Regional News - Australia Asia Worker Links. Protesters in Turkey continue to defy the police and the Government Published 16 June 2013 As reported last week, the protest movement in Turkey has deep social roots. While the Turkish Prime Minister has now had talks with representatives of the protesters, the week has seen ongoing clashes between the riot police and demonstrators. Over 5,000 protestors are now thought to have been injured. Workers joining the protests have been highlighting the rise in precarious work and the need for higher wages. On the evening of Saturday the 15 of June, police moved in to clear all protesters from Gezi Park with water cannons and baton charges. This led to new mass demonstrations. New report highlights the terrible state of garment factories in Bangladesh Published 16 June 2013 Following the catastrophic collapse of the Rana Plaza complex in late April, an inspection team from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology found that at least 10% of the 200 factories they checked were structurally dangerous. As participation in this survey was voluntary, it is expected that the rate of unsafe buildings will be higher in the remaining 4,000 garment factories in Bangladesh. The terrible conditions that workers have to endure were further exemplified by the hospitalisation of over 400 garment workers earlier in the week due to contaminated drinking water. Melbourne, Australia benefit concert on the 27 of June. A global economy needs a global response by workers Published 16 June 2013 With continuing technological advances in the transport, communications and manufacturing sectors, the world economy is becoming increasingly more integrated every day. This can be seen in the effect of the current capitalist crisis on workers around the world. We call this a ‘brutal race to the bottom’. It has become apparent that to safeguard our wages and our conditions, it is not enough to fight at the local level. We need to fight for global standards by developing global industrial campaigns. It can be done, it needs us to organise internationally. The sham of Corporate Social Responsibility - Maruti Suzuki in India Published 16 June 2013 Maruti Suzuki in India is currently promoting itself as an example of Corporate Social Responsibility. It has now teamed up with the Times of India newspaper to proclaim a New India. The reality is that Maruti Suzuki’s repression of its workforce is continuing unabated. While many of the leaders are in jail, solidarity actions have continued in India with recent demonstrations in Mumbai and in Hayana state. Auto workers internationally have a stake in the victory of the Maruti Suzuki workers. Iranian elections will not bring any respite for workers Published 16 June 2013 Iran’s general election for a new president was conducted this week. While there were a number of candidates standing, the reality for workers is that austerity and repression will continue whoever wins. A recently released report stated that over 50% of Iranians now live under the poverty line, with many working more than one job in an attempt to make ends meet. This situation is compounded by an almost total lack of the legal right for workers to organise, with many trade unionists languishing in jail. New website to document unsafe dumping of ships Published 16 June 2013 The great majority of ships that are past their use-by-date end up on beaches in Pakistan, India or Bangladesh to be broken up. In these localities, non existent regulations, low wages and almost no union presence make the task of dismantling these ships very cheap for their owners. On the other hand, these same conditions are deadly for workers, making shipbreaking one of the most dangerous occupations in the world. To document the full extent of the problem, a new website has been developed. An international co-ordinated response by workers is the only long term solution. Saudi Arabia continues crackdown on migrant workers Published 16 June 2013 Since mid April of this year, the Saudi Arabian government initiated a wide ranging crackdown on migrant workers. Faced with a backlash from many industrialists who needed the workforce, it then gave a 90 day amnesty period for workers to regularise their status. This operation has continued to create problems, including the attempted burning of the Indonesian Embassy by enraged Indonesian workers. West Asia is home to millions of migrant workers, but many of them are routinely harassed and exploited. A video has surfaced of a Saudi immigration official attacking migrant workers. The issue of workers on short term visas in Australia Published 16 June 2013 In Australia the number of workers on short term visas has generated media discussion. ‘Guest workers’ are found in many countries around the world. Many of these workers are very vulnerable due to their precarious residency/legal status. What are the best ways to organise and protect these workers? AAWL General Meeting: Temporary migrant workers & unions Wednesday 3 July at 6pm Evatt room, Trades Hall Public Meeting - All welcome australia asia worker links - workers change the world PO Box 45 Carlton South Victoria 3053 Australia Tel: + 61 3 9663 7277 Email: [email protected] Web: aawl.org.au
Posted on: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:07:39 +0000
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