tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20406117715345000112012-01-15T14:26:10.706+01:00Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.comBlogger3231100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-87421533138622824182012-01-15T14:15:00.004+01:002012-01-15T14:26:10.713+01:00

[By Dimphy Smeets] – For a number of years, ‘precarisation’ has been a hot issue for the German union movement. The term appears in German newspapers almost daily. It refers to exploitation and growing poverty among workers as a result of measures taken over the past ten years to make the labour market more flexible. In order to counter this development, German unions are now fighting for a

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-13855732722883941132012-01-06T11:13:00.002+01:002012-01-06T11:15:43.665+01:00

Yesterday afternoon, 2,500 cleaners marched through Amsterdam Zuid. They were cheered by residents of the Rijnstraat and the Vrijheidslaan. The protest march ended at the Philips Headquarters. According to the cleaners’ union, Philips exemplifies clients who cut their cleaning budgets, which results in increasing workloads for cleaners. On 1 January, negotiations for a new collective agreement

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-3296804118436558102011-12-09T13:44:00.004+01:002011-12-09T14:38:58.008+01:00

The future of unions is not looking good, Professor Paul de Beer said at a debate at the Rode Hoed in Amsterdam yesterday. Few youth are members of a union and union density among young workers is declining. If this were a specific Dutch problem, then you could learn from other countries how to solve this, De Beer argued, but other countries are confronted with the same problem. Even in Nordic

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-1251572707374276542011-12-09T12:51:00.000+01:002011-12-09T12:52:31.121+01:00

British union Unite has launched a new community membership open to the unemployed, students and others not in work. “For just 50p per week, community members will have access to financial and legal expertise, as well as the support of up to one and a half million fellow members when standing up for their local services.”

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-30914890073281243572011-12-04T10:12:00.001+01:002011-12-04T10:18:02.851+01:00

Yesterday, many commentators expected to witness the collapse of the FNV (the largest union federation of the Netherlands, representing 1.4 million workers, pensioners and job-seekers). Instead, the chairmen of the affiliated unions unanimously agreed to create a new, unified union organisation, inspired by small profession-oriented unions and by the successful organising campaign in the cleaning

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-90895747221131408182011-12-02T13:25:00.001+01:002011-12-02T13:25:57.194+01:00

Brave New Films – a producer of collaborative documentaries – has launched a poll to find out who best represents the 1% who use their wealth to exploit the 99%. Jobs with Justice is campaigning for Walmart’s Rob Walton. Voting ends on 6 December.

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-4322419941376337852011-11-27T09:24:00.004+01:002011-11-27T09:29:34.318+01:00

Since 1980, union density has declined almost all rich countries. Over the same period, the share of workers who are covered by a union contract has declined in many countries, but risen in some others. Especially in continental European countries, there is a gap between union membership and union coverage, because of institutional arrangements that extend union contracts.John Schmitt and

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-74125160587821306672011-11-25T16:23:00.001+01:002011-11-25T16:23:36.168+01:00

If the American labour movement succeeds in reinventing itself, this may well be owed to women like Sandy Pope (candidate for the presidency of the Teamsters, who was defeated by incumbent James Hoffa), Mary Kay Henry (president of services union SEIU) and Rose Ann DeMoro (president of National Nurses United), the New York Times argues. The latter took on Wall Street and was a source of

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-77382480404621644632011-11-13T12:47:00.000+01:002011-11-13T12:48:19.635+01:00

The British prime minister is not a big fan of the Occupy protestors at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. “I have this rather quaint view that protesting is something you should do on two feet rather than lying down, in some cases in a fairly comatose state”, he told Parliament.Stephen Moss of the Guardian begs to differ, pointing to sit-down protests by Gandhi, Glasgow shipbuilders, the Polish

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-22818246075760028852011-11-11T09:11:00.000+01:002011-11-11T09:12:28.397+01:00

Earlier this week, a large majority of voters in Ohio have voted to repeal anti-union legislation introduced by the Republican governor of the state. There is debate as to whether the outcome also has predictive value for Obama’s reelection campaign next year.

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-80452801901899598872011-11-11T08:54:00.002+01:002011-11-14T09:43:29.553+01:00

“Organized labour’s early flirtation with Occupy Wall Street is starting to get serious”, writes Steven Greenhouse of the New York Times. Unions give practical support to the protest movement and have helped prevent evictions of Occupy camps. At the same time, they are inspired by Occupy to engage in civil disobedience and to use social media more aggressively to publish instant updates on

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-16543907873325278362011-11-04T14:02:00.003+01:002011-11-04T14:12:20.153+01:00

It started one year ago ‘as an idea and a hashtag’; since it has grown into a large-scale civil disobedience campaign against corporate tax dodgers in the UK - and in the US. The idea of the UK Uncut campaign is that corporations should not be allowed to dodge taxes, especially not at a time when public services are facing deep cuts. In some respects, Uncut can be seen as a precursor of the

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-61381703020628341552011-10-29T13:42:00.002+02:002011-10-29T13:44:19.778+02:00

In Toronto, hundreds of union members joined occupy in a protest snarling traffic in the financial district. In New York, hundreds of occupiers joined communications union CWA in a protest against Verizon. President Tom McNulty of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400 joined other union leaders in expressing support for the occupy movement. “The protestors’ rightful exercise of their

