I keep repeating myself, this pandemic has been seized upon by the state and the corporate world. The state has seen this a an opportunity to increase population control, introducing a raft of measures, usually without any parliamentary scrutiny, which will be modified rather than eliminated, attempting to get people into a more receptive mode and more acceptable to total surveillance, scrutiny and a submissive attitude. While the corporate world grasp this as an opportunity to slash at workers wages and working conditions, while at the same time having billions of taxpayers money poured into their already well filled coffers. To the state and the big boys in the corporate world, covid19 has been a win-win situation. Only the concerted effort of the people can turn this round to an opportunity for the people to change that old normal, into a new normal that puts the people at the heart of fair and just society that sees to the needs of all our people and doesn't kneel before the altar off the economy and profit.
Columbian mine.
This from LabourStart:
Once again, a company has taken advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic to attack workers' rights. This time, it's coal miners in Colombia who have had to go on strike. Workers at the Cerrejón coal mine are in the middle of bitter dispute with three multinational mining companies, Anglo American, BHP and Glencore.
When the pandemic broke out back in February the union, in good faith, withdrew its list of demands and suspended collective bargaining negotiations.
When negotiations resumed in July, the company refused to respond to the union proposals, and instead demanded concessions in rights and benefits. Then the company unilaterally announced a radical shift change roster, without consulting the union and in violation of Colombian law. The new shift roster, which workers call the 'death shift' will lead to the loss of 2,500 direct and indirect jobs, will require workers to work an additional 72 days a year for the same wage, will cause turmoil in workers' family lives and will lead to an increase in fatigue and thus an increase in accidents. The company has boycotted the government labour ministry’s facilitation to end the strike, now in its fourth week.
The union in Colombia and IndustriALL global union have a launched an online campaign on LabourStart in support of the miners. Please take a moment to show your support - click here.
And please don't forget our campaign in support of miners in Ukraine, who have taken their fight for justice underground - into the mines. Learn more and show your support here.
Ukraine striking miners.
Please share this message with your friends, family and fellow union members.
