Inside LabourStart

This is the most significant political aspect of LS.  Our “secret agenda” for the campaigns is to increase the size of our mailing list.  By definition, these campaigns are small and specific.  However, they also are part of our political organizing; they “raise conscience.”  Campaigns “for apple pie” and against global warming.  Anti-child labor campaign.  Ban nuclear weapons.  Such “supersize” campaigns would greatly increase the exposure of LS.  This is how we get our mailing list to a million names.

Guidelines for campaigns.  Small, local issues are problems.  Some requests for campaigns have been “union vs. union”.  We only will campaign for an issue of global significance.  Must be requested by a national union.  Campaign launches should be accomplished automatically.  Vietnamese and Japanese translations of our campaigns.  Impact on employers will be greater if they are received in as many languages as possible.  Maps:  where are the campaigns centered?  Many in Turkey.  None in Latin America.

All of these grow our lists.  How did we attract a substantial number of Spanish readers in the past.

In Australia, maybe national (non-global) campaigns.  Maybe some country-specific ActNOW campaigns of regional value to LS.  (Not enough people are involved.)  Those on our US lists are often bothered by the international character of ActNOW issues.  Campaign issues:  Asbestos?  Job security?

Workers rights issues seem to generate the largest responses.  Korea?  FedEx?  Canada produces the most asbestos than any other country in the world–in CLC, this gets no play:  many Canadian workers are involved in asbestos production.

Eric:  Iran–“How can we help?”  Photos of two women sentenced to floggings.  From silly employers hit by a campaign–there’s nothing better for us than a good liable suit.