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Union Busting 101

August 27, 2008

Then we have the pleasantly-named “labor relations” law firms. Take Jackson Lewis,
for example, a 50-year old firm specializing in “preventive strategies
for the workplace.”  These attorneys use their understanding of the law
to help employers get out of allegations about tricky issues like “reductions in force,” and the “complex laws governing hours of work and payment of wages.”
Now, maybe payment of wages is more complicated than I thought, but the
fact that this firm continuously stresses their dedication to
protecting “management rights” makes me doubt that they are
doing anything other than trying to find legal justification to cheat
workers out of what they deserve.

Words have Impact

August 18, 2008

This language that de-humanizes and
vilifies hard-working people has led to increased and much more heinous violence
against immigrants.  In Pennsylvania, three teens are on trial for
beating an immigrant to death.  And this is not an isolated incident. According to a recent article in the
Chicago Tribune, "With Mexicans
the focus of anger over illegal immigration, reported hate crimes against
Latinos increased to 576 in 2006, or 25 percent more than three years before,
according to the most recent FBI report on such incidents. Latino

Some realizations from my recent work in Bell Multicultural High School

August 15, 2008

Another moment where I realized
this is when we were discussing gender a few days ago. In the middle of talking
about how women are treated differently in society, and the multiple masks that
many must wear as workers, mothers, girls, women, etc., one girl starts telling
a story about her weekend. She is talking about how she met this guy, and “He
was like ‘Damn girl, you lookin’ good’” repeatedly. She said she was offended,
but then she realized he was someone important (I think a rapper?), and she was
excited. I asked her if this is something that should offend her, and she said
“No, I liked it”. After this, I made them go back to the exercise we were

Zimbabwe Union Leader in DC Next Week

August 14, 2008

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has continued its solidarity with the workers of Southern Africa by organizing a march this Saturday at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Johannesburg to support democracy and human rights in Zimbabwe and Swaziland and to oppose Robert Mugabe and King Mswati III.  COSATU announced the plans for the march at a Zimbabwe/Swaziland Solidarity Conference they convened this past weekend.  They are also considering a boycott of goods destined for Zimbabwe and Swaziland in September. 

We Want More from Our S'mores!

August 7, 2008

If you live in the San Francisco area, join us at a Fair Trade S'mores Happy Hour on August 13th at 6PM at Dolores Park!

For people across the country, help us make hundreds or even thousands of
Fair Trade s'mores nationwide, just by choosing Fair Trade chocolate
for your barbeque, campfire, or at home.  Let your s'mores be counted!  Let us know that you are participating in the national action by registering your s'mores by clicking here.

Right to Strike Violated in South Korea; KCTU VP Arrested, Detained

August 6, 2008

The KCTU along with the Korean Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU) planned
a strike in protest of the factors mentioned above. When the Korean Government
heard about this action, however, the prosecutor and the Ministry of Labor deemed
it to be nothing but a “political strike” and thus illegal according to the
“obstruction of business provision in section 314 of the Penal Code.” Search
and arrest warrants were drawn up for key officials of the KMWU, KCTU, and
officers from the Hyundai Motor Branch. The Vice President of the KCTU, Ms. Jin
Young-ok, has already been arrested and detained!

Firestone Workers in Liberia Sign Historic Contract

August 6, 2008

Tim Newman, Campaigns Assistant, International Labor Rights Forum

Today in Liberia, the Firestone Agricultural Workers Union of Liberia (FAWUL) held a ceremony with Firestone management and Liberian Minister of Labor
Kofi Woods to sign their new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).  It has been
a long struggle for workers to achieve independent and democratically elected
union leadership and for the first time, they have a contract which was
bargained by a representative union. This is a major step forward for workers
who have been living and working in deplorable conditions for generations.

Globalization, the Environment and Workers

August 4, 2008

It's hard to say if increasing environmental and political concerns will result in significant changes in the way corporations are managing their supply chains.  Companies like Firestone are still planning to shut down plants in the US in order to search for cheaper labor costs.  However, if the trend toward moving production back closer to consumers develops, it could have major implications on workers around the world.  How could this effect workers in the Global South and will it benefit workers in the US or end up hurting them?  What do you think?

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