UPDATE (16 April 2010) - Workers reach settlement
The US union UWUA informs us that the union has finally reached a tentative agreement with the company following over 2 years of battle with the company Covanta , a US waste to energy company. EPSU and affiliated unions such as AbvaKabo in the Netherlands have assisted the union in its fight. This fight has cost the company contracts and led to numerous claims around health and safety violations. For full coverage of EPSU’s support see below.
UPDATE (3 June 2009) - Essent will not sell Environment to Covanta
The employees of Essent Milieu (Environment) were informed that their company will not be sold, 3 June 2009. Officially it is said that the price the remaining bidders offer is too low. EPSU Deputy General Secretary Jan Willem Goudriaan comments of the two remaining bidders Covanta was not acceptable to the unions due to its reputation. Provincial Parliamentarians and city councilors representing the shareholders also intervened in this sense. So rather than being forced to pay the price of the remaining bidder the process was called off. This demonstrates that it is actually bad business to be anti-union and not to have a good relationship with the workforce and their unions. The company will remain in public ownership.
To read more:
Twitter.com/energyunions or Essent
UPDATE (2 June 2009)
EPSU affiliate AbvaKabo says bid of Covanta not to be discussed by Essent due to conflict with UWUA. AbvaKabo opposes companies that violate trade union rights.
AbvaKabo FNV
News reports on the Essent Covanta story
see following weblinks:
For more information see also the PSI website:
http://www.world-psi.org
(19 May 2009) The US waste incineration company Covanta Energy is seeking to take over the waste division of Dutch Essent. Essent wants to sell this company as part of its take-over by RWE, the German energy company.
Covanta has a history of environmental, health and safety, and labour relations violations in the US.
The US union UWUA has published an open letter to Dutch provincial parliamentarians urging opposition to the sale to this company. EPSU has indicated it supports this action.
Companies in Europe, whether European or not, should respect Corporate Social Responsibility principles, not just in words and on paper but also in practice. The record of the Covanta does not appear very good as is testified by the attached briefing.
Press release - UTILITY WORKERS UNION OF AMERICA:
U.S. Union Urges Opposition to Sale of Essent Milieu to Covanta Energy
(26/05/2009) US businesses target unions – but economic evidence: unions are beneficial
The case of the UWUA and Covanta, the waste to energy company, underlines how many US businesses try to keep unions out of their company. A whole industry of union busters has grown around this. The economic evidence is compelling however that trade unions do contribute to better and more productive companies, and increased prosperity. The article indicates a range of recent studies which underline this point. It is a powerful endorsement of why the US needs to change its labour relations system with many organizations, nobelprize winners and economists, religious leaders and others putting their weight behind the Employee Free Choice Act, which is also endorsed by the Obama administration.
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