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-22321104867395831652011-10-20T11:41:00.001+02:002011-10-20T11:43:50.158+02:00

If you meet someone who plans to vote pro-union, deflate their car tire or give them the wrong election date. That advice was given by former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, Mother Jones reports. The publication further mentions manipulative anti-union ads. On 8 November, residents of Ohio get to vote on whether a piece of anti-union legislation should be repealed.Via Kees /

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-66520584469665276612011-10-18T11:22:00.002+02:002011-10-23T10:27:18.643+02:00

Where the f--- are the unions?, a protest sign said during the early days of Occupy Wall Street. By now, unions play an active role in the protests. In the Netherlands, the union movement has not played a very visible role in the occupy protests, but in The Hague, occupiers and striking cleaners are going to collaborate.An article in the Gotham Gazette describes how in the US, union involvement

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-39957701272101810692011-10-18T09:45:00.000+02:002011-10-18T09:46:53.141+02:00

The newest Statistics Netherlands data show that union members are aging faster than the general population, with over 65’s making up 14% of the membership. On the other hand, there has been a modest growth in union membership among under-25’s, the first growth in this age group 1993.In response to the publication of these data, TNO has analysed health and safety data. It found that workers in

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-49200729332915670292011-10-14T12:26:00.006+02:002011-10-14T12:50:59.701+02:00

Powered by TableauSome analysts argue that unions should make more use of strikes if they want to regain power. If this is the case, European unions are moving in the wrong direction. Kurt Vandaele of the ETUI, the research institute of the European Trade Union Confederation, has collected data on days not worked rates in fifteen European countries in the 1990s and the 2000s. All but a few of the

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-49620218475069261352011-10-12T12:54:00.001+02:002011-10-12T18:45:40.499+02:00

Dutch union leaders Agnes Jongerius and Henk van der Kolk should participate in next Saturday’sOccupy Amsterdam action at Beursplein, editor Peter de Waard argues in an op ed article in the Volkskrant. The union movement could win back some of its ideological involvement by joining the youth who protest against inequality and the role of banks in the current crisis.“The demands of the

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-2978928020630059732011-09-30T11:12:00.004+02:002011-10-05T09:59:38.343+02:00

A growing number of unions are expected to join the Occupy Wall Street protests by attending a rally next Wednesday. A spokesperson of TWU Local 100 told the Village Voice: “While Wall Street and the banks and the corporations are the ones that caused the mess that’s flowed down into the states and cities, it seems there’s no shared sacrifice. It’s the workers having to sacrifice while the

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-30050421270996920822011-09-30T10:05:00.001+02:002011-09-30T10:05:33.995+02:00

The American union federation AFL-CIO will from now on wage a permanent political campaign, president Richard Trumka told the New York Times. In addition, Trumka says the federation will no longer automatically support the Democratic Party and assess more critically whether endorsed candidates actually support workers’ rights. Reportedly, the new course has caused some concern among Democratic

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-59642587215075115952011-08-16T13:21:00.004+02:002011-08-17T08:32:21.740+02:00

Severe budget cuts correlate with a higher incidence of riots, demonstrations, political assassinations and general strikes. On the other hand, peace and education demonstrations seem to be more prevalent in times of budget expansion. This was found in a study by economists Jacopo Ponticelli and Hans-Joachim Voth. The study further shows that the availability of mass media does not make a

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-26563945582889592662011-08-13T14:17:00.001+02:002011-08-13T14:19:35.921+02:00

Earlier this year, activists in the UK have launched a campaign calling on companies not to participate in the workfare scheme. Under the scheme, the unemployed are required to work, receiving no salary but only their benefit. In addition to the boycott, the campaign calls on participants in the scheme to refuse signing an Information Disclosure form. Refusing to sign the form might prevent

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-9922797929867691142011-07-15T09:16:00.001+02:002011-07-15T09:19:24.863+02:00

“There used to be a sense that unemployment was rich soil for radicalisation and revolt,” labour historian Nelson Lichtenstein told the New York Times. “That was a motif in American history for a long time, but we don’t seem to have that anymore.”America is seeing ‘the gravest job crisis’ since Roosevelt, but the budget deficit and not unemployment is dominating the political discourse. The

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-41842641881023886202011-07-12T09:34:00.000+02:002011-07-12T09:35:25.929+02:00

This month, 800 Swiss seafarers and boatmen and women have transferred from the Swiss trade union Unia to Nautilus, an international union of maritime professionals. Nautilus now operates on both ends of the Rhine. Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson commented: “The agreement with Unia is a logical step that builds upon our previously-stated commitment to continue developing the Nautilus

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-29609417691755632562011-07-01T14:43:00.001+02:002011-07-01T14:43:51.684+02:00

The All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) has a reputation for letting itself to be spoon-fed by the state and therefore it is not recognised by the international trade union movement. However, the banned Chinese activist Han Dongfang calls in the Guardian for seeking collaboration with the ACFTU. According to the activist, labour unrest has forced the ACFTU to focus more on the interests

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-60284657612827590972011-06-21T09:30:00.001+02:002011-06-21T09:31:59.718+02:00

