Wednesday, October 27, 2010
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR SOUTH KOREA:
REPRESSION OF WORKERS IN SOUTH KOREA:
South Korea is due to host the next G20 meeting soon. It will no doubt be true to form with protests being violently repressed. Whether SK can live up to the heights of overkill recently demonstrated on the streets of Toronto is an open question. What is sure is that South Korea has yet to live up to its commitments to bring its labour legislation in line with international standards. Here is an item from the international union federation the IUF about what sort of country the g20 meeting will be held in this time around.
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International Unions Call for Action on Labour Rights Abuses in Korea
When Korea joined the OECD in 1996, a condition of adherence was a commitment to reform its industrial relations legislation in line with ILO standards. Not only has there been no reform, but the situation has markedly deteriorated.
In the runup to the G20* meeting scheduled for November 11-12 in Seoul, South Korea, international union organizations are calling for pressure on the Korean government to bring its repressive labour law and employment regime into line with international standards and its own commitments.
The ILO has repeatedly called on the government of South Korea to amend its labour legislation, which criminalizes legitimate union activity, blocks large numbers of public sector workers from joining unions or bargaining collectively and promotes the massive use of precarious employment relationships to effectively deny workers their collective rights.
Despite its 1996 pledge, current and previous Korean governments has refused to ratify ILO Conventions 87 (freedom of association) and 98 (collective bargaining).
Article 314 of the Penal Code on "obstruction of business" is routinely used to arrest and imprison union leaders and members and impose fines totalling millions of dollars in order to cripple union activity. Over 300 trade unionists have been imprisoned over the past 18 months.
When the crisis affected production at Ssangyong Motors, management responded to union demands to negotiate worksharing by unilaterally dismissing agency workers. In the course of the strike which followed (May-August 2010), riot police consistently used violence against the workers, including using electroshock weapons. ( See previous posts here at Molly's Blog- Molly )
A loose definition of "essential services" allows the government to deny large numbers of public sector workers the right to join a union. Unions of government employees, teachers, construction and transport workers are refused the right to represent over 250,000 workers.
Outsourced, subcontracted (dispatched) and other forms of precarious work have been aggressively promoted to deny whole categories of workers their right to union representation. Some 50% of all employed persons in Korea today lack an open-ended, direct permanent employment contract. The KCTU Korean metalworkrers have identified companies making use of up to a hundred labour contractors in a single factory - all to prevent workers from joining a union and bargaining with the real employer.
In an important decision last year, the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association called on the government of Korea to stop the abusive use of precarious contracts to deny workers their rights.
The only labour law reform, however, is proposed legislation to extend the current two-year period after which dispatch workers must be made permanent - to 4 years! Sungjong Lee, Policy Director of the IUF-affiliated Korean Federation of Private Service Workers' Unions (KFSU), denounces the proposed legislation because it will be used by employers to evade their obligation to regularize precarious workers: most employers, says Lee, will simply replace irregular workers as their contract conversion approaches with new, precarious hires.
Newly proposed legislation would also expand the range of job classifications allowed for dispatch (agency) work from the current 32 with up to 17 additional job classifications (in accordance with "market needs"). According to Nambee Park, President of the IUF-affiliated Korean Women's Trade Union, this has already encouraged the conversion to agency work of many directly-employed women workers, with a consequent loss of security, wages and benefits. If the remaining restrictions on agency work are done away with, says Park, the result will be a further expansion of low wage work, deepening insecurity and gender discrimination
The global union federations, the ITUC and TUAC are together calling for pressure on G20 governments to make sure the urgent need for labour law reform comes to the fore at the G20 meeting. A briefing note, sample letters and background materials for trade unions are available on the website of the International Metalworkers Federation in English, French, German, Russian and Spanish.
But you needn't live and work in a G20 country to take action in support of our Korean sisters and brothers! Unions everywhere can use these campaign materials to urge your government to pressure the government of Korea, to organize actions and protests at South Korean government representations and to inform your members and the wider public about the current situation - and the urgent need for change.
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*The Group of 20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors is made up of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom and the USA.
International Unions Call for Action on Labour Rights Abuses in Korea
When Korea joined the OECD in 1996, a condition of adherence was a commitment to reform its industrial relations legislation in line with ILO standards. Not only has there been no reform, but the situation has markedly deteriorated.
In the runup to the G20* meeting scheduled for November 11-12 in Seoul, South Korea, international union organizations are calling for pressure on the Korean government to bring its repressive labour law and employment regime into line with international standards and its own commitments.
The ILO has repeatedly called on the government of South Korea to amend its labour legislation, which criminalizes legitimate union activity, blocks large numbers of public sector workers from joining unions or bargaining collectively and promotes the massive use of precarious employment relationships to effectively deny workers their collective rights.
Despite its 1996 pledge, current and previous Korean governments has refused to ratify ILO Conventions 87 (freedom of association) and 98 (collective bargaining).
Article 314 of the Penal Code on "obstruction of business" is routinely used to arrest and imprison union leaders and members and impose fines totalling millions of dollars in order to cripple union activity. Over 300 trade unionists have been imprisoned over the past 18 months.
When the crisis affected production at Ssangyong Motors, management responded to union demands to negotiate worksharing by unilaterally dismissing agency workers. In the course of the strike which followed (May-August 2010), riot police consistently used violence against the workers, including using electroshock weapons. ( See previous posts here at Molly's Blog- Molly )
A loose definition of "essential services" allows the government to deny large numbers of public sector workers the right to join a union. Unions of government employees, teachers, construction and transport workers are refused the right to represent over 250,000 workers.
Outsourced, subcontracted (dispatched) and other forms of precarious work have been aggressively promoted to deny whole categories of workers their right to union representation. Some 50% of all employed persons in Korea today lack an open-ended, direct permanent employment contract. The KCTU Korean metalworkrers have identified companies making use of up to a hundred labour contractors in a single factory - all to prevent workers from joining a union and bargaining with the real employer.
In an important decision last year, the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association called on the government of Korea to stop the abusive use of precarious contracts to deny workers their rights.
The only labour law reform, however, is proposed legislation to extend the current two-year period after which dispatch workers must be made permanent - to 4 years! Sungjong Lee, Policy Director of the IUF-affiliated Korean Federation of Private Service Workers' Unions (KFSU), denounces the proposed legislation because it will be used by employers to evade their obligation to regularize precarious workers: most employers, says Lee, will simply replace irregular workers as their contract conversion approaches with new, precarious hires.
Newly proposed legislation would also expand the range of job classifications allowed for dispatch (agency) work from the current 32 with up to 17 additional job classifications (in accordance with "market needs"). According to Nambee Park, President of the IUF-affiliated Korean Women's Trade Union, this has already encouraged the conversion to agency work of many directly-employed women workers, with a consequent loss of security, wages and benefits. If the remaining restrictions on agency work are done away with, says Park, the result will be a further expansion of low wage work, deepening insecurity and gender discrimination
The global union federations, the ITUC and TUAC are together calling for pressure on G20 governments to make sure the urgent need for labour law reform comes to the fore at the G20 meeting. A briefing note, sample letters and background materials for trade unions are available on the website of the International Metalworkers Federation in English, French, German, Russian and Spanish.
But you needn't live and work in a G20 country to take action in support of our Korean sisters and brothers! Unions everywhere can use these campaign materials to urge your government to pressure the government of Korea, to organize actions and protests at South Korean government representations and to inform your members and the wider public about the current situation - and the urgent need for change.
------------------------------------
*The Group of 20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors is made up of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom and the USA.
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THE LETTER:
Please go to this link to send the following message to the President of South Korea.
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Dear President Lee Myung-bak,
I join with the International Metalworkers' Federation in calling for the Korean government to honour its international commitments and respect workers’ rights.
Repeatedly workers and trade unions in Korea are subject to violations of human and trade union rights. The number of arrests and severity of prison sentences as well as physical violence is increasing.
When Korea joined the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 1996 it was on the proviso that your government would take the necessary measures to bring Korea’s labour law in line with international standards.
Korea has failed to adhere to or ratify ILO conventions no. 87 (right to freedom of association) and no. 98 (right to collective bargaining) and your government has repeatedly refused offers of technical assistance from the International Labour Organisation to bring your legislation into line with international standards.
