Monthly Archives: September 2012

After decades of military repression, workers in Burma are starting to test the limits of the new political climate in the country. Earlier this week, around 1,000 textile workers in Yangon staged a demonstration over pay and working conditions. This follows on from a wave of industrial unrest in the […]

Widespread protests have erupted in the Occupied West Bank against the continuing deteriorating economic conditions. Public transport workers, taxi drivers and others have demonstrated in many towns across Palestine, protesting against rising prices, stagnant wages and high unemployment. Meanwhile, the hunger strikes against Israeli occupation are continuing with three detainees […]

On the 19th of September, Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, Thai journalist and labour organiser will once again be brought before a Thai court. Somyot has been charged under the repressive ‘Lese Majeste’ law and has already been in jail for a year. Support the international campaign that is calling for all charges […]

The government of the southern Australian state of Victoria recently announced cuts worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the TAFE sector in Victoria. This will result in many courses being discontinued while the fees for most others will increase sharply. TAFEs provide accessible education and training to tens of […]

Lufthansa cancelled two thirds of its flights last week after cabin attendants walked off the job at airports across Germany in an escalating battle with the airline.   The flight attendants, represented by the UFO union, walked off the job at midnight on Thursday in a 24 hour strike that […]

The attack on members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) has escalated further.  In Manila, arrest warrants were issued this week for 39 members of PALEA who are charged with coercion based on claims they were involved in violent protest action against Philippine Airline’s decision to outsource 2,600 jobs. […]

EgyptAir hostesses and stewards went on strike for 12 hours last Friday to fight for better working conditions, resulting in the airline suspending all international flights and angering passengers.  The ITF has slammed the government for not better protecting Egyptian workers against victimisation and demanding that the company be directed […]

Turkish Airlines and Turkish Technic workers who are all members of the Turkish Civil Aviation Union (Hava-Is) have been on the picket line at Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport, main hub for Turkish Airlines, for more than 100 days.  Turkish Airlines and Turkish Technic fired 305 workers via text message, email […]

Qantas is also using outsourcing to drive down wages and conditions for its workers. In August this year, Fair Work Australia ruled against the Transport Workers Union (TWU) in this long-running dispute over the rules for outsourcing in the Qantas union agreement.  Fair work Australia essentially rejected the TWU’s efforts […]

FIRST Union launched the Union Network of Migrants (UNEMIZG) on Sunday 19 August to provide migrant workers with information about their work rights. UNEMIZG will assist migrant workers with employment and immigration matters, hold education events and support migrant workers to network with others. Robert Reid, FIRST Union General Secretary […]