strike at Nestlé Tunisia/faster discharges for US fast food bakery workers?/Iran, private equity

[Omaha Steve]

Strike at Nestlé Tunisia after secret sale of ice cream factory

On 17 November 2009, workers at the Nestlé ice cream factory in Carthage
were informed by a bulletin board notice that their factory had been sold to
a consortium of local companies active in the food industry.

"In conformity with its policy of social responsibility," the notice read,
"Nestlé has expended all efforts to preserve jobs, the rights of the workers
concerned, and maintain the production site."

The only problem was that at no point prior to the sale would the company
provide information to the union despite repeated demands in connection with
rumours of an impending sale.

http://www.iuf.org/den6350


Faster Discharges for Fast Food Bakery Workers?

Bakery workers of the US BCTGM Local 57 face a vicious assault on their
working conditions and benefits by management of the “New Bakery of Ohio” in
Zanesville, Ohio. The bakery is owned by and supplies the global fast-food
company Wendy's/Arby's, with over 10,000 restaurants and USD 12 billion in
annual sales. Besides slashhing pensions and benefits, the company is
proposing that all part-time employees (many of whom are part-time because
they have family responsibilities) wait by their phones for four hours a day
in case they are needed to work. If the part-time employee doesn't answer
the phone call a message will be left on the employee's recorder and they
must return the phone call within thirty minutes or will receive an
infraction on their attendance record. If the part-time member doesn't
answer the phone after five attempts they will automatically be discharged.


http://www.iuf.org/den6348


IUF, ITUC Call for ILO Action on Jailed Iranian Sugar Union Leaders


http://www.iuf.org/den6349


Recap Rerun: Short Memories, Missing Regulation


While defaults rise and growing numbers of private-equity backed companies
continue their march to bankruptcy (though not necessarily losses for the
funds which marched them there), the "creative" financial devices which
helped fuel the buyout boom appear poised for a comeback. "Dividend
recapitalizations" (taking on new debt to return cash to the buyout fund),
"covenant light" (credit without conditions) and PIK loans (payment in kind,
or funding debt by issuing new debt), among the presumed victims of the
financial meltdown, are again being actively encouraged by Wall Street.

http://tinyurl.com/yfgm5yx


Stop Nespressure! Support the Nestlé workers' struggle in Indonesia!

http://www.iuf.org/nespressure/en/



Ron Oswald
General Secretary, IUF

International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering,
Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF) 8, rampe du Pont-Rouge
1213 Petit Lancy, Switzerland

Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

web-site: www.iuf.org