Global unions launch campaign for Quality Public Services21 June, 2011On June 23, UN Public Services Day, the Council of Global Unions launches its Quality Public Services--Action Now! campaign. The aim is to advance quality public services for all people through unprecedented coordinated solidarity action across borders.
NEWU commemorates National Health and Safety Day22 June, 2011The National Engineering Workers Union (NEWU) joined ZCTU to commemorate Health and Safety Day on 6 June 2011, under the theme 'Save Our Rights, Save Our Economy and Our Jobs'.
NEWU achieves a twenty percent wage increase for workers2 July, 2011The twenty percent wage increase that has been awarded to workers in the engineering, iron and steel industry has been welcomed with mixed feelings. Some union members think the twenty percent is a job well done as it meet the mandate given to the National Engineering Workers Union (NEWU), that the negotiators may not accept anything less than a twenty percent increase. For others, a much higher increase was needed as the new wage minimum still means that workers of the lowest grade get half of what is required to earn at the level of the poverty datum line.
GE union members approve four-year pact5 July, 2011General Electric (GE) workers in America ratified a four-year labour agreement in late June that now sets a pattern for 15,200 unionised GE workers in the US.
Judgement stops blocking union access to workers in Australia5 July, 2011The Australian Workers' Union (AWU) won a definitive judgment from Fair Work Australia on 24 June that grants the union right of entry to lunch rooms at Rio Tinto's Alcan aluminium smelter in Bell Bay, Tasmania. The ruling ends months of legal wrangling and should serve as a precedent against employers from blocking legitimate union access to workers on job sites.
Bridgestone SA workers back at work28 May, 2011Workers at Bridgestone South Africa returned to work on May 19, ending an eight week lockout. National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) made the decision with workers after an unfavourable labour court ruling that deemed the lockout legal and with due regard to the hardships that the 1,200 workers endured during the lockout, going two months without pay.
KMWU exposes Yoosung union busting strategy28 May, 2011Over 3,000 riot police were sent to break up the sit-in protest of 500 workers at South Korean auto parts producer Yoosung Enterprise factory in Asan. According to a report received by the Korean Metal Workers' Union (KMWU) this is part of a general union busting strategy applied by the company.
Empowerment comes from participation.8 March, 2011In celebration of International Women's Day the IMF interviewed two active women from the Australian Workers Union (AWU), Peta Thomson and Stephanie Eastcott who made the step from union members to workplace representatives
Indonesia metal unions target EPZs for organizing25 January, 2011More than seventy unionists attend three IMF-ILO ACTRAV workshops on EPZ organising in Indonesia.
12 Birleşik members detained by gendarmerie22 July, 2011MAS-DAF workers fight for reinstatement after being summarily fired for joining the Turkish union, Birleşik Metal-İş, were detained by gendarmerie in an effort to stop the union's second round of actions to force the government to intervene.
