retail and food
News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in retail and the food industry around the world.
Poultry strikers demand better working conditions
Over 40 workers at the Delmon Poultry Company in Bahrain staged a wildcat strike yesterday.
Gulf News reported that the Labour Ministry had to intervene after the firm's sales and marketing department refused to work.
It meant no chickens were delivered by the company yesterday since the department covers distribution, Delmon Poultry Company Employees Union chairman Sayed Salman Jaffar Al Mahfood told the GDN.
Hamburgers vs value - Kämpa Tillsammans
Article by Swedish communist group Kämpa Tillsammans, examining the relationship between informal workplace activity in a hamburger restaurant, and the broader communist movement.
By Marcel, member of the communist group Kämpa Tillsammans! 1
- 1. Kämpa Tillsammans! means "Struggle together!" and shall be understood as an imperative.
Job loss at Cadbury UK as Polish state plans subsidies for corporation
Capitalist greed leads corporation to cut labour costs to the bone. Will workers and consumers fight back, asks Laure Akai?
The Cadbury Company plans to shut down its Keynsham plant, which would result in 500 lost jobs. Another 200 jobs will be cut in Bournville. These jobs are to be transferred to Poland by 2010. (The company plans to start additional chocolate production in Poland in 2008. It has also signed a deal with Barry Callebaut in Poland to outsource some production.
Argos workers on strike in Ireland
With only three shopping weeks left in the Christmas shopping season, employees at 31 Argos brances in Ireland abandoned their tills and making for the picket line.
Iran: The struggle of the Haft-Tapeh workers
Workers at Iran's Haft Tapeh sugar factory have been engaged in a struggle since they first went on strike in October. The state responded with repression, arresting organizers, and the workers have been engaged in action in response.
Here is the statement from the Workers Action Committee following the initial strike.
Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane workers in southern Iran go on strike
UK: Strike at Bernard Matthews called off
A strike of 1,300 workers at turkey firm Bernard Matthews for this Thursday has been called off by Unite following an injunction threat.
Meatinfo reported that a pay dispute prompted the action, with the union Unite claiming that a 2% pay rise offer was in effect, a pay cut, as inflation stands at 3.9%.
France: fishermen strike over fuel prices
As strike action breaks out across France, fishermen in Brest have gone on strike protesting at the end of government fuel subsidies.
The subsidies were ended after a ruling by the european commission, almost doublig the price of fuel for the fishermen. The strike movement began on Friday when fishermen from Guilvinec blocked the fuel depot at Brest. this was the largest of the blockades, with some 300 fishermen present.Other depots: Douarnenez (Finistère), Lorient (Morbihan) and Donges (Loire-Atlantique) were also blocked.
Cork caterers on strike
Staff at the country’s largest local authority office face the prospect of foraging for their own food today, as their caterers are due to go on strike.
Employees of the catering company Masterchef Munster are expected to mount a picket at 8am outside Cork County Hall today (November 5th) in protest over pay and non-recognition of their union by the company.
US: The Thibodaux Massacre of 1887
One of the most interesting, and probably least known events in Louisiana history is the Thibodaux Massacre of 1887.The Thibodaux Massacre of 1887 was the second most bloody labor dispute in U.S. history.
Although most of the blood letting occurred in the environs of Thibodaux, the strike encompassed a larger area. The strike affected sugar plantations in St. Mary, Terrebonne ,and Lafourche parishes. These parishes make up an area known as the "sugar bowl." Thibodaux is the parish seat of Lafourche.
France: Ghanty workers win strike
Workers at the retailer on the island of La Réunion won several concessions after launching a strike during the busy sales period.
The strike, the first ever at the company, was launched by workers in protest at low salaries, workers who have ben with the company for 15 or 20 years are still on minimum wage. The strike was observed by 40% of workers and held for nine days. The agreement reached with management was for an immediate 1% increase in salaries and for the company to pay 50% of the value of meal vouchers for staff.
