Trade Unions Mobilize for ‘World Day for Decent Work’ on Oct. 7

Trade Unions in more than 100 countries from the eastern Pacific to the west coast of the Americas mobilized on Oct. 7 to tackle the global economic and employment crisis and demand fundamental reform of the world economy. Many of the unions are hosting a series of special events that are listed on their web sites to dramatize their efforts.

Live internet coverage of the activities around the world, including videos, photographs and messages, is being broadcast on web sites, which will be updated by a 24-hour live feed, Large-scale mobilizations are taking place in several countries, while events elsewhere will include public rallies and workplace meetings. There will be demonstrations in front of national parliaments and other major venues.

On a video message, Guy Ryder, ITUC general secretary, insists that “governments make a decisive and fundamental change in direction, away from the policies which have caused the deepest recession in 70 years, allowing a small minority to amass vast wealth at the expense of working people’s jobs, security and incomes, while hundreds of millions of people remain locked in absolute poverty.”

U.N. Report Speaks Up for Migrant Workers

A U.N.Development Program report, issued at a meeting of the UNDP in Bangkok on Oct.5, calls on countries to focus on the economic benefits that migration can bring to a host country. It recommends that recipient countries allow more unskilled workers to move more freely, with access to education and health services and reduced transportation costs.

Thailand hosts an estimated 2 to 3 million Burmese economic migrants. Thailand has provided a better life for Burmese fleeing their military dominated homeland. In 2007, Burmese emigrants remitted an estimated $125 million to their families back home, according to the UNDP report.

Discussing migration issues in Southeast Asia, the report states: “Someone born in Thailand can expect to live seven more years, to have almost three times as many years of education, and save almost eight times as much as someone born in Myanmar (Burma).”

750,000 Workers in Romania Prepare for General Strike

Some 750,000 health, education, public administration and police employees in Romania are getting set for a general strike They are protesting a new law on salaries, firings and forced no-pay, 10-day leaves. The strike, which has blocked local institutions, county councils and financial services, is described as the country’s largest in the past 20 years.

Union leaders are saying that the strike is a message to the political class that they can “no longer manipulate those employees who get paid from the budget, and who are blaming the government for pay cuts in many sectors. The Romanian cabinet recently “took responsibility in parliament” for the new law on the salary system, without first completing its negotiations with the unions.

Unions that represent administration workers said they would organize a rally in Bucharest, the capital, on Oct. 14 and a warning strike on Oct. 26 as the date to embark on a general strike would last indefinitely.

Iran Teacher Unionists Arrested for Celebrating ‘World Teachers’ Day’

EI (Education International) protests against the arrest of the 11 teacher unionists at the celebration of World Teachers’ Day and insists that those teachers held in detention be released immediately. The teachers were holding a meeting about World Teachers’ Day in the home of their general secretary, Baghani, in Teheran, when plainclothes policemen burst into the room and took them all away, The reason for their arrest was not made known immediately.

Although nine of the teacher unionists were released the next day, General Secretary Baghani was interrogated for 11 hours and charged with “holding an unauthorized meeting. “ The intelligence officers insisted that teacher associations have been dissolved by the government and that the Interior Ministry had issued a ban on teacher associations back in April 2007, while in fact, the associations were never formally dissolved by the courts.

Nevertheless, many teacher associations have been crushed by the intelligence service. Some, such as those in Tehran, Esfahan and Kermanshah, remain active. But union meetings are either dispersed, as was the case in October, or are being supervised by officers from the intelligence service.

Seek Rehiring of 160 Workers at Kraft Food’s Argentina Factory

Negotiations between union officials and representatives of Kraft Food’s Argentina plant are being held in the provincial capital of La Plata in an effort to resolve a long-running conflict. The dispute concerns the reinstatement of 160 dismissed workers that led to the violent eviction of the workers, who had been occupying the plant for 40 days.

According to reports, the government was urging the company to complete the payment of delayed wages, as had been agreed upon at the meeting, and to “review” the pending situation of 66 dismissed workers who had not accepted the severance pay. The report also said that the company was willing to reinstate five of the 10 shop stewards who had been “punished,” while confirming that legal action will be taken against another five. The company promised not to issue any more punishments and to maintain all current jobs.

Meanwhile, the conflict still remains unresolved. Thousands of demonstrators—mainly far-left parties and social organizations—were staging a protest at Plaza de Mayo Square in front of Government House to demand the reinstatement of the dismissed workers and to protest against the police eviction, which led to the arrest of 65 people and injuries to 12 others.

German Secretary Is Fired over Meatball Snack after 34 Years on Job

A Dortmund secretary is fighting for her job of 34 years after being fired for snacking on a meatball from a conference buffet while working, the daily Bild reported. Magdalene H. had worked for the North Rhine Westphalian building association in Dortmund for more than three decades only to be fired for taking two rolls and a Frikadelle, a German meatball specialty, after setting up a meal for her boss and his guests.

But later, a colleague noticed that food was missing. When she admitted to her boss that she had eaten the food, she was fired. On Oct. 6, when Magdalene H. faced her employer, building association head Hermann Schulle-Hiltrop, in court to request that he give her a warning instead, saying the incident was not a classic case of theft,

But her boss, 51, told the court he would not change his decision. “From the outside, it naturally looks like a minor offense,” he said, “but we work on highly sensitive information here. And if you don’t t rust someone any longer, it’s not a good feeling.” At age 59, Magdalene H. is not likely to get another job/ Official court proceedings will begin in January 2010, the judge said.

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