International Women’s Day: Global standards needed to stop violence against women

Global standards needed to stop violence against women Attacks against women’s dignity and safety at work and in society are widespread and growing, and few governments or employers are willing to take adequate measures to stop it. It is therefore urgent that unions actively support the call by the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on violence against women for a universal legally binding instrument at the United Nations level. On International women’s Day 2015 IUF affiliates in the Asia/Pacific region mobilized under the banner ‘Women for Peace’ in response to the resurgent militarism in the region and a militarization of politics that threatens democracy and further undermines the position of women and the fight for equality. How many more reports and evidence are needed to show the links between precarious forms of employment and sexual harassment at work before the fundamental right to a safe workplace is respected? How many more studies are needed to document the extent of suffering and the losses to society generated by gender-based violence? How many more reports on violence against women and girls in armed conflicts are needed to persuade governments of their responsibility to protect women and children from those atrocities? Read the full article here Colombian sugarcane workers win permanent jobs following brutal attack on strikers The IUF-affiliated SINTRAINAGO has won direct, permanent contracts for cane cutters at the Risaralda mill in western Colombia’s Cauca Valley. The breakthrough agreement was signed on March 5 following a brutal attack on strikers by state anti-riot forces and company guards. Read more about this historic agreement iuf Rampe du Pont-Rouge, 8, CH-1213, Petit-Lancy (Switzerland) www.iuf.org Follow us on Facebook and Twitter Subscribe to IUF NEWS by e-mail unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences View it in your browser

International action supports Unite’s campaign against zero hour contracts

Workers in Indonesia and the Philippines took action to support the New Zealand fast food workers in their campaign against zero hour contracts by holding solidarity pickets outs9ide local McDonald’s store in both countries. Messages of support were also received from Kong Kong and Korean union activists involved in the international campaign to win union rights in the fast food industry.

PHILIPPINES

VALENTINE’S Day was celebrated today by youth members of the Alliance of Progressive Labor by picketing a bustling McDonald’s outlet in Quezon City as part of the Philippine leg of the international campaign against “zero hour” work contracts.

Greek election a blow to austerity

By Mike Treen, Unite National Director

(Reprinted from The Daily Blog)

The SYRIZA (Coalition of the Radical Left) election in Greece has opened up enormous opportunities to turn the tide against the anti-working class austerity policies that have been imposed in that country above all but also elsewhere in Europe. This small European country of less than 12 million people is becoming a world leader.

Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras, left, with Pablo Iglesias, the leader of the leftwing Podemos party in Spain

Following the world recession of 2008-10 the capitalist institutions dubbed “The Troika” (The European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund) used the crisis to impose austerity policies on all European countries as a condition of receiving the financial support they needed to “save” the banking system of each country and prevent a further decent into chaos. Essentially the bank debts were taken over by the the public and made a public liability. Servicing the increased public debts of course required cuts in other government expenditures. Austerity became the order of the day. Europe has been mired in economic stagnation virtually ever since.

US McD’s workers join fight in NZ

Media Advisory Feb 3, 2015:

Two McDonald’s workers from the “Fight for15 LA” campaign in Los Angeles will be visiting New Zealand from February 9 to 17.

Anggie Godoy, 19, and Genoby Jimes, 27, are in New Zealand to support Unite Union’s campaign against zero hour contracts in the fast food industry and will be attending a national fast food workers gathering in Auckland on February 14. Meetings are also planned in Wellington on February 11 and 12 with the Council of Trade Unions, members of parliament and union activists

To arrange interviews please contact:

Auckland – Mike Treen 0295254744

Wellington – Heleyni Pratley 029494 9865

Genoby Jaimes, 27, has worked at McDonald’s for 6 years and only makes $9.75. She is a mother of a six year old son.  

Anggie Godoy, 19, has worked at McDonald’s for a year and makes $9 an hour. 

http://lafightfor15.org/

Bolivia, South Africa and Cuba – three victories for the left & labour movements

“Cuban Five” together again after final three released

Three events in December mark high points for the international socialist and working class movement in the struggle to free humanity from the interlinked scourges of capitalism and climate change.

Firstly we have the leadership shown by President of Bolivia Evo Morale’s speech to the COP20 summit on climate change in Lima, Peru. He explained clearly that environmental destruction is a result of the capitalist system when he declared: “Sisters and brothers, we cannot have a climate agreement that condemns Mother Earth and humanity to death in order to favour Capital, the enrichment of a few and predatory consumerist growth. We are here to develop a climate agreement for life, and not for business and capitalist commercialism.”

The COP20 declaration at the end of the summit was condemned by the climate justice movement as failing humanity and the planet. Immediately following the COP20 gathering Bolivia and it’s allies in ALBA – the Bolivarian Alliance for the peoples of Our America – Trade Treaty of the Peoples (ALBA-TCP)[1] met in Havana for a summit.

Addressing the ALBA Summit in Havana, Evo Morales proposed that “faced with the failure in Lima” ALBA’s environment minsters should work to organise a “world encounter of social movements” that would develop “a proposal to save life and humanity.” This proposal was endorsed and is a profound and radical step that will energise the climate justice movement internationally. It continues Bolivia’s leadership role on this question over the past decade.

