July, Philip Morris began the construction of a cigarette factory in the Philippines – its largest investment project in Asia – which by 2003, should employ over 1,000 workers. One month later, the company made the news when its Czech subsidiary released a study which detailed cost savings to the Czech Republic due to “early mortality” as a result of smoking. The report had been commissioned by the company in response to concerns raised in the Czech Republic about the high cost of providing health care to victims of smoking-related illnesses.
Privatisation
Austria Tabak
As part of its privatisation plans, the Austrian government announced in 2000 its intention to sell its remaining stake in the former state-owned Austria Tabak. The Austrian agriculture, food and tobacco workers union ANG was in the forefront of protests against the sale of a company which provides quality jobs and whose profitable domestic and international business and licensing agreements yield important revenues for the state. Following much speculation in the financial press over who would obtain the stake (Altadis, Gallaher and Imperial had made bids), the UK-based Gallaher acquired the government-owned shares in June 2001 and has since increased its ownership of Austria Tabak to 98%.
In August, Austria Tabak announced the closure of its facility in Malmö in Sweden, acquired from Swedish Match in 1999. The decision to close one of its four manufacturing plants (the other three being in Austria) was taken in light of the perceived necessity to concentrate production in order to increase productivity and remain competitive. Despite the findings of a union-commissioned study, which showed that closing the Malmö plant was not the most advantageous option for Austria Tabak, and union efforts to save the plant, the company would not reconsider. The unions worked quickly to secure good severance provisions for the 350 workers affected by the closure, before Gallaher would assume responsibility. According to the Swedish food workers union, Livs, the decision to close the Swedish plant was a political one, taken against the background of the law on privatisation in Austria which includes provisions for employment protection in privatised companies.
Korea Tobacco & Ginseng
Following the liberalisation of South Korea’s tobacco industry laws in July 2001, the former monopoly company is now facing competition from TNCs. Philip Morris and Japan Tobacco already have a combined 10% of the market, but a tariff on imported cigarettes introduced to coincide with the lifting of the monopoly will weaken their potential for gaining market share. BAT is better positioned to compete as it has invested in the construction of its own manufacturing plant on Korean soil. However, KT&G is expected to be the greatest beneficiary of liberalisation as it will now be able to freely set cigarette prices and purchase tobacco selectively. Previously, the company had to seek government approval for every price hike and was obliged to purchase Korea’s entire annual tobacco crop. KT&G’s well-established distribution network will also keep it well ahead of the TNCs for many years to come.
Tekel (Turkey)
Under pressure from the international financial institutions (World Bank and IMF), the government of Turkey embarked on a process of privatising state-owned industries in the 1990’s. This process, which is highly contested by the unions, is now being carried out in the tobacco industry, with control of the Turkish tobacco monopoly, Tekel, now having been transferred to the privatisation authority as a first step. The IUF’s affiliate in Turkey, Tekgida-Is has joined with tobacco farmers’, civil servants’ and consumers’ organisations to denounce the government’s privatisation plans and its failure to consult with all stakeholder groups. Despite this massive popular condemnation, parliament has recently passed draft legislation aimed at speeding up the privatisation process; the bill, however, has been vetoed by the President of Turkey on social, economic and constitutional grounds. The struggle against privatisation in Turkey has brought about an unprecedented co-operation amongst the three national labour centres, Türk-Is, Disk and Hak-Is.
Nestlé Acquisition of Ralston
03-Dec-2001Reuters News Agency reported today that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission will soon approve Nestlé's plan to acquire Ralston Purina, as long as the companies divest some of their dry cat food brands. The companies have agreed to sell part of their dry cat food business to Hartz Mountain Corp. A vote on the deal could come as early as next week.
The FTC has been investigating the Nestle-Ralston deal since the two companies proposed it in January 2001. The merger would bring together Ralston's Dog and Cat Chow and Nestle's Friskies cat food and Mighty Dog brands.
Ralston Purina, with its global Purina brand, had North American pet-care sales of more than $2.25 billion in 2000. The acquisition of Ralston would give Nestle control of nearly 70% of the dry cat food market and 45% of the overall pet food market in the USA. Chief competitors in the United States are H.J. Heinz Co. , Procter & Gamble and Mars. Nestlé will become the world's biggest pet food company.
The deal had provoked opposition from some consumer groups, who contend that it would harm consumers by further consolidating the global food industry. Some farm groups have said the deal would be the latest in a procession of mergers that have hurt farmers by consolidating U.S. agribusiness. The greatest danger may be to job security in Nestlé's pet food division, as over the coming years the company integrates production and sales forces from Friskies and Ralston.
The EU competition authorities have already approved the acquisition (on the condition that it sell some brands and a factory in Spain).
Positive outcome in Boston hotel negotiations
04-Dec-2001In the first major hotel sector negotiations to take place in the US since September 11, an agreement was reached on a CBA covering 3,000 unionised workers at 9 major hotels in Boston on December 1. The agreement pre-empted strike action which the union members had endorsed in a ballot two weeks earlier.
When it started renegotiating the city-wide collective agreement scheduled to expire on November 30, HERE Local 26 found itself faced with the standard complaint of employers – and particularly those in the tourism sector since September 11 – that they aren’t making any money. What the employers were conveniently ignoring, however, was that they had been making unprecedented amounts of money in the previous five years. For HERE, it was high time that the workers benefit from those profits made possible through their own hard work.
More importantly, HERE saw these negotiations as standard-setting for the sector, as employers seek to play up the short-term consequences of the events of September 11. The tourism industry world-wide has been dealt a major blow and workers are experiencing the brunt of it, with lay-offs in the hundreds of thousands. But through consensus-building over mutual concerns within the framework of healthy industrial relations, hotel operators and workers alike can weather this difficult period and ensure the sustainability of the industry once the current crisis is over.
In letters addressed to the managers of major hotels involved in the negotiations, IUF General Secretary Ron Oswald highlighted the commitment and competence of Boston’s hotel workers and the major contribution they’ve made to the success of the industry. In reference to the strike vote, he wrote, “Such action would clearly be painful to all involved but the failure of the industry to recognize the positive result of the past five years and its unwillingness to share fairly those positive results has understandably pushed workers into feeling they have little choice but to exercise their right to take such action.”
The coalition of hotel operators in Boston has now agreed to union demands on wage increases, the funding of health insurance and guaranteed working hours. Furthermore, HERE has secured the right to organise any new hotels developed in the Boston area by the major chains covered by the agreement – a major achievement in North American industrial relations. These include the Sheraton (Starwood), Ritz-Carlton (Marriott) and Hilton chains.
Commenting on the broader effects of the agreement, HERE President John Wilhelm noted that enormous attention had been paid to these negotiations. “All of our leaders were intensely interested in whether Local 26 would have to take a bad contract. And it didn’t.” The hotel operators had their own good reasons to be pleased: “[The agreement] gives us the opportunity to rebuild our hotels and our business”, a lawyer for the operators enthused. “This has given our employees a boost in the arm and let them know what we think of them.”
Mergers and Acquisitions in the Global Brewery Industry
05-Dec-2001Consequences for Brewery Workers
Last week South African Breweries (SAB) acquired Cerveceria Hondureña, a Honduran brewer and Coca-Cola bottler, and formed a joint venture with El Salvador's only brewer and largest soft drink bottler.
Cerveceria Hondureña was owned by the Dole Food Company, and is organized by the IUF-affilated STIBYS, which has resisted numerous efforts by Dole to downsize the work force.
However SAB has considerable experience in introducing high technology into developing countries. This year it opened a giant new automated brewery in South Africa, its original homeland, that employs only 13 production workers per shift.
FAWU, the IUF affiliate that organizes SAB in South Africa, has won good wages and benefits through decades of struggle, but is faced with a reduction in SAB's workforce in South Africa from the original 15,000 to some 5,000.
SAB now controls most breweries throughout Southern Africa; it is the largest and most successful foreign brewer in China, and operates breweries in Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. It recently acquired the largest Czech brewer, maker of the famous Pilsner Urquell.
Also last week a memorandum that was leaked from Interbrew (containing some forged changes) shows the interest of Belgian brewer Interbrew in acquiring SAB.
One reason detailed in the document is that Interbrew believes that it could eliminate 1.5 billion euros in costs by reducing overlapping brewing operations of Interbrew and SAB in Eastern Europe. This would of course entail the loss of many brewery jobs in Eastern Europe. The brewery sector is one of the better organized IUF sectors in the region, and the IUF has already conducted seminars for both SAB and Interbrew workers there.
Interbrew's interest in acquiring SAB was prompted in part by its fears of a three-way merger including SAB, Scottish & Newcastle, and Miller Beer (owned by Philip Morris).
African regional committee concludes meeting with strong statement on union and human rights.
06-Dec-2001
African regional committee members
The IUF’s African regional committee completed its annual meeting in Nairobi with a strong condemnation of the attacks on trade union and human rights particularly in Swaziland and Zimbabwe. In resolutions demanding the restoration of those rights in both countries the committee noted that intimidation of trade unionists continued in Swaziland and action in rural areas of Zimbabwe continue to threaten the well-being and the livelihoods of thousands of agricultural workers.
The committee also carried strongly worded resolutions condemning sexual harassment and discrimination throughout the region and called for tough sanctions against those found guilty of such acts. The African regional women’s committee that preceded the meeting also called for continuing strengthening of women’s membership within regional affiliates and stressed the need for local, national and international union structures to include far more women representatives than is presently the case.
Stengthing women memberships of IUF affiliates and developing strategies to bring in more young members were noted as essential to the continued well-being of the African labour movement as such things are around the world.
The committee again strongly condemned the negative effects of much of the policies still coming from the international financial institutions, particularly the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Their impact on workers and on communities is particularly heavily felt by the weaker sections of those communities and has led to considerable and ongoing suffering in the majority of African countries.
In closing, regional president Napoleon Kpoh and IUF general secretary Ron Oswald jointly called for a renewed and re-energized effort to strengthen unions in general throughout the continent and to defend their existence as one of the few guarantors of social and economic justice.
Committee members plus observers who joined the meeting
Update: Nestlé Philippines
07-Dec-2001Since the Nestlé union at Lipa City was unable to persuade Nestlé to grant a wage increase despite its ability to do so, the conflict was referred to the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
At the request of the CFNU, a number of IUF affiliates were asked to send letters to the DOLE Secretary, Patricia A. Sto. Tomas,asking her to give the union's position favorable consideration.
At this time, the IUF has received copies of 13 responses: from Solidarnosc Food Federation (Poland), EDOSZ (Hungary), NGG (Germany),BG-FNV (Netherlands), DWU (New Zealand), SiD (Denmark), ANG (Austria), ICU (Ghana), FGA-CFDT (France), UFCW (USA)plus IUF Regional Secretariats Africa, Asia/Pacific and Latin America.
Ms. Tomas has assured the IUF that "we shall resolve the dispute as fairly and as expeditiously as possible."
A copy of the letter sent to Ms. Tomas follows:
I write in behalf of the officers and members of (name of union and country). We are affiliated with the International Union of Food and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF).
We were informed by the IUF that the ongoing dispute between the union in the Nestlé plant in Lipa City, Batangas, and the Nestlé Philippines’ management has come under the jurisdiction of your office. We understand that this is in consonance with your mandate under the Philippine laws to “assume jurisdiction” (AJ) over major industrial problems which may result in a strike (or lockout).
The union involved here – the Manggagawa ng Nestlé Lipa Factory (MNLF) – is a member of the Council of Filipino Nestlé Unions (CFNU), which is in turn our co-affiliate in the IUF. We understand that it was forced to file a notice of strike when the CBA negotiations reached a deadlock due to Nestlé’s insistence on a “wage moratorium.”
We hope that your assumption of jurisdiction, which was requested by management, will not be used to curtail the workers’ right to decent wages and other labor and trade union rights. We hope that your intervention will amicably settle the issues there, without sacrificing the legitimate and reasonable demands of the workers.
We thus respectfully appeal that you exert all efforts to promptly arrive at a fair settlement of this labor dispute.
Brazil: Nestlé Denies Injuries to Workers
07-Dec-2001In 1997 Nestlé UK officially recognized the problem of Repetitive Strain Injuries among its production workers who had to repeat the same motion over and over again. It announced that it was developing a program to reduce the occurence of this common work injury.
In the same year Nestlé management in Brazil denied the existence of this workplace injury (which was in fact widespread), and continued its abusive practice of dismissing workers (mainly young women)with this injury rather than addressing the root causes of the problem.
At that time the IUF Latin American regional office produced a short film featuring one of the Brazilian women workers disabled by this work injury who had been fired by Nestlé.
It seems that four years later Nestlé continues to place a lower value of the health and safety of its employees in Brazil than it does in Western Europe. What follows is an essay in the IUF Latin American Regional Publication SIREL by a medical doctor who serves as consultant to the IUF Latin American Regional Secretariat on health and safety.
Nestlé:"YOU ARE THE SPICE OF LIFE"
With this slogan, the powerful Swiss food transnational hopes to disseminate a modern, humane image to go with its industrial practices. I have to say that, as a doctor, I have always thought highly of the company, and felt that most people identified it with wholesome food.
However, for some time now I have been observing investigations by some NGOs that have led to discussion on the real benefits derived from the massive propaganda that Nestlé puts out in the various communications media, influencing – to take but one example – the consumption of its products by young children, instead of encouraging consumption of their mothers’ natural milk. On a personal note, the working conditions and their consequences for some workers suffering from Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) now force me to question Nestlé’s behaviour.
In April 2001, I was consulted by María Alice, a worker at a Nestlé plant in the Brazilian interior. She had pains in her shoulders, wrists and elbows, and they were getting worse and causing her productivity at work to fall. María Alice underwent an electroneuromyography examination, and the result was clear: carpal tunnel syndrome of the left and right wrists. A further ultra-sound examination revealed tendinopathy of the wrist extensors.
She told me she had been to see the company doctor, but he had so far paid little attention to her complaints, saying it was normal and suggesting each time that she should go back to work. After seeing other doctors, she went to a meeting organised by her trade union, and attended by this expert from the IUF. He then decided to ask us for an assessment of her case.
