Stories about Labor from January, 2009
Czech Republic: Jobless Foreign Laborers
The Czech Daily Word writes about the situation with several thousand foreign workers in the Czech Republic, who have lost their jobs and are now stuck in the country: “And...
Protest Video: Dancing Filipina Maids In Hong Kong
There are videos of dancing Filipinos which were conceptualized as a component of protest campaigns. Last month Juana Change videos became popular in the Philippines. These videos were used to express opposition to the administration-sponsored legislative bill that would amend the 1987 Constitution. Another video which entertained the public was the protest dance of Filipina migrant workers in Hong Kong
Japan: Dual Employment System
Adamu from Mutantfrog questions if the dual employment system is an asset for Japan to deal with the economic crisis.
Poland, UK: “Reverse Migration of Poles”
As more Poles are reportedly leaving the UK, the POLSKI blog notes that “it may imply that the era of cheap Polish labour – and jokes – might be coming...
Poland: Back Home From the UK
the POLSKI blog writes that due to the crisis, many Poles are returning home from the UK – and others are encouraged to by a UK-based organization called “Poland Street.”
Malaysia: Support for retrenched workers
As companies reduce their operations in Malaysia, anilnetto highlights the need for a national retrenchment fund to support workers.
Russia: Notes on the Crisis, Movies
Megan Case writes about her trip to Russia: “Our friends had stories of their workplaces downsizing, several had been given an extra “vacation” (without pay) or received a pay cut....
Russia: Migration Issues
Window on Russia writes about a Ryazan Tajik activist's appeal to the Russian media to stop “fanning the flames of ethnic hatred against migrants” and the launch of the Migration-007...
Russia: Train Station, Migrant Workers and Pro-Kremlin Youth
LJ user drugoi posts pictures and video (RUS) from Moscow's Kazansky Train Station, where activists from a pro-Kremlin youth movement held a rally to encourage Central Asian migrant workers to...
Bahrain: Mafiwasta Interview on Rights of Migrant Workers
Bahraini Esra'a, at Mideast Youth, reposts an interview conducted by Migrant Rights with Nick McGeehan, founding member of human rights group Mafiwasta, set up in 2005 to bring to attention...
Slovenia: Ljubljiana Impressions
A Ljubljiana trip account – at Dr. Sean's Diary.
Belarus: A Roundup on Politics
Belated links to posts on media freedom, entrepreneurs’ protests, and web activism in Belarus, a country with the “100% opposition-free” parliament – at Andrei Khrapavitski's Belarusian American Blog.
Lithuania: Rioting in Vilnius
Lituanica reports on the riots in Vilnius: “82 rioters were detained, 15 people were injured. 2 million Litas of damage was done to Seimas. Some of the arrested had knifes,...
Latvia: Rioting in Riga
In his post about the Jan. 13 peaceful protest rally followed by rioting in Latvia's capital, Aleks Tapinsh of All About Latvia wrote that the country's PM had "told the people in his New Year’s Eve address how penguins deal with severe winter - they huddle together to stay warm - the same way as Latvians ought to do when going through the economic turmoil." What happened in Riga Tuesday has thus been labeled by some as the "penguin revolution." Below are some accounts and opinions from the blogosphere.
Russia faces rapid unemployment growth
Sean's Russia Blog reports on how unemployment in Russia is rapidly rising, which the government e.g. deals with by increasing the number of policemen, apparently to preserve public order, as...
Saudi Arabia: Saudi women and their drivers
American Bedu talks about one of the cultural contradictions in the Saudi society. She takes the relationship between Saudi women and their drivers as an example.
Japan: Hakenmura, the Temp Workers Village
Over 300 people spent their nights between New Year`s Eve and the 5th of January in a tent camp stationed at Hibiya Park in central Tôkyô, referred to as 年越し派遣村...
Israel: Construction Workers From Gaza
There's a myriad of posts on the war in Gaza in the Russophone blogosphere right now, with the whole spectrum of opinions well-represented by Israeli and non-Israeli bloggers alike. The text translated from Russian below, however, is not about the ongoing conflict: Tel Aviv-based LJ user leorer took a step aside and posted his notes on the construction workers from Gaza he worked with during “the first few years of [his] life in Israel.”
Singapore: Chambermaid vs foreign maid
Kaffein-nated from Singapore criticizes the inconsistency of a government minister who argues that it is honorable to be a chambermaid but working as a maid in other countries is a...
Malaysia: Campaign to boycott US goods
As a form of protest against Washington’s support for Israel, some Malaysians are boycotting U.S. products. Opinion in the Malaysian blogosphere is divided over the campaign.
Puerto Rico: Saving Grace
Dondequiera examines the issues “that ultimately prevent Puerto Rico from being saved.”