The Korean Government routinely uses criminal sanctions under Article 314 of the criminal code to arrest and imprison trade unionists for exercising their legitimate right to conduct trade union activities.
The Korean law denies workers in precarious or irregular employment the right to join a trade union and bargain collectively. Employers systematically engage workers on precarious employment contracts specifically to prevent them from forming and joining trade unions.
Public sector workers are subjected to anti-union discrimination and disciplinary measures and their collective agreements are unilaterally cancelled by the Government. Whole categories of Government workers are prevented from organizing through an overly broad definition of “essential services”.
I call on the Korean government to honour your international commitments and respect workers’ rights.
Yours,
Labels: G20, international labour, International Metalworkers Federation, IUF, labour., petitions, protests, solidarity., South Korea
Monday, October 18, 2010
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS CHINA:
FREE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER LIU XIAOBO:
Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo is this year's winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. At the present time he is serving an 11 years sentence for the "crime" or persistently advocating democracy and freedom in China. There isa petition directed to the Chinese authorities demanding his release. Here's the story.
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Free the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo
Signature goal: 100,000
Target: Chinese Government
Sponsored by: a Chinese citizen
Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate for year 2010, was sentenced to 11 years of prison on December 25th 2009 under the name of 'inciting subversion' because of his initiation of 'Charter 08' which calls for democracy and protection of human rights in China.
The sentence is unacceptable and illegitimate, as it's completely against fundamental human rights and China's constitution.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 19 states that:"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."
According to Chinese Constitution Article 35, the freedoms of expression and publishing are protected as well:"The citizens of China enjoy freedom of expression, publishing, assembly, association, manifestation and demonstration."
Liu Xiaobo has been fighting for democracy and human rights for more than 20 years, and has been put into prison for many times. He is a beacon for those who are striving for the political progress in China, and those who are living in the dark.
Please join the petition, voice your support, to urge the Chinese government to release Liu Xiaobo immediately.
Free the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo
Signature goal: 100,000
Target: Chinese Government
Sponsored by: a Chinese citizen
Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate for year 2010, was sentenced to 11 years of prison on December 25th 2009 under the name of 'inciting subversion' because of his initiation of 'Charter 08' which calls for democracy and protection of human rights in China.
The sentence is unacceptable and illegitimate, as it's completely against fundamental human rights and China's constitution.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 19 states that:"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."
According to Chinese Constitution Article 35, the freedoms of expression and publishing are protected as well:"The citizens of China enjoy freedom of expression, publishing, assembly, association, manifestation and demonstration."
Liu Xiaobo has been fighting for democracy and human rights for more than 20 years, and has been put into prison for many times. He is a beacon for those who are striving for the political progress in China, and those who are living in the dark.
Please join the petition, voice your support, to urge the Chinese government to release Liu Xiaobo immediately.
LXLXLXLXLX
THE PETITION:
Please go to this link to send the following letter to the Chinese authorities. The campaign's goal is 100,000 signatures. The last time Molly looked there were about 26,000 people signed up. Help out and sign up.
XLXLXLXLXL
We the undersigned, urge the Chinese government to release Liu Xiaobo immediately.
Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate for year 2010, was sentenced to 11 years of prison on December 25th 2009 under the name of 'inciting subversion' because of his initiation of 'Charter 08' which calls for democracy and protection of human rights in China.
The sentence is unacceptable and illegitimate, as it's completely against fundamental human rights and China's constitution.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 19 states that:"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."
According to Chinese Constitution Article 35, the freedoms of expression and publishing are protected as well:"The citizens of China enjoy freedom of expression, publishing, assembly, association, manifestation and demonstration."
Liu Xiaobo has been fighting for democracy and human rights for more than 20 years, and has been put into prison for many times. He is a beacon for those who are striving for the political progress in China, and those who are living in the dark.
We urge the Chinese government to respect fundamental human rights and its own constitution, and release Liu Xiaobo immediately
Labels: China, dissidents, human rights, international human rights, Liu Xiaobo, petitions, solidarity.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
AMERICAN POLITICS:
PASSING THE 'DREAM ACT':
The following appeal is from the American Jobs With Justice Coalition, and it is more for our American readers as it pertains to a specific reform in US immigration policy, reform that is long overdue whatever the xenophobes may think. The orthodox anarchist position, of course, is that there should be no restrictions on the movement of people across the globe, but while awaiting that millennium small reforms are somewhat useful.
APAPAPAPAP
PASSING THE DREAM ACT:The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act - more commonly known as the DREAM Act - would allow undocumented youth raised in the United States who have completed their K-12 education with no criminal record to earn their citizenship through either a college education or military service. Although the legislation has widespread support, the DREAM Act has stagnated in Congress for nearly a decade.
But the long wait could be over! Today at 2:15 ET, the Senate is scheduled to vote on cloture for the defense authorization bill, which currently includes the DREAM Act. If passed today, a vote on the DREAM Act amendment is expected on Thursday.
Call your Senators at 1-888-254-5087 and tell them: Vote 'YES' on the cloture motion for H.R. 5136 and 'YES' on the DREAM Act amendment, and ask them to give a speech on the Senate floor in support of the DREAM Act.
With the DREAM Act passed, qualifying undocumented youth would be given the chance to invest in themselves and their futures through education or the armed services, shattering the glass ceiling impeding these young people from reaching their full potential. Communities, which have already invested so much in these youth through the primary education system, would benefit from a more qualified, better-educated pool of citizens.
Young people have organized a dynamic nationwide grassroots movement to pass the legislation. Just this week alone, young people have made over 34,000 calls to Congress. But Senators who have long supported the bill have not been vocal enough highlighting the importance and need for grassroots efforts to push Senators to vote their conscience, even if it means crossing the party lines. We must firm up the support of DREAM allies in the Senate, and move Senators to vote yes.
This is what the DREAM Act needs from you this week:
1. Call your Senators at 1-888-254-5087 and tell them: Vote 'YES' on the cloture motion for H.R. 5136 and 'YES' on the DREAM Act amendment, and ask them to give a speech on the Senate floor in support of the DREAM Act.
2. Submit a Letter to the Editor to your local papers urging the passage of DREAM.
3. Stay connected and engaged to the DREAM actions taking place all over the country. Text DREAM or SUENO to 69866 to get updates about the DREAM Act this week.
4. Find out what is happening in your area--a list of actions can also be found here.
It's important to remember that every action taken is a step forward in making this DREAM a reality. The fate of this historic piece of legislation, and with it, the hopes and dreams of many, lays in the actions we take this next week. Let us move forward working together.
Labels: American politics, Dream Act, immigrants, Jobs With Justice, petitions
Friday, September 10, 2010
CANADIAN LABOUR TORONTO:
NORTEL RETIREES SUPPORT RALLY:
Here's another support rally coming up next week, this one from the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW). The Nortel company has been using Canada's bankruptcy laws to avoid their pension obligations. Former Nortel workers are demanding that alternatives to the usual pension plan wind-up be found. One such alternative is the Financial Support Model as proposed by the Nortel Retiree's Protection Committee. Please go to their website for more details and also to see how you can support the Nortel pensioners. Here's the announcement.
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Nortel Workers Rally at Queen's Park: September 15
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The CAW national union is calling on all retired workers, local unions and other allies to come to Queen's Park in Toronto on Wednesday, September 15 at 12 noon to support former Nortel workers.
The rally is part of the on-going CAW and CLC campaign to demand "Retirement Security for All Workers."
The Nortel Retirees and former employees Protection Canada (NRPC) have been lobbying the Ontario government to explore alternatives to a conventional pension plan wind-up.
The CAW is asking that all local unions, Retired Workers chapters and area councils organize buses in their respective areas. Jenny Ahn, director of the CAW retired workers department, said the rally highlights the importance of government action on the issue.
"We need to keep the pressure on all levels of government to fulfill their moral obligation to ensure our pensions are funded and fully protected," said Ahn.
For more information and bus locations contact CAW National Coordinator Dean Lindsay at 1-800-268-5763, ext. 3791 or (416) 497-4110, ext. 3791.
