Displaying items by tag: Workers

India: Employees of a contract firm working at Dalmia Cement’s Bokaro grinding plant in Jharkhand have allegedly killed a worker in an attack on 15 March 2022. The deceased’s roommate has also been missing since then. Both workers had been in trouble with their employer for refusing to work overtime. Operations reportedly continued as normal at the plant until other loading workers began a protest on 16 March 2022.

Dalmia Cement spokesperson Shyamlal Sahu said “The matter was brought to the notice of local police and they have started their probe. We are cooperating with them to bring the culprits to justice. We will work with the contractor – Durga Enterprises – to extend support to the bereaved family. We, at Dalmia Bharat, accord highest priority to maintaining internal harmony and a healthy working environment, and will work with our contractors towards ensuring that such untoward incidents do not happen in the future.”

India: A gas pipeline explosion at JP Cement’s Naubasta cement plant in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa district reportedly injured three workers in February 2022. India Today News has reported that the incident resulted in the hospitalisation of all three workers. 15 – 20 local people subsequently attacked the plant on 11 March 2022, where they threw sticks and stones at staff and vandalised equipment. A spokesperson for the rioters accused the company of suppressing news of the pipeline disaster.

Russia: Germany-based HeidelbergCement has suspended ‘all further investments’ in its operations in Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine. According to its website, the group supplies the Russian cement market from three local cement plants and two terminals. CEO Dominik von Achten said that a ‘large part’ of HeidelbergCement’s Russian production capacity is presently in winter shutdown.

Von Achten acknowledged the company’s responsibility towards its employees in the country, who he said have no part in the apparent Russian aggression and on-going war crimes in Ukraine. He said “We are in constant exchange with our local workforce to protect them and are closely monitoring the situation on a day-by-day basis.”

Uruguay: Workers at Administación Nacional de Combustibles, Alcohol y Portland’s (ANCAP) Paysandú and Minas cement plants held two days of strikes without warning in early February 2022. The La República newspaper has reported that the Single National Union of Construction and Annexes (SUNCA) called the action to put pressure on the producer not to sell the businesses to private investors. The potential buyers are reportedly planning to visit the plants.

Philippines: Holcim Philippines has signed a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the union at its Norzagaray cement plant in Bulacan. Under the agreement employees have pledged to support the company’s efforts to drive performance. The CBA is effective until 2026 with the economic provisions in the third and fourth year of the deal open to renegotiation by 2024.

Horia Adrian, the president and chief executive officer of Holcim Philippines, said “Bulacan made tremendous operational and sustainability improvements this year due to the hard work and dedication of its people including members of Holcim Philippines Employees Association (HPEA). With this CBA’s closing, we can refocus on further transforming our Bulacan plant into one of the best sites in the Holcim Group and the country. My sincerest thanks to HPEA for your support and the sustained dialogue that allowed us to finalise this agreement.”

Mexico: 200 police officers in 80 police cars arrived outside the gates of Cooperativa La Cruz Azul’s Cruz Azul cement plant in Tula, Hidalgo, on 15 December 2021, but failed to enter the plant. The El Financiero newspaper has reported that the police were following a court order to remove the company from the plant. Supervisory board president Alberto Lopez reasserted the company’s right to occupy the property in line with federal government ordinances. Lopez suggested an alleged collusion between cooperativists and Omar Fayad’s Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) Hidalgo state government to decieve the courts.

Authorities have frozen Cooperativa La Cruz Azul’s accounts with outstanding bills of US$800,000 in electricity, gas, equipment and services bills, as well as the payroll of its 1100 workers.

Coopertiva La Cruz Azul chair Federico Sarabia said that the developments threaten the existence of the Cruz Azul plant. He said "In terms of quality, Cruz Azul’s cement exceeds the standard. At the time that Cruz Azul disappears as a cement producer, prices will increase.”

Jordan: Lafarge Jordan is negotiating with the Jordan government to find a solution to end protests by its employees. The Jordan Times newspaper has reported that the workers went to Parliament to protest their rights, which they claim have been impinged on by the company. Labour Minister Nayef Steitieh urged the parties to establish a compromise in order to resolve the protesters’ demands.

Argentina: Sit-in protesters from the Argentinean Mining Workers Association (AOMA) have blocked access to the hoppers of limestone crushers at Minerar’s Olavarría quarry, according to the Clarín newspaper. The quarry supplies limestone to Loma Negra’s La Amali cement plant.

The cement producer said “The biggest problem is that if they don't solve the problem, and stop the supply raw material, it will complicate cement production."

Turkey: 120,000 members of the Construction Contractors Confederation (IMKON) downed tools on 9 September 2021 in protest against high cement prices. Emerging Market Watch News has reported that the strike will last until 21 September 2021 or until ‘satisfactory developments.’

The Ministry of Trade has tightened procedural restrictions on exporting clinker. Trade Minister Mehmet Mus is in talks with construction and cement industry representatives.

Canada: Three people, of whom two are in a serious condition, are in hospital in Toronto following an explosion at Lehigh Cement’s Picton cement plant in Prince Edward County, Ontario. The Kingston Whig Standard newspaper has reported that the individuals are believed to be external contractors who were carrying out repairs at the plant. The explosion occurred in a kiln on the morning of 7 September 2021.

The Ontario Ministry of Labour and fire services continue to investigate the incident.