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20210104 : Like healthcare workers unions around the world, Paraguay's nurses union, APE, is mobilizing to strengthen public healthcare even as the pandemic continues. (Photo: PSI) Click here to read more labour news from Paraguay.
20210111 : Unions around the world have condemned in the strongest possible terms the arrest of Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) Chairperson Carol Ng and at least 50 other democracy activists under Hong Kong’s national security law. (Photo: BWI) Click here to read more labour news from Hong Kong.
20210118 : For 30 years Argentinian women have organised for reproductive rights under the slogan "No to motherhood, yes to pleasure". Women trade unionists played an important role in ensuring the passage on 30 December of legislation allowing for safe, legal abortions in that country.(Photo: BWI) Click here to read more labour news from Argentina.
20210125 : Formed during the height of the 2019 protests against the Hong Kong-China extradition bill, the the New Civil Servants Union last week announced that was was being forced to dissolve. A 'loyalty oath' introduced as with the imposition of the new national security law would mean that union members would be forced out of the HK civil service. Throughout 2019 the union had regularly mobilized huge numbers of public sector workers for demonstrations opposing the extradition bill. (Photo: Anon.) Click here to read more labour news from Hong Kong.
20210201 : Hundreds of thousands of seafarers remain isolated far from their homes, marooned on ships and unable to leave because of pandemic travel restrictions. Some, like these crew members who have been on their ship for over a year without a break, have resorted to hunger strikes in order to bring attention to their plight. (Photo: ITF) Click here to read more labour news about seafarers around the world.
20210208 : Healthcare workers in Kathmandu, members of the Nepal Health Workers and Employees Union/GEFONT, have been holding a series of protests in an effort to force their employer to honour the agreement recently negotiated by their union. Their struggle is part of a global trend. The pandemic is being used as the excuse for massive wage theft.(Photo: GEFONT) Click here to read more labour news from Nepal.
20210215 : Three journalists have been arrested under Bangladesh's Digital Security Act (DSA) for publishing material alleged to have the potential to ‘destroy communal harmony and create unrest’. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly condemns the charges under the draconian act and the flagrant and ongoing intimidation by police against Bangladesh media workers. (Photo: IFJ) Click here to read more labour news from Bangladesh.
20210222 : After a report on the impact of the pandemic on workers in Iceland trade unions there are organizing to demand an extension of unemployment benefits. They are also demanding that special attention be paid to migrant workers, young workers and women as they have disproportionately affected. (Photo: BSRB) Click here to read more labour news from Iceland.
20210301 : Last week CGTP-IN led a national day of action to demand a people-focussed economic recovery from the pandemic. Events like this one took place all across Portugal. (Photo: CGTP) Click here to read more labour news from Portugal.
20210308 : In most of the world unions are celebrating International Women's Day online. Stay-at-home actions have replaced mass rallies like this 2006 IWD event in Dhaka, Bangladesh. (Photo: NWF) Click here to see all our IWD coverage.
20210315 : The recent UK court decision which deemed platform workers to be employees and not independent contractors, has global implications. Food delivery workers everywhere, like these CSB members in Brazil, celebrated by intensifying their organizing efforts. (Photo: CSB) Click here to see more union news from Brazil.
20210322 : A Thai factory making lingerie for Victoria’s Secret, Triumph and other global brands has shut down without notice and locked out 1,388 workers, using the coronavirus pandemic as a pretext. The workers received no notice and no compensation. Both are required by Thai law. (Photo: IndustriALL) Click here to see more union news from Thailand.
20210329 : In much of the world the pandemic has provided corporations and governments with the cover or the excuse they needed to roll back workers' rights. But in some countries the trade union movement is on the offensive, demanding reforms that fix the problems faced by workers throughout the pandemic. That's the case in Spain where trade unions like UGT and CCOO are organizing for positive change. (Photo: CCOO) Click here to see more union news from Spain.
20210405 : French pensioners, organizing by the retiree sections of their unions, held over 1,000 events across the country last week to draw attention to their lost purchasing power over the last year. (Photo: FO) Click here to see more union news from France.
