Ahoy, fellow workers & filthy bourgeoisie! Welcome to the twenty-third edition of GNN’s exclusive Labor News Roundup. Though labor-related news is neglected in both the mainstream and “alternative” news services, important labor stories are breaking all over the world every day. This roundup is but a small sampling. For more international labor news, check out Labor Notes, LibCom, and LabourStart.

Global Day of Action Will Protest Starbucks’ Anti-Union Terminations: Coordinated Actions Across the U.S., Europe, and Latin America Could Be Largest Ever Against Coffee Chain: Union members and social activists are gearing up for what may be the largest, global coordinated action against Starbucks ever. Protesters will decry what they see as an epidemic of anti-union terminations by the world’s largest coffee chain. Starbucks and its CEO Howard Schultz have exhibited a pattern of firing outspoken union baristas ever since the advent of the IWW Starbucks Workers Union (SWU) in 2004 and are demonstrating the same practice against the CNT union in Spain. The IWW and CNT have called for the day of action in response to two recent anti-union terminations. On April 24, Starbucks fired Monica in Sevilla , Spain, for her activity on behalf of the CNT union. She asked to be identified by only her first name to avoid future employment discrimination. On June 6, Starbucks fired 2 year barista Cole Dorsey in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for his activity on behalf of the Industrial Workers of the World union. These firings come in the midst of Unfair Labor Practice charges being investigated by the NLRB against Starbucks in Grand Rapids, including whether Starbucks violated a previous Labor Board settlement there, and deliberations by a judge on the anti-union terminations of three IWW baristas in New York City. (Infoshop News, 06/30/08)

Grand Rapids Starbucks Union and Spanish CNT Announce a Global Day of Action: The IWW reports: “The Union of Commercial and Hotel workers CNT-AIT in Sevilla, Spain along with the Grand Rapids Starbucks Workers Union (IWW) have announced a Global Day of Action scheduled for July 5th. The two groups are asking social organizations, unions, and individuals from around the world to promote and participate in this day of action. On April 24th, 2008 a barista named Monica was fired for her union activity from a Starbucks in Sevilla, Spain. She was a member of the Union of Commercial and Hotel Workers of the Confederacion Nacional de Trabajadores (CNT). Now with the support of all CNT affiliates, the International Workers Association, and the Starbucks Workers Union (IWW) they are demanding justice for Monica. The treatment of Monica in Spain by Starbucks is similar to the charges of anti-union discrimination being investigated by the National Labor Relations Board in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This new Grand Rapids investigation comes less than a year since Starbucks signed a settlement agreement with the NLRB claiming they would end intimidation against baristas interested in joining the Starbucks Union. The Grand Rapids Starbucks Workers Union (IWW) calls on everyone interested in social justice and worker’s rights to confront global coffee giant Starbucks on July 5th with international solidarity. For Monica in Spain, for baristas in Grand Rapids, and for coffee farmers around the globe.” (Industrial Workers of the World, 06/12/08)

Aramark Workers Strike at Boston’s Convention Centers: Jake Carman reports in the BAAM newsletter: “On June 21st, hundreds of food service workers initiated a strike against the Philadelphia-based Food Service company, Aramark, walking off the job and picketing at Boston’s two biggest convention centers: the Hynes Convention Center (HCC) and the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC). 350 food workers at the two convention centers, members of Unite Here Local 26, have been without a contract since October, and the company called off all negotiations in May. Local 26 held large pickets at both convention centers all day during the three day strike, culminating in a rally of 200 workers and supporters Monday night. According to Brian Lang, vice president of Unite Here Local 26, the action was an ‘unfair labor practice strike.’” (Infoshop News / Boston IMC, 06/30/08)