After looking into her clinical and employment history – she brought me this information herself – I was in no doubt: she had Repetitive Strain Injury and, in accordance with the law, I asked for her to assessed on the basis of my diagnosis. Much to my surprise, a few days later I received a letter from the company doctor; it was also signed by the head of Human Resources, which proved that there had been a clinical discussion of the case between non-medical professionals. The letter disagreed with my diagnosis, and suggested – the exact words were ‘the diagnosis was influenced by the patient’ – that the worker had possibly tried to get me to come up with an incorrect diagnosis.
I confess that I was taken aback by the attitude of these two professionals employed by Nestlé. I thought it was right to hand the letter over to María Alice so that she knew what professionals in the company thought about her case; on reading the letter, she too was surprised, and said that when she had been to her next consultation, she would bring me some news.
Ten days later, she came and told me about the result of her consultation, and brought with her more documents and other cases of RSI-sufferers in Nestlé: two female employees of the Swiss transnational had been dismissed despite suffering from the same symptoms as RSI, and one of them even had a certificate from a Labour Court medical expert stating that she had RSI as a result of the working conditions at Nestlé. María Alice said that the company’s scepticism and distrust were humiliating, and had caused widespread anger among her colleagues. What will the doctor at the Nestlé plant have to say about these cases?
Author: Dr. Roberto Ruiz, Health and Safety Department, IUF Latin American Region, 3 December 2001
Update: Coke and Pepsi Unions in Guatemala
07-Dec-2001An article dated 26 November described the threat of dismissals of Coke workers in Guatemala supposedly justified by the levying of a tax on bottled beverages.
Because of opposition from beverage companies and unions, the level of taxation on beer and soft drinks was cut in half, to $0.03USD per 12-ounce bottle, effective 1 December. While the brewery Cervecería Centroamericana is seeking an injunction against the increase, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have passed on the increase to the consumer, despite their earlier claim that it would reduce consumption and require layoffs of employees.
Negotiations by the Coke and Pepsi local unions of the IUF-affiliated FESTRAS begun early in 2001 continue without progress, but the reductions in personnel threatened by both STECSA (Panamco/Coca-Cola) and SITRAEMSA (the Pepsi franchise) have not taken place. Both negotiations are now before arbitration and conciliation tribunals.
Update: Unilever Restructuring
10-Dec-2001Unilever co-chairman Niall FitzGerald boasted to reporters in Bombay, India last week that Unilever is closing factories and cutting jobs more quickly than planned. Unilever's five year restructuring plan, following the acquisition of Bestfoods in October 2000 called for the closure of 130 factories and the elimination of 33,000 jobs.
FitzGerald said that Unilever has already approved plans for the closure of 70 factories and cutting 21,000 jobs, which was ahead of target for less than two years into the plan. Brands have already been whittled from 1600 to 800, and will be further reduced to 400 by the end of 2004.
Unilever's profit margin has risen from eight to fourteen percent in the same period, in the hope of reaching over 16% by 2004.
Good news for Unilever as a company has been bad news for the employees throughout the world who are losing their jobs.
Brasilien: Nestlé förnekar arbetsskador bland anställda
13-Dec-2001År 1997 erkände Nestlé Storbritannien officiellt problemet med förslitningsskador till följd av repetitiva rörelsemoment i arbetet bland de anställda på produktionssidan. Man tillkännagav att man höll på att utarbeta ett program för att minska förekomsten av denna vanliga arbetsskada.
Samma år förnekade Nestlés ledning i Brasilien förekomsten av sådana skador (som faktiskt var utbredda på arbetsplatsen). Man fortsatte med sina ojusta metoder att avskeda arbetstagare - främst unga kvinnor - som ådragit sig sådana skador, i stället för att gå till botten med problemet.
IULs regionalkontor i Latinamerika tog då fram en kortfilm om problemet. Den handlade om en av de brasilianska kvinnor, som blivit handikappade till följd av en sådan arbetsskada och som fått sparken från Nestlé.
Fyra år har gått sedan dess, men Nestlé verkar alltjämt fästa mindre vikt vid de anställdas arbetsmiljö i Brasilien än i Västeuropa. Följande artikel, som publicerats i IULs latinamerikanska regionalbulletin SIREL, har skrivits av en läkare som IULs latinamerikanska regionalsekretariatet anlitar som konsult i arbetsmiljöfrågor.
NESTLÉ -”DU ÄR LIVETS KRYDDA”
Med denna slogan hoppas det mäktiga schweiziska transnationella livsmedelsföretaget ge en modern och mänsklig image åt sin industriverksamhet. Som läkare måste jag erkänna att jag alltid respekterat det här företaget och haft en känsla av att de flesta människor förknippat det med hälsosam mat.
Men under en längre tid har jag nu kunnat ta del av undersökningar som vissa frivilligorganisationer gjort och som lett till diskussioner om den verkliga nyttan av de enorma propagandakampanjer som Nestlé bedriver i olika medier för att – till exempel – få föräldrar att köpa företagets produkter åt sina spädbarn istället för att ge dem moderns naturliga bröstmjölk. Personligen ser jag mig nu dessutom tvungen att ifrågasätta Nestlés uppträdande med tanke på arbetsmiljön och dess konsekvenser för några anställda som drabbats av förslitningsskador.
I april 2001 kom María Alice till min mottagning. Hon arbetade på en Nestlé-anläggning i Brasiliens inland. Hon hade värk i skuldror, handleder och armbågar. Värken blev hela tiden värre och gjorde henne mindre produktiv i sitt arbete. María Alice genomgick en EMG-undersökning och resultatet var entydigt: karpaltunnelsyndrom i vänster och höger handled. Vid en ultraljudsundersökning framkom att hennes handledsmuskulatur var inflammerad.
Hon berättade för mig att hon gått till företagsläkaren, men han hade inte brytt sig särskilt mycket om hennes besvär utan sagt att det var normalt och att hon skulle gå tillbaks till arbetet. Efter att hon gått till andra läkare gick hon på ett möte som arrangerats av hennes fackförening och där en expert från IUL var med. Det var han som sedan bad oss göra en bedömning av hennes fall.
Efter att ha tittat närmare på hennes sjukdomshistoria och hennes arbetssituation – det var hon själv som gav mig den här informationen – var jag säker: hon hade en förslitningsskada. I enlighet med lagen begärde jag att hon skulle utredas utifrån min diagnos. Döm om min förvåning när jag ett par dagar senare fick ett brev från företagsläkaren – som dessutom undertecknats av personalchefen – där det framgick att fallet diskuterats kliniskt av icke-medicinsk personal. Brevet underkände min diagnos och antydde att den anställde eventuellt försökt få mig att ställa en felaktig diagnos (den exakta ordalydelsen var att ”patienten hade påverkat sin diagnos”).
Jag måste erkänna att de här båda Nestlé-företrädarnas inställning gjorde mig oerhört förbluffad. Jag tyckte att jag borde överlämna brevet till María Alice så hon fick veta vad hennes överordnade i företaget ansåg om hennes fall. Brevet förvånade också henne, och hon sa att hon skulle ha en del att berätta för mig efter nästa besök hos företagsläkaren.
Tio dagar senare kom hon och berättade för mig om hur besöket hade gått. Hon hade med sig en massa dokument om andra fall med förslitningsskador inom Nestlé: två kvinnliga anställda på det schweiziska transnationella företaget hade avskedats trots att de led av samma symptom på förslitningsskador. En av dem hade till och med intyg från en medicinsk arbetsrättsexpert där det framgick att hon drabbats av förslitningsskador som en följd av arbetsmiljön på Nestlé. María Alice sa att företagets skepsis och misstro var förödmjukande och hade retat upp många av hennes arbetskamrater. Vad kommer Nestlés företagsläkare att ha för kommentarer till de här fallen?
Dr. Roberto Ruiz
Brasil: Nestlé Niega Lesiones a los/as Trabajadores/as
13-Dec-2001En 1997, Nestlé RU reconoció oficialmente el problema de las Lesiones por Esfuerzo Repetitivo entre sus trabajadores/as dedicados/as a la producción, quienes tuvieron que apelar la misma moción una y otra vez. La compañía anunció que estaba desarrollando un programa para reducir la manifestación de esta lesión común en el trabajo.
Ese mismo año, la gerencia de Nestlé en Brasil negó la existencia de esta lesión originada en el lugar de trabajo (la cual, de hecho, era generalizada) y continuó su práctica arbitraria de despedir a los/as trabajadores/as (principalmente, a mujeres jóvenes) con esta lesión, en lugar de solucionar las causas originarias del problema.
En aquel momento, la oficina regional latinoamericana de la UITA produjo un cortometraje sobre el caso de una trabajadora brasileña incapacitada por esta lesión laboral, quien había sido despedida por Nestlé.
Parece que, cuatro años después, Nestlé continúa aplicando un valor más bajo a la salud y seguridad de sus empleados/as en Brasil que el que asigna en Europa Occidental. A continuación figura un ensayo de la Publicación Regional Latinoamericana de la UITA, SIREL, escrito por un médico que actuó como consultor en materia de salud y seguridad para la Secretaría Regional Latinoamericana de la UITA.
Nestlé: “¡Nuestra vida te tiene a ti!”
Con ese eslogan, la poderosa transnacional suiza de alimentos pretende difundir una imagen humana y moderna relacionada a su práctica industrial. Confieso que como médico, siempre tuve una buena impresión de esta empresa, que la mayoría de la población identifica con alimentos saludables.
Sin embargo, desde hace algún tiempo observo el cuestionamiento de algunas ONGs, que colocan en discusión el beneficio real de la propaganda masiva que Nestlé realiza en los diversos medios de comunicación, influenciando el consumo de sus productos entre niños pequeños, en detrimento del incentivo del alimento materno natural, para citar un sólo ejemplo. Y en lo que me es personal, las condiciones de trabajo y sus consecuencias para algunos trabajadores y trabajadoras que padecen de Lesiones por Esfuerzo Repetitivos (LER), me obligan a cuestionar la conducta de Nestlé.
En abril del 2001, fui consultado por María Alice, trabajadora de la unidad de Nestlé situada en el interior de Brasil, quien manifestaba dolores en los hombros, puños y codos, los cuales venían empeorando progresivamente y estaban ocasionando una baja en la productividad de su trabajo. María Alice traía un examen de electroneuromiografia, cuyo resultado era claro: síndrome del túnel carpiano en los puños izquierdo y derecho. Además, otro examen de ultra-sonido, que mostraba tendinopatía de los extensores del puño.
Ella me comentó que había consultado con el médico de la empresa, y que hasta el momento no le había dado gran importancia a sus quejas, diciendo que esto era normal, recomendándole siempre que regresara a su puesto de trabajo. Después de consultar otros médicos, asistió a un encuentro promovido por su Sindicato con la participación de este técnico de la UITA, fue entonces que decidió solicitarnos una evaluación de su caso.
Luego de examinar su historia clínica y ocupacional –exámenes que ella misma me trajo– no tuve dudas: la hipótesis era Lesiones por Esfuerzo Repetitivos y procediendo de conformidad con la legislación, solicité su evaluación para el debido diagnóstico. Mi sorpresa, fue cuando algunos días después recibo una carta del médico de la empresa, firmada también por el responsable del sector de Recursos Humanos (lo que demuestra que hubo una discusión clínica del caso entre profesionales no médicos), discordando con mi diagnóstico y esgrimiendo un posible intento de la trabajadora de inducirme a cometer un mal diagnóstico. Según sus palabras: “...hubo inducción en el diagnóstico por parte del paciente”.
Confieso que quedé negativamente sorprendido con la actitud de estos dos profesionales al servicio de Nestlé. Consideré conveniente entregarle la carta a María Alice, para que ella supiera que pensaban los profesionales de la empresa sobre su caso. Al leer la carta también ella quedó sorprendida, y me dijo que cuando asistiera a una nueva consulta, me traería algunas novedades.
Diez días mas tarde, me informa del resultado de su consulta y trae consigo más documentos y otros casos de trabajadoras portadoras de LER en Nestlé. Dos trabajadoras de la transnacional suiza habían sido despedidas, aún padeciendo un cuadro compatible con las LER. Una de ellas, además, poseía un certificado de un médico perito de la Justicia de Trabajo, donde se establecía que padecía de LER debido a las condiciones de trabajo en Nestlé. Según el relato de María Alice, el descreimiento y la desconfianza de la empresa, es una situación humillante, que ha provocado mucha indignación entre las compañeras. ¿Qué será lo que el médico de esta unidad de Nestlé diría en estos casos? □
Autor:
Dr. Roberto Ruiz
Departamento Salud y Seguridad Rel-UITA
© Rel-UITA
Brasilien: Nestlé leugnet Verletzungen der Arbeitnehmer
13-Dec-20011997 hat Nestle im Vereinigten Königreich das Problem der Verletzung durch regelmässige Muskelbelastung (Repetitive Strain Injuries) bei den Arbeitnehmern in der Produktion die diesselbe Bewegung immer und immer wieder zu machen hatten, anerkannt. Es wurde die Entwicklung eines Programms angekündigt, das das Erscheinen dieser weitverbreiteten Arbeitsverletzung reduziert.
Im gleichen Jahr hat die Nestlé Direktion in Brasilien die Existenz dieser Verletzungen am Arbeitsplatz geleugnet (die jedoch in der Tat weitverbreitet war) und setzte die missbräuchliche Praxis fort indem sie (vornehmlich junge weibliche Arbeitnehmer) einfach entlassen hat, statt dieses Problem bei der Wurzel anzufassen.
Zu dieser Zeit publizierte das Regionalbüro der IUL in Lateinamerika einen Kurzfilm über eine Nestlé Arbeitnehmerin in Brasilien die von dieser Arbeitsverletzung betroffen und von Nestlé entlassen worden war.
