A round-up of links to reports about workers' struggles in Cambodia, Korea and Thailand.
I apologise for not being as thorough as usual, but my PC was stolen last month, I was without internet for two weeks, and tomorrow I'm going on holiday. Hopefully I can go back to normal in December, here's what I've found over the last couple of week:s
Interesting article on labour rights NGOs trying to use corporate social responsibility programs.
http://www.china.org.cn/china/2009-10/22/content_18750629_2.htm
Cambodia:
October 13th: Article on forced evictions.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/2d7ea431d88fc8b897a927fdb84458f8.htm
October 22nd: The government has introduced new laws on the size of demonstrations.
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2009101528972/National-news/draft-law-covering-protests-blasted.html
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ebb6432a-bea1-11de-b4ab-00144feab49a.html
http://www.mysinchew.com/node/30411
Korea
October 15th: The FKTU, the more moderate of Korea's union federations, has broken its alliance with the government and is planning a general strike.
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/10/15/200910150106.asp
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/10/16/200910160040.asp
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2911362
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/382268.html
Then both federations issued a joint statement the following week:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/10/117_53989.html
Interview with KCTU head:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/11/113_54597.html
And the government has declared one of the civil servant unions due to merge into one under the KCTU illegal:
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2009/10/137_54043.html
October 19th: Several groups held a protest against a recent crack down on migrant workers.
http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?id=21150&t=South+Korea%3A+++Seoul%3A+human+rights+activists+protest+expulsion+of+migrant+workers
October 25th: Railworker voted to go on strike.
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2009/10/25/34/0302000000AEN20091025001800320F.HTML
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gyZF3_Lu6yzy5LkiHDTvaAOzsr5g
Report on situation in Korea on WSWS (I think they're trots of some kind:
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/oct2009/kore-o26.shtml
Thailand:
October 30th: strikes in the state railway end.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/157537/pm-vows-to-end-rail-strike-as-quickly-as-possible
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/26373/rail-staff-accused-of-train-sabotage
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/158270/cabinet-approves-recruitment-of-rail-staff
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/10/22/business/business_30115009.php
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/10/24/national/national_30115108.php
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/10/30/national/national_30115518.php
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/oct2009/labo-o24.shtml
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/oct2009/wkrs-o31.shtml
October 15th: Strike at GM plant ends.
http://in.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idINBKK52237820091015
http://www.automotiveworld.com/news/emerging-markets/79029-thailand-gm-strike-ends
http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/25720/gm-strikers-go-back-to-work
Comments
As always, thanks for these
As always, thanks for these great roundups.