Displaying items by tag: Strike

Algeria: Some cement truck drivers have launched protests against a change in the law which limits their vehicles’ loads below the previous maximum weight. The L’Expression newspaper reports that protests include refusals to depart and the establishment of roadblocks. The actions have prevented the export of some Algerian clinker. Lafarge Algérie said that it raised drivers’ pay per tonne of goods following the law change. The company stated that the new level of pay ensures that transporters will not lose out as a result.

Algeria is targeting cement and clinker exports of 10Mt in 2022.

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.

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."

India: JK Lakshmi Cement resumed dispatches of cement as usual from its Durg cement plant in Chhattisgarh on 19 October 2021. India InfoLine News has reported that this followed the ending of a strike by the Chhattisgarh Cement Transport Association (CTA) on 18 October 2021.

The company said “The illegal strike called by the CTA has since been called off by them. It is hoped that normality will be restored shortly.”

UK: 200 Hanson UK cement truck drivers have ended a one-month strike after accepting an improved pay deal. Construction Enquirer News has reported that the producer has retroactively increased drivers’ pay by 2.8% from 1 January 2021 and agreed to increase pay by a further 3.3% from 1 January 2022. Drivers’ overnight allowance will retroactively increase to Euro49.7/night from 1 October 2021, and the company has committed to a transformation of bank holiday working arrangements. Additionally, its management will share its fleet replacement programme with its drivers.

India: JK Lakshmi has temporarily suspended dispatches of cement from its Durg cement plant in Chattisgarh. India Infoline News has reported that the producer had previously reduced its dispatches on 19 September 2021. This is due to disruption caused by a strike by the Chattisgarh Cement Transport Association. The producer has called the strike action ‘illegal.’ It said “Industry-wide negotiations are being held with State Government and we are hopeful of an amicable solution shortly.”

UK: 200 Hanson truck drivers began voting on proposed strike action on 10 September 2021. Building Design Online News has reported that the drivers’ union, Unite, has proposed the measure in response to a ‘hefty pay cut.’ The HeidelbergCement subsidiary offered a 2.5% pay rise to truck drivers for 2022. The union said that UK inflation was currently at 3.9%. It added that a strike would lead to a cement shortage affecting some of the country’s largest projects, including the HS2 high-speed railway. Voting will conclude on 24 September 2021.

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.

Turkey: Builders have declared a one-day ‘strike’ on 2 September 2021 to protest against high cement prices. The Turkish Builders Confederation (IMKON) told the government that, though the prices of all commodities rose following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the cement price rise is disproportionate, according to the Dünya newspaper. Producers responded that they have recorded sharp increases in input prices. Electricity costs rose by 64% year-on-year in July 2021, while coal costs more than doubled over the same period.