Yearly Archives: 2016

At the end of February, unions in Japan launched a new campaign to raise the minimum wage by over 50% to 1,500 Yen/hour (see video). In Japan, around 40% of the workforce is in insecure employment arrangements as casuals, sub-contractors or on temporary contracts. It is these workers especially that […]

As reported last week, tens of thousands of Palestinian teachers have been on strike and mobilising for better wages and conditions. Most schools in the West Bank have been shut for over two weeks. Importantly, one of the teachers’ demands is for union members to have the right to elect […]

The automotive industry has seen a massive expansion over the last decade with hundreds of thousands of new workers being created. As in other countries experiencing this industrialisation boom, the working conditions are characterised by low wages, long days and atrocious OHS standards. Indian workers have fought hard against this […]

Last year saw major demonstration and strikes by thousands of automobile workers in the Bursa region of Turkey. Late last month, workers employed by Renault were scheduled to hold elections to elect new union representatives. Renault management not only cancelled these elections at the last moment but also dismissed workers […]

International Women’s Day (IWD) originated in the USA in 1908, when women garment workers held demonstrations protesting against their appalling and dangerous working conditions. The exploitation continues as global capitalism increases its demands for ever lower wages and conditions for workers. Violence against women is still very common. Women make up […]

In early February, hundreds of bus workers demonstrated in Phonm Phem against the Capitol Tours Bus Company union busting activities. The demonstration was viciously attacked by employer sponsored thugs who beat many of the protestors (see video). The police then detained a number of the bus workers, but let the […]

As reported previously, the repression against workers in Iran continues unabated with many workers arrested and sentenced to years of jail for the sole crime of attempting to improve wages and conditions. This week, Reza Shahabi, a leading activist with the Vahed Syndicate of bus drivers in Tehran, was sentenced […]

As reported previously, the Samsung Electronics company in South Korea is not only notoriously anti-union, but has murderous health and safety record. The company is now trying to discredit labour activists who are increasing the pressure on the company to admit its atrocious OHS record. A protest vigil by OHS […]

In an ongoing dispute that began late last year, bus drivers at the Howick and Eastern Buses Company are fighting to keep their conditions in relation to overtime and penalty rates. Part of their actions involve offering free rides to passengers by refusing to collect fares. The company is owned […]

In the latest of a series of accidents at the coal mines in the Duki region of Balochistan in central Pakistan, three miners were poisoned to death earlier this month. Unfortunately these have not been the only deaths in the coal mines in this region and are an indicator of […]