Italian unions demand fairness14 December, 2011The Italian trade union confederations CGIL, CISL and UIL unanimously demand changes in the Monti government's plans for fiscal cuts of 30 billion Euro, to assure fairness. After a resultless meeting with the government the Italian unions called for a week of general strikes starting December 12.
IMF and ICEM condemn persecution of striking oil workers in Kazakhstan30 September, 2011IMF and ICEM general secretaries sent a letter to the president of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbaev, demanding that the persecution of striking oil workers in Mangystau Province stops immediately and the cases of violence, threats and murders are fully investigated.
Vietnamese unionists seek to improve collective bargaining19 October, 2011With escalating costs of living and shrinking purchasing power, Vietnamese unionists feel the need to strengthen their collective bargaining to improve and sustain living standards for workers.
UAW signs for US members at Ford and Chrysler20 October, 2011UAW's tentative four-year agreements with Ford and Chrysler focus on jobs and investments. If accepted by 67,000 USW members at Ford and Chrysler, thousands of new jobs will be created.
Social protection for precarious workers - a union struggle20 October, 2011Precarious work is growing around the globe and, with the increased insecurity it brings, workers are ever more in need of social protection. Yet precarious workers are the most likely to be excluded from these very protections.
Belarus parliament voted to stop foreign aid to NGOs20 October, 2011On October 3 the lower house of the Belarus parliament adopted in the two readings the bill 'On Making Addenda and Amendments to Some Laws of the Republic of Belarus'. This bill, among other things, makes foreign financial support and financial aid to NGOs (including unions) completely illegal and further complicates arranging of mass protests and actions.
CEE unions endorse new federation, condemn rights abuses28 October, 2011IMF affiliates from Central and Eastern Europe met in Prague, Czech Republic, on October 26-27, 2011 for the Regional Conference and Women's Workshop. They discussed pay gap between working men and women, women's participation in the new organization, the process of creating the new federation and cases of union rights violations in Belarus, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Ukraine and other countries in the region.
Sao Paulo and Mogi das Cruzes metalworkers plan strike2 November, 2011São Paulo metalworkers in the CNTM plan to strike unless employers make a new offer on pay and other demands by November 4.
Caterpillar lock-out in Canada11 January, 2012Workers at the Caterpillar-owned Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) plant in Ontario, Canada were locked out on New Year's Eve when the union contract expired, after they overwhelmingly voted to authorize strike action unless management withdrew drastic concession demands.
Victory for Sinter Metal workers19 January, 2012Workers fired for joining the Turkish metal union, Birlesik Metal-IS finally won justice after a three year long, bitter and intense struggle that exposed the country's debilitated legal system as much as the company's anti-union behavior.