Global Solidarity

Miners & maritime workers of the world unite

They came from the US, Japan, Germany, South Africa, Canada, France and New Zealand, 200 miners and maritime unionists with one mission - global solidarity.

The three day conference in Newcastle was opened by NSW Premier Bob Carr, with keynote speakers ACTU Secretary Greg Combet, International Chemical, Energy and Mining Confederation President and CFMEU National Secretary John Maitland, International Transport Workers' Federation General Secretary David Cockroft, MUA National Secretary and ITF executive board member Paddy Crumlin and National President of the CFMEU (Mining and Energy) Tony Maher.

Research papers and speeches arising from the Conference can be downloaded from the MUA website and will be reported next MWJ.

The conference resulted in a powerful international compact uniting miners and maritime workers against the world's FOC bulk fleet which ships our mining resources in floating sweatshops. There was also a joint commitment to back besieged port workers in the US.

The full text follows:

The Newcastle Declaration

19th September 2002

We, trade union members and leaders representing more than 2.7 million members in the mining, energy and maritime industries from Australia, New. Zealand, Germany, South Africa, USA. Canada, Japan and France, having gathered from 17-20 September) in Newcastle, Australia and having deliberated on the impact of globalisation on our members, their families and our societies with the aim of developing practical and effective responses hereby place on record our consensus on the way forward:

Reports to the meeting illustrated rapid globalisation of mining and maritime transport industries and the rise of fewer more powerful global corporations whose primary aim is to maximise profits for shareholders.

The direct effect has been:

• increased unemployment and the loss of permanent quality jobs on a massive scale

• undermining of collective bargaining and direct attacks on human and trade union rights

• lowering of wages, social security and health & safety standards for workers;

• the rise of a new class of casual, contracted, non-union and unprotected labour

• the reduction in the role of the state through the privatisation of public assets;

We believe strongly that this attack requires an immediate and direct response from the world's workers that requires us as trade unions to increase our efforts to unite, organise, educate, agitate and inspire our members, their families and the youth of the world.

Using the limited resources we have at our disposal we will work towards a plan of action aimed at:

• educating the rank and file to understand the importance of international solidarity for all workers;

• organising focused exchange programmes between union members nationally and internationally to share experiences and ideas on specific company issues

• further exploring alliances between unions nationally and internationally

• promoting women in the mining, energy and maritime industries and in our unions

• strengthening our organising efforts to expand our membership base by organising the unorganised workers and by bringing more affiliates into our respective international federations;

• highlighting and popularising our local struggles and victories to inspire fellow workers around the world;

• exploring fully the idea of a Global Workers Charter as a global organising tool that includes the key international treaties on human and trade union rights;

• Organising regular international days of action around particular disputes and themes;

• Forming alliances and joint actions with social movements on issues of mutual concern.

We further pledge our full financial, political and industrial support for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) in the dispute with the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) in the current struggle for a new contract for members on the West Coast. This support includes an organised international campaign on PMA shipping lines with the view of urging them to reach an agreed contract with the union.

We unanimously resolve with renewed vigour, commitment and determination to build a common solidarity platform and common struggle on this Newcastle Declaration.

Essential to this declaration is every member understanding the commitment we are making with every member being involved in its implementation.

Mining & Maritime Compact

Among the CFMEU (Australia), IGBCE (Germany), NUM (South Africa), UMWA (USA) and USWA (USA and Canada), MUA (Australia), ILWU (USA), NZ Seafarers Union (New Zealand), NZMMJ (New Zealand), SATAWU (South Africa) and the All Japan Dockworkers Union.

In response to the ever increasing concentration of ownership of mining and maritime companies globally and the spread of flag-of-convenience shipping;

Recognising new challenges for unions at a national and international level over preservation and advancement of labour rights and social standards

Welcoming UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Global Compact, which challenges employers to respect workers': right to organise right to collective bargaining right to a safe working environment;

Recognising current ICEM and ITF objectives and policy

We are committed to:

• working together more closely, including through company networks;

• sharing experiences and information;

• conducting comprehensive research and analysis; and

• developing joint strategies.

And we aim to build a global campaign to:

• maintain and improve our existing collective agreements

• extend unionisation and collective bargaining across our industries • build strong unions providing quality services to members

• hold companies accountable to respecting and implementing core ILO standards

We envisage that joint strategies and campaigns will be based on utilising our strengths in each of our industries for the mutual benefit of workers in each industry. An initial priority for joint strategy and campaign development will be in the area of flag of convenience bulk commodity shipping. Bulk commodity shipping is a sector of very poor performance with respect to marine and labour standards and is heavily used by the mining industry. Major shippers/charterers should be accountable for standards on the ships they use.

We further recognise the important steps taken by the ICEM and the ITF in the campaign to fully unionise the offshore hydrocarbon industry.

We call upon all like-minded unions in our industries to join this campaign. Further we ask the ICEM and ITF to facilitate development and cooperation with other international organisations with respect to this strategy.

Mining Compact

A miner is a miner anywhere in the world"

Among the CFMEU (Australia), IGBCE (Germany), NUM (South Africa), UMWA (USA) and USWA (USA and Canada), ILWU (USA and Canada)

Noting the mining and maritime compact among maritime unions, and ourselves the mining unions resolve upon additional specific commitments and action within our industry.

We are committed to:

• providing appropriate financial and organisational support to our joint work;

• Urging companies to sign on to the Global Compact; and

• Offering such companies cooperation where that commitment is followed by demonstrable compliance and action.

We aim to build a global campaign to:

• Require multinational mining companies to adopt a charter (drawing on the outcomes of the Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development process) that binds them to new standards of corporate governance and social responsibility (including respect for labour rights)

• Intensify our efforts to sign and implement global labour agreements with those companies around respect for core labour standards and neutrality in response to union organising efforts.

Gender Balance

In line with the Mining and Maritime Declaration made at the inaugural Newcastle Seminar 2002. We the women delegates of our unions endorse the declaration and recommend that global solidarity be enhanced through the establishment of a sub-committee to consider the following issues

• the gender imbalance in the mining and maritime industries

• education;

•target of 10 per cent women delegates for the next meeting;

•exchange programs with other international women's labour groups.

Transcripts of speeches and background papers are now available on the web.

Full reports can be downloaded from the website