Inner Asia
France to extradite ex-Kazakh energy minsiter
France agreed to exradite the ex-Kazakh energy minister to Russia on corruption charges—despite fears that he will be turned over to Kazakhstan, to face torture.
Tag: labor
Southeast Asia
Occupy Phnom Penh dispersed
Cambodian military police opened fire on striking garment factory workers, killing four, and then dispersed a protest encampment from a central square in Phnom Penh.
Colombia: intensified violence against labor leaders
The campaign of violence against organized labor in Colombia intensified in 2013, with 26 unionists assassinated—a 15% jump over the figure for 2012.
The Caribbean
Haiti: maquila workers take to the streets —again
Assembly plant workers marked Human Rights Day by marching through the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince to push their demand for a minimum wage of $12 a day.
The Caribbean
Haiti: wage council proposes eight-cent raise
Haiti’s new council on wages issued its minimum wage levels for 2014, offering assembly plant workers a raise of eight cents an hour.
North Africa
Beyond Benghazi: Libya faces converging crises
The death of a US national in Benghazi thrust Libya briefly into the news—as lawless militias, ethnic conflicts and labor strife daily claim lives across the country.
Mexico
Mexico: protesters pledge to resist energy ‘reform’
In a 40,000-strong Mexico City demonstration, union members and opposition activists pledged civil disobedience to halt President Enrique Peña Nieto’s energy sector reform.
The Caribbean
Haiti: support grows for minimum wage increase
After a year of struggle by Haitian workers supported by North American activists, two major garment companies have agreed to honor the legal minimum wage.
Iraq
Charges dropped against Iraq oil union leader
Following an international campaign, all charges were dropped against Iraq oil union leader Hassan Juma’a Awad in a case related to strikes and worker protests.
South Asia
Bangladesh political strike follows labor unrest
A general strike called by the Islamist opposition has shut down much of Bangladesh—weeks after garment workers walked off the job and burned factories.
The Amazon
Brazil: teachers, indigenous hold mass protests
June's mass protests have ended, but Brazilians continue to demonstrate for education, decent pay, indigenous rights and an end to police repression.
Mexico
Mexico: Cananea strike broken, miners left jobless
Grupo México and the Mexican government succeeded in smashing a strike in an historic copper mining town which now suffers from crime and unemployment.