Yearly Archives: 2017

The recent referendum in Turkey on whether or not to expand the powers of the president, once again exposed the deep class rifts in Turkish society. The results highlighted the opposition’s strongholds in the industrialised and urbanised areas of Turkey, as well as the Kurdish south east. In addition, accusations […]

World Press freedom day falls every year on the 3 May and it is a time to remember those who have been killed for doing their job and to call for greater protections. So far this year, 14 journalists have been killed around the world. The International Federation of Journalists […]

This week, the Basrah Gas Company, a joint venture with Shell, Southern Gas and Mitsubishi, agreed that its 6,000 strong workforce could be represented by the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions (IFOU). This is a great win by workers to have their power to collective bargain recognised, in such a […]

Last year, a number of beer promotion workers, all women, were dismissed by Cambrew for fighting changes to their employment contract that would have worsened their working conditions. The Cambodian Food and Service Workers Federation (CFSWF) has been supporting these workers in their fight against Cambrew. In retaliation the company […]

The discovery of a hidden room inside a Manila police station that was used to keep accused suspects without charge, is only the latest revelation of the continuing brutal War on Drugs that President Duterte has unleashed. Earlier this month, Arturo Lascanas, an ex-police officer from Davao offered evidence of […]

The removal of a small brass plaque, no larger than a dinner plate, embedded in the tarmac in front of Bangkok's Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, has become a symbol of the continuing military repression in Thailand. The plaque commemorates the 1932 overthrow of the rule of absolute monarchy and a […]

This week, the international labour movement received a letter from Han Sang-gyun, the imprisoned leader of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions. In the letter, Sang-gyun thanks all of his supporters, both locally and internationally, and restated his commitment to keep fighting the anti-worker offensive of the last couple of […]

All around the world, workers and labour organisations held events for International Workers’ Memorial Day on 28 April to remember workers killed and injured at work. The message of the day was that all workplace deaths are preventable deaths. As unionists and labour activists, it is our job to fight […]

The recent election for the new governor of Jakarta was often potrayed as a religious and ethnic conflict between Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnamaand and Anies Baswedenwas. The reality is more complicated. During Ahok’s first term as mayor of Jakarta, he undertook major urban redevelopment projects. These had devastating effects on […]

The Australian government has announced new changes to the 457 visa category, one of the main categories for migrant workers entering Australia.  These changes will not safeguard workers’ wages and conditions, as the government claims, instead, these changes are designed to further undermine the ability of migrant workers to organise […]