Next Saturday, the organisation Doorbraak will organise a walking tour in the city of Leyden as part of the ‘Where is it? Here it is!’ campaign. During the tour, ten locations will be visited that symbolise wealth in the Netherlands. Think of a bank. At each location, a representative of Doorbraak will explain what it stands for: how much money does it represent? Which regulations benefit the

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-9158640550306453092011-06-10T09:29:00.002+02:002011-06-10T09:29:59.800+02:00

The American National Labour Relations Board has ruled that it is legally permissible for unions to use large inflatable rats in protests against anti-union employers, In These Times reports. Opponents say the rats are ‘confrontational and coercive’, but a majority of the Board found that there is nothing frightening about them.‘Scabby the rat’ was first used in 1990 by a union in Chicago and

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-29614224530995702962011-06-01T11:05:00.000+02:002011-06-01T11:06:13.649+02:00

[Tonny Groen] - Recently, 80 young women from 14 countries participated in a meeting as part of a programme to support women in important life choices they have to make. The meeting was sponsored and organised by WageIndicator in collaboration with ITUC and UNI women global union.The idea of the conference was from a young woman in South Africa who recently died of Aids.Giving birth, education,

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-74115870693859560362011-05-01T11:32:00.001+02:002011-05-01T11:34:11.440+02:00

The financial institutions that created the current crisis are now using that crisis to get even richer, argues Stephen Lerner, the union leader who once conceived the Justice for Janitors campaign. Politicians cannot be relied upon to remedy this, given the degree to which they are tied to corporate interests. Instead, Lerner calls for a strategy of escalating and dramatic actions that will

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-50214507277239646012011-04-22T11:34:00.003+02:002011-04-22T11:35:26.721+02:00

At the Royal Ahold shareholders meeting in Amsterdam on Wednesday, Ahold workers from America and the Netherlands criticized the company’s labour relations. Major investors expressed concerns as well. Outside, representatives of the United Food and Commercial Workers, the Teamsters, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (all from the US), FNV Bondgenoten (the Netherlands) and LBC-NVK (Belgium)

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-25733103553771709442011-04-17T10:37:00.000+02:002011-04-17T10:38:12.868+02:00

In many countries, protests are held against austerity measures. When it regards turning these protests into a movement for economic reform, lessons can be learned from the way in which Australian teachers responded to the threat of salary cuts in the 1990s, Amanda Tattersall argues in an article on Stronger Unions. The teachers’ union formed coalitions with school principals and parents; it

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-15075362389098593802011-04-17T10:05:00.002+02:002011-05-01T11:28:47.563+02:00

American public service unions may be under attack, but it is expected that 44,000 airport screeners will join a union by next Tuesday in what is the largest unionisation effort of federal workers in American history, the New York Times reports. Until recently, they were legally barred from joining a union and some still consider any demands they might have ‘a distraction from what they should be

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-88392190030183350682011-04-10T17:47:00.003+02:002011-04-10T17:56:27.844+02:00

At nuclear plants like Fukushima, the most dangerous work is being done by thousands of untrained day labourers, the New York Times reports. They are employed through contractors, sub-contractors and sub-sub-contractors and receive lower pay and are exposed to far higher levels of radiation than permanent staff. They said they hide their injuries with skin-coloured adhesive bandages out of fear

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-83919292716629722102011-04-10T17:03:00.001+02:002011-04-10T17:03:53.691+02:00

The Reuters news agency may be sued by the government for telling a union leader she should not criticise the company on Twitter. After a supervisor had invited employees to post suggestions on making Reuters the best place to work, she had replied that this could be achieved by dealing honestly with union members. Legal experts say employees may criticise their companies or supervisors as long

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-34058290116888034852011-04-01T11:47:00.000+02:002011-04-01T11:48:49.015+02:00

On 13 April 2010, Frie van Hulten, CEO of the CSU cleaning company, drove to work. On the radio he heard that cleaners had occupied his office. It was one of the key moments in the cleaners’ strike that made headlines for weeks and even months.Van Hulten was not completely unsympathetic to their protests. He was aware of how the profession of cleaners had changed. In the past, a cleaner would

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-68898462214736828312011-03-27T17:08:00.002+02:002011-03-27T17:12:21.647+02:00

The Dutch corporate governance model, with non-executive board members having an independent position while being supposed to keep workers’ interests in mind, can be an example for other countries, argues Ieke van den Burg of the À Propos Foundation. However, workers’ councils might more assertively use their right to nominate board members and there should be a network of board members who value

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-45087227142828177922011-03-19T09:55:00.000+01:002011-03-19T09:56:20.897+01:00

In its ‘ever-determined efforts to seek and destroy corporate power in all its manifestations’, Corporate Watch is inviting its readers to a DIY Research Contest. Participants may either submit a company profile, a corporate power case study or an article on corporate crime. The deadline for submissions is 30 April. More info here.

