In February of this year, a delegation of unionists from Australia Asia Worker Links (AAWL) and the Victorian branch of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), travelled to Bangladesh on a solidarity trip to meet workers and unionists. This visit was spurred by the dual disasters of Tazreen Fashions and Rana Plaza. Colin Long, the Victorian Secretary of the NTEU, in an insightful article, recounts what the delegation saw and analyses the issues facing workers and unions in Bangladesh. Both AAWL and NTEU are currently working on developing solidarity projects with unions in Bangladesh.
Blog
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Bangladesh’s garment industry – an article by Colin Long, NTEU
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Military junta extends its reign of repression throughout Thailand
The repression by the Thai military junta against human rights and labour/trade union activists is not only deepening but is expanding to the regional areas of Thailand like Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen. The mass exodus of close to 200,000 Cambodian and Burmese migrant workers is another example of the nationalist and class nature of the coup. Notwithstanding this repression, resistance to the coup is continuing both inside and outside the country.
No to the military! Free all political prisoners! Organising is not a crime! -
Bahrain migrant workers defy deportation threats
The working conditions for millions of migrant workers in the oil producing countries in West Asia are notoriously bad. Bahrain itself has become even more repressive in the last few years as the government has suppressed a popular anti government movement. This week, 2,000 garment workers returned to work after a week-long strike having won some improvements to their pay and conditions. Their heroic stand is very significant considering the prevailing attitudes and laws against migrant workers. -
AAWL Public Meeting: Our jailed comrades, and how to free them
Labour movement activists organise against exploitation every day. In every country, workers are discouraged from demanding their rights by capitalists and governments. This pressure can be applied in many ways, either via fines, dismissals, beatings, rapes or even murder. Many activists end up in jail because of their organising activities. How can we organise internationally so that our campaigns to free our jailed brothers and sisters can become more powerful?Come to a Public Meeting, on Wednesday 2 July at 6pm at Trades Hall, Lygon Street, Melbourne
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Demonstrations in Australia for World Refugee Day
The last decade has seen successive Australian governments enact more and more repressive laws against asylum seekers and refugees. Earlier this month, a Sri Lankan asylum seeker killed himself as he found his situation in Australia intolerable. The Australian government stopped his family from attending his funeral. Rallies in support of refugee rights were held in many Australian cities this weekend including Melbourne and Sydney. -
Workers’ Strike at Wazirpur Industrial Area: A PUDR Report
At the Wazirpur Industrial Area in Delhi, labour laws are being violated openly. While factory owners continue to shy away from negotiations, labourers’ strike completes 2 weeks.
At least 1000 workers of the 23 hot roller plants in Wazirpur Industrial area in Delhi have struck work since 6 June 2014. They are demanding only what has been laid down in the law. Their demands include enforcement of minimum wages, payment of overtime at double rate, provision of appointment letters, worker identity cards, salary slips, Employee’s State Insurance (ESI), Provident Fund, prescribed bonus amount, safety measures at workplace, provision of government holidays, and payment of salary in the first week of every month. The workers have formed a committee by the name of Garam Rolla Mazdoor Ekta Samiti which is representing them in putting forth their demands.
This is not the first time that the workers of this area have struck work. In the year 2012 as well as in 2013 workers went on a strike demanding guarantee of basic rights. The previous struggles have fetched them victories in the form of a weekly off on every Wednesday and a wage hike of Rs. 1500 to all workers. But a large portion of their demands remain unfulfilled even now. The present strike is symbolic of the impatience of the workers who have been forced to work under inhuman conditions and at wage levels less than minimum.
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Dignity Marches In Spain Surround Parliaments
Collective Marches with integrated platforms today under the banner of ‘Dignity’ have surrounded the headquarters of several regional parliaments to protest against cuts in public services, inequality and poverty that lead many citizens to despair. Following the success of the marches that converged on Madrid on 22nd of March, the organizers have now explained that
The post Dignity Marches In Spain Surround Parliaments appeared first on revolution-news.com.
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London calling: Massive Public Assembly against Austerity and Cuts – Updates
45 minuntes video, camera in the same place; estimated 50,000 people at the anti-austerity public assembly in London and BBC and other televisions in UK censored it. BBC managed to get themselves to tweet one message which seemed as an excuse, but then deleted it: via Public Assembly and Anti-Fascist Action for Greece: “What a
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Spain: Piss Off The New King, Get Arrested For Displaying Anti-Monarchy Flags
#ReferendumRealYA #ABOLICIONMONARQUIA At least 5 people were arrested by the Spanish police for displaying flags for the Republic during the crowning ceremony of an imposed king aimed to reboot the fading support for the monarchy. Since 2008, it is legal to carry flags in support of the republic in Spain, but police arrested old people, young people, parents in front of their kids,
The post Spain: Piss Off The New King, Get Arrested For Displaying Anti-Monarchy Flags appeared first on revolution-news.com.
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Anti-war protests in Ukraine expose bogus ‘ceasefire’ plan
June 20 — An anti-war protest by 100 women shut down the Chernivtsi-Zhitomir highway near the town of Mahala in western Ukraine on June 19. The women — mothers of Ukrainian soldiers — demanded that the government in Kiev withdraw their sons from the fratricidal war to suppress the anti-fascist uprising in southeastern Ukraine. (Depo.ua) […]
This report Anti-war protests in Ukraine expose bogus ‘ceasefire’ plan appeared first on Workers World.