ABOUT 600 leaders of chemical, energy and mine workers’ unions from around the world will meet in South Africa next month for a congress to be opened by President Thabo Mbeki. The International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM) congress will be held in the east coast city of Durban from November 3 and 5, the federation’s South African branch said. The ICEM represents about 20-million workers across the world. The federation’s General Secretary Vic Thorpe said from Brussels that the ICEM respected Mbeki for South Africa’s far-reaching labour legislation.