unions
Articles about unions and the nature and function of labor or trade unionism.
Two hunger strikers now in hospital
Two of the three sacked airport workers on hunger-strike outside their union offices in Belfast are now in hospital. Earlier today Gordon McNeill was rushed to hospital only to be released, Gordon and 72 year old diabetic Madan Gupta are now both in hospital.
Just hours after addressing a solidarity rally outside Transport House in Belfast hunger striker Gordon McNeill was rushed to City Hospital for treatment. An ambulance was called to the scene at Transport House due to a deterioration in his condition. Gordon is on his fourth day without food and his second day without water. Also on hunger strike are Madan Gupta and Chris Bowyer.
Mahmoud Salehi's message from prison for the March 6 Day of Solidarity
Imprisoned labor leader Mahmoud Salehi, one of the Saqqez 7 and member of Komiteye Hamahangi sends a statement in solidarity with workers and participants of the March 6 international day of solidarity with imprisoned Iranian labor activists.
Mahmoud Salehi’s Message to All Workers and concerned organizers and participants of the March 6th Global Day of Action.
Vallejo, California: Unions help city with lay-offs
The city of Vallejo in the San Francisco Bay Area may be the first city in California history to declare bankruptcy. However several unions are helping the city to cut jobs in an effort to ward off bankruptcy.
This cash-strapped city reached a tentative deal with its police and firefighters unions Thursday, just before city leaders convened to decide if the city would seek bankruptcy protection from a swell of economic uncertainty.
That question remains unresolved, however, as details of the deal will be made public today before the council revisits the issue Monday.
Mozambique: wildcats and sabotage on the sugar cane plantations
600 seasonal workers at the Xinavane sugar plantation in Maputo province of Mozambique have been on wildcat strike since last Friday (15th February).
The workers are demanding a wage increase of over 100%, from 1,100 to 2,500 meticais (from US$46 to US$104), as well as protective clothing, overtime for working on Sundays and the right to a day off in the event of the death of a family member.
Lionbridge: globalizing low wages
In December 2007, a trade-union called “Krajowa Federacja Pracownikow (KFP)” (Worker’s Federation) was formed in Lionbridge Poland, a subsidiary of Lionbridge Technologies, a US-based multinational with subsidiaries all over the world.
Lionbridge specializes in translations and adapting products to local markets (so called “globalization services”). Lionbridge is one of many US-based companies which move jobs from the US to countries with lower wages and working standards.
1998: Danish private sector strike
A short history of the massive private sector strike that gripped Denmark for 10 days in 1998. Although ending after negotiations between the government and union leaders left workers demands largely unmet, the strike, involving about 10% of the Danish population was nonetheless a spectacular show of workers' strength.
April of 1998 saw a series of talks between private sector unions and employers in Denmark. Initiated by the unions in response to a general economic upturn in the country, the talks represented for many Danish workers the chance for improvements to their working conditions.
The Korean working class: From mass strike to casualization and retreat, 1987-2007
Loren Goldner on the history of the Korean working class during the past 20 years.
The Korean Working Class: From Mass Strike to Casualization and Retreat, 1987-2007
Loren Goldner
ABSTRACT
Anarchist communists and the Italian base union movement
Article about the Italian base union movement written by anarchist communist group FdCA member Donato Romito.
"The unions were born, historically speaking, in the workplace as a result of precise material needs of the working masses who made up its membership and under whose control they operated."
- Anarchist Communists and the Mass Organization (UCAT, 1984)
First round of airport strikes called off
Strikes at seven UK airports have been called of by the Unite and PCSU unions.
The strikes would have taken place for 24 hours on the 7th and 14th, then 48 hours on the 17th January, and were to involve clerical, security, firefighters and maintenance staff.
Karen Reissman strike suspended
150 NHS mental health workers in Manchester who have been on strike since early November following the sacking of Karen Reissman are to return to work on Monday 17th December, without having secured her reinstatement.
The strike is now set to be replaced by a "national Unison campaign". In place of industrial action the union is supporting a claim for unfair dismissal at an employment tribunal, an early day motion by Unison sponsored MPs and looking to organise a national lobby of parliament in the New Year.