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-20458319673928823082011-03-16T09:59:00.001+01:002011-03-16T10:02:11.398+01:00

For the second year in a row, LabourStart is sponsoring a Labour Video of the Year competition, open to trade unionists and film-makers from around the world. Videos submitted must ...-be on the web-be less than three minutes long-focus primarily on work, workers or worker's issuesYou do not have to be the owner or producer of a video to nominate it.Please submit your nominations before midnight

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-64609769234454378002011-03-09T13:52:00.000+01:002011-03-09T13:53:23.348+01:00

Churches, trade unions, municipalities and refugee organisations in the Netherlands protest against a proposal to make illegal residence punishable. Among the critics is the Netherlands Trade Union Confederation FNV: “Fighting exploitation of illegal workers will become much more difficult if every undocumented worker who files a complaint is locked up. Shady businesses will abuse the situation

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-33249725257408949942011-02-27T11:15:00.001+01:002011-02-27T11:16:40.344+01:00

Over the past week, supporters from all over the world have been making donations to a pizza shop in Madison, Wisconsin to feed the union activists and their allies who have been protesting day in day out at the Capitol against governor Scott Walker’s plan to break the unions (not this Scott Walker). The pizza shop had to hire 11 additional staff to cope with demand.Walker says he needs to cut

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-35787775459417449232011-02-24T14:33:00.002+01:002011-02-24T14:34:23.954+01:00

Next Saturday, there will be local protests against corporate tax dodging in dozens of cities in the US under the header US Uncut. The protests, inspired by the success of the British UK Uncut movement, have been described as a ‘progressive Tea Party. It has been argued that many austerity measures would be unnecessary if corporations would pay fair taxes. Next Saturday’s protests will target

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-16815405212614540582011-02-20T09:54:00.001+01:002011-02-20T09:55:50.276+01:00

The anarcho-syndicalists of the Vrije Bond in the Netherlands, Zwiázek Syndykalistów Polski (ZSP) in Poland and Priama Akcia in Slovakia have launched a campaign to educate people employed by work agency OTTO about their rights and call on them to organize. According to ZSP, “[..] people work and don't get paid, or they wind up paying too much money for substandard housing [..]” On its website,

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-24785244359854941262011-02-18T08:56:00.003+01:002011-02-18T08:57:29.855+01:00

President Henk van der Kolk of Dutch union FNV Bondgenoten has launched a Twitter campaign calling on people to go out and vote on 2 March. He advises to vote for an opposition party, so as to make it harder for the current right-wing government to implement its budget cuts on childcare, education, meaningful work for young handicapped people, public transport, health care and care for the

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-11293991610087978192011-02-10T11:23:00.000+01:002011-02-10T11:24:44.893+01:00

In a number of spontaneous strikes, workers have yesterday joined the protests against the Egypt government. They demand the legal right to form independent trade unions and an increase of the legal minimum wage, which has remained unchanged since 1984. “Egypt’s labour movement has been the sleeping giant of the past two weeks’ protests, and its involvement could amount to a real fillip for the

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-24621919319974353732011-02-10T08:49:00.001+01:002011-02-10T08:50:50.633+01:00

Unions in Mexico face violent attacks, intimidation and repression of trade union rights. The independent trade union movement in Mexico, supported by the IMF, ICEM, ITF, UNI Global Union, and ITUC are asking for your support to put pressure on the Mexican Government as, together with trade unions around the world, they take global action from February 14 to 19 defending trade union rights in

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-27061859263295408692011-02-08T15:53:00.001+01:002011-02-08T15:54:40.512+01:00

Over the past months, UK police have responded to protests by preventing protesters from leaving an area for periods of up to 12 hours, denying them food, water and toilets. This tactic – known as ‘kettling’ – has produced intense frustration and caused some protests to turn violent.As a response, a group of London-based ‘young, recently politicised computer programmers’ has designed a system

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-38909839284967516092011-01-31T16:42:00.003+01:002011-02-01T11:25:16.327+01:00

At the Stronger Unions blog of the TUC, Owen Tudor explains the key role of trade unions in the current political developments in Tunisia. He points out that Tunisia is no exception: “Unions often play a major role in democratic struggles – Solidarnosc in Poland, the ZCTU in Zimbabwe and the CUT in Brazil, to name just three. But often, the western media doesn’t recognise their key role, because

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-74415253099049459522011-01-23T15:20:00.001+01:002011-01-23T15:21:54.222+01:00

On Sunday 30 January, UK Uncut will hit the streets in over 50 towns and cities to protest against corporate tax dodging. The organisation claims that rich corporations and individuals shirk £25 billion of tax every year. “The government insists that drastic public spending cuts and a hike to VAT are essential. They claim that we’re all in this together. But both the cuts and the VAT increase

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-31144224356899986572011-01-23T15:19:00.001+01:002011-01-23T15:19:52.631+01:00

Rage Against The Machine have lent their support to South Korean workers who manufactured Fender and Gibson guitars and are protesting after being dismissed, NME reports. (Via Globalinfo)

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-73086313804533523652010-12-24T19:38:00.001+01:002010-12-24T19:38:53.584+01:00

The new general secretary of British union Unite, Len McCluskey, has said that his union is ‘preparing for battle’. In January, union leaders will discuss a ‘broad strike movement’ against the government’s spending cuts. He praised the massive student protests against tuition fees and said students now meet with the same hostility as union activists on picket lines in the 1970s and 1980s.Photo

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-67318919184319290062010-12-18T10:37:00.001+01:002010-12-18T10:38:33.528+01:00

