legal
1915: The murder of Joe Hill
The story of the death of the American trade unionist, revolutionary and popular song-writer Joe Hill, framed for murder and executed.
Don't mourn - organise!
Older workers sacked in pre-emptive strike
Complaints of older workers being sacked have increased dramatically in recent weeks, reports Age Concern, which it attributes to a preemptive strike by employers to avoid age discrimination laws.
"We have seen a rapid and sharp increase in the number of calls from older employees who are very, very concerned, many of whom are angry," said Michelle Mitchell from Age Concern.
1912: The syndicalist trials
A short history of the trials and legal repression of radical trade unionists in the UK in the early twentieth century.
The relatively high degree of political liberty which was enjoyed during the first decade of the twentieth century in this country was the result of the continuous struggle which radicals and reformists had waged against their rulers for a century and a half.
World Bank says: work 24/7 with no rights
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A new World Bank report calls for the wholesale elimination of workers' rights.
The 2007 edition of the ‘Doing Business’ report has declared the Marshall Islands to be the world’s “Best Performer” for its almost total absence of labour regulation, displacing last year’s champion, Palau.
Over 100 Australian workers in court over walkout
107 workers and their families will face court today in Perth, facing prosecution for taking industrial action following the sacking of their union representative.
In the first test of the Howard Government’s new building and construction IR (Industial Relations) laws, 107 workers and their families will be in court today in Perth, facing prosecution for taking alleged industrial action following the sacking of their union representative. The workers face fines of up to AUS$28,600 (£11,500).
Iran: Prison sentences against labour activists repealed
On Saturday, May 1st, 2004, hundreds of workers and their families in the City of Saqez, Kurdistan province, staged a rally and march to commemorate the International Workers’ Day.
The event was organized by “the First of May Council”, which was a committee consists of the city’s labour activists that acted independently from the government-sponsored Workers’ House.
Safety on the railways?
Health and safety campaigners have welcomed the jailing of a rail boss, found guilty of killing four maintenance workers who died when a runaway wagon ploughed into them. Mark Connell, 44, had deliberately dismantled the brakes on two of his wagons in order to save money.
He received a nine year sentence for each of the four counts of manslaughter, to run concurrently. However the jailing of Connell, though welcome, is perhaps not quite the victory it first seems. As the construction giant Carillion plc, who subcontracted Connell to carry out the work, and as such should take some of the blame, was never prosecuted.
Pensions? What pensions? Legal battle with steel firm
Major legal battles have been taking place regarding private pension funds and the protections being offered to workers.
A case brought to the European court by unions Amicus and Community has had a major boost after the European Commission came out in support of their campaign to prove the government has failed to implement a directive which could have saved the pensions of over 1,000 steelworkers.
What is the CPE?
A brief article explaining the new French employment law the CPE - what it is, how it affects young workers, and why they have come to oppose it.
The very basics
-the CPE, "Contrat Premiere Embauche" or "First Employment Contract", is a particular type of contract with a two year probation period that allows the employer the right to sack the employee without having to give a reason or prior warning.
-the CPE affect only under 26 year olds
US: Workers score big victory against Starbucks at Labour Board
New York, NY - The Industrial Workers of the World Starbucks Workers Union won a watershed victory yesterday...
...in the first National Labour Relations Board conflict over unfair labour practices between the world's largest coffee chain and the baristas who work there.
Faced with the prospect of having its widespread union-busting campaign exposed in a public hearing, Starbucks agreed to remedy all of the myriad violations committed against workers who have organised a union.