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The Nortel retirees protection Association has a rather restricted mandate, mostly dealing only with ex-employees of Nortel in Ontario. There is, however, a new national organization of pensioners the Silver Fox Alliance that is more national and not company restricted. Check out their website, especially in regard to the following petition regarding the federal Bill C-501. This is a motion before Parliament that has passed second reading despite the fact that it has the support of only 12 Conservative MPs. It aims to reform federal bankruptcy legislation such that workers' pensions are secured during the bankruptcy process. Go to the Silver Fox website to sign the following petition.
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To: The Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, The Hon. Jim Flaherty, The Hon. Tony Clement.
We the undersigned implore you to pass Bill C-501 third reading before Sept. 30. It is time to stop the unconscionable harm inflicted by current bankruptcy laws on Canadian pensioners. We have a voice.
Let it not be said, " Sirs, you had a choice"
Labels: Canadian Auto Workers, Canadian labour, Canadian politics, labour., Nortel, Nortel Retirees protection Committee, pensions, petitions, protests, rallies, Silver Fox Alliance
Sunday, September 05, 2010
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR BANGLADESH:
SEND A MESSAGE TO SECRETARY CLINTON ABOUT BANGLADESH WORKERS:
The following appeal to send a Labor Day message to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton comes from the International Labor Rights Forum.
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Ask Secretary Clinton to help the workers in Bangladesh who make our clothes.
Send an Email This Labor Day to Request Secretary Clinton Make Good on Commitments to Labor Rights as a Priority in U.S. Trade Policy!
As you have seen over the past couple of weeks, our comrades in Bangladesh continue to remain imprisoned as the Government of Bangladesh uses them as a scapegoat for the turmoil in the garment industry.
The highly respected labor leaders Kalpona Akter and Babul Akhter of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity need more support from the US government. Secretary Clinton has an opportunity to use the policies already in place to demand swift action by the Government of Bangladesh to end this harassment campaign. Right now, the US government is considering the status of special trade preferences for Bangladesh. Our government needs to be clear whether it stands behind human rights for workers, or just business as usual. Secretary Clinton can do the right thing but needs some encouragement from you.
Send an email NOW to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging immediate action.
Just two days ago, ILRF and the AFL-CIO provided new information about Bangladesh to the United States Trade Representative. Secretary Clinton and others within the Obama Administration have ample evidence that the charges against Kalpona and Babul are completely false and that intervention is required immediately.
Justice will prevail for Kalpona and Babul though we all need to help make this a realization. Your action on this important message means a great deal to us and we will continue to update you as things move forward in Bangladesh.
Onwards,
Bama Athreya, Executive Director
PS. By taking action now, not only will your message get sent immediately, but I will also hand-deliver all the messages to the State Department next week.
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This message was brought to you by the International Labor Rights Forum.
Ask Secretary Clinton to help the workers in Bangladesh who make our clothes.
Send an Email This Labor Day to Request Secretary Clinton Make Good on Commitments to Labor Rights as a Priority in U.S. Trade Policy!
As you have seen over the past couple of weeks, our comrades in Bangladesh continue to remain imprisoned as the Government of Bangladesh uses them as a scapegoat for the turmoil in the garment industry.
The highly respected labor leaders Kalpona Akter and Babul Akhter of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity need more support from the US government. Secretary Clinton has an opportunity to use the policies already in place to demand swift action by the Government of Bangladesh to end this harassment campaign. Right now, the US government is considering the status of special trade preferences for Bangladesh. Our government needs to be clear whether it stands behind human rights for workers, or just business as usual. Secretary Clinton can do the right thing but needs some encouragement from you.
Send an email NOW to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging immediate action.
Just two days ago, ILRF and the AFL-CIO provided new information about Bangladesh to the United States Trade Representative. Secretary Clinton and others within the Obama Administration have ample evidence that the charges against Kalpona and Babul are completely false and that intervention is required immediately.
Justice will prevail for Kalpona and Babul though we all need to help make this a realization. Your action on this important message means a great deal to us and we will continue to update you as things move forward in Bangladesh.
Onwards,
Bama Athreya, Executive Director
PS. By taking action now, not only will your message get sent immediately, but I will also hand-deliver all the messages to the State Department next week.
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This message was brought to you by the International Labor Rights Forum.
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THE LETTER:
Please go to this link to send the following letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
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I want you to know I am very concerned about the harassment, unlawful arrest, detention and physical abuse of courageous labor activists in Bangladesh.
On August 13, 2010, two internationally known labor leaders, Kalpona Akter and Babul Akhter of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity (BCWS), were arrested and detained by the Government of Bangladesh. BCWS is a highly respected organization that the US government itself has looked to for information and insight concerning labor conditions in the country's garment industry.
The US is a key importer of apparel and consumers like myself ask that our government help ensure we are not exploiting workers or repressing human rights to make our clothes. As a citizen concerned about human and labor rights around the world, I am appalled by the persecution of these activists and expect the US to take immediate action.
The persecution of labor rights advocates is taking place in the context of severe and ongoing labor rights abuses and lack of respect for the rule of law in Bangladesh. Most of those making these clothes are women. They need decent jobs to support their families, and they need advocates like Kalpona and Babul to support them as they stand up for their rights. I know that the US has continued to state that our trade policy is one that does require those we trade with to respect human and labor rights, and you yourself have been a champion for human rights and particularly women's rights around the world.
I urge you to do the following:
- Hold an immediate hearing on trade preference benefits that are received by Bangladesh.
- Take all possible measures to communicate to the Government of Bangladesh the urgency of ending the persecution of BCWS and its leaders.
- Make it known to the Government of Bangladesh that the US is committed to making sure workers' rights are respected around the world.
The US government has done business as usual with Bangladesh for too long. Now it has an important opportunity and obligation to speak out against these injustices in Bangladesh and I hope that you will be a leader in this charge.
Sincerely,
Labels: Bangladesh, international labour, International labour Rights Forum, labour, petitions, solidarity.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR IRAN:
FREE ALL JAILED WORKERS:
The theocratic rulers of Iran have long seen an independent workers' movement as a major threat to their rule and that of their business allies. Because of this repression of the workers is a regular occurrence in that country. The following appeal to release all jailed unionists comes from the Support Workers Councils In Iran group. You can sign the following petition by going to this link.
JWJWJWJWJW
End worker persecutions in Iran!
End worker persecutions in Iran!
All jailed workers must be released!
Arbitrary arrests and detentions, long prison terms, violent interrogations, beatings, even use of lashing to degrade and break down, denial of medical care to sick detainees, constant harassment in the form of court summons, heavy bails and daily threats against workers and their families, and the ultimate weapon of cutting workers off their livelihood by firing them, make up a brutal regime of systematic persecution of labour activists in Iran.
We, the undersigned, demand that persecution of workers in Iran and terror and violence against them must stop. Workers in Iran should be able to freely exercise their fundamental right to set up their own organisations, meet, assemble and protest as they wish, take strike action, organise and take part in rallies without fear of being arrested and thrown in jail.
At the moment, Mansoor Ossanlou, Ebrahim Madadi and Reza Shahabi, of the Union of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, Ghorban Ahmadi, Ali Akbar Baghani, Hossein Bastani Nejad, Mahmoud Beheshti Langroodi, Rasoul Bodaghi, Mohammad Davari, Alireza Hashemi, Seyyed Hashem Khastar and Abdollah Momeni, of the Iranian Teachers’ Trade Association, and two other labour activists by the names of Behnam Ebrahimzadeh and Mehdi Farrahi Shandiz continue to be imprisoned in Iran. Another jailed teacher, Mr Abdolreza Ghanbari, has been sentenced to death for taking part in the anti-government demonstrations of 27 December 2009.
We demand
• The immediate and unconditional release of all jailed labour activists in Iran
• The reinstatement, with all lost pay backdated, of all those dismissed for carrying out legitimate union activity
• An end to persecution and terrorizing of workers in Iran
Arbitrary arrests and detentions, long prison terms, violent interrogations, beatings, even use of lashing to degrade and break down, denial of medical care to sick detainees, constant harassment in the form of court summons, heavy bails and daily threats against workers and their families, and the ultimate weapon of cutting workers off their livelihood by firing them, make up a brutal regime of systematic persecution of labour activists in Iran.
