France and Italy have undertaken to introduce a 35-hour working week. But this step forward has been greeted with serious reservations by most European Union governments, and with downright hostility by employers and heads of finance. The key word is now flexibility. But it remains to be seen at this month’s European Council summit what hope there really is for a "social Europe". What is sure is that European trades unions have been hopelessly slow off the mark.
by Corinne Gobin The (…)
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TAMING THE UNIONS - The mirage of a social Europe (by C. GOBIN)
30 May 2011 par (Open-Publishing)
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RESALE RIGHT - lasts days for fair resale right contribution
9 March 2011 par (Open-Publishing)
Consultation on the implementation and effect of the Resale Right Directive (2001/84/EC)
Period of consultation From 07.01.2011 to 11.03.2011
All citizens and organisations are welcome to contribute to this consultation. Contributions are particularly sought from artists, art market professionals, and collecting societies managing resale right royalties. The Commission Services are preparing a report on the implementation and effect of the Resale Right Directive (2001/84/EC), as provided (…) -
(video) Koch brothers play self-serving role in Wisconsin battle
3 March 2011 par (Open-Publishing)
Multi-billionaire corporate magnates Charles and David Koch, major behind-the-scenes players in the dispute between Wisconsin public employees and Republican Gov. Scott Walker, stand to gain more than meets the eye from this epic battle.
Buried deep inside Walker’s 144-page contested budget bill are 10 lines, unrelated to employee takeaways or union rights, which would allow the state to sell to or contract with a private corporation any state-owned heating, cooling and power plant, "with (…) -
(video) Epic battle in Wisconsin is a taste of our power
3 March 2011 par (Open-Publishing)
Siân Ruddick looks at the stuggle in Wisconsin, which is changing the US
The battle in Wisconsin has seen hundreds of thousands of US workers rediscover their power. In the most powerful protests for many years, public sector workers—with the support of students, war veterans, pensioners, local campaigners and even some police—have brought the city of Madison to a standstill.
They have shown the US right that they will face determined resistance to any attacks they try to push through. (…) -
(videos) New Jersey rallies to support Wisconsin workers
2 March 2011 par (Open-Publishing)
Thousands of trade unionists rallied in front of the state Capitol in Trenton last week in solidarity with the public workers of Wisconsin who are fighting back against, Scott Walker a righting governor trying to do in 2011 what he would not have dared to do in 1911, when Robert La Follette, Sr., the leading progressive reformer in the nation, was Wisconsin’s United States Senator.
La Follette more than a century ago had led Wisconsin to become the most advanced state in the nation in (…) -
ARTISTS for RESALE RIGHT in EUROPE
2 March 2011 par (Open-Publishing)
CITIZEN CONTRIBUTIONS opened until 11th of march 2011
Resale Right has been created to allow artists or their heirs to get some profit back from the resale of their works. Very often, artists sell low prices artworks which are resaled later much more expensive value.
All citizens and artists unions can contribute to the european consultation to promote resale right in all Europe. Contributions are particularly sought from artists, artists unions and collecting societies managing resale (…) -
11-hour picket slams Gannett union-busting
1 March 2011 par (Open-Publishing)
In what may seem like a case of David and Goliath, 60 broadcast technicians and engineers at WKYC-TV Channel 3 are standing up to the Gannett Corporation’s nationwide union-busting rampage.
Facing a savage attack on their union, the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET) Local 42, the workers got badly needed support from their brothers and sisters at other stations Wednesday, Feb. 23, in an 11-hour silent picket line in front of Channel 3 studios.
Holding (…) -
Video: Rep. Donna Edwards: “Today, We Are All From Wisconsin!”
26 February 2011 par (Open-Publishing)
On Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011, a Union-led solidarity rally, backed by a wide coalition of progressive groups, was held in Annapolis, MD. The action was in support of the ongoing “Wisconsin Protest.” One of the featured speakers at the spirited event was Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD).
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Pioneering Spanish trade union leader Marcelino Camacho dies at 92
29 October 2010 par (Open-Publishing)
Marcelino Camacho, one of Spain’s foremost union leaders and the first secretary general of a top workers’ federation, has died at 92.
Camacho died in a Madrid hospital Friday after several days in serious condition, his union, Comisiones Obreras said.
A committed communist, Camacho fought in the losing Republican army during Spain’s 1936-39 Civil War and then spent 10 years in prison as a staunch opponent of the 1939-75 military dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco.
He founded the (…) -
SEPTEMBER 7TH 2010 INTERNATIONAL ACTION DAY
31 August 2010 par (Open-Publishing)
2 commentsThe World Federation of Trade Unions -WFTU- calls upon the trade union movement and progressive organizations of the world to act, to participate, to join us on the on September 7th 2010, International Action Day.
In 2009-2010, we live in a period of global crisis of the capitalist system. This crisis is deep and embraces all areas of the system: the economy, politics, society, culture, environment, even the personal relationships of the people. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is (…)