From the 1950’s up to the 1970’s, workers in Japan were well organised and had strong, militant unions. Following years of economic restructuring, anti union laws and co-option of sections of the leadership, unions in Japan are facing a tough climate in which to grow again. This weakness of the […]
Yearly Archives: 2013
328 posts
China’s rapid industrialisation has produced a few winners and many losers. The majority of workers who have built this ‘New China’ have seen very few of the benefits. Migrant workers are often the most exploited. With the Chinese New Year holiday period approaching a number of workers are trying new […]
Following on from the general strike in 2012 where tens of millions of workers participated, Indian workers are again mobilising. Facing ongoing unrelenting attacks, 11 Central Trade Union Organisations, have come together in a show of national unity of workers and an effort to fight back. As in the rest […]
The Philippines is one of the worst countries to be a trade union activist, with a long history of repression against the labour movement, see here and here. Last December, four leaders of the KMU trade union centre were arrested on trumped up charges. This act of harassment is aimed […]
While the war in Syria is creating a new wave of Palestinian refugees, Palestinian activists are continuing with civil disobedience actions in the Occupied Territories. A number of ‘land occupations’ have been taking place this year in an attempt to stop more illegal Israeli settlements, while the hunger strikes by […]
In January of this year, 129 workers at the Electrolux washing machine factory in Rayon, Thailand were summarily dismissed for wanting to discuss wages and conditions with Electrolux management. These sackings are quite clearly aimed at weakening the local union and intimidating workers. The workers have been conducting a number […]
Pneumoconiosis is an occupational lung disease caused by the inhalation of dust. Official statistics put the number of Chinese workers suffering from pneumoconiosis at 650,000, though independent health experts say that the real figure is much higher. While the Chinese government has passed laws in regard to the care of […]
On the second anniversary of the pro-democracy movement, the government has stepped up repressive measures against demonstrators. Latest reports indicate that at least one demonstrator has been killed by security forces. Many others remain in jail. The political situation in Bahrain is heavily influenced by its neighbour, Saudi Arabia, and […]
Even though asbestos is not mined in Australia any more and its use has been banned since 2003, Australia still has the highest per capita rate of asbestos related disease in the world. The reason is that asbestos was used very extensively in both commercial and residential buildings. A coalition […]
As previously reported, progressive forces are still organising in Syria amid a seemingly stalemated civil war situation, and an economy in free fall. It has been estimated that in 2012, Syria’s GDP declined by almost 30% while the official unemployment rate climbed to 35%. In addition, disputes between different forces […]