We, the undersigned, demand that persecution of workers in Iran and terror and violence against them must stop. Workers in Iran should be able to freely exercise their fundamental right to set up their own organisations, meet, assemble and protest as they wish, take strike action, organise and take part in rallies without fear of being arrested and thrown in jail.
At the moment, Mansoor Ossanlou, Ebrahim Madadi and Reza Shahabi, of the Union of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, Ghorban Ahmadi, Ali Akbar Baghani, Hossein Bastani Nejad, Mahmoud Beheshti Langroodi, Rasoul Bodaghi, Mohammad Davari, Alireza Hashemi, Seyyed Hashem Khastar and Abdollah Momeni, of the Iranian Teachers’ Trade Association, and two other labour activists by the names of Behnam Ebrahimzadeh and Mehdi Farrahi Shandiz continue to be imprisoned in Iran. Another jailed teacher, Mr Abdolreza Ghanbari, has been sentenced to death for taking part in the anti-government demonstrations of 27 December 2009.
We demand
• The immediate and unconditional release of all jailed labour activists in Iran
• The reinstatement, with all lost pay backdated, of all those dismissed for carrying out legitimate union activity
• An end to persecution and terrorizing of workers in Iran
Labels: international labour, Iran, labour, petitions, Support Workers Councils in Iran
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR BANGLADESH:
SUPPORT BANGLADESHI WORKERS:
Bangladesh...a country whose main claim to "fame" is flooding and death during ever recurrent typhoons. Bangladesh...a country much of which may become unlivable in the not too distant future due to rising sea levels. Bangladesh...a country born out of a brutal civil war and the locus of what may be the most naked class struggle in the world.
The heart of this struggle is the garment industry which employs about 1.8 million people and accounts for about 80% of the country's export value. Everybody and his dog's socks have signed up with Bangladeshi factories for clothing supplies. From the highest fashion outfits to the bottom of the Walmart discount aisles (and even lower if you can imagine it). Interesting thought that the so-called "quality" products come from exactly the same sources as the dollar store deals.
The Bangladeshi garment industry is "famed" for having the lowest minimum wage for this type of work of any country in the world. Yes folks garment workers in China would be paid multiples of what Bangladeshi workers earn. Hence the gathering of vultures (excuse me "entrepreneurs") who head there to buy their goods to peddle across the world. Just today, after months of violent street protests the Bangladeshi government has agreed to raise the minimum wage in their country by 80% to a world shattering level of about $40 per month. Some unions in Bangladesh have agreed to this "compromise" while others such as the National Garment Workers Federation of Bangladesh consider it totally inadequate. The last raise in the minimum wage was won in 2006 after the usual street clashes with government forces, just as this one was. That's "collective bargaining" in that country, the only way that workers can advance their interests.
Just as a sidebar to this the agreement depends not just on agreement between the government and the unions. It also depends on the agreement of the employers' associations !!! Now that is indicative of the general deference to the ruling class that the Bangladeshi state shows. I can't think of any other country in the world where the state would have to go to the "capitalists in congress" to raise the minimum wage. Or at least do it openly.
One of the victims of the Bangladeshi state's perpetual war against its workers has been the 'Bangladesh Centre for Worker Solidarity'. The following appeal from Sweatfree Communities asks you to protest the repression that the Bangladeshi state visits upon this organization while, at the same time, pretending to give concessions to its workers. First of all a little background.
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Background:Where's the Freedom for Workers in Bangladesh?
Summary
On June 3, 2010, the government of Bangladesh cancelled the legal status of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity, one of the most respected non-governmental organizations in Bangladesh working in the area of labor rights, and ordered the confiscation of its property and the freezing of its bank account. On June 16, a member of the BCWS staff was detained by National Security Intelligence officers who coerced him to sign an incriminating statement against himself, alleging he was inciting worker unrest and illegal activities. He was severely beaten before he managed to escape. The timing of events suggests that this crackdown against BCWS may be taking place at the behest of a garment factory where workers are attempting to form an independent union. In blaming BCWS of “fomenting unrest and agitation in the garment sector,” the government is also signaling that they are not taking seriously the struggles of garment workers who subsist on starvation wages and are taking to the streets demand a tripling of the minimum wage to the still appallingly low wage of 35 cents per hour. BCWS and garment workers are now appealing for your help to protect their rights and ensure a dignified wage.
TAKE ACTION NOW
Who is the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity?
The Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity (BCWS) was founded in 2001 by two former child garment workers in Bangladesh in order to promote worker rights and “establish a congenial atmosphere in the working place to increase productivity and contribute to the national economy.” A non-political non-governmental organization, BCWS is widely known for its credible research on labor rights compliance in the ready-made-garment factories and is committed to lawful means of redressing labor rights violations. BCWS maintains programs on labor rights awareness raising, leadership training, and conflict resolution. In addition, it provides mid-level management workshops, and runs a night school as well as a model daycare center for children of garment workers. Thanks to the work of BCWS many workers can enjoy their legal benefits, including maternity leave, and exercise their right to form and join workers’ associations.
Harassment, beatings, and extortions
The Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity (BCWS) has long had to contend with Bangladeshi government repression and surveillance as security forces tap their phone lines, monitor their emails, and sometimes search their offices. However, the current crackdown is harsher than before, threatening BCWS’s existence and putting staff and organizational leaders in serious physical danger.
On June 3, 2010, the NGO Affairs Bureau (NAB) of the government of Bangladesh cancelled the non-governmental (NGO) registration of BCWS, depriving it of its legal right to exist and operate. At the same time, the Director General of NAB ordered government officials to seize the BCWS office and property and also instructed their bank manager to close their foreign donations bank account. A daily newspaper reported that the government was to “prepare a list of cash foreign donations and the movable /immovable properties procured through foreign donations and take them under government control/possession.”
On June 16, 2010, at 1:50 pm Bangladesh time, BCWS staff member Aminul Islam was detained at the offices of the Director of Labor as he was arriving for a scheduled meeting with the Chief Inspector of Factories to discuss worker unrest at garment factories owned by the president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). Also invited to the meeting were 30 garment workers, four other staff members of BCWS, and two representatives of the BGMEA. The Chief Inspector of Factories reportedly had received special permission from the Labor Minister to hold the meeting despite the fact that the government no longer recognized BCWS as a legal entity. As Mr. Islam and the workers ascended the staircase to the Labor Director’s office, 30-35 National Security Intelligence (NSI) police arrived from a back entrance and detained Mr. Islam along with three workers.
According to Mr. Islam’s testimony, he managed to escape custody late at night the same day while being transported to another district. Mr. Islam reports that the NSI officers blindfolded him, and beat him and threatened to kill him in an attempt to extort false testimony against BCWS.
“Why did you stop work at the garment factories?” NSI officers demanded of Mr. Islam. “If you just say Babul and Kalpona (leaders of BCWS) asked you to stop the work at the factory then we will set you free.” When Mr. Islam responded that BCWS never told workers to stop working and that Babul and Kalpona would “never support any illegal task or unlawful demand” he was beaten unconscious. “They were hurting me at the joints of bones of my body. My arm, knee, joints, ball-joints were their targets.” Mr. Islam’s testimony continues in excruciating detail, describing the beatings and threats to kill him and orphan his children, and covering up his killing in a so called “cross-fire” incident.
Mr. Islam is exhausted as he ends his testimony. “Now I’m living in extreme anxiety,” he says. “I don’t even know what I should do now. I can’t walk. I can’t even move because of the pain that I got from the beating. I can’t sleep. Nightmares of torture won’t let me sleep.
Continued repression
Mr. Islam’s escape from the NSI officers on June 16 was not the end of this crisis for BCWS. As his testimony reveals, the real targets of the security forces are the leaders of BCWS who have worked tirelessly to support workers’ rights in recent years. On July 2, BCWS reported that their staff was scared but still coming to the office despite harassment from security police. Because of the trouble their landlord increased rent by 60%. Mr. Islam still had not returned home, but was finally able to see his wife and children.
