International Foundry Fair FOND-EX and 45th Foundry Days which were integral part of the fair for the first time in the history were held 13.-16. May 2008 in Brno, Czech Republic. The professional union of the event – Czech Foundry Society – has prepared a two-day series of specialist lectures presenting interesting production procedures, topical trends in the branch and reflecting the key theme of the…

Unions hold 24-hour strike to protest company’s move to increase hours of work. SPAIN: Workers at Sidenor/Gerdau plants throughout Spain conducted a 24-hour strike on May 8 in protest of the company’s move to increase working hours by 40 hours annually per worker, beginning in 2009. More strikes are expected if negotiations fail to bring a resolution. In 2003, unions bargained for a gradual reduction of…

BANGALORE: The price cut announced by steel manufacturers has not impacted the price of specific grades of alloy steel used by auto component manufacturers thus leaving them no reason to cheer, opines the apex body of the auto components manufactures. According to a press release here on Thursday from the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), the auto-component industry largely…

WINDSOR, Ont. - The Canadian Auto Workers union reached master agreements with both Chrysler and General Motors Thursday. Both Chrysler and GM agreed to match the wages and benefits in the three-year contract agreed to by Ford of Canada, said CAW president Buzz Hargrove. The deals freeze wages for three years but provide cost-of-living adjustment in the second and third years. About 12,000 CAW members who…

With China being the major producer of lead, zinc and aluminium, it is expected that the production of such metals will be disrupted due to the recent earthquake in China. The 2008 Sichuan earthquake occurred on 12 May 2008, with its epicenter in Wenchuan County, Sichuan province of the People’s Republic of China. Zinc smelters in China have halted production after an earthquake in Sichuan, adding that up…

Johannesburg - South Africa has drifted closer to the bottom of a global competitiveness index of 55 countries this year, hit by skills shortages, unemployment and weak infrastructure, where it ranked last, Business Day reported on Thursday. South Africa’s rating slipped to 53 from 50 last year - beating just Ukraine and Venezuela - according to the index produced by the Swiss-based International Institute…

THE chief executive of BHP Billiton today wouldn't rule out including a cash component in the company's bid for rival Rio Tinto. However, BHP chief executive officer Marius Kloppers said the bid is worth more in an all-shares form and played down talk that the global miner plans to increase its offer anytime soon. Asked in an interview with CNBC television if he would rule out having a cash portion to the…