23 January, 2013IndustriALL launches an international solidarity campaign in support of Russian Chemical Workers Union (RCWU) under attack at Bashneft in Russia.

Two union locals at Bashneft, an oil company in Russia, are under attack from the management. The administration strives to undermine Russian Chemical Workers Union (RCWU), IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, and replace it with a company-controlled Labour Council.

The company is refusing to renegotiate collective agreements with RCWU locals, creating its own Labour Council instead.

Soon after reorganization in October 2012 when the companies Bashkirnefteproduct in Ufa and Orenburgnefteproduct in Orenburg became part of the parent company Bashneft, the management refused to renegotiate the CBA with the RCWU locals and challenged their right to collective bargaining.

The administration refuses to recognize union locals and claims that the CBA will be negotiated with a Labour Council, created by the company itself.

Furthermore, the company forces union members at Bashkirnefteproduct and Orenburgnefteproduct to leave the union, threatening them with dismissal. Since October 2012, hundreds of workers left RCWU under strong pressure from the management.

RCWU held public actions and launched a national solidarity campaign (In Russian) http://www.trud.org/3/11000.html with the help of the Federation of the Independent Trade Unions of Russia.

IndustriALL joins RCWU in an effort to stop union-busting at Bashneft, one of the largest Russian oil companies employing over 8,000 workers.

IndustriALL general secretary Jyrki Raina sent a letter to the Bashneft top managers, urging them to withdraw from anti-union tactics and engage in good-faith negotiations with the union.

You can TAKE ACTION too and send a letter to the president of the Board of Directors of Bashneft and the company president.