On July 22, BCWS reported that “our phone is still tapped, and we are being followed, getting many visits and phone calls from security intelligence.” BCWS staff and leaders remain at risk of unlawful detention and possible inhumane and degrading treatment at the hand of the authorities. As of this writing, BCWS legal status has not been restored though the government has not ceased their offices and properties.
Why is BCWS targeted?
Is one factory responsible?
The immediate cause of the cancellation of BCWS’s legal status appear to be related to BCWS supporting workers in their effort to form an independent trade union at one particular garment factory, Nassa Global Wear. After management beat and harassed union leaders, Nassa workers contacted BCWS in April, 2010, to receive support and help with conflict resolution. The company owners are retired military officers, who may have used their political influence to have BCWS's non-governmental organization registration revoked. While NAB did not officially notify BCWS of the cancellation of their legal status until June 10, one week after the fact, Nassa knew about it earlier, and informed its workers on June 6—four days before BCWS received notification—that they expected BCWS to be closed down.
On June 19, three days after Mr. Islam was detained and beaten by national security police, Nassa reportedly filed criminal charges against two members of the BCWS staff, including Mr. Islam, and 57 workers, claiming they had beaten managers, vandalized the factory, and stolen property. As of this writing, BCWS is reporting continued unrest at Nassa, including workers beaten by “local goons” both inside and outside the factory. On July 22, an estimated 40 workers were injured at Nassa, breaking news on Bangladeshi television.
Depriving workers’ demands for higher wages of legitimacy and credibility
Targeting BCWS serves to trivialize workers’ demands for better working conditions and higher wages. The legal minimum wage in Bangladesh is the lowest in the world at about $24 per month (1,662.50 Bangladeshi takas), forcing garment workers to subsist on starvation wages. According to a Bangladeshi non-governmental research organization, the “minimum requirement for basic living” in cities such as Dhaka and Chittagong is 1,805 calories per day. In 2006, when the $24 per month minimum wage was adopted, they estimated the cost per month, per person, for food sufficient to meet this calorie intake was $20. Since 2006, the prices of almost all essential food items have doubled, and in some cases tripled. That means garment workers who earn the minimum wage today do not even earn enough to feed themselves, let alone pay for other basic necessities for themselves and their children. That is why workers are now taking to the streets in the tens of thousands, shutting down factories, and demanding a tripling of the minimum wage to the still very modest $72 per month (5,000 Bangladeshi takas). If they were to win their demands, garment workers would still only be paid 35 cents an hour and subsist on just more than $2 per day.
It is no wonder that garment workers struggling for their survival are demanding more money. But the government is blaming BCWS, implying that workers’ demands somehow are not genuine but manipulated. In its official NGO cancellation notification to BCWS, the government accuses BCWS of “inciting to create riotous situation and assisting in creating labor unrest in the ready made garment sector, and in anti-state and social activities” as though garment workers needed any provocation to demand their right to survival. An official government brief accuses two BCWS leaders of “fomenting unrest and agitation in the garments sector.” Instead of recognizing workers’ real human needs and basic right for a dignified wage, the government reportedly is considering adding to its apparatus of repression by forming a new “industrial police” specifically for the ready-made-garments sector. According to a Bangladeshi daily newspaper this new police force would use an “iron hand” to deal with worker unrest, a chilling message indeed.
Workers need your help
While BCWS has kept us apprised of developments over the last month and a half they have waited to appeal for your help until now, seeking first to exhaust every possible local remedy. Now they have reached the point where they are appealing to people of conscience the world over to support them in their struggles for garment workers’ basic rights and survival.
TAKE ACTION NOW
ILILILILIL
THE LETTER:
Please go to this link to send the following letter to the authorities in Bangladesh.
ILILILILIL
Having been alerted by the International Labor Rights Forum, I write to express grave concern regarding the unjust detention of Aminul Islam, who was held in NSI (National Security Intelligence) custody without any formal complaint on June 16, 2010, in apparent retaliation against his work to protect the rights of laborers in Bangladesh. I am also writing to urge your government to restore the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity’s (BCWS) status as a non-governmental organization by allowing it to keep its registration with the NGO Affairs Bureau (NAB).
It is my understanding that BCWS and Mr. Islam have been accused of inciting worker unrest. However, BCWS is an internationally known and well respected advocate for workers’ rights with a strong record in credible research and professionalism. As you are well aware, workers are demanding that the minimum wage be raised to 5,000 taka. It is essential that the Minimum Wage Board do the right thing and raise workers’ wages to a dignified level before the deadline at the end of July, 2010. While this issue may have caused some stress to the Bangladeshi government, it is unacceptable for you to target organizations like BCWS. The actions against BCWS call to question the sincerity of the Bangladeshi government to follow through on its commitments to improve labor rights.
I respectfully call upon your government to:
1. Immediately withdraw the cancellation letter of June 3, 2010, and restore BCWS’s NGO registration.
2. Investigate Mr. Islam’s detention and torture and hold those individuals responsible accountable and ensure they pay appropriate reparation.
3. Ensure Mr. Islam receives the medical treatment he needs.
4. Provide Mr. Islam and all other BCWS staff members with assurances of their safety.
5. Instruct the Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka to desist from seizing the office and property of BCWS.
6. Instruct the Manager of the Mercantile Bank to desist from freezing the BCWS bank account.
BCWS is a vital voice for labor rights in Bangladesh. I am disturbed to see that local efforts to improve conditions for workers are being met with intimidation and repression by the government. I hope that you will resolve this situation immediately and recommit yourself to allowing labor rights organizations to operate freely without fear of reprisal.
Regards,
Labels: Bangladesh, Bangladesh Center For Worker Solidarity, international labour, labour, petitions, repression, solidarity., Sweatfree Communities
Thursday, July 22, 2010
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS HUMAN RIGHTS:
WATER AS A HUMAN RIGHT:
Most of take our access to clean safe abundant water for granted. This is not, however, the case in poorer countries nor even on many reservation here in Canada. In a time when there are increasing disputes between countries for access to water and when there is a global push to sell off public utilities to the private sector the movement to declare access to water as a human right is particularly timely. Here's a notice from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) asking you to add your voice to this movement.
WWWWWWWW
Water is a human right: Push for Canadian action
On July 28, the United Nations General Assembly will take a landmark vote on recognizing the human right to water and sanitation. CUPE members can help push Canadian representatives to support this vital resolution.
The resolution would recognize “the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a universal human right”. The resolution calls for increased financial, technological and capacity-building support to countries in the global South, to build the public services that will make this human right a reality.
The Council of Canadians’ Blue Planet Project has launched an online week of action to build support for the resolution.
Today, 1.2 billion people don’t have access to clean drinking water, and 2.6 billion don’t have access to basic sanitation services. For years, the Canadian government has blocked efforts at the UN to recognize these services as basic human rights.
CUPE has written a letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon as part of an action organized by Public Services International, the public sector trade union federation we belong to.
CUPE has also signed an open letter supporting the UN resolution.
What you can do
Now it’s time to add your voice, by sending a message to Canada’s UN representatives and Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
**Send an email to Canada’s representatives at the United Nations, Ambassadors John McNee and Henri-Paul Normandin.
**Send an email to Prime Minister Stephen Harper calling on the Canadian government to support water as a human right.
Water is a human right: Push for Canadian action
On July 28, the United Nations General Assembly will take a landmark vote on recognizing the human right to water and sanitation. CUPE members can help push Canadian representatives to support this vital resolution.
The resolution would recognize “the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a universal human right”. The resolution calls for increased financial, technological and capacity-building support to countries in the global South, to build the public services that will make this human right a reality.
The Council of Canadians’ Blue Planet Project has launched an online week of action to build support for the resolution.
Today, 1.2 billion people don’t have access to clean drinking water, and 2.6 billion don’t have access to basic sanitation services. For years, the Canadian government has blocked efforts at the UN to recognize these services as basic human rights.
CUPE has written a letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon as part of an action organized by Public Services International, the public sector trade union federation we belong to.
CUPE has also signed an open letter supporting the UN resolution.
What you can do
Now it’s time to add your voice, by sending a message to Canada’s UN representatives and Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
**Send an email to Canada’s representatives at the United Nations, Ambassadors John McNee and Henri-Paul Normandin.
**Send an email to Prime Minister Stephen Harper calling on the Canadian government to support water as a human right.
WWWWWWWW
THE LETTERS:
Here are the letters that the post above asks you to send. First of all go to this link to send the following letter to the Canadian ambassador to the UN.
