energy
News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in the energy sector around the world.
1904-2003: History of Iraq
A short history of Iraq, focusing on foreign intervention, imperialism and attempts by Western powers to control oil and other resources in the country and the rest of the Middle East.
See also our 1900-2000: Iraq timeline
1900-2000: Iraq timeline
A timeline of key events in Iraqi history and class struggle in the 20th century.
Since the state of Iraq was created early this century, the working class in the area have suffered brutal exploitation and repression at the hands of the rival ruling class groups competing for power.
LPG - a load of hot air
The Competition Commission has found evidence that huge monopolies dominating a major utility sector are taking advantage of the position - but apparently not enough to warrant action.
A report has found that the Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) market is uncompetitive and could be ripping off vulnerable rural people, but has refused to suggest the breakup of controlling monopolies.
LPG is used to supply heating for housing not covered by the national gas grid, with people living in rural areas having gas periodically delivered and stored at their homes.
Bangladeshi Government forced to renounce mine project
In the face of mass resistance, Bangladeshi Government forced to renounce mine project. More actions threatened in garment industry.
The Government has announced it will not now allow the opencast mining project in Phulbari to go ahead. The scale of the resistance has clearly shocked the State; the proposed project provoked a seizure of the town by 30,000 protesters for the past 5 days (after troops shot 5 people) and a nationwide general strike on Wednesday.
News from Bangladesh
Unrest continues across Bangladesh, with widespread strikes and the mass revolt against an attempt by a British company to begin destructive open cast mining in Phulbari.
Picture - Monday, Phulbari in Dinajpur: protesters set fire to furniture of the British company Asia Energy in protest at the killing of demonstrators by security forces.
News from Bangladesh
- garment unrest continues and British company is attacked in mass regional revolt over opencast mine
Zimbabwean CTU calls for national strike
Zimbabwe's largest trade union has called for a national strike to protest a sharp hike in fuel prices last week.
Unions say the hike has made it too expensive for most workers to travel to their jobs in the troubled southern African country. The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, ZCTU, an umbrella grouping of trade organisations, is closely affiliated with the main opposition party.
Iraqi oil workers win strike
Oil workers on strike in Iraq win a pay increase and profit-sharing.
Reuters reported that striking oil workers in southern Iraq on Wednesday ended action that closed the main pipeline supplying Baghdad with refined oil products a day after they had won higher pay, a union leader said.
"We received a document from the ministry of oil. It is a document to increase our salaries and to pay us (a) share in seasonal profits," Hassan al-Asadi said.
The Great "Bootleg" Coal Industry (Louis Adamic)
A fascinating look at an alternative 'economic strategy' in US mining communities during the 1930s Depression.
Iraqi oil union bank account frozen
The Iraqi regime has frozen all the bank accounts of the Iraqi oil workers' union, both abroad and within Iraq.
The Iraqi regime’s decision comes in the wake of a series of anti-union measures, including the disbanding of the council of the lawyers’ union, freezing the writers’ union accounts and the September 2005 decree making all trade union activity illegal.
General strike brings Guinea to its knees
A general strike over falling living standards paralysed Guinea on Thursday with activity grinding to a halt in spite of government warnings and the presence of armed riot police on the streets.
Banks, businesses, schools and offices shut while streets were virtually deserted as a result of industrial action aimed at forcing a reduction in the price of oil-based fuels and the quadrupling of wages, among other demands.
