AMERICAN LABOUR IOWA:

ROQUETTE LOCKOUT CONTINUES COMPLAINT LODGED WITH OECD:

Here is more on the lockout at Roquette Frères in Keokuk Iowa that was reported on before on this blog. The union representing the workers, an affiliate of the IUF, along with their allies have launched a complaint with the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) about violations of standards of practice for multinational enterprises. Here's the story from the IUF.

☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

Sugar and starch TNC Roquette in the dock at the OECD
The US AFL-CIO and the global union federation ICEM have joined the IUF in lodging a formal complaint against French-based sugar- and starchmaker Roquette Frères for violating the Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The Guidelines, which are legally binding on the 34 member states of the OECD and other countries which have signed on, oblige governments to ensure that transnational companies headquartered in or operating on their territory comply with internationally agreed human rights standards, including core Conventions of the ILO guaranteeing workers their rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining, among others.

Workers at Roquette America’s corn milling plant in Keokuk, Iowa, represented by the IUF-affiliated BCTGM, have been locked out of their jobs since September 28 last year for refusing to submit to contract proposals which would have effectively destroyed their wages, seniority, pensions and health benefits while opening up the workplace to "temporary" employees with no benefits or security.

Immediately after the lockout, according to the submission, "The company continued operations at the plant using a combination of supervisors, employees from the Illinois Roquette facility and workers recruited and supplied by a company based in Westchester, Ohio - "Last, Best & Final" specializing in furnishing replacement workers during industrial disputes.

"The fact that replacement workers were instantly available to operate a complex plant requiring a trained, specialized workforce immediately after the lockout was implemented indicates a premeditated plan to lock out the workers, if necessary for a prolonged period, in order to impose a collective agreement on the company’s unilateral terms and/or to permanently replace the existing workforce. Such an operation would have required sophisticated planning to have been underway no later than August, as part of management’s aggressive drive to weaken the union."

Running a sophisticated plant with hastily trained scabs has led to environmental contamination: over December 30-31, the Keokuk plant discharged 6,000 gallons of corn syrup into the Mississippi river – and the company failed to report the spill as required by law, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The union submission to the OECD calls on the US National Contact Point for the Guidelines to facilitate a resolution to the dispute, and to involve as well the government of the home country, France, in these efforts.

You can support the Roquette workers – now in their fourth month on the picket line – by clicking here to send a message to Roquette Frères in the US and France, urging an immediate end to the lockout and an unconditional return to good faith negotiations.

AMERICAN LABOUR IOWA:

SUPPORT ROQUETTE WORKERS IN IOWA:

The following appeal for support for locked out workers in Keokuk Iowa come from the international union federation the IUF.

☼►☼►☼►☼►☼►☼►
Lockout at Roquette America enters month 3
Urgent Action 02-12-2010
Workers at Roquette America’s corn milling plant in Keokuk, Iowa, represented by the BCTGM, have been locked out of their jobs for over 2 months – and the union is calling for international support to end the lockout as it moves into month 3.

Roquette Frères is a French-based manufacturer of starch and sugar derivatives and polyols, which have a broad range of food, beverage and other manufacturing applications. The fourth largest global company in its sector, with 18 plants worldwide, family-held Roquette is notoriously secretive about its finances and general operations. This doesn’t prevent them from boasting of their market capitalization (over €8.8 billion, or some USD 11.5 billion) on their corporate stationary just below the address and phone number. A sample is visible on the letter the company CEO wrote last year to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon when they joined the UN global Compact and committed to respecting labour rights and integrating them along with other principles into the “strategy, culture and day-to-day operations” of the company.

Management at Roquette America apparently hasn’t been brought up to speed on this. BCTGM Local 48G represents 240 workers at the Keokuk plant, which manufactures starches including the high-fructose corn syrup sourced by companies including Coca-Cola and Heinz. Negotiations for a renewed contract officially began on September 14, with the company demanding, among other major reductions and concessions, the right to hire temporary workers at less than half the wages of the permanent workforce with no benefits, an end to seniority in layoffs, an end to overtime for weekend work, the elimination of sick, personal and maternity leave, enormous increases in worker contributions for health care, the end of the company pension scheme and a 4-year wage freeze.

When the members rejected these proposals, the workers were given a 24-hour ultimatum to approve the company’s final offer – and locked out of their jobs when the contract expired on September 28, despite the union’s offer to continue working under the terms of the expired contract while negotiations continued.

The Roquette workers are the latest union workforce to be attacked by a vicious corporate offensive to profit from high unemployment by rolling back wages and conditions at a time of healthy profits and cheap credit. Despite sub-zero temperatures, members of Local 48G have maintained a round-the-clock informational picket at the plant. They are fighting for the rights of current and future Roquette workers. The union has two demands: an immediate end to the lockout, and an unconditional return to negotiations. You can support their struggle by clicking here to send a message to French and US management.

We thank you for your solidarity and support.

☼►☼►☼►☼►☼►☼►

THE LETTER:

Please go to this link to send the following letter to French and American management of Roquette.

☼►☼►☼►☼►☼►☼►

To Marc Roquette, Président Roquette Frères
Guy Talbourdet CEO

Dear sirs,

Roquette Frères claim to be committed to upholding international labour standards and integrating them into the company's operations, strategy and culture. The punishing lockout of BCTGM Local 48G at your plant in Keokuk, Iowa which continues since September 28 is in violation of ILO standards, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the principles of the UN Global Compact which you have signed on to. I urge you to act to ensure that the lockout is immediately and unconditionally lifted and good faith negotiations for the renewal of a collective agreement commence without delay.

Yours sincerely