Iran: Another Union Leader Arrested And Detained: “The ITUC has joined the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) in expressing acute concern following the arrest yesterday of Gholamreza Gholamhosseini, another member of the ITF’s Iranian bus affiliate. Gholamhosseini, a member of the Vahed Syndicate Executive Board was arrested by police in Tehran while visiting Shirodi Stadium, where an event to marking Iran’s Women’s Day was taking place. The gathering was sponsored by the municipality of Tehran and by the bus company, Sherkat Vahed. Security personnel prevented Gholamhosseini from entering the stadium; police then apprehended him and took him to Gisha Police Station. Yesterday, June 25th, Judge Hassan Dehghan Dehnavi, who is also involved in the case of the union’s General Secretary Mansour Osanloo, ordered Gholamhosseini’s detention in Evin prison. Hassan Dehghan Dehnavi declared that Gholamhosseini, who is not charged with any crime, should be detained for an indefinite period whilst his case is investigated. Gholamhosseini had been dismissed from the company for taking part in the strike action of January 2006. Although the court has ordered his reinstatement, the company is refusing to comply.” (Scoop, 06/28/08)

Factory Workers Fight On In Iran: The Oread Daily reports: “Around 5,000 workers at Haft–Tapeh sugar cane Company in the Khuzestan province of Iran have been on strike since 5 May 2008. The strike action has brought the whole company to a standstill. Haft-Tapeh workers have continued their strike action since then, despite brutal attacks by the security and Special Forces of Iran’s Islamist regime. The blog HOPI Ireland Discussion reported thousands of Haft Tapeh sugar cane workers marched through Shush on May 17. The 3,000 marchers were joined along the way by local people, swelling their ranks to 5,000. After first gathering outside the Governor’s Office at 8.00 a.m., they then marched with their families and supporters towards the city centre.” (Infoshop News, 06/13/08)

For First Time, Congress Addresses Transgender Workers: Rob Hotakainen, McClatchy Newspapers, reports: “After getting hired as a national security analyst with the Library of Congress, David Schroer took his new boss out to lunch to share some news: On his first day of work, he planned to show up as Diane. The next day the job offer was withdrawn, and Schroer says it was a clear case of discrimination. Schroer took center stage Thursday as Congress made history with its first hearing on discrimination against transgender employees. The hearing came after Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California was picketed last year after House leaders removed transgender employees from a jobs discrimination bill that offered protections to gays, lesbians and bisexuals. Supporters of the legislation want the House to reverse that decision next year. Sabrina Marcus Taraboletti, a transgender woman and a former aerospace engineer who worked at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, told the panel that she was fired six weeks after announcing that she would be changing her sex from male to female.” (TruthOut, 06/26/08)

South Korea: Hyundai Motor Workers Back Strike on Wages, Government Policies: “Unionised workers at Hyundai Motor Co and other South Korean car makers said on Sunday they would stop work for two hours this week after more anti-government protests at the weekend injured 100 riot police. A beef import deal struck between the United States and Seoul has sparked mass street rallies, piling pressure on new President Lee Myung-bak and delaying his plans for business-friendly reforms. The Korean Metal Workers’ Union, representing 230 companies, said that 76 percent of its voting members had agreed to the stoppage on Wednesday to demand a reworking of the beef deal and better working conditions, according to a statement posted on its website." (France 24, 06/29/08)

South Korean protests threaten to bring economy to its knees: Leo Lewis reports: “The South Korean economy could grind to a halt over the coming days amid calls for a series of crippling ‘domino strikes’ aimed at closing down the country’s biggest industries. With hundreds of thousands of Koreans taking to the streets each night to protest against proposed imports of US beef, the fledgling Government of President Lee Myung-bak faces its greatest threat – industrial action that will annihilate his reputation as the business-friendly ‘chief executive of Korea’ and could cost the fragile economy billions of dollars. What began as small public demonstrations against Mr. Lee’s plans to restart US beef imports – after their 2003 ban following a BSE scare – have morphed into far deeper anger with the new President and his brusque, authoritarian style of government. Mr. Lee was voted in with promises of reform to Korea’s troubled economy. But, despite a landslide election victory last December, his privatisation and pension reform plans have quickly aroused the fury of Korea’s still potent left wing.” (Times Online, 06/16/08)