Es scheint dass vier Jahre später Nestlé die Arbeitssicherheit und Gesundheit ihrer Arbeitnehmer in Brasilien immer noch niedrieger einstuft als in Westeuropa. Hier anschliessend ein Essay aus der Publikation des Lateinamerikanischen Regionalbüros SIREL von einem Arzt geschrieben der dem Regionalbüro in Lateinamerika als Berater für Gesundheit und Sicherheit zur Seite steht.
Nestlé: "Unser Leben hängt von dir ab“
Mit diesem Slogan versucht der mächtige schweizerische transnationale Konzern, ein humanes, modernes Bild von seiner Geschäftspraxis zu vermitteln. Ich muss gestehen, dass ich als Arzt stets einen guten Eindruck von diesem Unternehmen hatte, das von der Mehrheit der Bevölkerung mit gesunden Lebensmitteln in Zusammenhang gebracht wird.
Seit einiger Zeit beobachte ich indessen die Anfechtungen einiger NGO, die den tatsächlichen Nutzen der massiven Werbung, die Nestlé in den verschiedenen Kommunikationsmedien betreibt, in Frage stellen. Diese beeinflusst den Verbrauch von Nestlé-Erzeugnissen bei Kleinkindern und schadet dadurch dem Anreiz für die Ernährung mit natürlicher Muttermilch, um nur ein Beispiel zu nennen. Persönlich zwingen mich die Arbeitsbedingungen und deren Folgen für die Beschäftigten, die unter Schädigungen durch ständig wiederholte Muskelanspannung (RSI) leiden, das Verhalten von Nestlé in Frage zu stellen.
Im April 2001 wurde ich von María Alice, Angestellte des Nestlé-Betriebs im Landesinneren Brasiliens, konsultiert, die über Schmerzen an den Schultern, Ellenbogen und Handgelenken klagte, die schrittweise zunahmen und einen Rückgang ihrer Arbeitsproduktivität verursachten. María Alice unterzog sich einem Elektroneuromyogramm, dessen Ergebnis eindeutig war: Karpaltunnelsyndrom am rechten und am linken Handgelenk. Außerdem zeigte eine weitere Ultraschalluntersuchung eine Sehnenentzündung an den Streckmuskeln des Handgelenkes.
Sie erzählte mir, sie habe den Betriebsarzt konsultiert, der ihren Beschwerden bislang keine große Beachtung geschenkt und gesagt habe, dies sei normal. Er habe ihr empfohlen, an ihren Arbeitsplatz zurückzukehren. Nachdem sie weitere Ärzte konsultiert hatte, nahm sie an einer von ihrer Gewerkschaft einberufenen Versammlung unter Beteiligung dieses Fachmanns der IUL teil, wonach entschieden wurde, eine Beurteilung ihres Falls vorzunehmen.
Nach Prüfung ihrer Krankengeschichte und ihrer beruflichen Umstände – Untersuchungsergebnisse, die sie mir selbst brachte – hatte ich keinen Zweifel mehr: Der Verdacht lautete auf Schädigungen durch ständig wiederholte Muskelanspannung. Gemäß der Gesetzgebung ersuchte ich um eine Beurteilung für eine ordnungsgemäße Diagnose. Zu meiner Überraschung erhielt ich einige Tage später ein Schreiben des Betriebsarztes, das auch vom Verantwortlichen für Humanressourcen unterzeichnet war (was beweist, dass eine klinische Erörterung des Falls zwischen nicht medizinischen Fachleuten stattgefunden hatte), das meiner Diagnose widersprach und eine mögliche Absicht der Angestellten andeutete, mich zu einer falschen Diagnose anzustiften. Laut diesem Schreiben „lag seitens der Patientin Anstiftung zu einer Diagnose vor“.
Ich muss gestehen, dass ich von der Haltung dieser beiden Fachleute im Dienste von Nestlé negativ überrascht war. Ich hielt es für angebracht, das Schreiben María Alice zu übergeben, damit sie über die Meinung der Betriebsfachleute zu ihrem Fall unterrichtet war. Auch sie war bei der Lektüre des Schreibens überrascht und sagte mir, dass sie mir nach einer neuerlichen Konsultation entsprechende Neuigkeiten mitteilen werde.
Zehn Tage später informierte sie mich über das Ergebnis der Konsultation und brachte weitere Unterlagen mit und berichtete über weitere Fälle von RSI bei Beschäftigten von Nestlé. Zwei Beschäftigte des schweizerischen transnationalen Konzerns waren entlassen worden, obwohl sie ein Krankenbild zeigten, das mit RSI kompatibel war. Eine von diesen besaß ein von einem Facharzt des Arbeitsgerichts ausgestelltes ärztliches Zeugnis, in dem festgehalten wurde, dass sie infolge der Arbeitsbedingungen bei Nestlé unter RSI leide. Laut Aussagen von María Alice ist das Klima des Misstrauens im Unternehmen erniedrigend und löste bei den Kolleginnen große Entrüstung aus. Was würde der Arzt dieses Nestlé-Betriebs in diesen Fällen sagen?
Dr. Roberto Ruiz
Brésil: Nestlé refuse d'admettre la maladie professionnelle
18-Dec-2001En 1997, Nestlé Royaume-Uni reconnaissait officiellement que ses travailleurs/euses de la production qui devaient répéter continuellement le même mouvement souffraient de troubles musculo-squelettiques (TMS). La direction annonçait la mise au point d'un programme visant à réduire les possibilités d'apparition de cette maladie professionnelle répandue.
La même année, la direction de Nestlé Brésil niait l'existence d'une telle maladie professionnelle (alors qu'elle touchait en réalité le plus grand nombre) et maintenait sa pratique abusive de licenciement de travailleurs/euses (notamment les jeunes femmes) touchés/es par cette maladie plutôt que de s'attaquer aux racines du mal.
C'est à cette époque que le bureau régional de l'UITA pour l'Amérique latine a produit un court film décrivant la situation d'une de ces jeunes femmes brésiliennes souffrant de cette maladie qui avait été licenciée par Nestlé.
Apparemment, Nestlé continue quatre années plus tard à accorder une valeur moindre à la santé et à la sécurité de ses salariés/es au Brésil qu'il ne le fait en Europe occidentale. Ce qui suit est un rapport publié dans le bulletin du secrétariat régional de l'UITA pour l'Amérique latine SIREL par un médecin qui fait office de consultant sur les questions de santé et de sécurité auprès du secrétariat régional.
Nestlé: Tu fais partie de notre vie
C’est avec ce slogan que la puissante transnationale suisse de l’alimentation s’efforce de donner une image humaine et moderne de ses activités. J’avoue qu’en tant que médecin, j’ai toujours eu en haute estime cette entreprise, que la majorité de la population identifie à une alimentation saine.
Pourtant, depuis quelque temps, je me suis aperçu que certaines ONG se sont mises à se demander à qui profite la gigantesque campagne publicitaire menée par Nestlé dans différents médias, qui a pour effet de faire grimper la consommation de produits pour enfants en bas âge, au détriment d’autres aliments, comme le lait maternel, pour n’en citer qu’un. En ce qui me concerne, les conditions dans lesquelles travaillent les travailleurs et travailleuses et les conséquences qui en découlent, telles que des lésions dues aux mouvements répétitifs (LMR), m’obligent à remettre en question la conduite de Nestlé.
En avril 2001, j’ai reçu Maria Alice, une travailleuse d’un centre de production de Nestlé sis au centre du Brésil, en vue d’une consultation. Elle se plaignait de douleurs toujours plus vives dans la région des épaules, des coudes et des poignets, qui avaient fini par avoir une incidence sur son rendement au travail. Maria Alice avait apporté les résultats de deux examens : une électroneuromyographie et un sondage aux ultrasons. Le premier était sans équivoque : ses deux poignets présentaient un syndrome du tunnel carpien. Quant au second, il révélait une tendinite des extenseurs du poignet.
Elle a affirmé en avoir parlé au médecin de l’entreprise qui, jusqu’alors, n’avait pas fait grand cas de ses plaintes. Il lui avait dit, au contraire, que tout était normal et lui avait recommandé de regagner son poste. Après avoir consulté d’autres médecins, Maria Alice a assisté à une réunion organisée par le syndicat de son entreprise à laquelle j’ai participé ainsi qu’un représentant de l’UITA et elle s’est décidée à nous demander de nous pencher sur son cas.
Après l’examen de son dossier médical professionnel, qu’elle a elle-même mis à ma disposition, le doute n’était plus permis : il s’agissait bel et bien de lésions dues au travail répétitif. J’ai donc demandé un examen pour confirmer dûment le diagnostic, conformément à la loi en vigueur. Quelle ne fut pas ma surprise lorsque, quelques jours plus tard, j’ai reçu une lettre du médecin de l’entreprise, cosignée par le responsable des ressources humaines (ce qui montre bien que des cadres étrangers au corps médical ont débattu l’affaire), dans laquelle il indiquait qu’il était en désaccord avec mon diagnostic et laissait entendre que la travailleuse avait essayé de m’influencer dans mon évaluation – il était littéralement question de « tentative de manipulation du diagnostic de la part de la patiente».
J’avoue que j’étais atterré et déçu par l’attitude de ces deux cadres de Nestlé. J’ai jugé utile de faire lire la lettre à Maria Alice, afin qu’elle soit au courant de l’avis des cadres de son entreprise sur son cas. Elle fut également abasourdie à la lecture de la lettre, mais elle me dit qu’elle allait se soumettre à un nouvel examen et qu’elle me tiendrait au courant.
Dix jours plus tard, elle m’a informé du résultat de l’examen et a apporté de la documentation au sujet d’autres cas de travailleuses souffrant de LMR chez Nestlé. Deux autres travailleuses de la transnationale suisse avaient été mises à pied, alors même qu’elles présentaient les symptômes typiques de LMR et que l’une des deux avait même en sa possession un certificat médical d’un expert du ministère du Travail, attestant qu’elle souffrait de LMR. D’après le récit de Maria Alice, le scepticisme et la méfiance de l’entreprise sont humiliants et la situation soulève beaucoup d’indignation parmi ses camarades. Quel serait le diagnostic du médecin de Nestlé dans pareil cas?
Dr. Roberto Ruiz
New Attacks on Trade Union Rights in Belarus
20-Dec-2001The authoritarian president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has resumed his drive to crush the labour movement by now attacking the financial independence of the trade unions which remain the principal reservoir of opposition to his despotic rule.
The latest measure aimed at undermining trade union rights has now been implemented in the form of government Decree Number 1804, adopted on December 14. This decree, cynically entitled "On Measures to Protect the Rights of Trade Union Members", abolishes the union check-off by which employees pay their union dues directly through deduction from their salaries by their employers.
Until this decree, the check-off system was accepted practice and was routinely included in collective agreements. Its conformity with both national legislation and international Conventions and practices were confirmed by the nation's Constitutional Court in a decision on February 21 this year.
The decree is a direct attack on the financial independence of the trade union movement and is clearly aimed at destroying the effectiveness of the trade unions both as social self-defence organizations of the workers and as a source of democratic opposition to Lukashenko.
The Belarussian national center FTUB has called for a national and international campaign to protest this latest assault on trade union rights. The FTUB's campaign for the repeal of the decree is being supported by the Russian national center FNPR and by the ICFTU and other international union organizations. The IUF has responded by sending a message to President Lukashenko calling for the immediate repeal of the decree.
We appeal to all supporters of trade union and democratic rights to add their voices to this campaign by likewise sending a message to Mr. Lukashenko. The fax message below may serve as a sample
Kindly send copies of any messages you might send to the IUF secretariat, as well as to the FTUB at the following fax number: +375 17 210 4337/+375 17 223 9062.
We thank you in advance for your solidarity and support.
Sample fax message to: Mr. Alexander Lukashenko
President, Republic of Belarus
Fax: +375 17 2 26 06 10
Concerns: Government Decree Abolishing the Union Check-off and Continuing Violations of Trade Union Rights
Dear Mr. President,
I have been informed of the latest in a series of attacks on basic trade union rights in Belarus, government Decree Number 1804 adopted on December 14. By abolishing the right of workers to have their dues paid through the check-off system, this decree directly threatens the financial independence of the trade unions and their ability to effectively defend the living and working conditions of Belarussian workers.
The abolition of the check-off system by decree is a flagrant violation of ILO Convention 87, which establishes the right of workers everywhere to freedom of association. I therefore call upon your government to immediately repeal this decree, which is in violation of international law and practice and democratic norms.
Yours sincerely,
Pakistani Union Fights for Rights of Sacked Casual Workers at Karachi Pearl Continental Hotel
21-Dec-2001
Union members demonstrating in support of sacked casual hotel employees.
Pakistani Union Fights for Rights of Sacked Casual Workers at Karachi Pearl Continental Hotel
The IUF-affiliated Pearl Continental Hotels Employees Trade Unions Federation is fighting for the rights of casual employees who have been brutally sacked at the Pearl Continental Hotel in Karachi.
The hotel management, citing a downturn in occupancy after September 11, proposed to the union that all casual and temporary workers be retrenched and that every permanent employee should take two days weekly rest, one of which would be unpaid. Many of these "temporary" workers, who earn only a basic daily wage with no benefits, have been working more than 5 years on the job.
The union rejected this proposal and called for negotiations. Management then proceeded to sack 350 casual workers. The union was not informed, nor were the dismissed workers. The dismissal letter was published in a daily newspaper on November 8, and the workers were barred from entering the hotel when they reported for work the next day.
The union fought back with an energetic mobilization, and the IUF Pakistan Outreach Office has been actively building support for the union by contacting trade union federations, human rights organizations, federal and provincial labour ministries and the press. In the course of the campaign, the union vice-chairman has been harassed by the police and violently attacked near his home.
The union is fighting hard on behalf of casually-employed non-members at the hotel in a difficult, often violent context, and deserves the widest-possible international support. We therefore urge all supporters of democratic and trade union rights to support the Pearl Continental workers and their union by sending a fax message to the parent company with a copy to the hotel management. The following letter may serve as an example. Kindly forward to the IUF secretariat copies of any messages you might send. We thank you in advance for your solidarity and support.
