International Solidarity

International Solidarity

The IWW Haiti Mission

Posted Tue, 04/29/2008 - 12:40pm by x344543

The International Solidarity Commission of the Industrial Workers of the World is sending a delegation of five workers to Haiti to meet with labor groups and observe conditions in the country. We'll be there from April 23 to May 5, 2008. This blog will record the delegation's experiences and impressions.

The link to the blog is iwwinhaiti.blogspot.com. Check it regularly for updates!

Sweden: SAC helps immigrants win unpaid wages in Stockholm

Posted Sun, 04/06/2008 - 5:03pm by x344543

The syndicalist SAC union in Sweden has been campaigning for fair wages for illegal immigrants in the last few months, resulting in thousands of pounds in unpaid wages being paid to migrant workers.

The increasing organisation of illegal immigrants within the syndicalist union SAC have lead to more and more blockades to force the payment of unpaid wages, mainly from employment agencies in the restaurant, cleaning, hotel and building industry. Millions Kronor in unpaid wages have been have been won by the SAC. That these companies and their customers don't want to attract attention to their exploitation of illegal immigrants, in most cases the mere threat of a union blockade has been enough to get the wages paid.

Statement of solidarity from Japan's General Freeters' Union

Posted Sun, 04/06/2008 - 3:09pm by x355494

To the Comrades of IWW

We would like to introduce ourselves to you; we are the Freeters'* Union. We are a Tokyo-based general union, established recently in the face of the out-of-control global situation that the neo-liberal capitalism is running rampant. As precarious workers suffering from working conditions that are becoming more and more fluid and amorphous, we are intensifying our struggles for freedom and survival.

At this moment one of our new campaigns is to organize the "Gas Station Union" to confront Kanto Toyu Co., LTD. – a Japanese member of the Shell Oil Group – that has begun to lay off an increasing number of part-time workers on the pretext of the rise of oil prices and financial instability. It is a necessity to fight gas station chain and the oil driven conglomerate which forcibly lays off its employees in order to make even bigger profits. We will continue to inform you about this campaign, so please keep an eye on our efforts.

Trabajador@s Mexican@s denuncian TLCAN, abusos laborales

Posted Sun, 03/23/2008 - 11:06pm by x339084

Trabajador@s Mexican@s denuncian TLCAN, abusos laborales

por Mike Pesa

Trabajador@s Mexican@s de la Coalición por Justicia en las Maquiladoras (CJM) están de una gira co-patrocinada por los Trabajadores Industriales del Mundo (IWW). Están viajando por América del Norte, compartiendo su perspectiva de primera mano de los efectos de TLCAN y su lucha por la justicia en las fábricas y colonias populares del norte de México. La gira se centra en un día de acción el 13 de marzo en Detroit en contra del Key Safety Systems, un fabricante de partes automotrices, y sus clientes corporativos, inclusive Ford, General Motors y Hyundai. Arrancó la gira en Filadelfia el 4 de marzo y el IWW hospedó a l@s trabajador-organizadores Israel Monroy y Perla Cruz. En febrero, se le despidió ilegalmente a Cruz de la fábrica del Key Safety Systems en Valle Hermoso, México (cerca de la frontera de Texas) por organizar a un comité de trabajadores.

Mexican factory workers speak out on NAFTA, labor abuses

Posted Tue, 03/11/2008 - 1:36pm by x344543

By Mike Pesa

Mexican factory workers from the Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras (CJM) are on an IWW-cosponsored truth-telling tour through North America, sharing their first-hand perspective on the effects of NAFTA and their struggle for justice in the factories and slums of northern Mexico. The tour is focused around a March 13 day of action in Detroit against automotive parts manufacturer Key Safety Systems and its corporate customers, including Ford, General Motors, and Hyundai. The tour kicked off in Philadelphia on March 4th where the IWW hosted worker-organizers Israel Monroy and Perla Cruz. In February, Cruz was illegally fired from Key Safety Systems' plant in Valle Hermoso, Mexico (near the Texas border) for organizing a workers' committee.

On Wednesday, March 5th Monroy and Cruz went to New York City for a day to meet with IWW members and allies there. While in New York they participated in the NYC branch's protest of Panera Bread, which is being targeted for its unfair labor practices and union busting. They were accompanied by Justin Vitiello of the Philadelphia branch, who acted as their translator throughout the week. Returning to Philadelphia, the visitors attended an IWW-sponsored protest at Springfield Hyundai, where the manager accepted a letter urging Hyundai to put pressure on Key Safety Systems. The protest was joined by Irish activist Andrew Flood who was on a speaking tour of his own. Following the protest, Monroy and Cruz spoke to a class at Temple University. Interest was so great that students' questions had to be cut off at one point.