WWWWWWWW
Dear Ambassador,
I am writing to express my support for the United Nations General Assembly resolution clearly recognizing the human right to water and sanitation.
I believe it is critical that the United Nations General Assembly demonstrate leadership in focusing priorities on securing water and sanitation for the 1.2 billion people without access to clean water and the 2.6 billion without access to basic sanitation. Everyone must be able to enjoy these fundamental rights.
Access to safe clean drinking water and sanitation is essential for the health and dignity of people around the world. This resolution comes at a time when communities around the world face the impacts of climate change and a global water crisis.
As you know, under Target 3 of Goal 7 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Environmental Sustainability, states pledged to “Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.”
I am hopeful that passing the resolution will make water and sanitation high priorities at the UN Summit on the MDGs being held September 20-22, 2010 in New York, U.S. It will also focus attention on water before the Rio +20 summit in 2012, another critical moment for the global community to come together for our common future.
When the General Assembly considers this resolution, I respectfully ask that your country provide its support for a clearly stated resolution declaring the human right to water and sanitation.
I would also encourage your state to co-sponsor this historic resolution and send a further signal of your commitment to these fundamental human rights.
Sincerely,
Dear Ambassador,
I am writing to express my support for the United Nations General Assembly resolution clearly recognizing the human right to water and sanitation.
I believe it is critical that the United Nations General Assembly demonstrate leadership in focusing priorities on securing water and sanitation for the 1.2 billion people without access to clean water and the 2.6 billion without access to basic sanitation. Everyone must be able to enjoy these fundamental rights.
Access to safe clean drinking water and sanitation is essential for the health and dignity of people around the world. This resolution comes at a time when communities around the world face the impacts of climate change and a global water crisis.
As you know, under Target 3 of Goal 7 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Environmental Sustainability, states pledged to “Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.”
I am hopeful that passing the resolution will make water and sanitation high priorities at the UN Summit on the MDGs being held September 20-22, 2010 in New York, U.S. It will also focus attention on water before the Rio +20 summit in 2012, another critical moment for the global community to come together for our common future.
When the General Assembly considers this resolution, I respectfully ask that your country provide its support for a clearly stated resolution declaring the human right to water and sanitation.
I would also encourage your state to co-sponsor this historic resolution and send a further signal of your commitment to these fundamental human rights.
Sincerely,
WWWWWWWW
And if you go to this link you can send the following letter to our beloved comrade leader Sneaky Stevie Harper.
WWWWWWWW
Prime Minister Harper,
I am writing to demand that Canada support the resolution put forward by the Bolivian Mission at the United Nations, which calls for water to be recognized as a human right.
This resolution would recognize the right to water and sanitation for the 1.2 billion people without access to clean water and the 2.6 billion without access to basic sanitation.
We are concerned that Canada along with a handful of states including the United Kingdom, Sweden, the United States and Australia, are attempting to block the process by watering down what is currently a strong proposal by Bolivia to address global injustice when it comes to access to water and sanitation.
It is essential that the resolution specifically declares “the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation a universal human right.”
Your government claims it is committed to maternal and infant health, yet you have obstructed the official recognition of water as a human right at several key UN meetings. Every eight seconds a child dies from drinking dirty water. Access to safe clean drinking water and sanitation is essential for the health and dignity of communities around the world.
People living in Canada want their government to show leadership on water issues by recognizing this human right and by taking an active role in dealing with the global water crisis. It is time for Canada to stand on the right side of history and support this very important call to have water and sanitation declared human rights.
Sincerely,
Prime Minister Harper,
I am writing to demand that Canada support the resolution put forward by the Bolivian Mission at the United Nations, which calls for water to be recognized as a human right.
This resolution would recognize the right to water and sanitation for the 1.2 billion people without access to clean water and the 2.6 billion without access to basic sanitation.
We are concerned that Canada along with a handful of states including the United Kingdom, Sweden, the United States and Australia, are attempting to block the process by watering down what is currently a strong proposal by Bolivia to address global injustice when it comes to access to water and sanitation.
It is essential that the resolution specifically declares “the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation a universal human right.”
Your government claims it is committed to maternal and infant health, yet you have obstructed the official recognition of water as a human right at several key UN meetings. Every eight seconds a child dies from drinking dirty water. Access to safe clean drinking water and sanitation is essential for the health and dignity of communities around the world.
People living in Canada want their government to show leadership on water issues by recognizing this human right and by taking an active role in dealing with the global water crisis. It is time for Canada to stand on the right side of history and support this very important call to have water and sanitation declared human rights.
Sincerely,
Labels: Blue Planet Project, Council of canadians, CUPE, human rights, international politics, petitions, Steven Harper, United Nations, water
Sunday, July 18, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS INTERNATIONAL POLITICS:
NO TO ATTACK ON KANDAHAR:
It's summer, and an old general's fancy heavily turns to thoughts of mayhem. Or at least that is the way it is in Kandahar Province in Afghanistan as American troops and their various bands of mercenaries prepare to once more launch attacks. Heaven help the civilians in the way. The Canadian organization 'Cease Fire' has a petition to the various political parties asking that the carnage be cancelled. Here's the story.
CANCANCAN
Help Stop the Attack on Kandahar
Send your letter to Stephen Harper and all party leaders
Your help is needed. Civilians are paying a heavy price in Afghanistan as thousands of U.S. Marines, leading Afghan and Canadian troops, prepare to attack Kandahar and surrounding areas.
Please send your letter to Stephen Harper and all party leaders, calling on them to urge the U.S. and NATO to call off the attack and make sure that Canadian forces are not involved in the offensive.
With the attack looming, aid agencies are warning about more casualties. “More troops have led to more fighting, which has always left more casualties,” said the International Committee of the Red Cross this week.
This week an Afghan human rights group reported that 1,074 civilians have been killed and more than 1,500 injured in war-related incidents this year.
Most of the casualties were caused by insurgents fighting Western forces, like Canada. But still, the U.S. and NATO forces were responsible for more than 200 civilian deaths.
In a desperate attempt to regain the upper hand, the U.S. general leading the Afghan war is considering lifting restrictions on the use of heavy weapons and air strikes when civilians are close to the fighting. This will mean many more civilian deaths.
Help Stop the Attack on Kandahar
Send your letter to Stephen Harper and all party leaders
Your help is needed. Civilians are paying a heavy price in Afghanistan as thousands of U.S. Marines, leading Afghan and Canadian troops, prepare to attack Kandahar and surrounding areas.
Please send your letter to Stephen Harper and all party leaders, calling on them to urge the U.S. and NATO to call off the attack and make sure that Canadian forces are not involved in the offensive.
With the attack looming, aid agencies are warning about more casualties. “More troops have led to more fighting, which has always left more casualties,” said the International Committee of the Red Cross this week.
This week an Afghan human rights group reported that 1,074 civilians have been killed and more than 1,500 injured in war-related incidents this year.
Most of the casualties were caused by insurgents fighting Western forces, like Canada. But still, the U.S. and NATO forces were responsible for more than 200 civilian deaths.
In a desperate attempt to regain the upper hand, the U.S. general leading the Afghan war is considering lifting restrictions on the use of heavy weapons and air strikes when civilians are close to the fighting. This will mean many more civilian deaths.
CANCANCAN
THE PETITION:
Please go to this link to sign the following petition to the leaders of Canada's federal parties and to your MP.
CANCANCAN
Dear Prime Minister Harper,
I urge you to tell the U.S. and NATO to call off the attack on Kandahar, and to ensure that Canadian troops are not involved in the planned offensive.
Countless civilians are at risk. More than 2,400 civilians were killed last year in fighting by both sides. Now, the U.S. general leading the attack is reportedly considering allowing greater use of heavy weapons and air strikes when civilians are present during fighting.
Please stop the bloodshed, and end Canada’s war in Afghanistan right away.
++
Cher premier ministre Harper
Je vous conjure de demander aux États-Unis et à l’OTAN de décommander l’attaque contre Kandahar et de vous assurer qu’aucun soldat canadien ne sera engagé dans cette offensive planifiée.
