From: xcruz@webtv.net (Robert Chavez) Date: Mon, 2 Mar 1998 00:52:28 -0700 To: Labor-Rap@csf.colorado.edu Subject: Fwd: US-Dutch Union Victory --WebTV-Mail-429775091-5901 --WebTV-Mail-429775091-5901 Approved-By: Michael Eisenscher Date: Sun, 1 Mar 1998 21:26:36 -0800 Reply-To: LABNEWS - News and Organizing about the Labor Movement Sender: LABNEWS - News and Organizing about the Labor Movement From: Michael Eisenscher Subject: US-Dutch Union Victory Subject: U.S.-DUTCH UNION VICTORY Date: 26 Feb 1998 05:42:04 From: ICEM@GEO2.poptel.org.uk Newsgroups: labr.newsline ICEM UPDATE No. 11/1998 26 February 1998 The following is from the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM): U.S.-DUTCH UNION VICTORY AT DSM An American union has won a recognition vote at plastics manufacturer DSM Polymer - with the active involvement of a Dutch union. Both the American union OCAW and the Dutch union FNV Bondgenoten are affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions. DSM Polymer is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dutch-based multinational DSM. In fact, this was the second union election at the plastics plant in Wytheville, Virginia. Back in January 1996, the workers there had already voted for the OCAW to represent them. But management refused to recognise the result of the first election. In more than 30 negotiating sessions, the company made only minor concessions. Management offered contract [collective agreement] provisions below the existing ones in order to keep the union from securing a contract. FNV Bondgenoten, which organises DSM workers in the Netherlands, was directly involved in the second election campaign at the US plant. In December, Dutch trade unionists travelled to Wytheville to investigate OCAW charges that DSM had engaged in union-busting there. And last week, just before the vote, another Dutch delegation visited the plant to talk to the workers about the importance of trade unions. The Bondgenoten's efforts helped to clinch the US ballot, the OCAW believes. Robert Wages, OCAW President and a member of the ICEM Executive, said the direct involvement of Dutch trade unionists in the election "is unprecedented and signals a growing awareness of the necessity for unions to work together in the global economy." "We extend our deep and profound appreciation to our Dutch brothers and sisters and congratulate the workers in Wytheville who have waged a long and bitter struggle for economic justice and worker rights," Wages declared. And Bondgenoten representative Henk Walravens commented: "Both Dutch and American workers have sent a strong message to the DSM Board of Directors in the Netherlands that it is time to settle long-standing differences and negotiate fairly with OCAW and its workers." The workers' vote "has decided the question of representation," emphasised OCAW International Representative Steve Gentry, who coordinated the two-year campaign. Now, he said, "we can move on to develop a constructive collective bargaining relationship benefiting both the company and the workers." _________________ Individual ICEM UPDATE items can be supplied in other languages on request. Our print magazines ICEM INFO and ICEM GLOBAL are available in Arabic, English, French, German, Russian, Scandinavian and Spanish. Visit us on the Web at http://www.icem.org ICEM avenue Emile de Beco 109, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium. tel.+32.2.6262020 fax +32.2.6484316 Internet: icem@geo2.poptel.org.uk Editor: Ian Graham, Information Officer Publisher: Vic Thorpe, General Secretary. --WebTV-Mail-429775091-5901--