Model Fax to: Mr. Murtaza Hashwani, Chief Executive, Pakistan Services Limited, Islamabad
Fax Number: 92 51 282 19 86
Dear Sir,
I am shocked and outraged to learn of the brutal summary dismissal of 350 daily-waged and temporary workers at the Pearl Continental Hotel in Karachi. We have been informed that management had proposed to the union representing workers at the hotel that all temporary workers be retrenched, and that permanent staff be obliged to take two days rest per week, one of which would be unpaid. When the union rejected this proposal and sought negotiations, 350 temporary workers were retrenched without notice. Neither the workers nor the union were informed. Instead, a dismissal letter was published in a daily newspaper on November 8, and employees reporting for work on November 9 were prevented from assuming their duties.
Furthermore, the detention of the union vice-chairman by the police on November 4, and the subsequent attack on the same union officer outside his home on November 7, must be interpreted as acts of anti-union intimidation.
These acts constitute flagrant violations of trade union rights as set out in Conventions of the ILO, which have the force of international law and are therefore binding on the government of Pakistan.
We therefore urge you to act immediately to facilitate good faith negotiations with the union at the Pearl Continental Hotel in Karachi to resolve the outstanding problems at the enterprise. Failure to do so will inevitably have a negative impact on both the Karachi establishment and the company's brand name and international image.
Sincerely yours,
cc: General Manager, Pearl Continental Hotel, Karachi, Pakistan
Fax: + 92 21 568 1835/568 2655
The Sugar Worker, December 2001: News from the sugar sector
06-Jan-2002The Sugar Worker
Information and Analysis for Unions in the Sugar Sector
Volume III, Number 12 December 2001
Contents
· Jamaica: Government Program to Revive Industry
· Negotiations for a New Sugar CBA
· Mexico: Plan for Expropriated Mills
· United States: Senate Rejects Amendments to Sugar Policy
· Kenya: Mixed Reactions to Sugar Bill
· Uganda: Kakira’s Expansion Plans Resisted by Community Groups
· India: Maharashtra Mills to Set-up Schools for Children
· China Joins the WTO
· Thailand: Support Approved For Farmers and Mills
· Guyana: Guysuco USD 110 Million Modernization Plan
· Company News
· France: Farmers Bid for Béghin-Say
· Italy: Farmers Close to Buy Eridiana
· France: EU Approves Südzucker Deal
Jamaica: Government Program to Revive Industry
On 19 December, the government wrote-off a USD 10.5 million debt by cane farmers, provided USD 3.1 million to finance loans for cane growing operations starting in January 2002, and approved a USD 74.3 million loan guarantee to the Sugar Company of Jamaica (SCJ), which would be used to pay and consolidate debts and for working capital. The government said also it had hired two US-based companies, Arkel Sugar Inc. from Louisiana and American Transport Equipment of Florida, to examine the country’s mills and make recommendations for their rehabilitation. Industry officials said that the study might lead to setting up of a new factory in Trelawny, to produce different qualities of sugar, along with a co-generation plant.
These are some decisions in the most recent government efforts to revive the local sugar industry, which is suffering from a long and difficult crisis. Several studies, said government officials, have proposed to reduce the size of the industry, through the merger and rationalisation of mills, but they offered no clear alternative to replace sugar, which is a major source of employment, particularly in the rural areas, and of an estimated USD 100 million per annum in foreign exchange earnings.
On the other hand, the recent sugar history in the country has witnessed the failure of different models for the industry, from the worker-run cane cooperatives in the early 1980s, through the state-ownership, and the failed experiment of privatisation in mid 1990s. The latter ended in 1998 when the government took over the bankrupt Sugar Company of Jamaica (SCJ), which owns three mills (Frome, Monymusk and Bernard Lodge) and accounts for about 65 percent of the country’s sugar production. Since then, local sources said, the government has invested about USD 120 million in the SCJ alone, while other mills (Hampden, Long Pond, Duckenfield) depend heavily on government financing.
Costs of production in the state-dependent sugar sector are said to be between USD 30 to 33 cents per pound, as a result of problems in producing and processing cane, and in the managing of the whole industry. In addition to the local challenges, the government is keenly aware of the threat of losing access to the preferential markets, especially in the European Union.
Negotiations for a New CBA
In related news, negotiations for a new sugar collective bargaining (CBA) were reported as difficult. In late November the three unions representing the sugar workers rejected an offer by the Sugar Producers Federation for a 5 percent wage increase in each of the two years of the CBA, and no crop bonus. The unions demand a 15 percent increase, a 10 percent bonus, guaranteed employment, training programs, and the implementation of a housing development project agreed in the 2000 CBA. The latter had offered to deliver to the workers 5,000 units in a five-year period. Until now, the unions said, no worker has benefited from this agreement, and the National Housing Trust is still to reply to the unions’s request for a reduction on the price of the houses. The three sugar unions are the University and Allied Workers Union (UAWU), the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU), and the National Workers Union (NWU).
Mexico: Plan for Expropriated Mills
The head of fund of expropriated companies in the sugar sector, FEESA, which manages the 27 mills expropriated last September, unveiled a governmental program to make the mills efficient and profitable. The program has five main elements: to increase sugar prices in 10 percent; ensure the availability of financial resources; reduce costs of production by 3 percent; make efficient use of the installed production capacity; and promote private investment in the sector.
The FEESA also presented a chronogram of activities until March 2003, from the setting-up phase, to the sourcing out financial means, paying debts, and the reorganization of sugar marketing –including better control on exports. During this period, FEESA will also give support to renegotiate the sugar provisions of NAFTA, will establish new financial sources, and technologically improve the mills. It is expected that by March 2003, the expropriated mills would be in a solid financial position and ready for a new privatisation process. Government officials said that they expect that foreign and local groups would be interested in acquiring the mills, and that the government would look for three main features in prospective buyers: financial resources, moral qualities, and knowledge of the sugar industry. It is estimated that the 27 expropriated mills will produce 2.27 million tonnes of sugar in the 2001/02 harvest, close to half of the national sugar production.
The program was negatively received by the Mexican Senate, where representatives from different political organizations said the domestic price of MXN 4,300 per tonne of sugar (equivalent to USD 21.4 cents per pound) offered in the program puts the mills at the brink of bankruptcy. They said the Senate has been working on a “much better” plan for the industry, but gave no details.
In other news, the sugar and sweetener trade dispute between Mexico and the United States seems to be heading towards a resolution –after a mid-December meeting between the parties agreed to reach a solution within three months–, some new challenges might soon appear on the Mexican sugar horizon. The head of the sugar commission of Canacintra (Mexico’s national chamber of manufacturers) said that a study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that the majority of Mexican refineries with alcohol distilleries do not comply with EPA’s ecological norms, and a great proportion of “Mexican sugar has bacterial content that surpasses limits fixed by U.S. sanitary authorities.” These considerations might become an obstacle for the Mexican sugar to freely enter the United States.
Meanwhile, the national sugar workers union STIASRM said that the government and private-sector millers owe USD 5.9 million in contributions to the union’s pension fund, negotiated in 2000 to be paid in March 2001. The union said the government got a USD 3.6 million debt with the pension fund when it expropriated the 27 mills.
United States: Senate Rejects Amendments to Sugar Policy
On 12 December, the Senate rejected proposed amendments to the U.S. sugar policy during a debate on an omnibus Farm Bill. In essence, the Senate has approved policy features quite similar to the ones passed by the House of Representatives in October, among them: it reinstated authority to the secretary of agriculture to impose domestic marketing allotments to balance markets, avoid forfeitures, and comply with import commitments under the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA); it directed the secretary of agriculture to operate the U.S. sugar policy at no cost to the treasury by avoiding sugar loan forfeitures; and it authorized the non-recourse loan program through 2006 at USD 18 cents per pound of raw cane and USD 22.9 cents per pound of refined beet sugar. The next step is for committees of both branches to work out the differences between their versions of the Farm Bill.
In early December, the Senate Finance Committee approved a piece of legislation to prevent the avoidance of import regulations on sugar, syrups and sugar-containing products. The best-known case is the so-called “stuffed molasses.” These are syrups shipped from Canada from which liquid sugar is extracted, which is then sold to industrial processors. The molasses are shipped back to Canada, where the “stuffing” process starts again. The trade of “stuffed molasses” reached an estimated of 150,000 tonnes of sugar equivalent per annum in recent years.
Kenya: Mixed Reactions to Sugar Bill
On 12 December Parliament passed a bill creating a new Sugar Board and introducing changes to the farmer-miller relations, attempting to improve conditions for the local industry. The new bill will also deal with the importation of tariff-free sugar from COMESA members, the regional free trade bloc for Eastern and Southern Africa.
The Sugar Bill stipulates that the millers will now assume the cost of harvesting and transporting the cane, while cane weighing will be done before entering the factory to add transparency to the payment system. Farmers will be paid on quality –sucrose content– rather than on cane weight. The new 15-member Kenya Sugar Board will comprise representatives from the millers, farmers, and representatives appointed by the government. The board will have the power to regulate all sugar imports, and will be the sole sugar importer, once the bill is implemented by April 2002.
According to the local press, the new bill is already improving farmer-miller relations. They said, for instance, the South Nyanza (Sony) sugar company started making regular payments on its debt of USD 5 million to the farmers, which SONY expects to clear by June 2002. Similar improvements are reported in the Muhoroni Sugar Company, which will pay farmers within 30 days of the delivering of cane. This is expected to boost farmers’ morale and encourage them to improve cane quality and production. Muhoroni Sugar reopened in mid December, after almost a year on receivership. It plans to reach its full milling capacity of 2,500 tonnes of cane per day. The company provides jobs for about 1,000 employees.
Although the Sugar Bill transfers some decision-making powers to the farmers, some farmer groups and politicians are not convinced it will help to overcome the industry’s basic problems. Some of their criticisms are based on the fact that the government still has a significant saying in the industry through the government-appointed representatives to the Sugar Board, while the minister of agriculture might be in a special position because he appoints or dismisses these representatives. On the other hand, it would seem that some important issues, such as the sugar development levy, are not being addressed. Opposition politicians have questioned the use of the monies raised through the development levy, which is financed by contributions from millers and farmers but run by the government. For instance, they said, the levy has raised some USD 250 million since its inception in the 1990s but, nevertheless, farmers and millers had difficult times in accessing the funds, farmers are owed significant amounts of money, and several mills are almost bankrupt.
Uganda: Kakira’s Expansion Plans Resisted by Community Groups
The Uganda government has granted Kakira Sugar Works a 50-year lease on the Butamira forest reserve, where the company plans to develop a 1,000-hectare sugar plantation –from the 1,200 hectares available. This expansion would allow Kakira to consolidate plans to increase its annual production to 100,000 tonnes of sugar by 2004, from the current 60,000 tonnes. At present Kakira owns 7,600 hectares of cane lands, while independent farmers or “outgrowers” grow another 7,100 hectares.
The Muljibhai Madhvani & Co. Ltd. (MMCL), owner of Kakira, had a 49-year lease on the Butamira reserve issued in 1949. For many years the reserve was used as a source of firewood for energy in the sugar factory. In 1972, the government of Idi Amin expelled several Asian-Ugandan families from the country, among them the Madhvani Family. The Madhvani returned to the country in 1985 and regained Kakira. In 1995, Kakira’s factory switched to bagasse as energy source, and, at the expiration of the original lease in 1998, the lease was renewed on a “general purpose” basis. The company now wants to develop the reserve into a sugar cane plantation.
These plans met with serious resistance from local groups, which in recent years received permits to grow eucalyptus trees for firewood and other crops. There are 16 villages adjacent to the Butamira reserve with a population of 8,000 people. Several groups are opposed to the sugar cane plantation, even though the government has offered plots of land to relocate some people, and also to compensate those using the reserve for firewood.
On 29 November a court in Jinja issued an injunction restraining Kakira from taking over Butamira. The injunction followed a civil suit by the Uganda Wildlife Society together with Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment and Butamira Forest Association. The Butamira forest reserve is located in Kagoma County, Jinja District, east of Kampala.
Meanwhile, the privatisation of Kinyara Sugar Works Ltd (KSWL), announced in
1998, shows no progress. Concerned groups said that, if the government wants to proceed with the privatisation, it should take into consideration Ugandan groups able to buy into the company, instead of only looking for foreign investors.
Kinyara, the second largest sugar producer in the country, has also announced plans to expand sugar production from the current 50,000 tonnes to 75,000 tonnes per year in the next five to ten years. In the longer run, Kinyara plans to achieve 150,000 tonnes. Kinyara is wholly owned by the government, and Booker Tate has a managing contract since 1991. The latter is reported as interested in acquiring ownership when Kinyara is effectively privatised.
Uganda’s three sugar factories produce a combined total of 140,000 tonnes of sugar, compared to 180,000 tonnes per year of the domestic demand.
India: Maharashtra Mills to Set-up Schools for Children
An official of Maharashtra said the state government has directed some 150 sugar factories to set up “sugar schools” for the children of migrant workers, who run the risk of loosing formal education due to the seasonality of their parents’ employment. The official said that an estimated 700,000 migrant workers leave their towns during the cane-harvesting season, which normally runs from November to April. At present, the official added, some 70 factories have already taken steps towards implementing the sugar schools, which would provide education to some 6,000 children. The statewide school program, it was said, would be carried out in coordination with cooperative institutions and non-governmental organizations. Maharashtra would be the first state to have such a program in the sugar industry. (Reported by the India Times, 3 December 2001.)
China Joins the WTO
On 10 November, China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) and agreed to put in place a tariff-rate quota of 1.764 million tonnes of sugar in 2002, rising to 1.945 million tonnes by 2004. Import tariffs for sugar under quota will be 20 percent between 2001 and 2003, decreasing to 15 percent in 2004. Out-of-quota sugar will pay a 50 percent tariff. It was reported, however, that China’s actual imports would depend on actual demand, market prices and other factors. Nonetheless, international analysts expect that China’s imports will rise from their annual average of 700,000 tonnes, raw value, of recent years.
