Monthly Archives: July 2016

The struggle by 55 workers in Melbourne, against subcontracting and insecure work is now in its second month. The company, CUB, is part of the SAB Miller group, a global company that employs around 70,000 employees in more than 80 countries, and last year had a net revenue of USA […]

In a welcomed move this week in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 41 people, including the owner of Rana Plaza, were indicted for murder for the death of over 1,100 workers. The collapse of Rana Plaza, which housed five garment factories, in April 2013 highlighted to the world the abysmal conditions that garment […]

This week, Australian industrial investigator, the Fair Work Ombudsman, found against the infrastructure and mining service giant Thiess over its treatment of its migrant workforce. Thiess made the workers, who were employed under a temporary work visa system, sign employment contracts that threatened to sack and deport migrant workers if […]

With massive labour protests in France, the Brexit decision in the UK, the rise of anti-immigration and anti-Muslim parties, and with continuing austerity politics in many countries, the political and social situation in Europe is changing very fast. What do these dynamics mean for the working class in Asia? What […]

This week, the Thai military junta gave a warning to any exiled critic that while they may be outside of Thailand, they can still go after their families. Noppawan “Ploy” Bunluesilp, with her three year old son, was detained by the Thai military for being the wife of journalist Andrew […]

Thousands of coal miners and supporters have been staging ongoing demonstrations and protests in Zonguldak in the north western Black Sea region of Turkey. The miners are opposing plans to privatise the mines, a move that would lead to massive job losses and reduced health and safety conditions due to […]

It is a month since 50 Carlton United Brewery (CUB) workers were fired. They were told that they could reapply for their jobs with another company that would then sub-contract to CUB. Their new positions would be on individual contracts, with no job security and reduced pay and conditions. CUB […]

While recent labour news from South Korea have concentrated on the government offensive against labour leaders and their jail sentences (see here and also check out the radio interview), workers’ protests have continued. During late June and early July, major mobilisations by tens of thousands of public sector workers (see […]

As the August date for the constitutional referendum approaches in Thailand, the Military Junta is increasing its repression to any opposition. In a show of force, this week they arrested a number of journalist for having booklets that explained the proposed constitutional changes. The military has basically banned any public […]

Many millions of women throughout India are being progressively integrated into the expanding industrial sectors. A new report focusing on the garment sector shows that many of these women are being subjected to widespread sexual harassment and violence. With a recent push by the Indian government to expand the garment […]