Stories about Labor from October, 2009
Japan: When Your Wife is Sick
When Japanese “corporate livestock” (社蓄 shachiku) culture and values on marriage collide – more than 300 people responded to this question on the mega forum Hatsugen Komachi: Should a husband take time off work when his wife is sick? Situation Rina has been married for 8 years and has a...
Thailand: Laid-off underwear workers create new clothing line
Presenting, ‘Try Arm’ underwear products designed and made by laid-off workers of Triumph Company in Thailand. The workers who are still on strike conceptualized “Try Arm” to sustain their campaign for reinstatement or fair compensation.
Hungary, Serbia: Tragedy At The Border
A group of 19 Kosovo Albanians tried to cross the Hungarian-Serbian river border illegally on Oct. 15; fifteen of them are now reported missing; three bodies have been found by divers. Marietta Le reports on some of the reactions in the Hungarian blogosphere.
Bhutan: Perspective On Child Labor
“The malignant hypocrisy hangs in the air when a rich official’s wife ill-treats her maidservant, who is only a child, while her husband attends international conferences and speaks to people about GNH (gross national happiness). It happens in Bhutan,” reports Di at On The Job blog.
UAE: Desperate Housewife
Palestinian Eman, who lives in the UAE, discusses her life as a ‘deperate’ housewife, whose life and work rotates around her home.
East Timor: Brothels raided
Brothels and suspicious bars were raided by East Timor police. Some staff members of UN agencies working in Dili were seen inside the brothels. Tempo Semanal has uploaded videos of the raid.
Puerto Rico: The National Strike (update)
Early this morning thousands of people began to flood the main avenues and highways of San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, as part of the national strike that aims to paralyze the country for one day. Citizen media covered its developments.
Saudi Arabia: Housework for Men?
Do Saudi men help with household chores? Nzingha testifies that they do in this post.
Bangladesh: Strategic Migration For Climate Refugees
Bangladesh Corporate Blog proposes strategic migration of skilled labors to solve the climate refugees problem in Bangladesh.
Uzbekistan: Auction of children’s sweat
Musafirbek writes about the use of child labor in Uzbekistan, especially when children pick cotton for 8-10 hours a day. The government says they are doing it ‘by their own will’.
Romania: General strike start of presidential campaign
Gabriela Ionita of Power&Politics World links a general strike planned for Monday with the start of the country's presidential election campaign.
Philippines: Supporting Women through Pregnancy and Motherhood
If it goes against the religious mandates of a Catholic organization, can unwed pregnant females be fired from work or expelled from school? Bloggers discuss this situation currently faced in Philippines.
Puerto Rico: Examining Problems
Gil the Jenius quotes a U.S. News and World Report to make a point about Puerto Rico's problems, summing up the situation this way: “We'd rather imitate than innovate. We set Our sights no higher–no higher, I'm telling you–than what the U.S. of part of A. is doing…”
Singapore: Foreign workers live in slum-like conditions
The Online Citizen has a report on the substandard living conditions of foreign workers in Singapore
