Monthly Archives: July 2016

This week, a prominent human right activist, Kem Ley, was murdered in broad daylight in Phnom Penh. This is not the first time that human rights and labour activists have been killed in the recent past. Kem Ley’s murder comes only days after an investigative report uncovered that Prime Minister […]

Last Friday, another massive protest of tens of thousands of working class Iraqis defied government warnings to protest against the sectarianism, nepotism and corruption of the government. The continuing menace of bombings of civilian areas, ongoing war in the north and widespread poverty is fuelling increasing discontent. These protest have […]

A permanent protest camp has been in operation for many months outside Samsung Headquarters in Seoul. Labour and health and safety activists have been protesting against Samsung’s vicious anti-union stance and the appalling health and safety practices that have caused the death of many workers. On the 28 July, a […]

This week, in a stunning attack against the South Korean workers movement, Mr Han Sang-gyun, the President of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), was given a five year jail sentence. Han’s ‘crimes’ were for organising demonstrations. Han has been a tireless fighter for labour rights, spanning his early […]

Last week, one of the remaining workers still in jail following the repression of the Maruti Suzuki workers struggle in 2012, was released on bail. Of the original 148 workers that were arrested, 35 still remain in jail. The campaign by the Maruti Suzuki workers was a watershed struggle for […]

This week, more than 3000 workers from a number of independent unions staged a demonstration as part of a continuing campaign in support of their right to organise without intimidation (see here and here). Since the formation of a new government in the middle of last year, employers have staged […]

While the recent Federal election in Australia was narrowly won by the current conservative government, the results also saw the election of far right candidates. The One Nation party, led by Pauline Hanson, made a triumphant return to Parliament with a number of Senators being elected. One Nation is based […]

This week, compensation payments to the victims of the fire at the Tazreen Fashion garment factory were finally completed. It has been almost three years since the devastating fire at the Tazreen garment factory claimed the lives of 112 workers. The injured and surviving workers, the relatives of the dead […]

On the last day of June, Jafar Azimzadeh, the Chair of the Free Union of Workers of Iran, ended his two month hunger strike when Iranian authorities granted him special leave. Jafar had been taken to hospital due to his deteriorating health and there were fears that he would be […]

In a world first, in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, a monument is going to be unveiled in Honour of All the Victims of Genocide and Atrocity Crimes. The overwhelming victims of genocides and mass atrocities have always been workers, their families and communities. Such crimes are a weapon of […]