20210412 : On 27 March Chan Myae Kyaw was murdered by the military during a protest against the recent coup in Myanmar. He was a leader of the youth wing of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Myanbmar (CTUM) and just one of hundreds of workers killed during the strikes and demonstrations organized by trade unions in support of a return to democracy. (Photo: BWI) Click here to see more union news from Myanmar.
20210419 : Governments and employers around the world continue to use the pandemic as an excuse to rollback workers rights and increase profits, even when their actions defy common sense. These healthcare workers in the Dominican Republic are protesting massive layoffs announced last week. (Photo: CLATE) Click here to see more union news from the Dominican Republic.
20210425 :
20210426 : Earlier this month Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) General Secretary Lee Cheuk Yan was imprisoned for 18 months. His crime? Organizing a pro-democracy rally in 2019 which was deemed illegal under Hong Kong’s new National Security Law. His struggle - and that of the trade union movements in Hong Kong, Myanmar, Iran and Turkey - is the focus of this year's LabourStart May Day event, which we're holding on Sunday, 2 May at 15:00 GMT. (Photo: Anon) Click here to register for this event.
20210503 : Each year, around the world, May Day events are met with state repression. This year over 200 trade unionists were arrested in Istanbul alone. (Photo: Anon) Click here to see more trade union news from Turkey.
20210510 : Colombian trade unions and civil society organizations have been mobilizing for over a month to protest an overhaul of that country's tax system that would grossly increase inequality. The protests have been met with a massive and violent response by the security services. There have been 47 deaths, 234 people injured, 726 arbitrary detentions, and more than 100 people 'disappeared' as a result of the brutal repression. (Photo: BWI) Click here to see more trade union news from Colombia.
20210517 : The “IKEA Workers’ Caravan of Stories” is a BWI campaign that aims to provide IKEA workers from different countries a platform to share with one another their working lives and experiences, strengthening their unions in the process. This Polish worker is just one of 5,000 whose union won a huge victory last year in the fight for decent wages. (Photo: BWI) Click here to see more trade union news from Poland.
20210524 : Each year in May the PIT-CNT, Uruguay’s trade union centre, reiterates its commitment to memory, truth, justice and opposition to state terrorism. This year PIT-CNT criticized the slowness with which the trials of those accused of kidnappings, torture, disappearances and murders during the dictatorship are being organized. (Photo: PIT-CNT) Click here to see more trade union news from Uruguay.
20210531 : Swiss trade unions have initiated a process which they hope will lead to a national referendum on whether to improve the state pension. More than 137,000 signatures were collected and submitted to the government. (Photo: SGB/USS) Click here to see more trade union news from Switzerland.
20210607 : The Colombian people have been on general strike since 28 April 2021. The strike was called in response to tax reforms that sought to raise revenue by increasing taxes on basic foodstuffs and essential services such as water, electricity, gas and sanitation. (Photo: Sergio R./PSI) Click here to send a solidarity message protesting the extreme state violence directed at protesters.
20210614 : Last Saturday was the World Day Against Child Labour. It was marked by trade unions, especially those whose members work with children, with statements and actions. "Children must be at school and not working" is the title of this drawing from Brazil. (Photo: CTB) Click here to see more news about this annual event from around the globe.
20210621 : CUT members who work in Sao Paulo's education sector and in the public service last week won a strike over access to vaccinations. Their victory came after 120 days of pressure on the state and municpal governments. (Photo: PSI) Click here to see more union news from Brazil.
20210628 : FHTRC-ONSLG held a press conference on June 24, 2021 to commemorate Mariam Camara, a housekeeper and union activist at the Sheraton Grand Conakry in Guinea, who died on June 24, 2020 in the midst of a fight for healthcare coverage for workers at the hotel. Camara was a longtime union activist. FHTRC-ONSLG General Secretary Asmaou Bah Doukouré said: "As a woman, a leader of a women’s movement, and union leader, I can say that Mariam’s death at the young age of 32 is a tragedy that could have been avoided if Sheraton had taken care of her. We must stand to defend the rights of all workers in Guinea and across Africa, so that such tragedies never, ever repeat themselves." (Photo: IUF) Click here to see more union news from Guinea.