French winemakers on rampage: The IHT reports: “Winemakers in southern France have burned two police cars and vandalized supermarkets during protests to demand government aid. Vintners in the Languedoc-Roussillon region have been protesting plummeting prices for their wines as well as rising fuel costs. A regional official, Cyrille Schott, said that protesters broke windows at the courthouse in the city of Montpellier. In nearby Montagnac, protesters wielding baseball bats chased police officers from their vehicles and set the cars on fire, he added. Interior Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie said the protesters had tried to burn a police car carrying six officers, the newspaper Le Figaro reported on its Web site.” (International Herald Tribune, 06/26/08)

Bangladeshi workers strike clothing company in Greece

Clothing company beating of Bangladeshi workers in Athens met with wildcat collective action: LibCom reports: “Bangladeshi workers in clothing sweatshop in Athens, Greece, were attacked by company thugs for refusing to work on Sunday. When their co-workers walked out in solidarity, the company fired 120 out of 180 of the working force. In response the workers have sealed the factory off, forcing the company to withdraw the lay-offs and negotiate. On Monday 23 of June 2008 Bangladeshi foremen and thugs in the pay of the ‘LADY FASHION’ clothing sweatshop in Votanikos, Athens, attacked Bangladeshi immigrant workers who had refused to work in the previous day (Sunday being an official day-off in Greece), using iron bars and wooden clubs. In response to the violence, 100 out of 180 workers walked out, with the consequence of them being declared laid-off by the company. Workers claim that on the 20th of June, The Union of Bangladeshi Workers (which has close links with PAME, the rather authoritarian Communist-Party controlled union umbrella) had managed to secure unpaid salaries of 1,5 month, a fact that infuriated the direction of the company which has persistently refused to pay the immigrant workers on time. Working conditions in the sweatshop have been known to be appalling: up to 12 hours of daily work, 10 hour work on Saturday and 5 hours on Sunday, without the company paying the workers’ social security (IKA) monthly dues as is obliged by the law. As further response to the bosses’ violence and lay-offs, on following day,Tuesday the 24th, the workers gathered early in the morning and sealed the factory gate, inhibiting all production in the company’s premises. As a result, all 120 lay-offs have been recalled with the direction promising to pay all worked hours and social security debts so far, and refrain from further violence.” (LibCom, 06/25/08)

Egypt: Mansoura-Espana Garments Company workers on strike: LibCom reports: “Workers at the Mansoura-Espana Garments Company in Talkha are on strike. Via Twitter, Arabawy reports that central security forces and trucks have surrounded the factory, and that water cannons have been used on the strikers. State security are threatening strikers with arrest and ministry of labor officials are pressuring workers to suspend the strike. The strike started after Adel Hassaballah, deputy head of the Factory Union Committee, was barred from entering the factory compound. Hassaballa had been fired earlier by United Bank (the majority shareholder) for allowing journalists into the factory to speak to the workers. The current strike comes after a week of unrest at the company. On Sunday June 15th the 250 workers at the Mansoura-Espana Garments Company in Talkha staged a sit in at the gates of their factory following the sacking of trade unionist Mohssen el-Shae’r and the company’s management refusal to heed the agreement brokered after a two month-long factory occupation in 2007.” (LibCom, 06/24/08)

Poland: Lionbridge Solidarity / Protest Campaign: The Union of Syndicalists (ZSP) reports: “A wave of actions is being planned to protest against the actions of Lionbridge corporation and in solidarity with the independent union movement. In December 2007, workers in the Polish office of Lionbridge Technologies – a multinational company – created a trade union based on non-hierarchical principles. On Feb. 12, 2008, Jakub G., a union representative was dismissed without notice. The dismissal came shortly after the announcement to management that a union had been formed in the workplace and despite the fact that Jakub was protected by Polish Labor Law as an elected union representative. Jakub was warned by members of the management that having a union would make the company “less competitive”. The company fired Jakub based on false allegations. They accused Jakub of stealing secret information and publishing it on the internet. No proof of that allegation was given and another person admitted to writing the article which was based entirely on information publicly available on the internet. Incidents of firing union members in disregard of the law are fairly common in Poland, including firing protected union officials. Most are fired shortly after the creation of the union. Jakub has filed a court case against Lionbridge at the Polish Labour Court. The first hearing will take place on July 4th. The Union of Syndicalists (ZSP) is organizing a picket in Warsaw and pickets are planned in front of different Lionbridge offices around the world in the coming weeks.” (Infoshop News, 06/26/08)

