Stories about Labor from August, 2011
Brazil: Mozambique Cedes Land to Brazilian Agribusiness
Mozambique is ceding 6 million hectares of land to Brazilian farmers. The idea is to draw on the Brazilian experience in the Cerrado, a biosphere similar to the African savanna, where industrial cattle grazing and soy plantations have already devastated 80% of the richest grasslands in the world.
Vietnam: Children Factory Workers Rescued
Street Kids in Vietnam narrated how their group was able to assist 8 children working in garment factories in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.
Japan: A Revealing Blog by a Fukushima Robot Operator
Blogger Erico Guizzo at IEEE Spectrum's robotics blog reported that “an anonymous worker at Japan’s Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant has written dozens of blog posts describing the ups and downs of his experience as one of the lead robot operators at the crippled facility.” The blog was called “Say...
Bolivia: Aymara Women Working as ‘Voceadoras’ in El Alto
Alberto Medrano shares two videos of Aymara women in El Alto working in minibuses as voceadoras: women who announce the vehicle's route and collect the passengers’ money. Cristina Quisbert blogged about these women in 2008 in Bolivia Indígena [es].
Maldives: Discrimination Against The Foreign Labors
‘Legacy of Pain’ is outraged by the attitude of the Male City Council who recently discussed the “nuisance and bother” of expatriate workers who gather on Fridays at the Republic Square in the Maldives capital.
Peru: Ripley Department Store Workers Maintain Demands
Ripley Peru union workers have announced that they will not give up their demands [es] for an increase in the basic monthly salary to 350 nuevos soles [es] (around US $130). They also ask for a payment of 50% of their snack and 100% of their transportation for workers who...
Afghanistan: Afghan Youth Voices Multimedia Festival
In Afghanistan, Internews network is ramping up their efforts to train and motivate Afghan youth to share their perspective on issues that matter to them for the Afghan Youth Voices Festival and Media Camp. They already have many videos documenting different ways in which Afghan youth are reaching out to others.
Chile: #Paronacional (National Strike) vs. #Yonoparo (I Don't Strike)
The Workers' United Center of Chile has called for a national strike for the 24 and 25 of August 2011, as a form of protest against social and economic inequality in Chile. On Twitter, reactions for and against this protest have been echoed on the hashtags #paronacional (national strike) and #yonoparo (I don't strike).
Chile: Citizen Reports about National Strike on Google Maps
Mi Voz has set up a map on Google Maps [es] with citizen reports about the national strike taking place on August 24 and 25 throughout Chile.
Chile: Expats Unfazed as U.S. Embassy in Santiago Issues “Emergency Message”
The United States Embassy in Santiago has emailed an “emergency message for U.S. citizens” registered in Chile to keep out of the frequent and increasingly violent protests, but foreigners in Santiago don’t seem to be losing sleep over the roaring demonstrations.
Bermuda: Who's Driving the Bus?
a bermudian's view weighs in on the country's bus strike.
Indonesia: Free Cell Phone for Migrant Workers
Indonesia plans to give free cell phones to migrant workers deployed in South Korea to allow them to connect with their families.
Bahrain: The Plight of Unfairly Dismissed Employees
Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif sheds light on the plight of Bahrainis “unfairly” dismissed from their jobs due to the current unrest in the country.
Lebanon: New Migrant Center Opening in Beirut
Lebanese blogger and Nasawiya activist Nadine shares some exciting news for the migrant communities in Lebanon: their Migrant Center is in the final stages of opening and it needs your help. Read all about the details in her post.
Singapore: Foreign Maids are Happy?
Yawning Bread posts some questions to the survey conducted by Singapore's Ministry of Manpower about the situation of foreign maids and workers in the city. The survey showed that most maids are happy working in Singapore.
Japan: Kusoshigoto blog closed down
“Diary of a NEET Working Abroad” by Kusoshigoto “crappy job” was unexpectedly closed down and deleted, with a short message that conveyed his regrets and fear of danger. Tweeps are speculating [ja] that his identity had been compromised. A Japanese expat in Singapore, Kusoshigoto blogged against “slaving away” for Japan...
Brazil: Teachers Protest for Better Wages
Brazilian blogger Rosangela Basso posts [pt] several photos and a videos of the latest protest of teachers that took place on August 9 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Teachers demand a considerable salary increase while the local government refuses to negotiate.
Chile: Waste Pickers Rummage for Legal Recognition
Environmentalist Bharati Chaturvedi flew for 40 hours from her home Delhi, India, to dig deeper into a dirty issue: trash. As politicians in Chile discuss recycling on a national level, Chaturvedi encourages that those who collect trash professionally, or “waste pickers,” be included in the solution.
Madagascar: The Evictions of Families of Malagasy Farmers from Lands on the Rise
The Collective Body for the Defense of Malagasy [fr and mg] - (TANY) states that : “the procedure to obtain land titles in Madagascar necessitates on average 24 steps, 6 years and up to $500 USD. Yet the evicitions of farmers’ families [fr] from lands they have cultivated for several...
Angola: “Angolanization” of the Workforce
Feliciano Cangue, on his blog Hukalilile, presents several definitions of “angolanization” [pt] and writes about national versus expatriate workforce in Angola.
China: Rural migrant workers self-bury protest
A number of rural migrant workers buried themselves in a construction site to stage a protest against their employer over back pay. (via Weibo Dahebao [zh])