20210705 : All around the world hospitality and tourism workers like these CGTP members in southern Portugal, have been hard-hit by the pandemic and unscrupulous employers. These workers are protesting their employer pocketing government support which was intended to maintain employment. (Photo: CGTP) Click here to see more union news from Portugal.
20210712 : All through the pandemic trade unions have continued the struggle for basic labour rights. These Costa Rican workers were protesting last week against proposed changes to that country's labour laws. The rollbacks are part of the price workers are told that they must pay for a $1.75 billion USD 'aid' package. (Photo: ANEP) Click here to see more union news from Costa Rica.
20210719 : Last week workers at Schneider Electric Indonesia, members of IndustriALL affiliate FSPMI, began a series of actions to protest the sacking of one of their workplace leaders. (Photo: IndustriALL) Click here to see more union news from Indonesia.
20210726 : On Saturday Brazil's central trade unions organized a national day of protest against the Bolsonaro regime and its policies. (Photo: CUT) Click here to see more union news from Brazil.
20210802 : Women have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic reaction of employers and governments around the world. And like this French midwife, a member of Force Ouvriere, they have been organizing to fight back. (Photo: FO) Click here to see more union news about women workers around the world.
20210809 : After an occupation lasting less than a day, ANCAP workers in Montevideo won a commitment from the Minister of Labour that the state-owned company would begin negotiations with workers there. (Photo: PIT-CNT) Click here to see more union news from Uruguay.
20210816 : All around the world healthcare workers have been working excessive hours in the fight to contain COVID-19. They have had huge amounts of overtime forced on them and suffered the loss of time off including holidays. After over a year and half many, like these Argentinian workers, are now exhausted and demanding rest time. (Photo: CTA) Click here to see more union news from Argentina.
20210823 : Colombian unions and their allies have called for renewed protests and a general strike against the neoliberal policies of their country's government on 26 August.(Photo: AIL) Click here to see more union news from Colombia.
20210830 : Despite the pandemic the democratic structures of trade unions around the world continue to function. GEFONT, the General Confederation of Nepalese Trade Unions, held its National Congress in mid-August. The Congress was a hybrid event with most delegates participating virtually. (Photo: GEFONT) Click here to see more union news from Nepal.
20210906 : In an attempt to disrupt organizing by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions for a general strike in October, the Korean government has arrested and is holding without bail KCTU President Yang Kyeung-soo. Unions around the world have been demanding his release. (Photo: ITUC) Click here to see more union news from South Korea.
20210913 : Faced with a concerted effort by Portuguese banks to undermine labour rights the unions representing bank workers in that country are mobilizing international support in their struggle. They have appealed to UNI Global Union, the ITUC and ETUC and EESC’S Workers’ Group for solidarity. (Photo: UGT) Click here to see more union news from Portugal.
20210920 : Swiss trade unions continue their organizing against cuts to pensions. The proposed cuts will hit women especially hard. The average Swiss woman's pension is already 33% less than the average man's. (Photo: SGB-USS) Click here to see more union news from Switzerland.
20210927 : Last week Iranian teachers held a nation-wide protest to back their demand for an end to workplace discrimination, the implementation of grading pay, a wage increase and free education for all children. This in a country where teachers have been executed for their union activity. (Photo: FTN) Click here to see more union news from Iran.
20211004 : On 2 October huge crowds of workers and their allies gathered in cities and towns across Brazil to demand the removal of the country's president. (Photo: CUT) Click here to see more union news from Brasil.
20211011 : On Saturday a large crowd of fascists and anti-vaxxers attacked the CGIL national headquarters in Rome. (Photo: Anon.) Click here to see more union news from Italy.
20211018 : Unions around the world have responded to the attack on the CGIL national headquarters in Rome. Spanish workers held solidarity rallies including this one in Barcelona.(Photo: S. Pennella) Click here to see more union news from Italy.