One of the main beneficiaries of the opening of the Chinese sugar market might be Australia, which has maintained fluid commercial links with China, exporting almost 60,000 tonnes of sugar in 2000, up from 38,000 tonnes in the previous year. Australia might also benefit from Taiwan’s entry in the WTO, which happened shortly after China’s. Australia sold 210,000 tonnes of sugar to Taiwan in 2000, up from the 186,000 tonnes in 1999.
Thailand: Support Approved For Farmers and Mills
The Thai Cabinet fixed the initial sugar cane price for the 2001-02 harvest at THB 530 (USD 12.00) per tonne, announced officials at the ministry of agriculture. The price is lower than the estimated cost of production of THB 586 per tonne (USD 13.30) and lower than last crop’s initial cane price of THB 600 per tonne.
In other decisions to support cane farmers, the Cabinet requested the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) to provide USD 52.6 million in loans to help preparing the harvest; and approved an additional support of THB 20 per tonne of cane from the Cane and Sugar Fund. The latter translates into a total USD 23.7 million available for farmers, who will have a support of at least THB 550 per tonne (USD 12.70) in the current harvest. Farmers are paid the initial cane price at the beginning of the season, and the balance of the actual price at the beginning of the following cycle.
In related news, the Cabinet authorized the Cane and Sugar Fund to borrow USD 50.2 million in order to finance loans for the sugar mills. It was reported that mills face shortage of financial resources and working capital, because local banks decided to support sugar exports at rates below the one needed to finance the milling operations. The banks agreed to a loan rate, using sugar as collateral, of THB 6,000 (USD 138.30) per tonne of sugar. This includes THB 4,500 to pay for cane and THB 1,500 for milling operations. Taking into consideration the ratio of 10 tonnes of cane per 1 tonne of sugar used by the Thai industry, the banks’ loan rate does not cover payments for cane initially set at THB 530 per tonne. An industry source said that the milling sector needs a loan rate of THB 8,000 per tonne of sugar; and estimated the mills’ total financial needs at USD 95.5 million. Thailand expects to produce 5.4 million tonnes of sugar this year.
Guyana: Guysuco USD 110 Million Modernization Plan
The Guyana Sugar Corporation (Guysuco) would implement a scaled-down version of the USD 200 million modernization plan, which had been criticised by the World Bank earlier in the year, said an international source in November. The corporation is preparing a USD 110 million investment to upgrade the Skeldon sugar estate and factory located in the Berbice region. The corporation will finance USD 25 million from its own resources, and will look for USD 85 million through concessionary financing.
Guysuco has plans to improve agricultural yields to 90 tonnes per hectare, from the current 70 t/h; to raise production to 475,000 tonnes within five years –from the 275,000 tonnes reached in 2000–; and to reduce production costs from USD 18 cents per pound to 11 c/lb. The source also says that Guysuco’s plans to establish a new sugar mill in the Berbice region, in cooperation with a Trinidadian company, will not be affected by the scaling-down of the program.
Company News
France: Farmers Bid for Béghin-Say
The French confederation of beet farmers CGB said it had ensured the financial support of Credit Agricole for its plans to take over Béghin-Say, the country’s largest sugar producer. According to the daily Les Echos, some 13,500 beet farmers have committed 300 million euros (USD 270 million) to the acquisition, with the balance covered by Credit Agricole and three sugar cooperatives: Cristal Union, the Sucreries Distilleries des Hauts de France (SDHF), and Union SDA. Béghin-Say’s market value is estimated at around 1.4 billion euros.
Meanwhile, European financial sources reported that the company’s top management had commissioned a feasibility study for a management-buy-out (MBO), which would need the eventual agreement from the majority shareholder, the Italian group Montedison, in control of 54 percent of the company. The sources speculated that the sale of the Italian subsidiary Eridiana, would improve the chances of a successful MBO in Béghin-Say.
Italy: Farmers Close to Buy Eridiana
Local papers reported that Finbieticola, the financial arm of the Italian beet growers, is in the “final phases” of negotiation to acquire Eridiana’s eight factories. It was reported that two other Italian sugar groups, Sfir and Sadam-Coprob, have also submitted separate offers, while the German Südzucker appears to have withdrawn from the race. Montedison plans to raise some ITL 600 billion (USD 278 million) from the sale of Eridiana.
France: EU Approves Südzucker Deal
The German Südzucker received the approval of the European Commission for the acquisition of the Saint Louis Sucre, France’s second largest sugar group, after agreeing to meet two conditions to foster competition. “Südzucker, said the Commission, has agreed to divest its majority holding in Belgian Suikerfabriek Vanverne and to place 90,000 tonnes of sugar per year in southern Germany at the disposal of an independent trader.” Südzucker controls between 70 percent to 90 percent of the market in Belgium and southern Germany –hence the conditions imposed.
11th HRCT Trade Group Conference
22-Jan-2002Monday afternoon, June 18
Item 1 – Opening of the meeting
Birgitta Kihlberg welcomed participants on behalf of host organisation HRF. Patrick Dalban Moreynas conveyed the excuses of IUF Secretary General Ron Oswald, whose serious health problems have prevented him from travelling to Malmö, and called on participants to make organisation in the HRCT sector the focus of the Conference. President Nicos Epistithiou, who recalled the major challenges facing organised labour in the sector, formally opened the Conference.
Item 2 – Adoption of the agenda
The conference’s agenda was adopted as submitted, as was the schedule.
Item 3 – Adoption of the report of the previous meeting
The report of the Trade Group Board meeting (Cairo, November 13-14, 2000) was adopted.
Item 4 – Membership
The issue of reciprocal affiliation is considered important in a sector where, in Austria for example, on third of youth travel to work abroad, notably for internship. It was reminded that the principle of reciprocal affiliation exists in the IUF and EFFAT Statutes ant that it should be practically expressed to promote the role of the IUF and its regional secretariats in protecting workers’ rights. Bilateral agreements on the integration of unionised employees from other countries in the host country exist in the HRCT’ for example between Austria and Germany. It was suggested that the Secretariat should work to define basic criteria for the application of reciprocal affiliation.
A number of interveners called for the creation of a think tank on union organisation in the HRCT sector. The group will be initially comprised of Aage Jensen (RBF Denmark) and one German-speaking representative (to be appointed), and will work with the Steering Committee (President, Vice Presidents and Secretary).
Paul Abraas (Horecabond FNV Netherlands), Klaus Schröter, Rudolf Kaske (HGPD Austria), Per Olof Lindblom, Thierry Dedieu (FdS-CFDT France), John Herrström (HRF Sweden), Mohamed Elal El Sharkawi (GTUHTW Egypt), Tatiana Krylova (CCCCWU Russia), Leena Rautavuori, Kirill Buketov (IUF Eastern and Central Europe), Javier Siguero (FECHTyJ-UGT Spain), Kerstin Howald et Aage Jensen took part in the discussion.
Item 5 – Regional activities
Klaus Schröter discussed the decrease in activities in the sector resulting from decreasing purchasing power, the introduction of the common European currency (Euro) in 2002, which will allow the consumer to compare prices and could result in a displacement of activities toward lower-price countries, and the merger of service unions in Germany.
Leena Rautavuori highlighted the multiplication of part-time contracts in Finland and the corresponding need to obtain the same guarantees as full-time workers. She describes the measures taken to decrease the inhalation of passive smoke by workers in smoking environment, in particular for pregnant women. She noted that her new organisation, PAM, was the result of a merger of the hotel/restaurant workers federation HRHL with other commerce and service workers organisations.
LeVere Richards presented the action of his union toward the management of the Sandy Lane hotel in Barbados, and highlighted the progression of tourism in the Caribbean zone, notably cruise tourism.
Rudolf Kaske insisted on the high rate of unemployment in the sector, especially at certain periods of the year, at a time where industry sales are growing (7%). Salaries in the sector are still 30% below other sectors, in spite of an agreement signed in May 2001; from this point of view, the extension of the European Union to other countries constitutes a definite social challenge. Atypical work contracts are growing in numbers, especially for young workers. His federation HGPD in not considering joining forces with Austrian organisations in other sectors, but it maintains relations with the NGG in Germany and Horecabond FNV in Netherlands and is considering the establishment of an international union.
Paul Abraas noted a progression in sectoral activities (+5%) in the Netherlands and a reduction in the unemployment rate. He also stated that cooperation between organisations should be nurtured toward mergers, possibly across country lines.
Kirill Buketov presented the activities of the IUF office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, which is concerned with supporting the development work of trade unions in the HRCT sector in the region. He recalled the violations of union rights in Belarus and the campaign conducted on this issue at the recent International Labour Conference in Geneva. He thanked those organisations that have supported their work in the region, notably HRF Sweden.
Adou Yapi (CIAGAH-CI Ivory Coast) noted with regrets that 80% of all workers at seasonal tourist sites in Ivory Coast are illegal workers. There is no collective bargaining agreement covering the sector, and only a small number of local agreements in large hotels. Following the recent changes in national political leadership, a promise was made to restart the collective bargaining process and his organisation will strive to benefit from this opportunity.
Frans Dirix (CCAS-CSC Belgium) noted the aggressive posturing of some employers (McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Quick, AC Restaurants, Carestel, Lunch Garden) who went so far as to threaten to resort to legal proceedings to have the sectoral CBA declared not applicable to the fast food industry. The strong and quick union reaction defeated this employer strategy.
Kunio Akiyama (Leisure Service Rengo) presented union developments in the sector in Japan and the establishment, on upcoming July 24, of a large federation Leisure Service Rengo that will make a priority of reinforcing union organisation in the sector.
Kerstin Howald described the new IUF European regional organisation EFFAT, born of the merger of the European foodworkers’ secretariat (ECF-IUF) with the European federation of agriculture (EFA). One of the first initiatives undertaken by EFFAT was the organisation of a demonstration for food safety in April 2001. She then provided information on the status of relations with the European hotel and restaurant employers’ association HOTREC and with the European institutional catering federation FERCO. HOTREC has agreed in principle to joint work on non-discrimination. Training, food security and the criteria for selecting catering companies are on the agenda with the latter. Work in the tourism sector is continuing through the European Tourism Liaison Committee (ETLC), notably on the possibility of coordinated union action in instances of mergers or concentration of the corporations active in tourism and transportation.
Ray Rasing (NUWHRAIN Philippines) mentioned the problems arising from political instability in his country from the point of view of union struggles. CBAs are to be renegotiated and in several instances management is looking to roll back previous union gains. His organisation is involved with an ILO project to fight child labour in the tourism trade. It has conducted a campaign to extend the working conditions of permanent employees to all seasonal or part-time workers
Mohamed Elal El Sharkawi noted that there is an agreement in his country to convert all atypical work contracts to permanent contracts after one year, but that this agreement is not being applied satisfactorily.
Vesna Dejanovic (SSUTH Croatia) described recent developments in the sector: the work week has been rolled back from 42 to 40 hours, the labour code makes strike action legal if salaries have not been paid after 30 days. She calls on the Conference to demonstrate solidarity with the workers of the Zagreb Laguna hotel, who went on strike to protest the stalemate in negotiations. The workers are under threat of a lockout and half of them have been reassigned.
Lena Davor (ICU Ghana) notes that following political changes in her country, collective bargaining has started anew and that progress has been achieved in the sector: 40-hour work week, with two days of rest each week, possibility of personal leaves, maternity eaves, etc.
Rachel Abenaim (NURHW Israel) confirmed the increase in sub-contracting, also apparent in her country, and the salary level, among the lowest for all industrial and commercial activities. She described the difficult situation of workers in the sector, faced for many months now with a slowing down of tourism in Israel, which has resulted in the laying off of at least 30% of the membership in the sector.
Carlos Lopes (SITTUHR Cape Verde) brought the attention on the potential for union organisation in Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa. On the other hand, he denounced the increasing use of atypical work contracts and the practice of suspending work contracts during the off-season. His union will negotiate the first CBA in the sector and he is counting on support from the IUF.
Patrick Dalban Moreynas concluded the discussions: in spite of improvements in certain countries/areas, the trend toward the increased use of atypical work contracts is expanding. Organisations are aware of the need to respond to this challenge through increased organisation efforts, and through a reflection on the reinforcement of union structure that may, but not necessarily in all instances, take the form of mergers between organisations. International cooperation is required, and on this level the tourism liaison committee is a good example of joint work by the ITF, UNI and the IUF. International solidarity is also a reinforcing factor for grassroots organisations, and it is proposed to forward the requested protest messages to the management of the Laguna hotel in Zagreb.
Tuesday, June 19, 2001
Session Chair Birgitta Kihlberg welcomed Leif Håkansson, Third Vice President of the Swedish national centre LO.
Leif Håkansson addressed the participants by congratulating himself, as former President of the agricultural workers’ federation of Sweden, for the creation at the international level of a single organisation for the whole food chain, following the merger of the IFPAAW with the IUF in 1994. The issues of child labour, operation of the World Trade Organization (WTO), taxation of capital movements, ethical guidelines in investments are but a few of the reasons that make a necessity, in the view of the speaker, of increased cooperation between national centres and their federations and the international labour movement.
Point 6: Professional equality
Patrick Dalban Moreynas introduced a document from the Secretariat which highlights the interesting progress achieved at the ILO April 2001 tripartite meeting on issues of professional equality. He also recalled the Trade Group’s obligation to implement the resolution adopted by the 1994 Conference on the rebalancing of the Trade Group Board along gender lines. He invited the Conference to discuss, and adopt, as appropriate, the guidelines proposed by the Secretariat, and to discuss the best avenues of cooperation between the Trade Group Board and the Women’s Committee of the IUF.
The ensuing discussion raises the following points: organisations should reflect the composition of their membership, including with regard to gender distribution. Organisations in the HRCT sector are striving to abide by the 1994 resolution, but practical hurdles remain and they are requesting a degree of flexibility in its application.
The resolution and the conclusions adopted by the ILO tripartite meeting on women workers’ issues in the HRCT sector contain positive provisions that should be promoted.
It was recommended that the language of the proposed guidelines be changed by putting the verbs in the conditional to the indicative in order to clearly indicate that the Conference expresses not mere wishes, but sets working objectives. The proposal on split-shift work and part-time work should be restated in order not to introduce any gender inequalities.
