Yearly Archives: 2012

Workers and activists have come together to oppose the restarting of Japan’s nuclear industry, specifically, the Oi Nuclear Power Plant. On June 29, the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo was surrounded by more than 100 thousand demonstrators. It was the first time since the protest actions against the signing of […]

A support network of the families of people affected by Section 112 of the Criminal Code, the Lese Majeste law, was launched last week. Their demands include immediate and unconditional release Lese Majeste prisoners as well as assurances of their fundamental rights as guaranteed under the constitution — the right […]

In May of last year, over 1,000 oil workers in the town of Zhanaozen, a town in western Kazakhstan, went on strike and staged a sit-in action in the central square of that town. Their dispute was entering into its six month and the workers had survived much harassment from […]

A meeting of the Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations was attacked by security forces on 15 June.  The meeting was discussing setting up unions and independent labour organisations. 60 people were arrested and transferred to Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj city but were not charged under any criminal […]

Last week we reported that South Korean truck drivers were set to go on strike on Monday 25 July in a move that shook the industry.  After 5 days and marathon meetings with cargo distribution operators, the workers won the dispute with a 9.9% pay increase in addition to other […]

We’ve reported extensively (here, here and here) on the Gadani Ship Breaking workers fight for better conditions and safety at work. With the help of National Trade Union Federation (NTUF), the Gadani Ship breaking workers formed their union and are plannedg to hold the first ever "Ship breaking Workers Convention" […]

The past week in Australian politics has seen much debate around the issue of asylum seekers.  While politicians are saying that all they want is to save people’s lives and stop any more boats sinking, they have continued to frame the debate in nationalist and xenophobic terms – stopping the […]

We’ve brought you news previously of the plight of workers at SC Enterprises manufacturing plant in the Klaten region of Indonesian.  Since their dispute began in early May this year, the company has run a campaign of harassment and intimidation against them. The company has summarily dismissed workers, has pressured […]

The new State Government Construction Code, to apply from 1 July, is all about attacking unions. It forces companies to prove they are following Liberal Party anti-union policies like: Rewriting EBAs to promote labour hire and 'all-in' sham contracting; restricting entry of union officials to sites; removing union logos from […]

As previously reported by AAWL here, here and here, Baba Jan, a human rights and labour activist, was arrested late last year following demonstrations by thousands of people in the region of Gilgit-Baltistan demanding government compensation for landslide damage. Police repression of these protests included the shooting of two villagers […]