Australia Asia Worker Links

Last week, a leaking oil pipeline in the eastern port city of Quingdao exploded as workers were trying to fix it, killing at least 55 people. The disaster was blamed on poor planning and poor maintenance of the network. Local authorities responded swiftly to the explosion, and police have now detained nine people over the blast. China’s Occupational Health & Safety record is very poor with an estimated 27,700 workers being killed in industrial accidents n the first half of 2013.

This week at Asia Ban Asbestos’ annual meeting, Bangladesh Ban Asbestos Network (B-BAN) was launched. Asbestos use is widespread in Asia, leading to the death of thousands of workers and their families. A major conference in Laos brought together unions and government officials to discuss how best to phase out the use of asbestos in that country. At the same time, in Australia, a major breach of its ban on asbestos use was discovered in train locomotives imported from China, the world’s largest user of asbestos.

As reported last week, the fight against union busting at the Ansell plant in Sri Lanka continues with growing international solidarity. To support the striking workers and make sure that they are not starved back to work, the global federation IndustriAll has created a strike fund for these workers. Ansell is a global company and industrial action by workers at its other sites will be the most effective strategy to support the striking workers. The recent victory by workers at Philippines Airlines is a testament to the power of co-ordinated working class action at an international level.

As reported earlier in the year, workers had been fighting for over two years against Syngenta’s union repression, precarious employment practices and for better working conditions. The company is a global Swiss agri-business company with operations all around the world. While the workers have been able to win their demands for secure employment contracts, the reinstatement of Syngenta union head Imran Ali is still to be decided.

Around 300 miners belonging to the Mine Workers Union (GMİS) have taken the bold step to barricade themselves inside the coal mine in which they work. The mine is situated in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak, a region that has many other mines. The workers are protesting against ongoing disregard by management of serious health and safety issues at the mine. This fear is well founded as Turkey has one of the highest rates of miner deaths per 100,000 miners in the world.

In a long running dispute at the Centre for Adult Education in Melbourne, Australia, hundreds of administration, support staff and sessional teachers have agreed to an indefinite strike to press their claims. The dispute originated in 2011 when an agreement was reneged on by management. While negotiations have been ongoing since then, management’s latest offer seeks to cut workers’ conditions even further. This dispute is not the only one affecting Melbourne’s tertiary sector.

The occupation of Palestinian territories by Israel has totally compromised the economic and social life for millions of Palestinians. To survive, many Palestinians have to work in Israeli factories, whether in occupied Palestinian areas or in Israel itself. Every day, workers face intimidation, humiliation and harassment by Israeli soldiers as well as having to cope with restrictive laws that make many workers ‘illegal’ in their own lands. Nevertheless, Palestinian workers are still taking actions and are trying to create stronger fighting organisations.

A recently released report into the conditions of workers at industrial zones in and around Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city, has highlighted the hardships that workers endure. The report highlighted that with the typical base wage of only around $US 1 per day, workers routinely work eleven hours a day, six days a week, with many reluctant to take any sick or holiday leave. In addition, workplaces are often unsanitary and many workers live in overcrowded factory supplied dormitories. While current laws do not give much protection to workers and unions, workers have nevertheless increased their activism over the last couple of years.