Russian unions join forces in new confederation 14-06-2011
Consolidation of the independent trade union movement in Russia has taken a large step forward with the extraordinary congress of the Confederation of Labour of Russia (KTR), which took place in Moscow on May 27, 2011.
Four years after punishing lockout, Unilever Assam workers still waiting for their union to be recognized 10-06-2011
Business is doing well at Unilever’s personal products factory at Doom Dooma in the Indian state of Assam. But nearly 4 years after management tried to destroy the union with a punishing 6-week lockout, and almost one year since the IUF and Unilever formally concluded an agreement to settle the dispute under the auspices of the UK government, the workers are still waiting for their union to be recognized as their collective bargaining agent.
Vitasoy Australia Workers Support Fight for Union Rights in Hong Kong 09-06-2011
Vitasoy, a Hong Kong-based transnational company with manufacturing operations in Hong Kong, Shenzen, Shangahi, Singapore, Ayer (Massachusetts, USA) and Wodonga (Victoria, Australia), promotes its premium soy-based food and beverage brands under the slogan "where healthy life begins" - yet the company appears to be far less concerned about the health of its workers in Hong Kong.
Ban on temp agency labour advances in Russian Parliament 07-06-2011
Russia's Duma (Parliament) has voted in the first reading in favor of a bill which if adopted will effectively ban the use of temporary agency labour in the country.
Urgent Action Guatemalan banana union leader murdered 02-06-2011
Violence against banana unions in Guatemala is escalating. On May 26, Joel Hernandez Godoy, finance secretary of the IUF-affiliated banana workers union SITRABI, was shot dead by a gunman on motorcycle while driving through the village of Cristina to the union headquarters in the town of Morales.
Urgent Action Thailand: Reinstate KFC union activists now! 31-05-2011
Three union activists have been dismissed from their employment at KFC in Thailand after they established a union and sought to bargain a collective agreement with KFC management. The Thai ministry of labour approved the registration of the Cuisine and Services Thailand Workers Union after over 200 workers signed and submitted a proposal seeking to negotiate with the company to improve wages and working conditions.
Heinz celebrates biggest profit jump ever with… mass layoffs 31-05-2011
Global food manufacturer H.J. Heinz on May 26 announced record full-year (fiscal 2011 ending April 30) results. Sales in the fourth quarter increased by 6% over the previous year and profits rose by 16%. Net income resulted in earnings per share rising from 60 to 69 US cents. Investor appetites were unappeased – they wanted 72 cents a share. So Heinz announced the elimination of 1,000 jobs.
Editorial Completed OECD Guidelines update a work in progress 26-05-2011
The updated OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises were officially adopted in Paris on May 25, opening up new potential for unions to make use of the procedures.
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