2012: China strikes

Strikes and protests continue into the New Year The recent upsurge in worker activism in China is continuing into the New Year with five more strikes and protests in five different provinces getting media attention last week. About 10,000 workers at a Chengdu steel plant staged a massive protest over low pay on 4 January. [...]

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Sit down strikes

Anniversary of the 1937 US sit-down strike wave: Remembering another Occupy movement Sit-in strikers at General Motors’ Fisher No. 1 plant. By Don Fitz [See also With Babies & Banners, the classic 1977 documentary about the 1936-37 Flint sit-down strike, and the role of women in it.] January 3, 2012 – Links International Journal of [...]

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Wealthy schools win

Govt. Funding Increases Have Favoured the Wealthiest Schools New figures show that Australia’s wealthiest school sector received the biggest increases in government funding over much of the past decade. Government funding of Independent schools has increased by nearly double the rate of increase for government schools since 2001-02. It has left Independent schools much better [...]

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Union arrests in Greece

On Thursday 24 November 2011, the Greek police arrested Nikos Photopoulos, President of the power workers’ union GENOP/DEI, along with more than a dozen of his fellow trade unionists. They will appear in court on Tuesday 10 January 2012 to face charges that could see them jailed for up to five years. They were protesting [...]

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Union arrests in Timor Leste

You may know of these developments. Please notify support networks… THREE UNION MEMBERS DISMISSED FROM MANDIRI BANK FOR DEFENDING WORKERS’ RIGHTS Mandiri Bank in Timor-Leste recently dismissed three of its employees for defending workers’ rights. The individuals concerned are Brother Joaquim Gonzaga, Brother Helder do Rego Barreto and Brother Leonardo Bele Bau Amaral. The dismissals [...]

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The protester

“The protester 2011 in photos courtesy of the Murdoch press…worth a look.And in 2012 may the protests continue… http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/photo-gallery/gallery-e6frf94x-1226222780166?page=1″

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Obama: detention

President Obama Signs Indefinite Detention Bill Into Law American Civil Liberties Union December 31, 2011 WASHINGTON – President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law today. The statute contains a sweeping worldwide indefinite detention provision. While President Obama issued a signing statement saying he had “serious reservations” about the provisions, the statement [...]

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Occupy…

Labor Notes on Occupy. http://labornotes.org/2011/12/occupy-wake-call-caps-remarkable-year

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Porcelain Unicorn

British film director Sir Ridley Scott launched a global film making contest for aspiring directors. http://www.porcelainunicorn.com/ It’s titled “Tell It Your Way”. There were over 600 entries. The film could be no longer than three minutes, contain only 6 lines of narrative & be a compelling story. The winner was “Porcelain Unicorn” from American director [...]

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