Two hundred agency workers and workers with fixed-term contracts at the distribution centres of Dutch supermarket chain Albert Heijn (Ahold) will get a permanent contract and permanent workers who leave will not be replaced with casual jobs. In addition, workers get two 2% pay rises over two years. Last night, trade unions and Albert Heijn reached an agreement in principle to that effect. Until

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-78555539117765410012010-12-17T10:04:00.001+01:002010-12-17T10:05:42.126+01:00

Today, the UK is more Thatcherite than in the 1980s, the Guardian concludes on the basis of a survey. There is concern over income inequality, but very little support for traditional means to deal with this, such as benefits and other redistributive measures.Thirty-five percent of respondents have confidence in the way in which trade unions are managed, which in any case is higher than confidence

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-22193856374607970122010-12-06T16:40:00.001+01:002010-12-06T16:40:34.344+01:00

For the third time, LabourStart is organising the Labour Photo of the Year contest. Click here to see the five shortlisted photos and to cast your vote. The deadline for voting is 31 December.

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-45866828280236210932010-12-03T11:58:00.002+01:002010-12-03T11:59:52.534+01:00

How could ACORN, a powerful organisation of low-income people and an important ally of the unions, disappear so quickly? Journalist Harold Meyerson blames both ACORN’s strategy and the Democratic Party, which has let down both ACORN and the unions.Until recently, ACORN had offices in 100 cities and 260,000 members, almost all from inner-city minority communities. The organisation ran a

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-1131739597618280702010-12-01T13:12:00.001+01:002010-12-01T13:13:56.846+01:00

The current integration debate deals mainly with symbolic issues, academics Leo Lucassen and Wim Willems argue in an opinion article inn NRC Handelsblad. They argue for a ‘return to the concept class or perhaps social environment’.The social-democratic idea to improve the position of workers gradually lost prominence when in 1979 a specific policy for ethnic minorities was introduced. This policy

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-78468360202463261522010-11-20T15:32:00.000+01:002010-11-20T15:33:29.423+01:00

High unemployment has forced US unions to accept contracts that offer lower wages for new hires and agency staff than for the existing workforce at companies like General Motors, Chrysler and Caterpillar. At one Harley-Davidson plant, for example, permanent staff earn $31 per hour. New hires receive $25, which will be the wage for all permanent staff once the ‘veterans’ have left the company.

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-2674532137108978922010-11-12T12:13:00.002+01:002010-11-12T12:14:30.070+01:00

At the congress of Uni the Global Union in Nagasaki, Dutch cleaners have received the international award for best union campaign, which is presented every five years. Earlier this year, cleaners waged a prolonged but successful campaign for respect and decent wages.“The international award is very encouraging. Not just for us, the cleaners, but also for our co-workers in sectors like security,

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-87743369803403984592010-11-09T11:54:00.000+01:002010-11-09T11:55:39.202+01:00

The American National Labor Relations Board has filed a complaint against an ambulance service that has fired an employee because she criticized her boss on Facebook. Legislation protects workers who discuss working conditions or unionization. According to the board, it makes no difference whether they do so at the water cooler or on a social network site.Dawnmarie Souza was unhappy that her

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-88780010090151546842010-10-27T10:44:00.000+02:002010-10-27T10:45:18.112+02:00

The Union Ideas Network (UIN), an initiative of the British union confederation TUC, has been relaunched. The UIN brings together unions and labour academics to share information and research, debate the key issues and develop contacts. Its focus is on the UK, but also on developments in other countries. Background here, register here.

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-48316374328002661952010-10-23T09:54:00.002+02:002010-10-23T10:11:17.147+02:00

An anti-union lobby group in America is challenging the legal status as workers of home health care and child care workers, mainly poor women of colour. If the campaign is successful, unions may no longer be allowed to represent these workers, Labor Notes reports.Home care workers, who are paid by the states, are difficult to organise because of their unclear employment relationship, high

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-8900922381266087012010-10-11T11:03:00.001+02:002010-10-11T11:05:16.199+02:00

On World Day for Decent Work, the Dutch Trade Union Confederation FNV polled agency workers at a Scania car plant. A Scania spokesperson said campaigning for decent work was unnecessary, because Scania would set an example in how it treats its 500 agency workers (on a total workforce of 1,700). However, agency workers complained about the lack of job security. FNV president Agnes Jongerius said

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-74174633824199320102010-10-05T13:17:00.002+02:002010-10-05T13:19:56.558+02:00

Next Thursday 7 October, president Agnes Jongerius of the Dutch trade union confederation FNV will visit Scania in Zwolle, where she will help administer a poll to agency workers. This is one of the hundreds of events that will be organised across the world on the occasion of World Day for Decent Work.This year, there are three core messages:Not austerity but growth and jobs must be the answer to

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-22988176019811364602010-10-01T16:39:00.002+02:002010-10-01T16:42:03.902+02:00

Tomorrow, American unions and civil rights organisations are organising a rally that is to be an answer to the Tea Party as well as motivate activists to mobilise voters for the November mid-term election. “Are there more of us than there are of the Tea Party?” asks Labor Notes.In a background article, Jane Slaughter and Mark Brenner express some respect for the Tea Party Movement. “Although big

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-26403601226763404542010-09-26T11:26:00.001+02:002010-09-26T11:28:25.975+02:00