Poland: Auchan surrenders: Workers’ Initiative Poland reports: “Piotr’s case came to an end. Krzyzaniak, who is an activist of the Workers’ Initiative from Zielona Góra, was illegally fired from Auchan. On today’s case in the court (25th June), a shopping centre in Zielona Góra put forward a proposal Auchan to reach an agreement, accepting two fundamental demands, a disciplinary dismissal was withdrawn and they withdrew claiming 4000 zlotys, which the employer said was stolen by Krzyzaniak. The day earlier, French CNT trade union organised actions against the concern in Nimes and Toulouse. French comrades announced to organise next protests in September.” (Workers’ Initiative Poland, 06/26/08)

Poland: Tripartite ‘Social Partners’ against Union Pluralism: “The leaders of Poland’s two largest unions, Solidarity and OPZZ, have long spoken out against union pluralism. In their opinion, having more unions only weakens the strength of unionists to bargain. Solidarity in particular has been outspoken on the topic for many years. Although this topic always has been there, it was brought up again during the strike in the Budryk mine. There, Solidarity agreed with the bosses and four other unions went on strike. The whole time they were against the strike. During the strike, they repeated some of the arguments of the neoliberal media about how unions were “out of control” and argued that this was a good example of what can happen when you have union pluralism. Because, in fact, not all of the unions in Budryk, hence not all of the workers, were striking. The head of Slasko-Dabrowski Solidarity started making new calls for amendments to the law which would raise the percentage of people a union represented in any entreprise before the company would have to negotiate with them. Such legislation would effectively mean that smaller unions wouldn’t really count in negotiations and that the larger ones could sign agreements for the whole workplace. It would ultimately discourage people from forming independent unions and strengthen the position of the Tripartite ‘Social Partners’, who are more cooperative with the bosses. (Infoshop News, 06/22/08)

Vietnam: Workers prefer illegal strikes to Impotent labor unions: Weak labor unions have failed to gain the trust of Vietnamese workers, who prefer to stage illegal walkouts rather than negotiate labor disputes through the unions, officials and union representatives said at a meeting. As companies’ union officials are on company payroll, most of them would rather not risk losing their salaries to lead strikes, said participants at the meeting in Ho Chi Minh City Friday. The meeting was held to discuss possible solutions to the growing number of walkouts in Vietnam. Skyrocketing inflation, which hit 25 percent year-on-year last month, has outpaced wage increases and fueled strikes. Workers have also staged walkouts against work overloads, poor benefits and harsh disciplinary actions. Factories were hit by about 300 labor strikes in the first four months of 2008, the Vietnam General Labor Union (GLU) reported. But none of the more than 2,300 strikes in Vietnam since 1995 have been led by company-level labor unions, which means they have all been illegal according to the Vietnamese Labor Law, said the GLU. Nguyen Van Be, Party Secretary of the Tan Thuan Export – Processing Zone, said many labor officials were paper tigers who did not help workers organize legal strikes or protect their rights. Dang Nhu Loi, vice director of the parliament’s Committee on Social Affairs, said a recent survey in the southern industrial hubs of Binh Duong, Dong Nai and HCMC showed that all labor union officials had been selected by local company leaders, not the workers.” (Thanh Nien News, 06/22/08)

Vietnam: 330 illegal strikes in six months: “A total of 330 strikes have been recorded so far this year and all of them were illegal because they were not led by the trade union and didn’t follow the law, reported the Vietnam National Confederation of Labour at a conference in Hanoi on June 16-17. The confederation’s Vice Chairman, Mai Duc Chinh, said that under the current regulations, only grassroots trade unions have the right to organise strikes, but this regulation is unrealistic because there is no mechanism to protect trade union leaders and most employers don’t positively cooperate with trade unions. Most leaders of grassroots trade unions assume many jobs so they don’t have much time for this job. Their skills as trade union leaders are also very poor, Chinh said. He also said that the rules on compensating companies for losses caused by illegal strikes are unfeasible. For example, a company in HCM City lodged a case with the court but its petition was rejected because it was unable to define the major subject of the lawsuit among 10,000 workers participating in the strike. Since the amended Labour Code took effect on July 1, 2007, illegal strikes have continued to increase in number. Under the current law, labourers are not allowed to go on strike in conflicts of rights but must bring the conflict to court. They can go on strike if conflicts of interest are not solved by negotiations. Labourers must compensate their employers if the court finds that their strikes were illegal.” (LibCom, 06/20/08)