La vie d’innombrables civils est en jeu. Plus de 2400 civils ont été tués l’an dernier dans les combats initiés par les deux parties en présence. Aujourd’hui, on apprend que le général américain qui dirigera l’offensive envisage de recourir de façon plus intensive aux armes lourdes et aux frappes aériennes, alors que des civils sont autour pendant les combats.
Nous vous prions de mettre un terme au bain de sang et de cesser immédiatement la guerre du Canada en Afghanistan.
Labels: Afghanistan, anti-militarism, Canadian militarism, Canadian politics, Cease Fire organization, international politics, Kandahar, militarism, petitions, war
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS IRAN:
STOP THE EXECUTION OF SAKINEH ASHTIANI:
In response to wide international protest the judiciary of Iran has relented and said that Sakineh Ashtiani will not be executed by "stoning". It is left open, however, whether she will be executed in another fashion for the "crime" of adultery. It should be noted that generally in Islamic jurisprudence it is almost impossible to prove adultery as it takes the eyewitness testimony of four male witnesses to the act. There is, however, an out as confessions are taken as equivalent evidence. Ashtiani's so-called "confession" was obtained by duress ie during the course of her whipping. That apparently can be done even if there is not the standard of proof required for the death penalty to be applied. She has later recanted her forced confession. Here's at item from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) calling you to sign a petition demanding that Ashtiani not be executed by any method.
IWIWIWIWIW
Help save lives in Iran
People from across the world are organizing to save the life of Sakineh Ashtiani, the Iranian woman who faces death after having been tortured for alleged adultery.
Act now and join the hundreds of thousands of people demanding that the Iranian government halt Ashtiani’s execution.
Sign the international petition
In 2006 Ashtiani was convicted of having an illicit relationship and received 99 lashes. Since this time the 43-year old mother of two has been in jail where she recanted the confession she made under the duress of the lashing.
She was recently re-tried and again convicted. Her sentence: death by stoning.
Due to international pressure Iran’s government has indicated that she will not be executed by stoning, though her death sentence may still be carried out by some other method, likely hanging.
Even if Sakineh Ashanti is not executed she may still face a long prison term. Right now fifteen more people are on death row in Iran waiting stoning, in which victims are buried up to their necks in the ground and then large rocks are thrown at their heads.
Don’t let Sakineh Ashtiani become another victim of the debasing, inhuman treatment of women that has become the daily reality in Iran. Make your voice count and encourage others to do the same.
Take action against the practice of stoning; take action against abuse of women. Sign the petition at the link below. Encourage your friends and family to do so to.
By working together we can help make a difference by keeping up the international pressure on the Iranian government to stop this brutal violation of human rights.
Take action now
Help save lives in Iran
People from across the world are organizing to save the life of Sakineh Ashtiani, the Iranian woman who faces death after having been tortured for alleged adultery.
Act now and join the hundreds of thousands of people demanding that the Iranian government halt Ashtiani’s execution.
Sign the international petition
In 2006 Ashtiani was convicted of having an illicit relationship and received 99 lashes. Since this time the 43-year old mother of two has been in jail where she recanted the confession she made under the duress of the lashing.
She was recently re-tried and again convicted. Her sentence: death by stoning.
Due to international pressure Iran’s government has indicated that she will not be executed by stoning, though her death sentence may still be carried out by some other method, likely hanging.
Even if Sakineh Ashanti is not executed she may still face a long prison term. Right now fifteen more people are on death row in Iran waiting stoning, in which victims are buried up to their necks in the ground and then large rocks are thrown at their heads.
Don’t let Sakineh Ashtiani become another victim of the debasing, inhuman treatment of women that has become the daily reality in Iran. Make your voice count and encourage others to do the same.
Take action against the practice of stoning; take action against abuse of women. Sign the petition at the link below. Encourage your friends and family to do so to.
By working together we can help make a difference by keeping up the international pressure on the Iranian government to stop this brutal violation of human rights.
Take action now
IWIWIWIWIW
THE LETTER:
Please go to this link to sign the following petition to the Iranian authorities.
IWIWIWIWIW
To Ayotollah Ali Khamenei and the leaders of Iran
We call on you to finally put an end to capital punishment by stoning and to reverse the unjust judgment in the case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani.
To Ayotollah Ali Khamenei and the leaders of Iran
We call on you to finally put an end to capital punishment by stoning and to reverse the unjust judgment in the case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani.
Labels: CUPE, death penalty, feminism, international politics, Iran, petitions, repression, Sakineh Ashtiani, violence against women, women
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS:
SOLVING THE PENSION CRISIS:
Molly has mentioned the appeal from the CEP Union about Canada's pension system before on this blog. The recent finance ministers' meeting made vague promises to "reform" the system as whatever "gradual increases" mean, leaving potential things like rises in the CPP payroll tax up in the air. Here's another appeal, this time from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) calling for real reform in Canada's pension system.
CPCPCPCPCPCPCP
Tell Stephen Harper: It's time to fix Canada's pension crisis
All Canadians should have the right to a secure income in their retirement through access to workplace and government-sponsored pension plans.
But 11 million Canadian workers have no workplace pension plan, and existing plans are under added stress because of the global economic meltdown.
Fortunately, we can fix this situation - by doubling the CPP to offer secure and enhanced pension benefits for the 93% of Canadians who make CPP contributions, by raising the guarantee income supplement to lift hundreds of thousands of poor pensioners out of poverty, and by introducing better regulations to protect pension plans from bankruptcy.
Tell Prime Minister Stephen Harper that there's an urgent need to solve the pension crisis in this country.
Tell Stephen Harper: It's time to fix Canada's pension crisis
All Canadians should have the right to a secure income in their retirement through access to workplace and government-sponsored pension plans.
But 11 million Canadian workers have no workplace pension plan, and existing plans are under added stress because of the global economic meltdown.
Fortunately, we can fix this situation - by doubling the CPP to offer secure and enhanced pension benefits for the 93% of Canadians who make CPP contributions, by raising the guarantee income supplement to lift hundreds of thousands of poor pensioners out of poverty, and by introducing better regulations to protect pension plans from bankruptcy.
Tell Prime Minister Stephen Harper that there's an urgent need to solve the pension crisis in this country.
CPCPCPCPCPCPCP
THE LETTER:
Please go to this link to send the following letter to the Prime Minister.
CPCPCPCPCPCPCP
Dear Prime Minister:
All Canadians should have the right to a secure income in their retirement through access to workplace and government-sponsored pension plans.
There’s an urgent need for the federal government to solve the pension crisis in our country. I call on you to implement reforms proposed by the Canadian Union of Public Employees, including:
* Doubling Canada Pension Plan benefits to provide up to 50 per cent of the average wage;
* Working with unions and employers to ensure more Canadians are part of defined benefit pension plans and to protect the plans of workers already covered;
* Tougher laws to protect workers’ retirement income.
Labels: Canadian labour, Canadian politics, CUPE, labour, pensions, petitions, Steven Harper
Friday, May 28, 2010
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR- CHINA:
THE DARK SIDE OF THE I-PAD:
Today Apple launched its I-Pad in Canada, Great Britain and 7 other countries. Much as I might have liked to miss the news of people lining up overnight at stores to be the first kid on the block to own the new toy it was inescapable on the radio as I drove around from place to place during work. Now I have to admit that my first impulse was, "what the hell use could this thing have" given the ever-expanding glut of electronic gadgets on the market.
This little item, however, has a more serious and darker side beyond frivolity, and this is connected to yet another news story that I heard a few days ago. Over in Longua in China the Foxconn Company has what may perhaps be the most bizarre demand that an employer has ever made of their workers. Before obtaining employment at their plant Foxconn demands that potential workers sign a "no-suicide" promise saying that they will not kill themselves while working for the company. The reason is that suicide has become quite an epidemic in Longua and Foxconn's other plant in Shenzhen. Since January 10 workers, driven to the wall by brutal working (and living-they live 12 to a room in company dormitories) have taken a do-it-yourself pink slip by killing themselves. Foxconn has responded by a number of steps, similar to the way management across the world blames the worker rather than the conditions. Some are, however, rather unique...'hiring monks to teach the workers to meditate' and literally "installing nets around dormitories to catch jumpers". Much more on what is happening there can be seen in this article from the respected business magazine Forbes, hardly a hotbed of raving leftist radicals.
