>On Behalf Of Rakesh Bhandari
> Are you supporting the this new brave fight by the new
> internationalist AFL CIO against the PetroChina IPO?
> Yours, Rakesh
Why shouldn't the AFL-CIO join in an international mobilization against PetroChina, since human rights, environmentalists and unions have accused it of everything from forced labor, to displacement of villagers to violations of othe core ILO labor standards? While the article posted made this sound like an AFL-CIO operation, it is part of a global mobilization against PetroChina and its joint venture with the Canadiam Talisman oil company.
A full press release on the issue by the AFL-CIO is at http://www.aflcio.org/publ/press2000/pr0301.htm with a fuller report at http://www.petrochinawatch.com/ipo/ but here are some of the issues in dispute and some of the international unions and other groups involved, including the international federation representing 3 million union members in the oil and gas industries globally.
Why is there this soft spot for antiunion Chinese corporations that suddenly union actions attacking them are illegitimate?
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>From the March 1st AFL-CIO press release:
"PetroChina is associated with forced labor. PetroChina's parent company, CNPC, which is involved in a joint venture with the Sudanese national oil company and Canada's Talisman oil company, has been widely associated with the use of forced labor and displacement of villagers living near the joint venture's operations.
Environmental and human rights threats in Tibet. Human rights activists, religious groups, and environmentalists are raising concerns centered around PetroChina's domestic operations. PetroChina's activities in the North could further harm the Tibetan people, as well as disrupt already ecologically fragile areas in Tibet.
Over one million unprotected workers could lose their jobs. Press reports have indicated PetroChina intends to lay off up to one million employees in China after its IPO. These workers have no means to represent themselves in this process due to China's ban on independent labor unions.
The PetroChina IPO has received a skeptical reception from many pension fund investors and workers organizations worldwide. CalPERS, the world's largest public pension fund, has chosen not to participate in the IPO. Other prominent funds have already divested from Talisman.
"In any such privatization worker's employment and fundamental human rights should be protected," commented Fred Higgs, General Secretary of the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions, representing 20 million workers in 120 countries, including 3 million in the oil and gas industry.
Hans Engelberts, the General Secretary of Public Services International, representing 20 million public sector workers world-wide, including participants in CalPERS and the giant Dutch pension fund ABP, said "as a company that is not in compliance with the International Labor Organization's Core Labor Standards, operating in a country that is not in compliance, PetroChina appears to be an inappropriate investment for worker capital."