The second important development is is the declaration by a united front of organisations brought together by the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (NUMSA). In the words of the final declaration:

Fast food strikes in US

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FAST-FOOD WORKERS STRIKE IN 190 CITIES AS FIGHT FOR $15, UNION RIGHTS GROWS IN NEW INDUSTRIES

Push for Higher Pay Spreads as Home Care Workers, Convenience Store Cashiers, Discount Store Clerks, Airport Cleaners and Ramp Workers, Walmart Associates, Federally-Contracted Service Workers Call for $15 an Hour

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In Just Two Years, Fast Food Cooks and Cashiers Have Sparked Broad Movement to Lift Wages for Families Living on the Brink—8 Million Low-Wage Workers Have Already Seen Raises

Two years after 200 New York City fast-food workers walked off their jobs, sparking a nationwide movement for $15 and union rights, cooks and cashiers at McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s and other major national chains went on strike Thursday in more than 190 cities— the most ever—joined for the first time by convenience store clerks and dollar-store workers in two dozen cities.

McDonald’s Korea sacks union member for fast food activism

McDonald’s Korea union member dismissed for fast food activism Gahyun Lee was dismissed from her job at a McDonald’s outlet in Yeokgok, Gyeonggi Province on September 15 following her visit to Los Angeles earlier that month to support the national action by US fast food workers. Management had previously warned her about union activity in May – citing a phone call from the head office – after she denounced wage and scheduling manipulation and unsafe workplace practices at a May 15 Seoul rally in support of global fast food workers. Management refused to provide her with an explanation of why her contract was terminated, instead telling her to reapply for the job. Her application was rejected. The Arbeit Workers’ Union (which organizes precarious workers) is demanding her reinstatement and publicizing her case. You can support them – CLICK HERE TO SEND A MESSAGE to McDonald’s Korea corporate management calling on the company to reinstate Gahyun Lee, recognize union rights and representation and enter into good faith talks with the union over unfair practices. E-mail: iuf Rampe du Pont-Rouge, 8, CH-1213, Petit-Lancy (Switzerland) www.iuf.org Follow us on Facebook and Twitter Subscribe to IUF NEWS by e-mail unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences View it in your browser

Labor Leaders Speak on Ferguson Ruling

Portside Labor Labor Leaders Speak on Ferguson Ruling November 25, 2014 Labor unions issue statements on Ferguson. , , Trumka on Ferguson: We Cannot Deny the Perception That the System Is Not Yet Color Blind Statement from SEIU Ferguson Affects Us All: Statement of the UE General Executive Board Trumka on Ferguson: We Cannot Deny the Perception That the System Is Not Yet Color Blind AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka issued the following statement in reaction to the Grand Jury decision in the shooting case of Michael Brown: The reactions to today’s grand jury decision in the case of the shooting of unarmed teenager Mike Brown reflect a deeper feeling that our justice system is biased against communities of color. While we can all agree that justice must take its course, we cannot deny or marginalize the perception that the system, itself, is not yet color blind. As a labor movement, we have begun working with local community organizations to address issues of racial and economic inequality that surround Ferguson and so many other neighborhoods like it. We will continue that work. We are dedicated to supporting organizing efforts that reinforce unity, healing, and fairness in policing while working to heal the rift between the Ferguson community and law enforcement officials. Today a grand jury refused to indict the man who killed Michael Brown. We are deeply disappointed in the grand jury’s decision today. It deepens the wounds to the Ferguson community.

The Ebola crisis, capitalism and the Cuban medical revolution

“Ebola emerged nearly 40 years ago. Why are clinicians still empty-handed, with no vaccines and no cure? Because Ebola has been, historically, geographically confined to poor African nations. The R&D incentive is virtually non-existent. A profit-driven industry does not invest in products for markets that cannot pay.” World Health Organisation Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan

By Mike Treen, Unite Union National Director

(Reprinted from The Daily Blog)

The outbreak of an Ebola epidemic in West Africa over 2014 has exposed the collapse of public health systems in many African countries affected and the paralysis of the wealthy West to be able to mount a response in time to prevent the outbreak killing tens of thousands and possibly millions.

In contrast revolutionary Cuba and its medical internationalism has emerged as an example to the world of what is possible when ethics replaces cold calculation.  The world has been forced to acknowledge a debt to that small island nation of just 11.2 million people who are now the front guard of the fight to stop the spread of the virus.

Why workers need our own “foreign policy” based on solidarity

By Mike Treen, Unite National Director

Reprinted from The Daily Blog

Working people in the advanced capitalist world should reject appeals by the rulers of their countries to support the foreign policy of “their” country.

Inevitably that foreign policy is simply a programme to advance the interests of the super wealthy owners of industry and services to grab the biggest possible share of the wealth available on the world market. They disguise their naked self interest with appeals to the so-called “national interest” with claims that we are fighting for lofty goals like “freedom and democracy”. We are even asked to wage war for these goals. Often it is the working people on both sides of these wars who are being shafted or killed. But inevitably a few years down the line we discover that it was all lies.

I want to touch on a few of these wars from my lifetime and the lies told to support them.

The New Zealand Army participated in the Vietnam war from 1965 to 1972 when the troops were withdrawn by the newly elected Labour government under Norm Kirk. The previous National Party Prime Minister Keith Holyoake had declared: “Whose will is to prevail in South Vietnam? The imposed will of the North Vietnamese communists and their agents, or the freely expressed will of the people of South Vietnam?” Every word was a lie. It was widely accepted that if the elections promised at the 1954 peace conference had been held the Viet Minh forces led by Ho Chi Minh would have won easily. Instead the US installed a puppet dictatorship in the South of extreme brutality. Twenty years later the US was forced to leave Vietnam, the southern dictatorship soon collapsed and the country was reunified. But Vietnam had suffered several million deaths and a legacy of destruction they still are recovering from today. The US lost 58,000 troops. NZ lost 38. Every one of the killed was murdered in defence of a world capitalist empire.