Stories about Labor from April, 2013
Live Updates on Bangladesh Factory Tragedy
The death toll of the factory collapse in Savar, Bangladesh has risen to 290. Here is a live blog [bn] maintained by the Muktaangon blogging platform curating social media updates on the latest on the relief and rescue effort of the trapped workers inside the collapsed building.
Hundreds Killed and Trapped in Bangladesh Garment Factory Collapse
Yet another factory disaster in Bangladesh, this time a nine story building collapsed killing more than 142 and injuring close to a thousand people. Many more are still trapped, and rescue operations continue. The tragedy is man-made as the factory management forced labors to work in an unsafe building.
Japan's Cherry Blossom Tradition Tests Rookie Employees
Among the thousands of people that fill Japan's parks every spring to picnic under the delicate pink cherry blossoms are young professionals sent by their bosses to reserve a spot for the company's outdoor feast.
Migrant Workers Shooting in Greece Sets Off #BloodStrawberries Boycott
After supervisors shot and injured more than 30 undocumented migrant workers from Bangladesh in the strawberry farms of Nea Manolada for demanding months of owed wages, netizens launched an international boycott of the "blood" strawberries from the area.
Chronicles of the Unemployed in Greece
Journalist and author Christoforos Kasdaglis started The Diary of an Unemployed [el], a project to collect stories [el] and data [el] on Greek unemployment, consistently driven to record figures for years on end by the debt and austerity crisis. 27% of Greeks were jobless in January, a rate that has tripled since the crisis began in 2009,...
Brazil Accused of Spying on Belo Monte Dam Opponents
An activist collective opposed to the construction of the controversial Belo Monte hydroelectric dam in northern Brazil uncovered a spy among its members who confessed to infiltrating the the group allegedly at the behest of the dam company and the Brazilian intelligence agency. The agency is also accused of spying on dock workers in northeastern Brazil.
Mozambique: Coal mine blocked in protest
Mozambique's @Verdade newspaper is reporting on Facebook that about 500 residents of neighborhoods resettled by Brazilian mining company Vale are blocking road access to its coal mine in Moatize, Tete province. The peaceful protest is for greater compensation. The paper is reporting the rail line is also disrupted.
Madagascar's Economy Falling Behind Africa's
While sub-Saharan Africa's economic growth is projected to “outpace the global average“, a study by M. Razafindrakoto et al. from IRD (The Institute of Research on Development) published earlier this month unpacks the causes of Madagascar's economy lagging behind its African counterparts [fr] (Via Madagoravox).
Construction Project Fuels Sex and Violence in Brazilian Amazon
Sex and violence are a part of life in the small Brazilian fishing town of Jaci Parana, where police struggle to keep up with crime as a nearby hydroelectric construction project in the state of Rondonia pumps money into the local economy.
Pediatricians Strike in Russian Republic of Udmurtia
Starting in early March, Andrey Konoval, an Izhevsk-based journalist, activist, and former deputy, has written over 20 blog posts covering the ongoing battle of local pediatricians against Udmurtia's health ministry.
Campaign Tackles Migrant Worker Exploitation in Lebanon
Seven NGOs in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs have recently launched the “Fi Chi Ghalat” (Something is Wrong) campaign, denouncing Lebanon's controversial Kafala (sponsorship) System through which all ‘unskilled laborers’ (domestic workers) must have an in-country sponsor responsible for both her or his visa and legal status. That sponsor is usually their employer as well. The online campaign calls for a change of the Kafala system and guaranteeing those workers their rights.
Towards Better Support for French Entrepreneurs in 2013
Excerpt: In 2013, the spotlight is on innovation and entrepreneurship in France. But before putting the tools in place, the entrepreneurs had to have their say, to ensure that the measures matched their needs as closely as possible.
Hong Kong Dock Workers Strike Against Long Hours, Low Pay
A strike by Hong Kong dock workers demanding a pay raise and protesting arduous working conditions is delivering a costly blow to the city's port operators and winning widespread sympathy from the public.
Tear Gas and Rubber Bullets Break Journalist Protest in Togo
On March 14, 2013, security forces violently broke up a sit-in by private sector journalists in Togo. The journalists were protesting the new dispositions of the Organic Law which mean business licences of the Togolese media can now be withdrawn without judicial proceedings. The protests against the law of the High Audiovisual and Communications Authority (HAAC) took place in Lomé, largest city and capital of Togo. Security forces used clubs, tear gas bombs and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrations resulting in several journalists being injured.