And now for some feel good news: according to a new study, people who live in countries with high union density are happier than inhabitants of countries where few people are union members. According to the author, this is not just a freak correlation; he says there is a causal relationship between union membership and happiness. Unions have a direct impact on the happiness of their members. In

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-36558366621601339802010-08-29T10:03:00.000+02:002010-08-29T10:04:37.162+02:00

This week, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers announced that Sodexo has singed an agreement to improve wages and working conditions at its Florida tomato suppliers. The CIW is waging a prolonged campaign to make buyers of tomatoes take responsibility for problems in their supply chain. Sodexo was the last major player in the foodservice industry to sign a Fair Food agreement. “With the four

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-7291774622991081612010-08-25T19:41:00.003+02:002011-02-24T09:05:23.564+01:00

Left-wing billionaire George Soros is no longer an exception: more and more rich Americans support the progressive cause, argues David Callahan in The American Prospect.Among the rich, there is increasing support for issues like abortion, gender equality and gay rights. Their track record on economic issues is less convincing, but Callahan suggests changing this is ‘doable’. Rich liberals could

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-88761295432502611402010-08-17T09:34:00.002+02:002010-08-17T09:36:25.636+02:00

In July, dozens of former employees of the Agricultural Bank of China put on t-shirts saying ‘Protect the Rights of Downsized Bank Workers’. Within minutes, they were swept into five police vans and removed.A few days before the protest, the ABC had gone public, raising 22 billion dollar. As Chinese banks are increasingly subjected to market discipline, large numbers of bank workers are being

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-32560035159196807342010-08-13T09:07:00.000+02:002010-08-13T09:08:25.763+02:00

Well it’s been another fantastic year for the TUC 60 Second Ad Contest. With 33 fabulous entries, it’s a storming success. We have adverts galvanised by robots, involving stunts in swimming pools, adverts using vintage footage or inspired by nature, adverts that are funny or emotive, or aroused by music, but all expressing their passion for trade unions. The competition has officially closed,

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-59333840744703520782010-08-06T10:03:00.000+02:002010-08-06T10:05:07.043+02:00

A quick reminder to those who are making adverts for the TUC 60 Second Ad Contest. There are just a few days left to send in your entries.Entries must be received by midnight on Monday (GMT Midnight 9th August 2010).The TUC 60 Second Ad Contest is a competition open to everyone. Your challenge is to make a short 60 second ad that illustrates the positive role that trade unions play in society

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-46142454029271560942010-07-31T16:36:00.002+02:002010-07-31T16:37:18.605+02:00

Bank tellers at the Grupo Santander-owned Sovereign Bank may earn less than the cleaners who clean their office, reports Mike Elk in In These Times. This has to do with the fact that the cleaners are union members, whereas the Sovereign workers are not.At the initiative of a Brazilian union organising Santander workers, American unions are planning to organise Sovereign, perhaps as a first step

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-47446741707881616462010-07-31T15:38:00.001+02:002010-07-31T15:39:26.382+02:00

Contrary to other types of institutions, public confidence in unions has risen during the first half of 2010, according to a study of the Netherlands institute for Social Research (SCP). This rise may have been caused by the campaigns of cleaners and municipal street sweepers and refuse collectors, the SCP suggests.In a response, organiser Herrie Hoogenboom says: “The cleaners have shown what

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-38394505932277657062010-07-20T09:58:00.003+02:002010-07-20T10:00:05.803+02:00

In a post on the TUC Stronger Unions blog, Carl Roper argues that any union response to budget cuts needs to be based on a consideration of values, narrative and action.On values, unions need to demonstrate that they not only represent their members’ interests, but those of all workers, of the unemployed and of people who rely on public services. This requires a willingness to participate in

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-8828481346939767792010-07-13T16:08:00.003+02:002010-07-13T16:10:03.310+02:00

Website Globalinfo has published an interview by Bart van der Steen with Peter Birke, author of a book on the organising approach unions in Germany (and in other countries including the Netherlands) have adopted from Anglo-Saxon countries. Brike says that organising is a promising approach. First because it includes analysing power structures, and second because unions get more in touch with

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-90350363098391962602010-07-02T13:33:00.000+02:002010-07-02T13:34:12.451+02:00

[Lucia van Westerlaak] - The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and its affiliates have to take up the work needed to integrate the informal economy into the formal economy. This work has to be mainstreamed with other activities, at the national, regional and international levels. This was the conclusion of a side event of the 2nd ITUC World Congress, held in Vancouver in

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-4136835341033771982010-06-24T09:49:00.003+02:002010-06-24T10:01:14.410+02:00

Take up the TUC challenge to make a short advert about trade unions and win a prize, check out the website for more information: www.tuc60seconds.org.ukYour challenge is to make an ad for the TUC that encourages people to join a trade union. In the current climate, people need trade unions more than ever before and this is your chance to show people why.We want you to make an ad that entertains,

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-13350245379510184302010-06-18T12:29:00.001+02:002010-06-18T12:33:31.188+02:00

[By Lucia van Westerlaak] – The ILO recommends that governments make a greater effort to protect workers from HIV and Aids. The FNV participated in the negotiations to have good measures included. And especially, to reach all concerned. The FNV calls on the Dutch government to sign the ILO recommendation as soon as possible.At the annual International Labour Conference of the ILO on 10 June,