LabourStart's Photo of the Day Archive - 2021
20210104 : Like healthcare workers unions around the world, Paraguay's nurses union, APE, is mobilizing to strengthen public healthcare even as the pandemic continues. (Photo: PSI) Click here to read more labour news from Paraguay.
20210111 : Unions around the world have condemned in the strongest possible terms the arrest of Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) Chairperson Carol Ng and at least 50 other democracy activists under Hong Kong’s national security law. (Photo: BWI) Click here to read more labour news from Hong Kong.
20210118 : For 30 years Argentinian women have organised for reproductive rights under the slogan "No to motherhood, yes to pleasure". Women trade unionists played an important role in ensuring the passage on 30 December of legislation allowing for safe, legal abortions in that country.(Photo: BWI) Click here to read more labour news from Argentina.
20210125 : Formed during the height of the 2019 protests against the Hong Kong-China extradition bill, the the New Civil Servants Union last week announced that was was being forced to dissolve. A 'loyalty oath' introduced as with the imposition of the new national security law would mean that union members would be forced out of the HK civil service. Throughout 2019 the union had regularly mobilized huge numbers of public sector workers for demonstrations opposing the extradition bill. (Photo: Anon.) Click here to read more labour news from Hong Kong.
20210201 : Hundreds of thousands of seafarers remain isolated far from their homes, marooned on ships and unable to leave because of pandemic travel restrictions. Some, like these crew members who have been on their ship for over a year without a break, have resorted to hunger strikes in order to bring attention to their plight. (Photo: ITF) Click here to read more labour news about seafarers around the world.
20210208 : Healthcare workers in Kathmandu, members of the Nepal Health Workers and Employees Union/GEFONT, have been holding a series of protests in an effort to force their employer to honour the agreement recently negotiated by their union. Their struggle is part of a global trend. The pandemic is being used as the excuse for massive wage theft.(Photo: GEFONT) Click here to read more labour news from Nepal.
20210215 : Three journalists have been arrested under Bangladesh's Digital Security Act (DSA) for publishing material alleged to have the potential to ‘destroy communal harmony and create unrest’. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly condemns the charges under the draconian act and the flagrant and ongoing intimidation by police against Bangladesh media workers. (Photo: IFJ) Click here to read more labour news from Bangladesh.
20210222 : After a report on the impact of the pandemic on workers in Iceland trade unions there are organizing to demand an extension of unemployment benefits. They are also demanding that special attention be paid to migrant workers, young workers and women as they have disproportionately affected. (Photo: BSRB) Click here to read more labour news from Iceland.
20210301 : Last week CGTP-IN led a national day of action to demand a people-focussed economic recovery from the pandemic. Events like this one took place all across Portugal. (Photo: CGTP) Click here to read more labour news from Portugal.
20210308 : In most of the world unions are celebrating International Women's Day online. Stay-at-home actions have replaced mass rallies like this 2006 IWD event in Dhaka, Bangladesh. (Photo: NWF) Click here to see all our IWD coverage.
20210315 : The recent UK court decision which deemed platform workers to be employees and not independent contractors, has global implications. Food delivery workers everywhere, like these CSB members in Brazil, celebrated by intensifying their organizing efforts. (Photo: CSB) Click here to see more union news from Brazil.
20210322 : A Thai factory making lingerie for Victoria’s Secret, Triumph and other global brands has shut down without notice and locked out 1,388 workers, using the coronavirus pandemic as a pretext. The workers received no notice and no compensation. Both are required by Thai law. (Photo: IndustriALL) Click here to see more union news from Thailand.
20210329 : In much of the world the pandemic has provided corporations and governments with the cover or the excuse they needed to roll back workers' rights. But in some countries the trade union movement is on the offensive, demanding reforms that fix the problems faced by workers throughout the pandemic. That's the case in Spain where trade unions like UGT and CCOO are organizing for positive change. (Photo: CCOO) Click here to see more union news from Spain.
20210405 : French pensioners, organizing by the retiree sections of their unions, held over 1,000 events across the country last week to draw attention to their lost purchasing power over the last year. (Photo: FO) Click here to see more union news from France.