Paul Abraas, Sointu Toivonen, Klaus Schröter, LeVere Richards, John Herrström, Leena Rautavuori, and Per-Olof Lindblom took part in the discussion.
Birgitta Kihlberg noted that the guidelines were adopted with the proposed amendments. The document will be forwarded to the Women’s Committee of the IUF for consideration as regards the issues specific to women in the HRCT sector. The Chair invited the Secretariat to accept all appointments to the Trade Group Board but insisted on the required consideration of the 1994 resolution.
Claes Borgström, Jämo (Ombudsman for equality issues in Sweden) described his role and the actions undertaken by his office to promote gender equality at work, notably in the areas of access to employment, the sharing of tasks and responsibilities in the society and child-rearing, and the promotion of women to jobs similar to those available to men.
Item 7 – Transnational Corporations
Patrick Dalban Moreynas presented the document from the Secretariat. It sets out current solidarity actions, notably the one in support for locked-out workers at the Shangri-La hotel in Jakarta. He recalled the conclusions of the meeting on the Hilton/Scandic group organised on the previous day in the course of the Trade Group Board Meeting. He proposed to discuss the Accor Group, which had signed an agreement on trade union rights with the IUF, Club Méditerranée, which had just signed an agreement on sub-contracting with the European Works Council, and the work done in other corporations in the sector.
Paul Abraas noted that he has obtained from his organisation’s governing bodies a donation of Euros 25,000 for the Shangri-La workers in Indonesia. A letter signed by the organisation’s leadership was delivered to the Indonesian embassy calling on the government to facilitate a resolution of the conflict.
A draft resolution of the situation at the Shangri-La was adopted, as was the principle of setting up a fundraising effort for out-of-work workers at the hotel.
Patrick Dalban Moreynas mentioned a difficult situation at the Hyatt in Belgrade, and the Conference approved the mailing of messages of solidarity to the workers at the hotel, who are protesting the suspension of 49 union members during difficult salary negotiations.
A resolution supporting the union at the Laguna hotel in Zagreb was adopted following a proposal by SSUTH Croatia. It will be sent to the union with a signed list of participants to the Conference.
On request from the Italian FILCAMS-CGIL, a resolution is also adopted supporting the strike by workers at the Pieve Emanuele depot of Autogrill and opposing the trend toward sub-contracting expressed by the company.
The discussion on Club Méditerranée highlighted the progress achieved by the European Works Council, which had obtained financing for its activities and the signature of an agreement on the reduction of sub-contracting. However, Club Méditerranée does not recognize unions in Ivory Coast.
Kerstin Howald mentioned the progress achieved on the implementation of European Works Councils in the Sheraton chain and at Autogrill. She recalled the support provided by affiliates in Europe to the HERE union at HMS Host, the North American subsidiary of Autogrill. She also described current work at Alpha Catering.
Debbie Anderson denounced the ideological opposition of the Marriott group to the unionisation of its employees. At the Marriott San Francisco, the union signed 20 years ago a neutrality agreement by which management agreed not to oppose unionisation. It took the union 16 years to be recognized as representatives of the employees, but five years have elapsed without the union being able to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement. HERE has succeeded in some instances to intervene with local authorities and preventing Marriott to obtain new hotel contracts and the speaker called on trade unions in other countries to try and effect the same pressures on the group.
The report from the Secretariat was adopted.
Item 8 – General issues
Patrick Dalban Moreynas introduced the document prepared by the Secretariat and discussion casualisation of work contracts in the sector, issues specific to migrant workers, sub-contracting, financial crime, health/safety, education/training and working hours. He drew attention to the work performed by LO Sweden on financial crime and on the study of working hours performed by the Secretariat. HI highlighted the progress achieved at the ILO tripartite meeting on the limitation of sub-contracting and atypical work contracts.
Claudio Treves (FILCAMS-CGIL Italy) wished for a specific definition of atypical work contracts as he felt that part-time contract could hardly be described as atypical. The national agreement covers part-time workers. The reduction in sub-contracting should be based on quantified data. The workweek in the sector is 40 hours on average, with a modicum of flexibility.
José Castro (FGTA-FO France) noted that his organisation would not sign the agreement to reduce the workweek to 35 hours, as they could not condone deterioration in the situation of some workers regarding compensation and the organisation of personal life.
On the other hand, Walter Surian (FdS-CFDT France), whose organisation has signed the agreement, considered that it constitutes a first step toward the harmonisation of working hours with other sectors after many decades of suffering from a discriminatory work regime characterised by unpaid hours (equivalent hours).
Nicos Epistithiou pointed out a mistake in the Secretariat’s document. The number of foreigners working in hotels in Cyprus is not 60% but rather 6%.
Kerstin Howald explained the agreement on the reduction of sub-contracting intervened with Club Méditerranée in Europe.
Amador Escribano (FECOHT-CC.OO Spain) requested a clarification of the terms and concepts. He considered that sub-contracting is often a way for the employer to sidestep the obligations arising from the CBA, and would like that the operations that can be sub-contracted be defined. In any way, it was essential to him that the uniqueness of the union counterpart be preserved for the employer.
Mohamed Elal El Sharkawi noted that trade unions in Egypt had recently succeeded in signing agreements on migrant workers’ rights with appropriate organisations in the host countries. It is necessary to encourage the ratification of Core ILO Conventions.
Rudolf Kaske also wished for a clarification of the concepts. In his country, fixed-term contracts, maternity leaves and sub-contracting constitute one-third of all jobs in the sector. Financial crime distorts competition, and as such ma have negative impact for the workers in the sector. However, he considered that the issue should not be a priority for trade unions but rather is an issue for employers to confront. The quality of services should be a crucial issue for the IUF. On the issue of working hours, HGPD has opened the door to a modicum of flexibility on the application of the 40-hour workweek, notably through the 4-day week.
Sointu Toivonen noted that the study on working hours had been useful to his organisation during negotiations on working hours in his country. Professional training is essentially a national issue but the IUF could help define guidelines on equal access to training, the implementation of lifelong training program, etc.
Klaus Schröter thought that the Conference should provide orientations to the Secretariat for future work, on the basis for example of a limited number of key issues. The survey of working hours should be continued. Priority must be given to reflection and action against all forms of work that tend to undermine working and salary conditions establishes through collective bargaining. Issues pertaining to migrant and illegal workers are also discussed in the context of the social dialogue at the European level. It would be necessary to discuss further the issues of training/education and to define best practices in this area.
Per Persson (HRF Sweden) noted that workers in the sector have not shown any interest for a reduction in the workweek but rather for better salaries. Casual work represents in Sweden 25 to 30% of all work contracts and is increasing. The national centres have established priority actions to fight this trend. HRF has adopted a framework program for immigrant workers prohibiting any discrimination. Financial crime is a priority for his organisation as it threatens both collective bargaining and job security. His organisations cooperated with the employers’ association on this issue, which is the subject of joint work by all Nordic trade unions.
Tatiana Krylova confirmed the emergence, following the privatisation of the Russian economy, of the phenomena described in the IUF document: atypical work contracts, sub-contracting, and arrival of migrant workers in Moscow willing to accept employment in near-slavery conditions. A new labour code is being discussed. It risks to worsen the situation of the workers and to attack their rights. She supported the willingness to fight economic crime while at the same time believing that nothing can effectively be done without strong involvement from the authorities.
Kirill Buketov supported the work on economic crime, which is crucial for his country to the extent that repression and even deadly attacks against union leaders are conducted by organised crime.
Debbie Anderson presented the campaign to denounce, on the occasion of its 300th anniversary, the union-busting attitude of Yale University and called on organisations in other countries to join in actions directed at the Yale Clubs active in some 50 countries around the world. She will provide the IUF and ICFTU with appropriate information.
In conclusion, the Conference recommended to the Secretariat to continue the survey of working hours, to better define the scope and the contents of the work on migrant workers and economic crime, to better identify the extent and impacts of sub-contracting based in sub-sectors, to collect data on best practices in training/education and health/safety in the sector and to continue et further its analysis of the casualisation phenomenon in the sector by better defining what this concept entails.
Item 9 – Fast food
Patrick Dalban Moreynas introduced the document prepared by the Secretariat on three major players in the industry: Autogrill, Tricon and Diageo. A separate appendix is devoted to McDonald’s.
Gabriele Guglielmi (FILCAMS-CGIL Italy) described Autogrill, which employs 40,000 and is emerging as a leader in the industry. FILCAMS-CGIL has created a Web site to allow employees to get together. An e-mail information bulletin is distributed each week to each of Italy’s 400 Autogrill units. The site could be opened as required to comments from Brothers and Sisters in other countries. A collective bargaining agreement currently under negotiation will regulate part-time and night work.
An agreement has been entered with McDonald’s to negotiate general conditions throughout the company. The objective is to counter working hours and salary flexibility.
LeVere Richards signalled that KFC has operations in Barbados but is entertaining rather positive relations with the union, while a local chain, Cheffette, is problematic.
Paul Abraas reported that the relations with McDonald’s were rather positive in the Netherlands. However, his organisation supported the protests against child and women labour at a toy factory in China, and suggested that contacts be established between the IUF and the Group’s corporate management. In the Netherlands, McDonald’s has 187 franchised and 27 corporate outlets.
Natalya Gratchova (CCCCWU Russia) thanked the IUF Moscow office and the CCCCWU federation for their support in the struggle she is leading at the McDonald’s plant in Moscow. She has succeeded in getting the union recognized but must now fight the company’s pressures to encourage members to resign the union.
Tatiana Krylova described the efforts of her federation to organise McDonald’s restaurant employees. The distributions of tracts and leaflets by the union were followed by meetings organised by management to discourage any organising effort.
In conclusion, the Secretariat must continue its work on fast-food companies, notably on McDonald’s.
Item 10 – Institutional catering
Patrick Dalban Moreynas introduced the document prepared by the Secretariat on three major players in the industry: Aramark, Compass and Sodexho.
Fernando Medina considers that the work on these companies should be a priority. Together, they employ over 700,000 people. It is important to reinforce the cooperation between the ITF and the IUF in the work on airline catering.
Gabriele Guglielmi noted that minimum wages have been established in each province for institutional catering and that public administrations and other contractors are called upon to reject any contract proposal that includes conditions below that threshold.
Aage Jensen noted with pleasure the cooperation between the ITF and the IUF on airline catering. He signalled difficulties with Sodexho, which refused to apply the CBA and employed Baltic States workers at conditions below the sectoral CBA. The cooperation with transportation workers has allowed to put pressure on the company and achieve an agreement.
Klaus Schröter agreed on the necessity to establish minimum standards and determine best practices for the sector. We should be able to identify those few companies who apply adequate practices in the sector and discuss means of disseminating that information.
Javier Siguero asked the Secretariat to monitor the development of companies in the sector. The French Elior is entering the airport cafeteria and food services market through acquisitions.
Per Olof Lindstrom and Per Persson are not convinced of the positive impact of eventual black lists and would rather promote the development of a list of positive examples.
Shane Enright (ITF) presented the work of the ITF tourism services section. He described the globalisation process in the airline catering segment, which has resulted in two companies, LSG-Skychefs and Gate Gourmet, together controlling over 60% of the market. The necessity to unite employees in those companies became all the more pressing at the time of the protests organised to oppose the lay-off of over 200 LSG employees at Heathrow in 1998. In this last instance, cooperation with the IUF was required to involve IUF-affiliated organisations representing LSG employees Spain and in France. Cooperation allowed for resolution of the conflict to the satisfaction of the workers concerned. A joint meeting on airline catering was held in 2000 with a second one scheduled for September of this year. Joining forces will become necessary to work on companies such as LSG and Gate Gourmet, which are developing in catering segments such as railway catering. Shane considers the current cooperation between the ITF and the IUF on airline catering as the model for future action. In fact, the ITF is working together with other international trade union federations (PSI, UNI) in work for employees in the air traffic control and airport security industries, respectively.
In the tourism sector, where the ITF represents travel agency and bus tour employees as well as tourist guides, a decision has been made to work closely with UNI (travel agencies, tour operators) and the IUF. This has led to the establishment of the European tourism liaison committee (ETLC), which the ITF considers to be an efficient tool for representing tourism trade unions at the European level. The ITF wishes to extend this experience to other regions and to hold joint conferences on tourism. Globalisation, restructuring and technology are changing the nature of labour relations, making boundaries between sectors more fluid. Organised labour must adapt to this new situation.
The ITF and the IUF have the potential to cooperate in numerous areas: pressure on companies active in Burma and the boycott of tourism in this country, solidarity in struggles such as the one at the Seoul Swiss Grand, where the ITF brought precious help to the IUF, cruise ship employees, where the ITF has launched an organising campaign, airline charters, which involve large tourism conglomerates such as Preussag, etc.
In conclusion, the Conference recommended the establishment of minimum standards for institutional catering, with a view of preparing a list of companies abiding by such standards.
The report from the Secretariat was adopted.
Item 11 – Tourism
Patrick Dalban Moreynas presented the document prepared by the Secretariat and the Appendices on the IUF policy for the tourism sector and the position statement by the IUF on the GATS agreements. He drew the participants’ attention to the necessity for monitoring and updating the list of hotels we recommend and hotels we don’t.
LeVere Richards accepted the Secretariat’s draft for an IUF policy on tourism, which states the fundamental right for local populations to access beaches and coastal properties in their own countries. This appears to reflect his organisation’s concern expressed in a previous amendment proposal. At the same time, he wished that the IUF initiated a reflection and discussion toward the development of a position of the “all-inclusive” hotel formulas.
Per Olov Lindblom, Claudio Treves and Fernando Medina spoke to support the work on sustainable tourism, cooperation between international trade union organisations active in the tourism sector, the development and wide dissemination of the list of hotels we recommend and those we don’t, specifically targeting travel agencies and tour operators. Fernando Medina wished that organised labour get involved in the application of the world code of ethics for tourism, while pointing out its weaknesses.