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-31570333958457001582010-06-18T11:32:00.002+02:002010-06-18T11:34:01.211+02:00

FNV President Agnes Jongerius observes the printing of over one million letters to be delivered to FNV members today. The largest Dutch union federation calls on its members to participate in a referendum on the agreement on pensions reached by the union movement and employers. According to this agreement, retirement age will rise from 65 to 66 by 2020, but people may decide to retire earlier or

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-55043767122777511512010-05-25T17:02:00.004+02:002010-06-09T07:54:01.192+02:00

In recent contract negotiations, Dutch union FNV Bondgenoten has focussed on strengthening the position of agency workers and on raising the wages of young workers. In an analysis half-way the negotiations season, it presented the results so far.Twelve new collective agreements contain a cap on the use of temporary workers. 34 contain agreements on using only certified temp agencies and 14

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-87744836778654217822010-05-14T10:41:00.006+02:002010-05-14T10:52:09.101+02:00

In Florida, tomato pickers are subjected to brutal forms of modern-day slavery. Ahold-owned supermarkets would still buy tomatoes from farms that have recently used slave labour. Earlier this week, a delegation of the renowned Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) visited the Netherlands to meet with Ahold management and to strengthen alliances with local community organisations and trade unions.A

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-5822529604852732852010-05-13T12:20:00.003+02:002010-06-10T12:38:22.942+02:00

[By Juhani Artto] - SAK, the largest union confederation in Finland, is encouraging its employees to avail of the opportunity to employ social media in their work. “Participation (in social media) is desirable but not obligatory”, the SAK guidelines outline. 
Employees may decide themselves on participation and on their own net identity. When commenting on issues, related to one’s tasks at SAK,

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-52470877913215450592010-05-07T10:00:00.003+02:002010-05-10T09:28:30.384+02:00

Part-time workers, the temporary employed and the self-employed are less likely to be union members than people with regular jobs. Research suggests that this is not because they do not want to be in a union, but, among other things, because they are less likely to have a union present at their workplace. Also, the costs of organising non-standard workers may be higher, because they are more

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-74805286605994184372010-04-29T09:47:00.001+02:002010-04-29T09:49:02.783+02:00

[By Dirk Dragstra / Wage Indicator] - Female trade union officials and activists on both union and confederation levels in Southern Africa and Brazil over the past year have strengthened their positions. They say that this is due to the so-called Decisions for Life-project. This project aims to reach young women workers in the services sector to help them make better informed decisions about

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-78439365474933318872010-04-22T13:40:00.004+02:002010-04-26T08:55:01.174+02:00

After months of campaigning and a strike that lasted many weeks, Dutch cleaners have reached an agreement with the employers’ organisations, trade union FNV Bondgenoten has just announced. The cleaners will get a raise of 3.5% over 2 years (they had demanded 4%; employers had initially offered 0% and subsequently 2.5%). In addition, there will be a supplement of up to 500 euro for union members

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-41338519530269998782010-04-18T19:58:00.005+02:002010-04-26T08:54:27.234+02:00

Last week saw an intensification of the conflict, with blockades of offices of cleaning company CSU and a sleepover at the headquarters of the UWV unemployment agency. Meanwhile, employers are making some attempts to discredit the strikers, and media are trying to catch up on the unions’ organising approach.On Tuesday, hundreds of cleaners blockaded the CSU headquarters in the south of the

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-42903071726930596862010-04-16T12:31:00.004+02:002010-04-16T12:42:47.284+02:00

This week, Andy Stern (59), perhaps the most influential person in the American union movement, announced that he will step down as president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Stern is credited with organising cleaners and other low-wage workers, and with having had a decisive impact on the election of Barack Obama and on health care reform. His union is also a major source of

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-79929449512044776452010-04-10T16:41:00.003+02:002010-04-10T16:46:06.604+02:00

Last Wednesday, a delegation of cleaners and their children visited Paleis Noordeinde to draw the attention of the queen to their situation. The queen herself was not immediately available, but children did leave drawings for her.Last week, cleaners at the Heineken Experience and the University of Amsterdam joined the national strike. CEO Jos Nijhuis of Schiphol Airport is fed up with the mess

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-11261372782448054082010-04-10T14:25:00.001+02:002010-04-10T15:45:27.702+02:00

“Fortunately, some major collective agreements are still reached without industrial unrest,” Hans van der Steen of employers’ organisation AWVN sighs in NRC Handelsblad (subscription only). According to Statistics Netherlands, a quarter of all employees covered by collective labour agreements (cao’s) have not seen their agreement renewed yet. The institute speaks of a ‘turbulent cao season’.There

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-61075090210507747742010-04-04T09:01:00.003+02:002010-04-04T09:02:59.214+02:00

The ongoing cleaners’ strike is now the longest strike the sector has seen in 65 years. “This is really exceptional, such a long strike. Across the sector, this is the longest strike since the 1933 strike in the fishing sector,” strike expert Sjaak van der Velden of the International Institute for Social History said. “And what for? For just two dimes more, employers’ organisation OSB is letting

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-76747473909899377142010-03-28T11:55:00.003+02:002010-03-28T12:32:39.249+02:00