20210412 : On 27 March Chan Myae Kyaw was murdered by the military during a protest against the recent coup in Myanmar. He was a leader of the youth wing of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Myanbmar (CTUM) and just one of hundreds of workers killed during the strikes and demonstrations organized by trade unions in support of a return to democracy. (Photo: BWI) Click here to see more union news from Myanmar.
20210419 : Governments and employers around the world continue to use the pandemic as an excuse to rollback workers rights and increase profits, even when their actions defy common sense. These healthcare workers in the Dominican Republic are protesting massive layoffs announced last week. (Photo: CLATE) Click here to see more union news from the Dominican Republic.
20210425 :
20210426 : Earlier this month Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) General Secretary Lee Cheuk Yan was imprisoned for 18 months. His crime? Organizing a pro-democracy rally in 2019 which was deemed illegal under Hong Kong’s new National Security Law. His struggle - and that of the trade union movements in Hong Kong, Myanmar, Iran and Turkey - is the focus of this year's LabourStart May Day event, which we're holding on Sunday, 2 May at 15:00 GMT. (Photo: Anon) Click here to register for this event.
20210503 : Each year, around the world, May Day events are met with state repression. This year over 200 trade unionists were arrested in Istanbul alone. (Photo: Anon) Click here to see more trade union news from Turkey.
20210510 : Colombian trade unions and civil society organizations have been mobilizing for over a month to protest an overhaul of that country's tax system that would grossly increase inequality. The protests have been met with a massive and violent response by the security services. There have been 47 deaths, 234 people injured, 726 arbitrary detentions, and more than 100 people 'disappeared' as a result of the brutal repression. (Photo: BWI) Click here to see more trade union news from Colombia.
20210517 : The “IKEA Workers’ Caravan of Stories” is a BWI campaign that aims to provide IKEA workers from different countries a platform to share with one another their working lives and experiences, strengthening their unions in the process. This Polish worker is just one of 5,000 whose union won a huge victory last year in the fight for decent wages. (Photo: BWI) Click here to see more trade union news from Poland.
20210524 : Each year in May the PIT-CNT, Uruguay’s trade union centre, reiterates its commitment to memory, truth, justice and opposition to state terrorism. This year PIT-CNT criticized the slowness with which the trials of those accused of kidnappings, torture, disappearances and murders during the dictatorship are being organized. (Photo: PIT-CNT) Click here to see more trade union news from Uruguay.
20210531 : Swiss trade unions have initiated a process which they hope will lead to a national referendum on whether to improve the state pension. More than 137,000 signatures were collected and submitted to the government. (Photo: SGB/USS) Click here to see more trade union news from Switzerland.
20210607 : The Colombian people have been on general strike since 28 April 2021. The strike was called in response to tax reforms that sought to raise revenue by increasing taxes on basic foodstuffs and essential services such as water, electricity, gas and sanitation. (Photo: Sergio R./PSI) Click here to send a solidarity message protesting the extreme state violence directed at protesters.
20210614 : Last Saturday was the World Day Against Child Labour. It was marked by trade unions, especially those whose members work with children, with statements and actions. "Children must be at school and not working" is the title of this drawing from Brazil. (Photo: CTB) Click here to see more news about this annual event from around the globe.
20210621 : CUT members who work in Sao Paulo's education sector and in the public service last week won a strike over access to vaccinations. Their victory came after 120 days of pressure on the state and municpal governments. (Photo: PSI) Click here to see more union news from Brazil.
20210628 : FHTRC-ONSLG held a press conference on June 24, 2021 to commemorate Mariam Camara, a housekeeper and union activist at the Sheraton Grand Conakry in Guinea, who died on June 24, 2020 in the midst of a fight for healthcare coverage for workers at the hotel. Camara was a longtime union activist. FHTRC-ONSLG General Secretary Asmaou Bah Doukouré said: "As a woman, a leader of a women’s movement, and union leader, I can say that Mariam’s death at the young age of 32 is a tragedy that could have been avoided if Sheraton had taken care of her. We must stand to defend the rights of all workers in Guinea and across Africa, so that such tragedies never, ever repeat themselves." (Photo: IUF) Click here to see more union news from Guinea.
