Stories about Labor from February, 2009
Armenia: Tax Lottery
Unsuccessful with punitive measures to prevent widespread tax evasion, the government of ex-Soviet Armenia has introduced a monthly national lottery based on an 8-digit number found on the back of sale receipts. From increasing sales to encouraging male customers to hit on female shop assistants, bloggers think the initiative to make businesses accurately report sales and pay taxes has the potential to prove a win-win situation for everyone.
On Overseas Filipino Workers
That Word in Me reflects about Overseas Filipino Worker (OFWs). “OFWs are not heroes. They don’t work abroad so they can help ‘alleviate’ our country’s economic status by their remittances… There are very little jobs that can sustain an ordinary Filipino and I bet if he had a choice, he’d...
Russia: Unemployment and Law Enforcement
RFE/RL's The Power Vertical writes: “Some 5.8 million Russians are currently out of work. By the end of this year, that figure is expected to rise as high as 7 million. One area that will not be hit by job losses, however, is law enforcement.”
Brazil: A post crisis wave of unemployment
“I have just been sacked. It is the crisis” says @eduardoburger on Twitter. The designer and illustrator was the latest Brazilian to be dismissed because of the global crises. The latest data shows that December saw a reduction of 654,946 job vacancies in the country, the biggest fall since 1999.
Russia: “More Journalists Than Participants”
Window on Eurasia writes: “More than 100,000 Russians took part in demonstrations over the weekend for and against Moscow’s economic policies, but in the case of most of these actions – except those organized by the pro-government party ‘United Russia,’ there were, in the words of one observer, ‘more journalists...
Latvia: Farmers’ Protests
BBC's Mark Mardell, Baltic, and All About Latvia write about farmers’ protests and other political matters in Latvia; All About Latvia posts pictures from the protests.
Lithuania: Prices and Salaries
With a Grain of Druska writes about prices and salaries in Lithuania and compares them to those in Western Europe.
Russia: Economy Update
Edward Hugh writes at A Fistful of Euros: “Russia’s current woes can be readily summed up in just one single variable – the value of the ruble – and this value, as we all know, is falling. Almost uncontrollably so.”
China: Hard to get home in a time for family reunion
A journey to home preludes most people's Spring festival. It usually starts a few days before the Chinese New Year eve. And when they are to say goodbye to their families, the short holiday will end with another journey back to a place far away from home. The Spring Festival...