The document by the Secretariat and its amended appendix on the IUF policy for the tourism sector were approved. The Secretariat is mandated to work on the issue of sustainable tourism, continue its efforts for the involvement of organised labour in the application of the worldwide code of ethics for the tourism sector, identify initiatives for the promotion of green tourism and cooperate with NGOs in preparation of the May 2002 Summit, continue pressures on companies active in Burma so that they put an end to their operations in that country, continue to provide a list of hotels we recommend and hotels we don’t, identify and distribute any information on the development of tourism policy in the regions.
Point 12 – Union development projects
The document prepared by the Secretariat was presented and approved.
Item 13 – Child labour
After the document from the Secretariat was presented, Rey Rasing detailed the project conducted in the Philippines by NUWHRAIN, with support from the ILO. In the course of this survey, researchers met with 500 children. Specific cases were presented to the public to make them aware of child labour. Related material (brochures, posters, etc.) was placed in certain hotels. At least one employer announced a willingness to include the IUF model language in the CBA signed with NUWHRAIN. The union is striving to achieve the same result with six other hotels. In the second phase, the project will extend to four large cities near Manila. The NUWHRAIN survey, which led to the publication of a report and an education manual, was conducted for the most part in non-union hotels with non-salaried children engaged in prostitution.
Klaus Schröter expressed his pleasure with the progress made when employers condemned child labour at the April 2001 ILO tripartite meeting.
Hiroshi Sawada noted that his organisation is interested in preparing and participating in the conference on the sexual exploitation of children to be held in Yokohama at the end of 2001. The national centre Rengo is willing to support the work of his organisation on child labour
The document prepared by the Secretariat is approved with a call to organisations to increase the use of the IUF model agreement.
Item 14 – Relations with other organisations
Patrick Dalban Moreynas presented the document prepared by the Secretariat and highlighting the relations with the International Labour Organization, most notably with regards to the tripartite sectoral meetings, and with the World Tourism Organization.
LeVere Richards noted that in his region, trade unions and the regional secretariat have contacts with the Caribbean Tourism Organization, who’s Secretary General attended a regional meeting in January 2001. Relations have also been established with the Caribbean Hotel Association. The regional meeting scheduled for November, 2001 will help develop these relationships.
Kerstin Howald reported on the activities on TNCs active in transportation and tourism. In this context, the issue of “all-inclusive” hotels will be discussed. Europe/Mediterranean cooperation is another work avenue. A conference is in preparation.
Javier Siguero thought important that a number of affiliates be involved with the Secretariat in contacts with other organisations active in the tourism sector.
After a short introduction by Birgitta Kihlberg, Einar Söder introduced the International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IHRA), of which he has been President for a few months. The IHRA is comprised of national hotel and restaurant operators from over 150 countries. It runs program on respect for the environment, education/training, trend analysis, economic and social issues, regulations, and any other issue of interest to restaurant and hotel owners.
Responding to questions from Leena Rautavuori, Zeljko Herendic and Paul Abraas, Mr. Söder recognized that salaries are often insufficient to retain young, qualified employees in the sector and that collective bargaining is necessary, as is the development of career plans. He clearly stated that his organisation does not in any way condone union busting tactics, but also that he cannot speak on behalf of all companies and groups in IHRA.
In response to Klaus Schröter, he recognized that the IHRA does not currently cooperate with union organisations on education/training issues, adding that this question could be examined in the future.
The document is adopted.
Item 15 – Resolutions and statements
After the presentation of the resolution on Cuba by the Secretariat, LeVere Richards sought to explain the proposal: Cuba’s workers must be accepted in the IUF family. His organisation, BWU, has already established contacts with the hotel and restaurant workers federation. He believed it necessary to send a six-person study mission to Cuba and estimated the cost at USD 20,000.
Fernando Medina recalled that the IUF is built on the principles of freedom of association and affiliation and that it should take care not to encourage contacts with organisations that do not abide by these principles. Sending a mission to Cuba should in no way result in unconditional admission for Cuban organisations.
Napoleon Kpoh supported the draft resolution, considering as he does that all workers are faced with problems and should therefore be able to work together.
Javier Siguero believed it necessary to approach the issue of the relationship with Cuban organisations from a global, not sectoral, perspective. In any instances, he certainly believed that conditions should be spelled out in advance.
Claudio Treves supported the resolution, believing as he does that relationships should be established with all trade union organisations.
The Secretariat proposed the following amendments to the draft resolution:
Amend the first operational paragraph to state that the IUF will begin research to determine the necessity of establishing contacts (not relations) with Cuba’s organised labour;
Amend the second operational paragraph to state that the mission will be sent to Cuba to assess the situation in the HRCT sector (not to launch discussions with Cuba’s organised labour);
Amend the final paragraph to state that the mission will report to a future HRCT Trade Group meeting (not to the next HRCT Trade Group Board meeting, to be held in 2002).
The resolution was adopted as amended.
The draft resolution on the promotion of green tourism, which could be submitted to the 24th IUF Congress in May 2002, was adopted in principle. Affiliated organisations will be invited to complete it as required before it is submitted to the resolution committee of the Congress. In the next-to-last paragraph, the resolution encourages the development of lists of positive examples.
The amendments to the Trade Group Regulations were adopted as proposed by the Secretariat.
The document is adopted.
Item 16 – IUF Congress in May, 2002
The Conference took note of the document submitted by the Secretariat and adopted it without discussions.
Item 17 – Elections
The Conference elected the Trade Group Board.
Nicos Epistithiou, seeking re-election, was re-elected as President of the Trade Group Board, by acclamation. Birgitta Kihlberg was re-elected as 1st Vice President. The 2nd Vice Presidency will be held as follows:
From the June 2001 Conference until the Trade Group Board meeting in 2003, by Molly Burgess (BIU Bermudas) ;
From the Trade Group Board meeting in 2003 until the Trade Group Board meeting in 2004, jointly by Molly Burgess and Kunio Akiyama (Leisure Service Rengo Japan) ;
From the Trade Group Board meeting in 2003 until the Trade Group Conference in 2006, by Kunio Akiyama (Leisure Service Rengo Japan).
Point 18 – Future meetings
LeVere Richards proposed that the next Trade Group Board meeting be held in the Bahamas, on the invitation of affiliate BHCWU.
Mohamed Elal El Sharkawi noted the availability of his organisation to host an IUF meeting.
Point 19 – Other issues
Tomoji Misato (IUF affiliates coordination committee in Japan) insisted on the necessity to support the workers of Burma, of which thousands work in the hotel and restaurant industry in his country.
The President thanked Vice President Hiroshi Sawada for his many years in the service of the Trade Group and wished him many years of happy retirement. He also thanked all the colleagues of HRF Sweden who have, here in Malmö or in Stockholm, worked hard to make the Conference a practical success.
Hiroshi Sawada warmly thanked the President for his thoughtful words and felt thankful for having had the opportunity to work in such constructive manner with the other members of the Steering Committee as well as with all the Brothers and Sisters from HRCT unions over the years. He wished all continued success in fighting for the rights of the workers in the sector.
Nicos Epistithiou thanked participants for their confidence in having him chairing the Trade Group. He thanked the Vice Presidents for their support and the participants for their rich contribution. He closed the Conference by thanking the interpreters and the Secretariat.
Focus on Hotel, Catering Transnationals at HRCT Trade Group Conference
22-Jan-2002Strengthening organizing and bargaining power within transnational hotel and catering companies was the dominant theme at the 11th conference of the IUF HRCT Trade Group, held in Malmö, Sweden June 18 to 20. One concrete result of the in-depth review of union work within specific TNCs was a commitment for joint work between unions organizing within the Hilton/Scandic company.
Conference delegates took positive note of the latest contacts between the secretariat and the catering transnationals Sodexho and Compass, as well as the efforts made by the secretariat to ensure proper implementation and respect for the IUF/Accor agreement on trade union rights. A network of researchers in the HRCT sector is being built to strengthen the secretariat's capacity to react quickly to any request for information and action on transnational companies.
The conference devoted specific attention to the challenges facing unions in the fast-food and institutional catering sectors where flexibility, precarious contracts, low wages and violations of trade union tend to be the rule. A working group will be set up to discuss common policies to facilitate organizing the many unorganized workers in the sector and to encourage active implementation of the principle of reciprocity of affiliation laid down in the IUF rules.
The conference also encouraged the secretariat to assess the need for developing regular contacts with intergovernmental institutions like the World Tourism Organization, employers' organizations such as the International Hotel and Restaurant Association (whose president Einar Söder addressed the conference) and non-governmental organizations active in the tourism sector. Regular contact with these various organizations was considered essential for assuring that labour movement views were properly taken into account in the growing public debate on issues like ethical behaviour in tourism, tourism industry sustainability, commercial sexual exploitation of children through tourism etc.
Resolutions were adopted in support of the struggles for trade union rights at the Shangri-La Jakarta Hotel, the Belgrade Hyatt Regency, the Laguna Hotel in Zagreb and Autogrill in Italy, along with a resolution authorizing a fact-finding mission to Cuba to determine the relevance of establishing contacts with the trade union in the HRCT sector.
Nicos Epistithiou (OEXEV Cyprus) was re-elected president of the Trade Group, as was first vice-president Birgitta Kihlberg (HRF Sweden). The position of second vice-president will be shared on a rotating basis between Helena Burgess (BIU Bermuda) and Kunio Akiyama (Leisure Service Rengo Japan). The conference expressed its deep appreciation for the work of retiring vice-president Hiroshi Sawada.
See a full report of the conference and resolutions adopted on the members only site.
The Sugar Worker, January 2002: News from the sugar sector.
27-Jan-2002The Sugar Worker
Information and Analysis for Unions in the Sugar Sector
Volume IV, Number 1
January 2002
Contents
· Mozambique: Mauritian Group Exports Under EU’s “Everything But Arms”
· Mexico: Corn Companies Against Tax on Fructose
· Brazil: Concentration in Alcohol and Sugar in the Centre-South
· Argentina: Financial Crisis Hits Sugar
· Thailand: Wang Kanai Group Plans Ethanol Plant
· European Union: Biofuels Promotion Strategy
· England: Organic Sugar Beet Crop Lost
· Canada: Rogers Sugar Merges With Lantic Sugar
· United States: Farmers Ready to Buy Michigan Sugar from Imperial
· Imperial Announces Worland Closure
· Company News
· France: Beet Growers Urged to Buy Béghin Say
· Poland: Pfeifer und Langen Controversial Schemes
Mozambique: Mauritian Group Exports Under EU’s “Everything But Arms”
Mozambique became the first least developed country to benefit from the “Everything But Arms” trade initiative by the European Union, with reports that the Sena Sugar Estates (Marromeu mill) shipped raw sugar to a Portuguese refinery. Mozambique will receive an annual allocation of the EBA quota.
The process also shows some of the regional corporate links being built as the Mauritian Lagesse Group was in charge of Marromeu’s recovery program and has control of the mill. The mill produces 100,000 tonnes of sugar per year, with the possibility to increase production to 140,000 tonnes. In Mauritius, the Lagesse Group has interests in FUEL, which is to be merged with Mon Loisir. According to the Mauritian daily L’Express, FUEL will receive substantial investments and will produce 130,000 tonnes of sugar per year. The investments in Mauritius and in Mozambique, the Lagesse Group believes, give them a strong basis to build their own marketing channels and to consolidate business relations with sugar refineries, especially in the European Union.
Sugar production in Mozambique has experienced a sharp increase, and the country expects to reach some 248,000 tonnes in the 2001/02 harvest (May/April), compared to the previous year’s production of slightly over 100,000 tonnes of sugar. This is a direct result of a recovery program, which allowed the sugar estates in Mozambique, for the first time in almost thirty years, to be actually engaged in producing sugar. As well, tighter controls on imports are now in effect. Sugar imports must pay a tariff with reference to world prices; and sugar arriving without documentation is denied entry and a fine of 30 percent the import value is imposed on the importer.
Mexico: Corn Companies Against Tax on Fructose
Arancia Corn Products and Almidones Mexicanos (Almex), the only two companies producing corn sweeteners in the country, said they would start legal proceedings against the Mexican government, if the Congress does not modify the 20 per cent tax on drinks that use corn syrups introduced at the beginning of January. They would ask for a USD 650 million compensation payment, they added. In early January, Arancia said it had shut down its plant at Querétaro del Rio.
The companies are subsidiaries of U.S.-based companies. Arancia is a subsidiary of Corn Products International, while Almex is a joint venture of Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and Tate & Lyle, with a plant in Guadalajara. Spokespersons for the companies said the tax discriminates against their industry, and that they might ask a NAFTA panel to look into the matter as the tax changed the conditions under which they had made their investments. They may also consider taking the case to the World Trade Organization (WTO) through the U.S. government. The U.S. Trade Representative also voiced strong concerns on the new tax, saying that, in three meetings held with Mexican ministers in January, he had “stressed the illegality and serious damage of (the) new protectionist Mexican tax.” He said the tax establishes a major obstacle to the settlement of the broader sweetener dispute, and the U.S. expects Mexico to quickly end the discriminatory treatment.
As a result of the new tax, local reports said, soft drink bottlers have begun the switch to sugar. One of them, Coca Cola-FEMSA, is reported using 100 per cent sugar (as compared to the previous 60-40 per cent in favour of corn sweeteners) as of 1 January 2002. Industrial users said that production costs of soft drinks using sugar as main input are usually 10 percent higher than corn syrups; and they predicted that the tax would push demand for sugar up, increasing domestic prices. Two weeks after the introduction of the tax, domestic sugar prices went up by about 8 percent.
The tax on fructose has also an impact on the corn trade. In calendar year 2000, Mexico imported about 1.76 million tonnes of yellow corn from the United States, for use in the local production of corn products, including sweeteners. Official sources do not report on the domestic production of corn sweeteners, says the Department of Agriculture of the U.S. (USDA), “and companies treat it as confidential information.” Industry analysts, however, estimate corn sweeteners production at 250,000-300,000 tonnes, which can displace between 230,000-250,000 tonnes of sugar.
