Green Left Weekly

Workers occupy factory in Dandenong

mel_b — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 20:22:17 +0000

Wed, 28/01/2015

The workers of International Flavours & Fragrances began occupying their building on January 27 as part of an ongoing strike.

The Dandenong Leader reported workers "were locked out today after negotiations for a new workplace agreement stalled. About 60 workers were stranded by indefinite lockout by management early this morning. Negotiations have been ongoing since June, after contention arose over management’s proposal of a 55 cent an hour wage increase if workers forfeited one of their two paid ten minute breaks.

Sri Lanka: Navy wages secret war on Tamil fisherfolk

stuart_m — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 07:23:42 +0000

Wed, 28/01/2015

By Tim Gooden

Allegations made by south Indian Tamil fisherfolk against the recently deposed Mahinda Rajapaksa government in Sri Lanka reveal a trail of death and corruption.

They said 750 fisherfolk have been killed by the Sri Lankan navy since 1983. Eighty-four boats were seized in the past six months alone.

India: A tale of two power stations

stuart_m — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 06:57:33 +0000

Wed, 28/01/2015

By Narendra Mohan Kommalapati

The wave of social and environmental destruction sweeping India in the age of globalisation can be seen in the “development” being imposed on entire sections of small farmers, fishing communities, forest tribes and small artisans.

It can be gauged from two instances of attempts to build coal-fired power stations in sensitive ecological regions of coastal Andhra Pradesh, a state in south-east India.

Palestine ambassador praises Venezuelan support

stuart_m — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 06:55:20 +0000

Wed, 28/01/2015

Venezuelan assistance to Palestine has played an important role in helping Palestine achieve domestic development goals, said Palestine's ambassador to venezuela, Linda Sabeh Ali.

Sabeh Ali said her people hope to achieve some of the same freedoms the Venezuelan people have enjoyed in recent years. “Venezuela is a free land of liberators. We dream of a free country like this [Venezuela],” Sabeh Ali said in a January 21 interview to Venezuelan state media.

France jails people for irony

stuart_m — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 06:16:17 +0000

Wed, 28/01/2015

By Ali Abunimah

It may sound like an ironic joke, but it isn’t. Less than a week after the huge rallies in defence of “free expression” after the murders of the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists, French authorities have jailed a youth for irony.

The arrest is part of a harsh crackdown on free speech in the country that has prompted criticism from national and international human rights groups.

Concert: George Mann plays Melbourne.

Melbourne — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 03:23:46 +0000

Wednesday, January 28

US folk singer George Mann will perform classic union and folk songs in the Old Council Chamber of Victorian Trades Hall. Bar service from 5:30-6:30pm; music from 6pm. Trades Hall, cnr Lygon & Victoria Sts, Carlton South. Organised by Industrial Workers of the World Melbourne.

Event date:

Wed, 28/01/2015 - 6:00pm

Venezuela: Thousands mark uprising, protest economic war

stuart_m — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 01:41:02 +0000

Wed, 28/01/2015

By Lucas Koerner

Thousands took to the streets of the Venezuelan capital of Caracas on January 23 to commemorate the 57th anniversary of the toppling of the Perez Jimenez dictatorship. Marchers also voiced their support for the government of President Nicolas Maduro in the face of economic war and political destabilisation.

International Women's Day forum: Hester Eisenstein

Cairns — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 23:16:12 +0000

International Women's Day forum. Special guest speaker: Hester Eisenstein, renowned feminist writer, will join us from the US by Skype. Sun Mar 8, 9.45am for 10am start, Stratford Community Hall, Kamerunga Rd. Tea and coffee available. Gold coin donation. For more information phone 0437 790 306

Event date:

Sun, 08/03/2015 - 11:00am

Email:

cairns@socialist-alliance.org

Mexico: Missing student struggle reflects deeper issues

stuart_m — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 08:07:44 +0000

Tue, 27/01/2015

By David T. Rowlands

In Australia, the life of a teaching student comes with certain inconveniences, but not acute physical danger at the hands of law enforcement, political authorities and organised crime. Sadly, that is not the case in Mexico.

On the night of September 26-27 last year, in the southern state of Guerrero, police attacked a bus convoy taking a group of students from their normales rurales (rural teaching college) in Ayotzinapa to the city of Iguala.

Eyewitness to Tsipras victory Speech: 'Greece advances with hope and dignity'

stuart_m — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 07:27:30 +0000

Mon, 26/01/2015

By Vivian Messimeris, Athens

Thousands gathered to watch SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras give his victory speech in front of Athens University on the night of Jaunary 25, after SYRIZA won the Greek elections with more than 36% of the vote.

Some were jubilant, but others were visibly moved. SYRIZA member Marina Moutafidou described how she had been waiting for this moment for more than 40 years.