Now the plot thickens. Foxconn is the source for a number of products for electronics giants such as Sony, Dell, Nokia, Nintendo, Ericsson, Motorola and Hewitt Packard. And, of course, Apple. The trendy I-Pad's seamy underbelly is the brutal working conditions endured by Foxconn employees. Think about that as you line up for the latest in thing.
Some are trying to do something about this. Here's a item from the Maquila Solidarity Network asking for your support for the Foxconn workers. Sign up with your new I-Pad if you have to.
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How many more workers have to die at this Ipad factory before Apple takes action?
As consumers rush to get their hands on a new iPad, Apple Inc.’s latest gadget, which officially hit Canadian stores today, Asian civil society organizations are protesting Foxconn, the world’s leading electronics manufacturer and one of Apple’s major suppliers, for its deplorable labour practices which have been linked to 12 worker suicides at one of its Chinese plants this year alone.
The workers have complained of extremely low wages, excessive overtime, extreme productivity targets and a particularly harsh and isolating management system.
Please take a minute to support the Foxconn workers by clicking here now
Foxconn blames the workers
Foxconn has responded by setting up nets around the factories dormitories and buildings, bringing in mental health experts, and asking workers to contractually agree not to commit suicide and to report colleagues who appear to be undergoing distress. Unfortunately, this ‘blame the victim’ approach treats the suicides as an individualized problem of the workers themselves and de-emphasizes the role that workplace practices played in the deaths.
International brands need to take responsibility
As Apple launches its 4th generation iPhone on June 8, Asian labour rights groups are calling for this date to become a Global Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Foxconn. They are demanding that Foxconn shut down production for a month (with full pay) in order to thoroughly investigate the underlying systemic workplace issues and management systems linked to the suicides. They are also asking Foxconn to facilitate the establishment of democratic worker organizations in the factory, so that workers can overcome their isolation and bring problems to management’s attention in a collective manner.
In order to pressure the company, Asian civil society groups are calling on consumers to boycott the products made by Foxconn, including iPhones, and iPads, throughout the month of June.
International electronics brands that source from Foxconn, including Apple Inc, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Nokia, and Motorola, must also be pressured to take responsibility for investigating any labour abuses occurring in their supply chains.
Take action now
Take action now by clicking here
to sign a petition initiated by Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM), a leading Asian labour rights organization, in support of Foxconn workers and to demand that the causes of these tragic deaths are investigated and addressed.
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Maquila Solidarity Network
606 Shaw St.
Toronto, ON M6G 3L6
Canada
416 532-8584
How many more workers have to die at this Ipad factory before Apple takes action?
As consumers rush to get their hands on a new iPad, Apple Inc.’s latest gadget, which officially hit Canadian stores today, Asian civil society organizations are protesting Foxconn, the world’s leading electronics manufacturer and one of Apple’s major suppliers, for its deplorable labour practices which have been linked to 12 worker suicides at one of its Chinese plants this year alone.
The workers have complained of extremely low wages, excessive overtime, extreme productivity targets and a particularly harsh and isolating management system.
Please take a minute to support the Foxconn workers by clicking here now
Foxconn blames the workers
Foxconn has responded by setting up nets around the factories dormitories and buildings, bringing in mental health experts, and asking workers to contractually agree not to commit suicide and to report colleagues who appear to be undergoing distress. Unfortunately, this ‘blame the victim’ approach treats the suicides as an individualized problem of the workers themselves and de-emphasizes the role that workplace practices played in the deaths.
International brands need to take responsibility
As Apple launches its 4th generation iPhone on June 8, Asian labour rights groups are calling for this date to become a Global Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Foxconn. They are demanding that Foxconn shut down production for a month (with full pay) in order to thoroughly investigate the underlying systemic workplace issues and management systems linked to the suicides. They are also asking Foxconn to facilitate the establishment of democratic worker organizations in the factory, so that workers can overcome their isolation and bring problems to management’s attention in a collective manner.
In order to pressure the company, Asian civil society groups are calling on consumers to boycott the products made by Foxconn, including iPhones, and iPads, throughout the month of June.
International electronics brands that source from Foxconn, including Apple Inc, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Nokia, and Motorola, must also be pressured to take responsibility for investigating any labour abuses occurring in their supply chains.
Take action now
Take action now by clicking here
to sign a petition initiated by Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM), a leading Asian labour rights organization, in support of Foxconn workers and to demand that the causes of these tragic deaths are investigated and addressed.
--
Maquila Solidarity Network
606 Shaw St.
Toronto, ON M6G 3L6
Canada
416 532-8584
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THE PETITION:
Please go to this link to sign a petition in support of the Foxconn workers and also to learn more about the International day of Remembrance on June 8 for the victims of Foxconn. Also, for another take on what lays behind our cheap electronics go to this article from la Revue Gauche out of Edmonton.
Labels: Apple., China, electronics.Foxconn, international labour, Ipad, labour, Maquilla Solidarity Network, petitions, solidarity.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
CANADIAN POLITICS:
DON'T HIDE THE TRUTH MINISTER KENNEY:
Last November a new guide for immigrants to Canada was issued by the federal government. Significantly it omitted references to the decriminalization of gay people and recognition of gay marriage. This was despite the fact that said references had been included in previous drafts of the pamphlet. The responsibility for the omission lays with Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney who vetoed the sections.
Now no doubt Minister Kenney would like it very much if gay people had no such protection in Canada, but they do. I guess the next best thing in his mind, petty as such an action might be, is to eliminate all references to this fact in any matter that he has power over ie to lie by omission. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has a campaign to pressure the Minister to reinsert the missing sections. Here's the story.
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Tell Jason Kenney:
Tell Jason Kenney:
Equal rights are an important part of being Canadian
Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney blocked references to LGBTTI rights in a new study guide for immigrants, which was released last November. News of the actions taken by Kenney, who opposed same-sex marriage when it was debated in Parliament, has just become public.
Documents show Kenney chose to omit references to Canada’s decriminalization of homosexual sex and recognition of same-sex marriage rights despite recommendations from his senior department officials. Both references were contained in earlier drafts of the 63-page guide.
Canada has been a leader in rights for LGBTTI persons. We guarantee same-sex spousal pensions and benefits. We have equal rights to marriage. These are hard won rights that Canadians and CUPE members are proud of and should be recognized in documents that our federal government produces.
By putting pressure on Minister Kenney, we can make sure that Canada's citizenship guide promotes the importance of the fundamental freedoms and rights outlined in the Charter.
Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney blocked references to LGBTTI rights in a new study guide for immigrants, which was released last November. News of the actions taken by Kenney, who opposed same-sex marriage when it was debated in Parliament, has just become public.
Documents show Kenney chose to omit references to Canada’s decriminalization of homosexual sex and recognition of same-sex marriage rights despite recommendations from his senior department officials. Both references were contained in earlier drafts of the 63-page guide.
Canada has been a leader in rights for LGBTTI persons. We guarantee same-sex spousal pensions and benefits. We have equal rights to marriage. These are hard won rights that Canadians and CUPE members are proud of and should be recognized in documents that our federal government produces.
By putting pressure on Minister Kenney, we can make sure that Canada's citizenship guide promotes the importance of the fundamental freedoms and rights outlined in the Charter.
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THE LETTER:
Please go to this link to send the following letter to Minister Kenney.
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I am writing to condemn your decision to remove all references to lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans rights from Canada’s new guide for immigrants released last November.
The booklet provides immigrants applying for Canadian citizenship with information about Canada and why our country is a great place to live and work for everyone, especially members of the LGBTTI community.
As a representative of our federal government, you have a responsibility to uphold the rights of all Canadians as guaranteed under Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Under Canadian law, all citizens have the right to freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation.
I demand that all references to these rights be put back into the guide and further that your department proudly promote the importance of these rights to citizenship applicants.
Labels: Canadian labour, Canadian politics, CUPE, gay marriage, gay rights, immigrants, Jason Kenney, petitions