Brazil: Concentration in Alcohol and Sugar in the Centre-South
A recent report by a commodity analysis group describes the rapid concentration in the alcohol and sugar Brazilian complex, especially in the Centre-South region, around Sao Paulo. Two major companies, Copersucar and Crystalsev, account for 30 percent of sugar production in the Centre-South, which translates into some 7 million tonnes of sugar per year. The Cooperativa dos Produtores de Cana, Açúcar e Álcool do Estado de São Paulo Ltda (Copersucar), with 88 members markets all their alcohol and sugar production, with estimated sales of USD 1 billion per year, 55 percent of it in alcohol. Copersucar produces over 3 million tonnes of sugar, from which it exports about 1.3 million tonnes. (Copersucar is probably the world’s largest sugar exporter.) The Crystalsev Group of companies, based in Riberao Preto (São Paulo), produces about 1.3 million tonnes of sugar.
In the alcohol sector of the Centre-South, four big companies: Copersucar, Bioagencia, Sociedade Corretora de Alcool (SCA) and the Central Paranaense de Alcool (CPA), control almost 60 percent of the regional production, about 7 billion litres per year. This trend to concentration is helped by the fuel-distribution systems in Brazil, where only a small number of companies operate. Additionally, it is said, companies are now more inclined to coordinate their sales, and almost all the alcohol sold domestically is marketed through some kind of syndicated structure, which offers advantages in reducing transportation costs, improving logistics, and strengthening the companies’ bargaining power. For instance, the Cosan Group, reckoned as the country’s largest individual company in the sugar-alcohol sector, relies on SCA for the distribution of its alcohol production. (Cosan has majority control in 10 sugar-alcohol companies in Sao Paulo, and in the recent harvest processed 14.8 million tonnes of cane.)
In some alcohol-related news, it was reported that Cosan, Crystalsev and Copersucar, are planning to set up a company in the Caribbean to facilitate exports to the United States, as some countries can export anhydrous alcohol duty-free under the Caribbean Basin Initiative. Brazilian industry sources said that the minister of agriculture was to visit the Dominican Republic to negotiate such proposal with a Dominican distillery. In 1999/2000 Brazilian exports to the Caribbean were 1.3 million hectolitres, or 30 percent of the total exports for that year.
Argentina: Financial Crisis Hits Sugar
Argentinean sugar producers are facing financial problems after of the peso devaluation and the restrictions introduced in the country’s financial system. When the government decided to end the 1:1 parity between the Argentinean peso and the U.S. dollar, with an effective devaluation of 40 percent, sugar producers were not included in the sectors benefiting by the pesificación, which allows to pay in local currency credits contracted in U.S. dollars.
The situation grew complicated because Argentinean producers use a warrant system that gives them access to loans, with sugar as collateral, which they have to pay back. Sources in the northwestern province of Tucumán, where most of the country’s sugar is produced, said producers have some 235,000 tonnes of sugar under warrants, which they are unable to repay. On 23 January, a meeting between Tucumán sugar producer representatives, and the Caja Popular de Ahorros, the state-run Banco Nación, and BICE, the bank for investment and foreign trade, discussed the establishing of lines of credits for the growers to pay for and recover the warranted sugar.
In early January, there were reports that domestic prices have increased from USD 31 cents per kilogram of sugar, price at the gate, to USD 40 cents; some groups said this reflected the new financial environment. President Duhalde, however, warned the industry that restrictions on imports on Brazilian sugar would be lifted, if prices were not under control.
The 2001/02 harvest in Tucumán, which ended in mid November, reached 860,000 tonnes of sugar, some 30,000 tonnes lower than in the previous year. Industry sources said that the shortfall in Tucumán was offset by the increase in the Jujuy province, where the Ledesma mill reached 334,000 tonnes of sugar, compared to 290,000 tonnes in the previous year.
Thailand: Wang Kanai Group Plans Ethanol Plant
Wang Kanai, the largest sugar group in the country, plans to invest USD 20.4 million (TBH 900 million) in an ethanol plant and increasing production of paper pulp. The Group will apply for a licence to produce fuel ethanol for cars and submit plans to the National Ethanol Development Committee.
The ethanol plant will process molasses from the Group’s sugar mills, which ensures the supply of raw material, and will have a production capacity of 160,000 litres of alcohol per day. It will be built next to the Group’s sugar mill in the Northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima (36,000 tdc), with an investment of USD 18 million, half of which would be financed by credits. The Wang Kanai Group owns four sugar mills (three in the Central region, one in the Northeast) with a combined total crushing capacity of 87,000 tonnes of cane per day (tdc). The Group also plans to expand the tissue-paper production in 2002, with improvements at the Wang TN Paper Mill.
In related news, a report by the Bangkok Post of 16 January says Wang Kanai has invested THB 11 million (USD 250,000) in setting up an information technology centre to increase productivity and efficiency. The centre will have a global position system (GPS) and a geographic information system (GIS), while the information will be fed into a database.
According to the group, the systems will collect reliable information on the cane grown by 50,000 independent farmers in some 60,000 hectares, with whom the company has supplying contracts. The Group will have a better knowledge of the type of soils and would be able to analyse some areas for possible expansion. The Group says that information will be passed onto the farmers to help them to improve agricultural yields. Also important for the Group, is the possibility to reduce the number of farmers who contract a loan to grow cane, but devote the resources to other ends. The GPS, it said, will improve the management of cane transportation, as the system can record the position of each truck as it travels from the fields to the factory.
European Union: Biofuels Promotion Strategy
On 7 November 2001 the European Union unveiled a strategy to promote the use of biofuels and other substitute fuels to reach a 20 percent of the total fuel consumption by year 2020, the so-called 20-20 target. The program includes the proposal that an increasing proportion of all fuels sold in the EU come from renewable sources, and also to allow members to apply a tax structure in favour of biofuels.
According to this plan, EU countries will introduce the necessary legislation to ensure that, by 2005, at least 2 percent of all the transport fuel sold is biofuels. Such proportion will increase by 0.75 percent per year to reach a 5 percent share by 2009. Before January 2007, the Commission will determine if a blending of biofuels in petrol and diesel becomes mandatory.
After the announcement of the EU’s biolfuels strategy, the French Cristal Union unveiled its “Cristanol” project, which includes the construction of a large distillery in Bazancourt, Marne, with a capacity to produce 2 million hectoliters (hl) a year. The distillery will process sugar and wheat, from 12,000 hectares of sugar beet and 55,000 hectares of wheat. Cristal Union also said that it would increase production at its Areis-sur-Aube distillery from 850,000 hl to 1 million hl per year by 2002/03.
In early 2001, the Union des Sucriéres et Distilleries Agricoles (Union SDA) said it plans to build a new ethanol plant in Origny, in northern France, to produce 2 million hl per year. A bioethanol program has been in place in France since the 1990s. There are 20 plants producing alcohol from sugar beet, molasses, and cereals; and another plant (the 21st) produces synthetic alcohol.
England: Organic Sugar Beet Crop Lost
The first attempt to produce organic sugar from domestic organic sugar beet failed at the British Sugar’s Newark factory in Nottinghamshire. Ten thousand tonnes of organic sugar beet, grown by 28 farmers on 330 hectares in the Norfolk area, had been delivered and processed at the end of November; and the “thick juice” stored to be refined at the end of the summer. However, British Sugar discovered that, due to a valve failure, syrups of conventional sugar had leaked into the silo where the organic beet juice was kept, making it impossible to manufacture organic sugar. The organic juice will be refined and marketed as conventional sugar. The organic beet crop was valued at GBP 750,000 (USD 1.06 million).
Although the accident is a setback to British Sugar plans, the company said that it will continue with its program to manufacture organic sugar from domestic organic beets, and, following its original plans, has contracted with farmers the delivery of 20,000 tonnes of organic beet in the 2002/03 season. British Sugar will continue importing organic sugar to supply the domestic market. British Sugar processes some 8 million tonnes of beet, grown by 8,400 farmers, and it has a quota of 1.139 million tonnes of sugar in the European Union.
Canada: Rogers Sugar Merges With Lantic Sugar
Two of the three Canadian sugar companies, Rogers Sugar and Lantic Sugar Limited, will merge as a result of an agreement by Lantic shareholders to exchange all their common shares for units of the Roger Sugar Income Fund, owner of Roger Sugars. The transaction involves no cash distribution to Lantic shareholders. As part of the operation, Rogers Sugar plans to raise USD 31 million through the issue of new units, a 10 percent of which Lantic shareholder agreed to purchase. The operation is conditional on the approval by the unit holders of Rogers, securing financing through the new units issued, and obtaining the applicable regulatory approvals. It is expected to be completed in March 2002.
With the merger, the Canadian sugar market of 1.2 million tonnes (with 90 percent of imported sugar) will hold only two companies. Rogers Sugar virtually dominates western Canada, and the merger will give it access to a substantial portion of central and eastern Canada, where Redpath, a subsidiary of Tate & Lyle, also operates.
Roger Sugars has a cane sugar refinery in Vancouver (British Columbia), with a production capacity of up to 150,000 tonnes of sugar per year, and a beet processing plant in Taber (Alberta), which produces over 100,000 tonnes of sugar from beets grown by about 400 farmers. Lantic Sugar has a large cane sugar refinery in Montreal (Quebec), after consolidating operations with the closing of its Saint John (New Brunswick) refinery in mid 2000. Onex Corporation is the single largest shareholder of Lantic Sugar, with a 61 percent share, and would receive Rogers Sugar units with a market value of USD 58.9 million. Onex is a conglomerate with interests the service, manufacturing and technology sectors, and the fourth largest company in Canada.
United States: Farmers Ready to Buy Michigan Sugar from Imperial
Working with a 12 February deadline, immediately after finishing the 2001 crop, the Michigan Sugar Beet Growers Cooperative expects to close the acquisition of the four plants owned by Michigan Sugar, a subsidiary of Imperial Sugar. Negotiations have been going for about two years, and were slowed down by the filing for bankruptcy protection by Imperial in January 2001, and the process of signing up farmers as members of the new cooperative. More than 1,000 farmers paid USD 200 per acre to become members of the cooperative, which is closely related to the Great Lakes Sugar Beet Growers Association. The selling price of USD 63 million was agreed last October, with USD 25 million up front and the balance payable in 13 years.
A member of the interim board of the cooperative said the new company would benefit from a better control on the acreage contracted, and the supply of beet to the factory that in recent years has gone “up and down.” He also said that farmers would benefit from tax exemptions that Imperial did not receive, and the business should be profitable, especially once the plants are paid for. The four plants have a combined daily slicing capacity of 16,000 tonnes of beet, and are located in Caro, Carrollton, Croswell and Sebewaing. Also included in the deal is a storage and packaging plant in Freemont, Ohio. Workers in the four factories are organized by the Bakery and Grain Millers Union.
After completing the deal, the source said, close to 90 percent of the U.S. beet production and processing will be under the control of growers. (The Rocky Mountain Sugar Growers, a new farmer cooperative, is near to acquire the seven beet plants of Western Sugar, a subsidiary of Tate & Lyle.)
Imperial Announces Worland Closure
Imperial Sugar announced it would close the Worland sugar beet plant sometime in the second half of March, even though beet farmers hope to finalize the acquisition of the plant before 1 March. Imperial and the farmers seemed to have completed the negotiations, but a question arose recently about payments of employee benefits, which the company wants the farmers to assume when buying the factory. No detailed information on costs related to employee benefits was available. The beet farmers, organized in the Washakie Beet Growers Association, are confident that they will close the deal and will set up a new company, the Wyoming Sugar Company. They expect to contract close to 23,000 acres of sugar beet to supply the factory. Holly Sugar, a subsidiary of Imperial, owns the Worland factory; and workers are organized by the Bakery & Grain Millers Union.
Company News
France: Beet Growers Urged to Buy Béghin Say
The Confédération Général des Betteraviers (CGB), which organizes the French beet farmers, has submitted a plan to acquire the nine factories Béghin Say owns in France, with the participation of Credit Agricole, which would prevent the German Südzucker from acquiring a major position in the country, says a Dow Jones report of 21 January 2002.
According to the report, Südzucker has plans to buy some of the factories in partnership with the cooperative Cristal Union and the Sucreries Distilleries des Hauts de France (SDHF). A spokesperson for the farmers said that, if successful, Südzucker could control about 63 percent of the entire European sugar production quota.
Another sugar company, Union SDA, is also reported as interested in acquiring Béghin Say. On one operation, Union SDA would enter into a partnership with the beet growers to buy five of the nine factories, with an estimated value of USD 440 million. The company would invest some USD 240 million, and the balance would be raised by the 8,000 farmers who supply the five factories (Escaudoeuvres, Boiry, Chevrières, Villenoy and Connantre). The factories have a total combined slicing capacity of 75,000 tonnes of beets per day.
Union SDA also said it has been on separate talks with Cristal Union and SDHF about acquiring the other four factories.
On the overseas front, Union SDA is interested in acquiring Béghin Say’s interests in Brazil, in Reunion island and Hungary. If successful, the new Union SDA-Béghin Say group could produce close to 1 million tonnes of sugar in Brazil and 200,000 tonnes in Reunion. In some Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs), the process would have larger implications: Béghin Say controls about 40 percent of the Hungarian sugar market, while Union SDA has a similar proportion of the markets in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. These three countries are included in the first batch of CEECs scheduled to access the European Union, and the new group could produce some 400,000 tonnes of sugar there.
Poland: Pfeifer und Langen Controversial Schemes
A report by the Polish News Bulletin of 8 January says that the German Pfeifer und Langen is proposing controversial changes to a privatisation deal concluded in July 2001, where Pfeifer agreed not to file for bankruptcy or for debt reduction. Few months later after purchasing the Cukrownia Gniezno (2,600 tdc), however, the German sugar company made an offer to its creditors, proposing a 40 percent of debt reduction, and to pay the remaining 60 percent in 12 instalments over 6 years, with no interest. Another Pfeifer subsidiary, the Cukrownia i Rafineria Witaszyce (3,100 tdc), is reported to have made a similar proposal to its creditors. The source also says that the company appears to be modifying the benefits package agreed with workers and unions in some of its Polish subsidiaries. [<<] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 ... [>>]