Vietnam: Yamaha motorbike workers go on strike: Deutsche Presse-Agentur reports: “More than 800 workers at a Japanese motorbike factory in northern Vietnam have gone on strike for higher salaries, officials said Friday. The walkout at Yamaha Motor Vietnam’s factory outside Hanoi is the latest in a rash of strikes at factories across Vietnam this year driven by galloping inflation, which topped 25 per cent in the year to May. Workers at the Yamaha plant began striking Tuesday to demand the company raise their salaries by 20 per cent, according to Ha Thu Minh, an officer in the company’s personnel department. Minh said the workers had yet to return to the job. The striking workers, who receive an average monthly salary of 1.05 million dong (63 dollars), are also demanding the company raise spending on their daily lunches from 13,000 dong (78 cents) to 15,000 dong (90 cents) per meal, according to news website Dantri. Workers said their current pay is not enough to make ends meet in the face of rapidly rising prices for consumer goods, Dantri said.” (Monsters & Critics, 06/13/08)

Port Louis

Chinese Immigrant Workers Strike in Mauritius: Reuters reports: “Mauritius had about 22,000 foreign workers last year, of whom about half are Chinese, according to official data. Dozens of Chinese immigrant workers have gone on strike in Mauritius to protest late payment of their salaries, local media reported on Wednesday. With about 4 percent of the Indian Ocean nation’s workforce based on immigrant labour, most foreign workers seem happy to earn the higher wages in Mauritius than in their home countries. But local newspapers are reporting a steady trickle of strikes over issues like pay, overtime, and even dormitory water supply, mainly involving non-Chinese.” (Javno, 06/18/08)

Spanish hauliers on fuel strike: The Beeb reports: “Tens of thousands of Spanish lorry drivers have begun an indefinite strike over the soaring price of diesel, which has risen by 20% this year. After stopping work at midnight on Sunday, many disrupted traffic at the border between Spain and France. A number of lorries crossing the picket lines had their windscreens broken, lights ripped out and tyres slashed. The government is preparing a package to assist the sector, with emergency loans and more flexible contracts. It would also offer cash payments to older lorry drivers who are willing to retire. French fishermen from Mediterranean ports have, meanwhile, joined fleets from other French ports in suspending their action pending an EU summit in Brussels later this month.” (BBC News, 06/09/08)

One Year Since Vicious Attack On IWW Solidarity Picket In N. Providence, Rhode Island: “On August 11 2007, while marching in solidarity with our union sisters and brothers of the Industrial Workers of the world (IWW) 460/640 campaign in NYC, the Providence, RI IWW branch was attacked by the out of control North Providence Police force. During the attack Providence IWW member Alexandra Svoboda was brutally maimed by officers of the NPPD and arrested. Jason Friedmutter, also of the Providence IWW branch was arrested as well. Alex has faced a long road to recovery that she is still on. Alex and Jason both face dubious criminal charges that the City of North Providence has drummed up in order to thwart Alex from receiving justice and to protect their violent, inexperienced police force. Included in this article is a brief, but all encompassing account of August 11, ’07, Alex’s injuries and recovery, Alex and Jason’s legal status at the time of this writing. Also included are ways to help Alex and Jason, like coming to Providence on 8/11/08 in support of the Providence IWW, fundraising for exorbitant legal and medical expenses and filling out and passing on to others to complete the letter of support. Their will be several fundraisers here in Providence, RI, and scheduling of those will be available soon.” (Infoshop News, 06/17/08)

