1912: The syndicalist trials
Submitted by Steven. on Sep 11 2006 10:26
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
Submitted by Joseph Kay on Sep 7 2006 20:32
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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
Submitted by Joseph Kay on Aug 29 2006 05:54
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Iran: Prison sentences against labour activists repealed
Submitted by libcom on May 10 2006 11:00
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?
Submitted by libcom on May 2 2006 13:33
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
Submitted by Freedom on Mar 30 2006 13:33
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?
Submitted by alibi on Mar 11 2006 10:27
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
Submitted by libcom on Mar 9 2006 13:02
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.
Asda fined for anti-union bribe attempt
Submitted by libcom on Feb 11 2006 13:33
The supermarket giant Asda has been ordered to pay £850,000 in compensation to employees for unlawfully offering them a financial inducement to give up their union rights in a damning judgment by an employment tribunal yesterday.
The supermarket giant Asda has been ordered to pay £850,000 in compensation to employees for unlawfully offering them a financial inducement to give up their union rights in a damning judgment by an employment tribunal yesterday.
Wal-Mart boss faces jail for tax evasion
Submitted by Steven. on Feb 8 2006 13:33
Thomas Coughlin, the former vice-chairman of Wal-Mart may be jailed for up to 28 years and fined up to £750,000 after pleading guilty to fiddling his expenses.
Coughlin, a former close friend of the late Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, claimed to have been involved in a covert anti-union spying operation designed by the giant retailer, and to have taken the hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of vouchers as payment, he had previously claimed they were given to employees as bonuses.
The items bought, many with company gift cards included:
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