LafargeHolcim misses opportunity to make concrete commitments to workers' rights

LafargeHolcim concluded its Annual General Meeting on 4 May by approving all the proposals made by its Board of Directors, including a proposal to rebrand itself to Holcim Ltd.  However, what was not discussed and approved by LafargeHolcim's AGM were the important proposals pushed by its workers and their trade unions to: 1) recognise global unions as legitimate partners in a global framework agreement on workers’ rights and occupational health and safety, 2) respect internationally-recognised health and safety standards, 3) regulate outsourcing, and 4) include a social dimension in its climate change mitigation and digitalisation policies, including decent employment conditions and just transitions. 

Once again, LafargeHolcim missed the opportunity to demonstrate its concrete commitment to workers' rights and lives. Amidst a pandemic, it chose to prioritise discussing and approving a change in its corporate name rather than talk about the interests and welfare of its workers. For shame! 

The Building and Woodworkers International (BWI), the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW) and IndustriAll will continue to push the envelope and demand the cement multinational to respect workers' rights, protect jobs, ensure workplace health and safety and drastically reduce precarious work.