UNIONS ON TOTAL (fwd)

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

ICEM UPDATE

No. 97/1998

8 December 1998

The following is from the International Federation of Chemical, Energy,
Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM): 

FRENCH AND BELGIAN UNIONS ACT ON TOTAL/PETROFINA MERGER

As oil prices drop, merger mania has hit the global oil industry. 

One of the latest developments is the merger announced between
French-based TOTAL and Belgian-based PETROFINA, aimed at forming the
world's sixth-biggest oil and petrochemicals company. 

The social implications of this move were analysed today by some 60
representatives of French and Belgian unions in the two companies. Meeting
at the Brussels headquarters of the 20-million-strong International
Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM)
were oil industry reps from the French labour federations CFDT, FO and CGT
and the Belgian federations FGTB/ABVV and CSC/ACV. The session was chaired
by Paul Lootens, National Secretary of ICEM Belgian affiliate the Centrale
Generale/Algemene Centrale. 

The unions set themselves three objectives - quoted fully here in English
translation, with the original French and Dutch texts following in square
brackets: 

1. Rejection of any dismissals and any downgrading of working and
employment conditions for the employees of the new company [LE REFUS DE
TOUT LICENCIEMENT ET DE TOUTE DEGRADATION DES CONDITIONS DE TRAVAIL ET
D'EMPLOI POUR LES SALARIES DE LA NOUVELLE SOCIETE / DE WEIGERING VAN ELK
ONTSLAG EN VAN ELKE AFBOUW VAN DE ARBEIDSVOORWAARDEN VAN DE WERKNEMERS VAN
DE NIEUWE MAATSCHAPPIJ.]

2. Continuance of an investment policy that facilitates the development of
industrial plant in the group's various sectors of activity [LA POURSUITE
D'UNE POLITIQUE D'INVESTISSEMENT PERMETTANT LE DEVELOPPEMENT DE L'OUTIL
INDUSTRIEL DANS LES DIFFERENTS SECTEURS D'ACTIVITE DU GROUPE / HET VERDER
ZETTEN VAN EEN INVESTERINGSPOLITIEK DIE TOELAAT DAT HET INDUSTRIELE
APPARAAT WORDT ONTWIKKELD IN DE VERSCHILLENDE ACTIVITEITSSECTOREN VAN DE
GROEP.]

3. Development of an industrial relations structure that facilitates
consultation with and information of the group's employees [LE
DEVELOPPEMENT D'UN DISPOSITIF DE RELATIONS SOCIALES FAVORISANT LA
CONSULTATION ET L'INFORMATION DES SALARIES DU GROUPE / DE ONTWIKKELING VAN
EEN DRAAGVLAK VAN SOCIALE RELATIES WAARDOOR DE RAADPLEGING VAN EN DE
INFORMATIE AAN HET PERSONEEL WORDT BEVORDERD]. 

The Belgian and French unions said further international solidarity
measures would be announced shortly. 

___________


The full text of the statement is available on the ICEM website: 

- in French at http://www.icem.org/update/upd1998/tofifr.html

- in Dutch at http://www.icem.org/update/upd1998/tofinl.html

___________


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