retail and food
News and articles about work, policy and workers' struggles in retail and the food industry around the world.
Vietnam: Farm-workers' union members remain in jail
Five organisers from the independent United Workers-Farmers Organization, were arrested and remain in prison.
In Vietnam independent unions are illegal, Nguyen Tan Hoanh, Tran Thi Le Hang, Doan Huy Chuong and his father Doan Van Dien were arrested in November last year, a month after the organisation was launched. Tran Quoc Hien was arrested in January this year after his election as a spokesman for the UWFO.
Strikes in Egypt spread from centre of gravity
The longest and strongest wave of worker protest since the end of World War II is rolling through Egypt. In March, the liberal daily al-Masri al-Yawm estimated that no fewer than 222 sit-in strikes, work stoppages, hunger strikes and demonstrations had occurred during 2006.
Take from Middle East Report Online
In the first five months of 2007, the paper has reported a new labour action nearly every day. The citizen group Egyptian Workers and Trade Union Watch documented 56 incidents during the month of April, and another 15 during the first week of May alone.[1]
Anarchy, precarity, and the revenge of the IWW: An interview with Starbucks union organiser Daniel Gross
Interview with IWW organizer Daniel Gross where he discusses 'solidarity unionism,' the innovative organizing model that has made gains for Starbucks workers where bureaucratic unions have failed.
In this wide-ranging interview with IWW organizer Daniel Gross conducted by the UK-based Now or Never!, Gross discusses the innovative worker-controlled organizing model, known as solidarity unionism, that has made gains for Starbucks workers where the bureaucratic union model has failed.
Dublin: Wildcat strike in Musgrave warehouse
On 27th of April a spontaneous wildcat strike broke out in Musgrave warehouses in Dublin.
The whole crew, around 80 people, both immigrant and natives - in solidarity stopped their work after successive acts of discrimination by the management.
Mauritius: Yamachiche abattoir workers win strike
Workers at the abattoir have returned to work after winning salary increases and recognition of their union.
The workers had been on strike for over six months when victory was finally declared. At a meeting held on Saturday 87% of the 180 workers agreed to a settlement concluded earlier in the week. Before the strike the abattoir was dealing with over 15000 animals per week
Grampian foods workers on strike tomorrow
The T&G union has confirmed that around 1,000 workers at Grampian foods will be on strike tomorrow around the country.
The strike will be about half the number of workers who originally voted to strike and a week late, as reported by libcom two weeks ago, this is due to the T&G entering negotiations at several sites across the UK.
Brazilian farmers' occupation kicks off 'Red April' protests
Landless Brazilian farmers have begun a series of coordinated protest actions, occupying properties belonging to a large paper firm.
News reports said on Tuesday that around 200 members of the Landless Workers' Movement (MST) on Monday evening peacefully occupied a property belonging to the Suzano company in Itanpenitinga in Sao Paulo state. A second property was also occupied in Bonito, in the north-eastern state of Pernambuco.
Grampian foods workers to strike
Workers at several Grampian foods processing plants will go on strike on Tuesday in a row over pay.
Around 2,000 workers will be involved in the strike at plants across the UK including Perthshire, Edinburgh, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Essex, Somerset and Wales. 24-hour strikes were also held at sites in Sandycroft, Flintshire (site of the recent airbus wildcats), and Llangefni in October over the same issue.
20,000 farmers and workers riot in China
Hunan city, Yongzhou, central China; around 20,000 farmers and laid off workers have rioted and clashed with 1,000 police armed with guns and electric cattle prods.
The rioters were reported to be protesting against government corruption and rising transport costs. The unrest was eventually suppressed with scores of arrests and some injuries, none serious, on both sides.
France: Victory for KFC workers
After a three-day strike non-unionised workers at the Saint-Denis Basilique branch of KFC won a series of concessions from management.
The strikers obtained:
- The replacement of faulty machinery
- More and longer breaks
- Strike pay for all three days
The strike was accompanied by protests outside the branch. Employees from Pizza Hut (part of the same group) were present at the demonstrations.
KFC workers in New Zealand had previously won other gains by striking (see picture, above).