20210705 : All around the world hospitality and tourism workers like these CGTP members in southern Portugal, have been hard-hit by the pandemic and unscrupulous employers. These workers are protesting their employer pocketing government support which was intended to maintain employment. (Photo: CGTP) Click here to see more union news from Portugal.
20210712 : All through the pandemic trade unions have continued the struggle for basic labour rights. These Costa Rican workers were protesting last week against proposed changes to that country's labour laws. The rollbacks are part of the price workers are told that they must pay for a $1.75 billion USD 'aid' package. (Photo: ANEP) Click here to see more union news from Costa Rica.
20210719 : Last week workers at Schneider Electric Indonesia, members of IndustriALL affiliate FSPMI, began a series of actions to protest the sacking of one of their workplace leaders. (Photo: IndustriALL) Click here to see more union news from Indonesia.
20210726 : On Saturday Brazil's central trade unions organized a national day of protest against the Bolsonaro regime and its policies. (Photo: CUT) Click here to see more union news from Brazil.
20210802 : Women have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic reaction of employers and governments around the world. And like this French midwife, a member of Force Ouvriere, they have been organizing to fight back. (Photo: FO) Click here to see more union news about women workers around the world.
20210809 : After an occupation lasting less than a day, ANCAP workers in Montevideo won a commitment from the Minister of Labour that the state-owned company would begin negotiations with workers there. (Photo: PIT-CNT) Click here to see more union news from Uruguay.
20210816 : All around the world healthcare workers have been working excessive hours in the fight to contain COVID-19. They have had huge amounts of overtime forced on them and suffered the loss of time off including holidays. After over a year and half many, like these Argentinian workers, are now exhausted and demanding rest time. (Photo: CTA) Click here to see more union news from Argentina.
20210823 : Colombian unions and their allies have called for renewed protests and a general strike against the neoliberal policies of their country's government on 26 August.(Photo: AIL) Click here to see more union news from Colombia.
20210830 : Despite the pandemic the democratic structures of trade unions around the world continue to function. GEFONT, the General Confederation of Nepalese Trade Unions, held its National Congress in mid-August. The Congress was a hybrid event with most delegates participating virtually. (Photo: GEFONT) Click here to see more union news from Nepal.
20210906 : In an attempt to disrupt organizing by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions for a general strike in October, the Korean government has arrested and is holding without bail KCTU President Yang Kyeung-soo. Unions around the world have been demanding his release. (Photo: ITUC) Click here to see more union news from South Korea.
20210913 : Faced with a concerted effort by Portuguese banks to undermine labour rights the unions representing bank workers in that country are mobilizing international support in their struggle. They have appealed to UNI Global Union, the ITUC and ETUC and EESC’S Workers’ Group for solidarity. (Photo: UGT) Click here to see more union news from Portugal.
20210920 : Swiss trade unions continue their organizing against cuts to pensions. The proposed cuts will hit women especially hard. The average Swiss woman's pension is already 33% less than the average man's. (Photo: SGB-USS) Click here to see more union news from Switzerland.
20210927 : Last week Iranian teachers held a nation-wide protest to back their demand for an end to workplace discrimination, the implementation of grading pay, a wage increase and free education for all children. This in a country where teachers have been executed for their union activity. (Photo: FTN) Click here to see more union news from Iran.
20211004 : On 2 October huge crowds of workers and their allies gathered in cities and towns across Brazil to demand the removal of the country's president. (Photo: CUT) Click here to see more union news from Brasil.
20211011 : On Saturday a large crowd of fascists and anti-vaxxers attacked the CGIL national headquarters in Rome. (Photo: Anon.) Click here to see more union news from Italy.
20211018 : Unions around the world have responded to the attack on the CGIL national headquarters in Rome. Spanish workers held solidarity rallies including this one in Barcelona.(Photo: S. Pennella) Click here to see more union news from Italy.