IndustriALL Global Union

18/08/2026

Huge news for Ekapa mineworkers in South Africa. After a tragic mud rush and a company that tried to shut its doors, NUMSA took it to court, and won. Over 1,000 jobs protected. This is what solidarity looks like.

13/08/2026

Swedish union IF Metall has ended its almost three-year industrial action against Tesla in Sweden. The reason is straightforward: Tesla bought out all of the union's striking members at the company, so the action can no longer have an effect.

"There seems to be no limits to the length Tesla would go to keep unions out of their operations," says Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary.

"Unfortunately they have managed to pay their way out in Sweden. At least that has given the former IF Metall members more money in their pocket, but the insecurity of not having a union or a collective agreement still remains."

For almost three years, trade unions across the Nordic countries, Europe and the world stood in solidarity with IF Metall's members at Tesla. That solidarity mattered, and it will keep mattering the next time an employer tries to keep unions out.

Read IF Metall's full statement: https://shorturl.at/IiQ4z

13/08/2026

🇹🇭 On 8–9 August, the ElectroPower project, co-funded by the EU, organized a workshop on the power of collective bargaining at the TEAM Training Center in Chachoengsao, Thailand.

👷 The two-day workshop brought together workers, trade union members and leaders, migrant workers, migrant worker network representatives and participants who had previously completed the training of trainers (ToT) programme.

📚 Participants explored the meaning and importance of collective bargaining, relevant International Labour Organization labour standards, freedom of association and the relationship between workplace problems and labour rights. Through group exercises, they identified key workplace issues and practised transforming these problems into clear and negotiable bargaining demands.

⚖️ They learned how to use collective bargaining to prevent and address forced labour risks, including forced overtime, document retention and wage-related coercion. Participants developed draft collective bargaining proposals and took part in a role-play to practise negotiation strategies.

🔋 The activity forms part of the ElectroPower project's worker-driven approach to preventing and remedying forced labour in electronics supply chains in South East Asia, with further activities in Thailand continuing to strengthen worker organization, collective bargaining and sustainable trade union capacity.

13/08/2026

🇮🇳 Millions of workers, farmers and other citizens took to the streets across India on 10 August, with coordinated actions at more than 1,000 locations to raise demands for decent work, livelihoods, social protection and economic justice. ✊

💬 Dhithhi Bhattacharya from IndustriALL affiliate Unions United explained:
"This protest for us was not just about repealing the labour codes but also about being the only sector excluded from the minimum wage revision in the state. The garment workers in Karnataka earn between ₹15,000 and ₹17,000 a month (approx. US$157–178), that is not even enough to pay for their basic necessities. KIGWU is demanding ₹45,000 a month (approx. US$472) for a decent life."

📅 The mobilization, held to remember the 1942 Quit India Movement, was also an important moment for the growing worker-farmer alliance in India. Just days after the National Convention of Workers and Farmers, where the Central Trade Unions and Samyukta Kisan Morcha committed to stronger solidarity and coordinated action, that commitment has already been taken to the streets.

🤝 This is what solidarity looks like: people recognizing that their struggles are connected and choosing to stand together.

12/08/2026

🤝🌍 IndustriALL Global Union joins the international trade union movement in expressing its solidarity with the people of Colombia. 🇨🇴

The government of Colombia has declared a state of emergency following the magnitude 7.4 earthquake registered on 10 August.

The earthquake has so far left 169 people dead and more than 900 injured, according to the latest report from the Colombian Association of Capital Cities, alongside serious damage to homes and infrastructure. Authorities continue search, rubble-clearing and rescue operations, while the number of victims continues to rise.

🇨🇴 IndustriALL sends our solidarity to our affiliated unions in Colombia and to all the country's workers. Many people have lost family members, their homes and their livelihoods. Many workplaces have suffered serious damage or have had to halt operations.

🕊️🤲 At times like this, international solidarity matters more than ever.

IndustriALL stands with our affiliates, with workers and with the whole Colombian people in this difficult moment. ✊🇨🇴

12/08/2026

Happy International Youth Day from IndustriALL's global youth committee! 🌍✨

Today, we celebrate the power, energy and vision of young workers around the world. We aren't just the future of the trade union movement — we are the present. ✊

There's a huge misconception that unions are only for older generations or endless protests. In reality, unions are about collective power, protection and having a real voice where you work. From tackling low wages and job insecurity to fighting for work-life balance and fair rights, organizing is how we turn our shared aspirations into actual change.

To build a stronger global movement, we must keep moving forward together:
🔥 Start early through outreach in schools, universities and career guidance
🔥 Modernize by bringing union services and communication into the digital space
🔥 Listen and empower young workers with real decision-making roles and leadership opportunities

Workers are always stronger together. Today and every day, let's empower and build the next generation of worker leaders! 🛠️📱

11/08/2026

Migrant workers are among those most exposed to forced labour risks in the electronics sector. That's the finding from IndustriALL Global Union affiliates in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, who met with employers, government authorities and the ILO this summer under the ElectroPower project.

Testimonies pointed to retained identity documents, excessive recruitment fees and gaps in social security registration as recurring red flags across the industry. Participants agreed on the need for stronger labour inspection and joint training to spot the warning signs.

Read the full story below 👇

Learn about the ongoing issues of migrant workers forced labour in the electronics industry, including abusive conditions and labour disputes.

11/08/2026

Three union representatives sacked for organizing at a Yokohama tyre plant in Mexico.

Workers at the new Yokohama Tire Manufacturing plant in Saltillo are in the middle of choosing which union will represent them. The Liga Sindical Obrera Mexicana had the signatures required by law to request recognition, then things went wrong: delays, a missing official notice, unequal treatment, no access for union reps to talk to workers, and now three of those reps have been fired.

IndustriALL Global Union has written to Yokohama's leadership and to Mexican labour authorities demanding the three be reinstated and the process be run fairly.

"Workers must be free to choose their union without fear of discrimination or retaliation," says IndustriALL general secretary Atle Høie.

Read the full story below ⬇️

Learn about the Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mexico dismissal cases and their implications for workers' rights and union representation.

10/08/2026

🌟 Victory for workers in Nicaragua 🇳🇮

After months of negotiations backed by international solidarity, FESITEX has secured a settlement agreement with BTF, delivering outstanding benefits to all 249 workers made redundant in 2025.

The agreement was reached through social dialogue, with support from IndustriALL and Nicaragua's Ministry of Labour. As part of the deal, BTF is also resuming operations, creating new jobs for former staff.

Read the full story 🔗: https://www.industriall-union.org/fesitex-nicaragua-secures-benefits-249-workers