This week, cleaners ended their sit-down action at Utrecht Central Station after employers had said that they were willing to resume negotiations. However, these negotiations soon broke down when it became clear that the employers refused to make any significant improvements to the offer that was already on the table. The cleaners have emphasized from the beginning – in a white paper, for example

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-30856975694055913882010-03-26T13:58:00.002+01:002010-03-26T13:59:24.956+01:00

In February, the American service sector union SEIU announced that the office of US Bank’s chief in Minneapolis was being cleaned by one of its members, Rosalina Gomez. That very same bank had purchased her home when it was foreclosed as a result of the credit crisis. US Bank argued that it was not directly responsible for the foreclosure. Nevertheless, shaming the bank helped the union reach a

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-23335869477665848352010-03-20T08:51:00.002+01:002010-03-20T08:54:05.435+01:00

Hundreds of cleaners launched a sit-in at Utrecht Central Station on Tuesday. They have remained there since, with some staying overnight as well. The station is becoming filthier and filthier, but most commuters support the cleaners, union FNV Bondgenoten reported. Many politicians, action groups and others have visited the station to express their support. Young musicians performed a free harp

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-82348255431967121972010-03-14T12:06:00.003+01:002010-03-14T12:09:55.704+01:00

Sure, even more Google users are asking themselves why they should go to church, vote, or buy an iPhone. Still, one of the first six options that pop up when typing ‘why should I’ into a Dutch Google search is ‘join a union’ (it ranks higher than ‘hire you’). Apparently, many people are asking themselves that question right now. It does not seem to be an international phenomenon, though; typing

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-66423123239246050192010-03-13T13:41:00.006+01:002010-03-14T13:40:32.924+01:00

On 23 February, about 1,000 cleaners went on strike to demand a 3% wage increase, travel expenses, training opportunities and to be treated with respect. Cleaners at stations and in trains have continued the strike since, and cleaners at offices and Schiphol Airport have joined them. On 9 March, over 1,000 cleaners attended a protest at Schiphol.Last Friday, Ron Meyer of union FNV Bondgenoten

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-78514110666139052502010-03-11T10:39:00.003+01:002010-03-11T10:42:30.480+01:00

On 15 March, a news website called Voice of Orange County will be launched, funded partly by a 140,000 dollar contribution from a large union. The initiative follows the example of Progress Illinois and the Vancouver-based, award winning website The Tyee, Hélène Schilders reports in an article in De Nieuwe Reporter. Unions have decided to invest in online media because they think mainstream

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-72846611852513126932010-03-10T14:55:00.002+01:002010-03-10T14:59:40.867+01:00

Like other social institutions, unions have become institutionalized and as a consequence, they have gotten out of touch with their own members. Partly as a result of this, they were unable to mobilise their members against the government plan to raise the retirement age. That is one of the conclusions of a speech held yesterday by Dutch Prime Minister J.P. Balkenende – although he puts it a bit

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-9014110005880366732010-03-05T16:09:00.003+01:002010-03-05T16:10:17.559+01:00

While American unions appreciate the difficult situation Barack Obama is in, they are growing more critical of his policies and demand more jobs, tax reform and more union-friendly legislation, writes David Moberg in an article in In these times.At a union meeting, Vice-President Joe Biden tried to iron out differences: “You have a hard time explaining why the guys you elected haven’t been able

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-13858116325597331982010-03-03T10:33:00.001+01:002010-03-03T10:35:07.000+01:00

Getting former major league baseball pitcher Jim Bunning expelled from the National Baseball Hall of Fame is one of the objectives of UCubed, an online initiative to connect and empower the unemployed. Bunning – now a Senator - is targeted for obstructing an unemployment benefits extension.UCubed helps members connect with other members in their neighbourhood in order to form ‘cubes’, groups of 6

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-24442868491926909842010-02-28T17:03:00.004+01:002010-03-01T19:10:58.010+01:00

As hundreds of cleaners continue their strike, refuse piles up at stations, in trains and in offices. Earlier this week, employers indicated they want to reopen negotiations, but Ron Meyer of trade union FNV Bondgenoten said: “We have been negotiating in a decent way for four months now. This has yielded no result whatsoever. Now we’re in protest mode and that won’t change until there’s a

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-34511076813033023412010-02-28T14:09:00.002+01:002010-02-28T14:13:59.803+01:00

A labour court in Berlin has confirmed a ruling denying the Freie ArbeiterInnen Union (FAU) the right to call for a boycott against the Babylon cinema, FAU has announced. The court would have argued that contrary to other countries, there is no place for ‘small and militant unions’ in German law. The FAU would lack formal recognition as a trade union and would therefore not be entitled to

Dirkkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17477253840324893954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2040611771534500011.post-29758379728646885422010-02-13T10:24:00.002+01:002010-02-13T10:24:33.187+01:00

Last week, the Nederlandse Vervoersbond (Dutch Transportation Union, NVB) was founded in Amsterdam, partly because it was felt that union federation FNV is not taking a strong enough stand against plans to raise retirement age. The name was chosen because the union starts in the transportation sector, but everybody is welcome, founder Patrick Meeuwisse told NRC Handelsblad: “We say: everybody

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