Germany: IWW GLAMROC and supporters take on Boesner art supplies chain: The IWW reports: “On June 7, Wobblies and supporters held loud and visible protest rallies at the stores of the art supplies chain Boesner in Cologne, Frankfurt, Berlin, Vienna and Graz. With these actions, they protested against the management of the Boesner shop in Cologne, who prevented an organizing drive of the Cologne IWW by harassing workers who had tried to form a works council (Betriebsrat) there. The German labour law guarantees the formation of works councils elected by the workers in shops with 5 workers or more and prohibits management action against the election process of these institutional bodies. When members and supporters of the IWW at the Boesner shop announced the elections for a works council the management began to panic. Workers were questioned and taken under pressure in interviews at the manager’s office. One day before the election should take place, the management held a meeting with all workers, where they threatened to cut wages and extend working hours if a works council would be formed. They forced the workers to vote publicly in front of the managers against a works council. Frustrated by the divisions successfully made by these illegal employer’s actions, the IWWs withdraw their election announcement.” (Industrial Workers of the World, 06/12/08)

GM Canada and autoworkers in court over blockade: Reuters reports: “The fate of the blockade of General Motors of Canada’s headquarters in Oshawa, Ontario by the Canadian Auto Workers union, now in its ninth day, is in the hands of a judge on Thursday. GM is arguing for an injunction to end the action and for C$1.5 million ($1.47 million) in compensation from the Oshawa local of the CAW and five of its members. Shortly after the case began in a Whitby, Ontario, court room, several hundred Canadian autoworkers and their supporters kicked off a ‘solidarity’ rally near the Oshawa truck plant that GM plans to close late next year.” (Infoshop News, 06/13/08)

Domestic Workers Unite! Lizzy Ratner writes for The Nation: “Domestic workers in America are among the most economically exploited and vulnerable to abuse by their employers. The time is certainly ripe for a movement of domestic workers. In the annals of contemporary American labor injustices, the ills suffered by domestic workers remain among the most stark and stomach-churning. Barred from even the minimum protections of basic labor laws like the National Labor Relations Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act, domestic workers float in a kind of legal zero-gravity zone where they have no right to organize and no guarantees of paid sick days, paid vacation days, severance pay or advance notice of termination. Some forms of domestic work are also excluded from portions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (a fact that helps explain the wide pendulum-swing of wages that domestic workers earn, from as little as 50 cents an hour to, say, $10). As a result, all too many women who make their living in other people’s homes—cleaning their dishes, raising their kids and otherwise making their lives possible—find themselves enduring everything from humiliation to exploitation to worse.” (AlterNet, 06/13/08)

Attacks on Reformers Have Long History in Labor Movement: In Labor Notes, Steve Early writes: “As history has repeatedly shown, the rulers of ‘one-party states’ rarely concede power gracefully or quietly. When organized opposition emerges, such regimes often resort to a strategy of disinformation and intimidation to maintain their grip on power, whether the battleground is a nation or – closer to home – a national union.” (TruthOut, 06/18/08)

U.S. Employers Pushing Women Out of Work Force: Women’s eNews contributor Sharon Johnson says: “While a spate of news reports has explained the trend as women preferring to stay home or ‘opting out,’ an array of women’s policy groups disagrees. The real explanation, they contend, is a workplace that fails women on some basic interlocking fronts: inflexible scheduling requirements, job discrimination, lack of child care, lack of parental leave, lack of sick leave.” (TruthOut, 06/16/08)

This week’s Labor History Spotlight:

Organized Labor versus ‘The Revolt Against Work’: Article examining the role of unions in the exploitation of workers, focusing in particular on the U.S. car manufacturing industry from the 1930s to 1970s. (Infoshop Library)

This roundup was compiled by GNN contributor and blogger Nathan Coe. Nathan is a guerrilla journalist and rebel insurgent residing in the mountains of Southwest Colorado, where he has infiltrated a facility of indoctrination, targeted for revolutionary subversion, under the guise of a senior college student working on his Major in Humanities. He can be contacted at free_world_alliance(at)yahoo.com or via his blog at ShiftShapers.gnn.tv.

For more of GNN’s exclusive roundups of under-reported news from around the world, check out The Rebel Communiqué, Native News Roundup, Prison News Roundup, East Is East, and If You Knew…