aawl mini-news
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Published 23 October 2016
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One worker was killed and another one injured in a bulldozing accident at the Freeport-McMoRan Inc giant Grasberg open pit copper mine in West Papua. Notwithstanding the huge and prolonged strike that workers carried out in 2011 (see here, here and here) such deaths are not isolated incidents. Last month, another worker was run over and killed by a mining truck at the company's power plant area in Kuala Kencana – a town located near Grasberg mine. In 2013, there was a major accident where 28 workers were killed when a tunnel collapsed.
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Published 23 October 2016
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The long running dispute of the dismissed Honda workers in Rajasthan, India continues amid strong opposition by the company and local governments. Due to the hospitalisation of some of the initial hunger strikers, new workers have taken their place in continuing the fast. Workers have also renewed their agitation among the industrial belts of northern India, leading the company to issue defamation writs against some of the workers. This struggle is continuing to garner international support.
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Published 23 October 2016
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Faremo International is a garment manufacturer that employs close to 1,000 workers in the Philippines Cavite Export Processing Zone. This week it announced it was going to relocate to Vietnam and Cambodia. In the weeks prior, it had shifted most of its machinery out of the factory and had given a list of union members to other garment factories in the area so as to blacklist the best organisers. The workers in this factory had fought long and hard under harsh conditions to organise and win a collective agreement. This move by Faremo International once again shows how companies will use their global reach to undermine local groups of workers. Only by organising and taking co-ordinated action across countries can workers begin to challenge the power of these global companies.
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Published 23 October 2016
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With the death of King Bhumibol on 13 October, the military junta has declared a month long period of mourning. This involves encouraging people to wear black, a ban on most entertainment activities, and no criticism to be tolerated. Far right forces in Thailand are now trying to exploit this period by targeting people who they feel are not being respectful enough. A climate of fear is being created with far right mobs attacking alleged enemies of the king, with a minister calling for critics to be ‘socially sanctioned’. There have also been claims that far right Thai activists will travel to Europe to eliminate those exiles who have been accused of Lese Majeste in the past.
Free all political prisoners in Thailand!
Abolish Article 112!
End the military dictatorship!
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Published 23 October 2016
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This week saw the release of another damning report on the treatment of detained refugees in the concentration camp on Nauru. The Australian Government, as usual, denied all evidence, and promised to continue the harsh approach regardless of the costs to the people themselves. Resistance and opposition to these policies continues, whether by refugee activists or the refugees themselves. Health workers have now won the right to speak out. In the first week end of November, pro refugee rallies will occur in all major cities of Australia, see here for Melbourne event.
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Published 23 October 2016
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The occupation of Palestine by Israeli forces is so pervasive that acts of violence by military forces against Palestinians are a daily occurrence. This week, two young Palestinians, 15 year old Khaled Bahar Ahmed Bahar and 19 year old Raheeq Yousef, were shot and killed by Israeli soldiers. In other incidents, hundreds of Palestinians were militarily forced from their homes and workplaces to make way for Israeli tourists. Meanwhile, hunger strikes against Israel’s repressive administration detention system continue unabated.
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Published 23 October 2016
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A major conference for health and safety representatives, will be held in Melbourne this coming Tuesday, the 25th of October. Workers all over the world share a common demand for safety in the workplace. Millions of workers die, get injured or suffer major illnesses every year due to unsafe workplaces. The conference aims to empower workers to be able to better fight for health & safety in their workplaces.
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