TPT May 2008

6 / 132

Contents
42
Editor • Rich Sears
Features editor (USA) • Dorothy Fabian
Editorial assistant • Christian Bradley
Production manager • Lisa Benjamin
Design • Julie Tomlin
Sales & marketing • Catherine Sayers
English speaking sales
• Giuliana Benedetto
Italian sales
• Hendrike Griffin
German speaking sales
• Linda Li
Chinese sales
• Jeroo Vandrevala
Indian sales
Advertising • Liz Hughes
co-ordinators • Andrea McIntosh
Subscriptions • Liz Hughes
Accounts manager • Richard Babbedge
Publisher • Caroline Sullens
Founder • John C Hogg
Published by: Intras Publications,
46 Holly Walk, Leamington Spa, CV32 4HY, UK
Tel: +44 1926 334137 • Fax: +44 1926 314755
Email:
Website:
USA Office (Editorial only): Intras Limited,
272 First Ave, Apt 12G, New York, NY 10009, USA
Tel/Fax: +1 212 614 9266
Email:
Indian Office: Jintras Ltd,
Subarna (Ground Floor) P21/N, Block A
New Alipore, Kolkata 700 053, India
Tel: +91 33 2407 0701 • Fax: +91 33 2407 0700
Email:
All rights reserved – © Intras Ltd ISSN 0953-2366
This publication and its full contents of layout, text, images,
and graphics is copyright protected. No part of this publication
may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic
or mechanical including photocopying, recording or any other
storage or retrieval system without the publisher’s written
permission. The publisher, owners, agents, printers, editors and
contributors cannot be held responsible for and hereby exclude
all liability whatsoever for errors, omissions or the accuracy
and claims printed or inferred in the editorial or advertisements
published in this, previous or subsequent editions or for any
damages, costs or losses caused thereby. Tube & Pipe
Technology reserves the right to edit, reword and subedit all
editorial submissions in accordance with editorial policy. Tube &
Pipe Technology expressed graphically or by text is a registered
name and style trademark of Intras Ltd, UK. All matters relating
to this disclaimer are governed by the laws of England.
US Copies only: Tube & Pipe Technology (ISSN No: 0953-2386) is published bi-monthly by
INTRAS Ltd and distributed in the US by DSW, 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437.
Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville, PA. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Tube & Pipe
Technology, PO Box 437, Emigsville PA 17318-0437.
2 Editorial Index
6 Industry News
40 Technology
Update
78 From T he
Americas
The international magazine for the tube & pipe industries
Tube & Pipe Technology magazine is available on subscription, or via membership of the
International Tube Association – See for more membership benefits
128 Advertisers Index
Get up, stand up…
U nder the tightening stranglehold of globalization and the growing power of multinational
corporations, today’s worker rights are under increasing pressure. As an economic model,
global capitalism is a more aggressive beast, with modern features such as private equity
firms. Private equity – with its emphasis on making profit by decreasing operating costs – is
becoming the preferred method of acquiring assets (a threefold increase in private equity
investment was recorded in 2006 by IFSL Research).
In the same week that workers went out on strike over pension rights at the UK’s Grangemouth oil
refinery, Shell and BP announced higher than expected 1st quarter profits of £7bn. The strike was
the first in over 70 years to have closed a British oil refinery, and cost in the region of £50mn.
In the midst of all the profit declarations and fears that the credit crunch might have dented
company coffers by a few per cent, the issue of employment rights does not receive the attention
it so rightly deserves. Although it is clearly not ideal for workers to resort to strike action and work-
to-rule, a tipping point is reached when an employer needs to be regulated.
A growing number of global companies are migrating manufacturing locations to more regions
such as eastern Europe, South America and Asia. With cross-border employment issues
heading into an increasing minefield, it is essential that worker rights, social justice and
sustainable development become even higher global priorities. Trade unions across the world –
from Asia to eastern Europe – must effectively coordinate their efforts.
One such organisation is the world’s largest federation of trade
unions – the International Trade Union Confederation
csi.org) – which through a Global Unions movement represents
the interests of 166 million workers in 156 countries and territories.
The final word should go to ITUC’s mission statement, “More than
ever in its history, confronted by unbridled capitalist globalisation,
effective internationalism is essential to the future strength of
trade unionism and its capacity to realise that mission.”
Rich Sears
Editor • Email:
38 Oil & G as N ews
6
When you have finished with this
magazine please recycle it