News

The global papermaker Sappi suspends union reps in dispute over health & safety.



At the Enstra paper mill in Sappi's home country of South Africa, 19 shop stewards were suspended from work and now await discipline. They are charged with inciting workers to strike after a worker refused to do unsafe work. That worker is one of 23 other workers who remain on the job, but also face discipline for their roles in 3 short safety strikes. Sappi originally sought to sack 4 stewards, but when the union CEPPWAWU said no, Sappi suspended all shop stewards, leaving the 700-worker paper mill unrepresented. In the aftermath of the strikes, a joint labour-management group filed a report on the causes of the safety breach and subsequent strikes, complete with recommendations, but mill management ignored those recommendations and despite global calls to CEO Ralph Boettger from Sappi workers in 7 countries to drop this matter, Sappi is going ahead with the discipline.



Unite and USW (Workers Uniting) have already sent letters of support to our sister union in SA and has written to the company demanding the suspensions should be lifted.



The ICEM is leading the global campaign to support our comrades in struggle.



Paperworkers in Sappi plants across the globe are sending messages to the company and taking solidarity action to help get the reps re-instated.



So can you also help?



Write directly to the Industrial Relations people who are handling this matter through LabourStart at



http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=550