repression

Riot police in Seoul have stepped up their repression of the "candlelight demonstrations" in Korea, arresting around 150 people after a demonstration on August 15th. Police used water cannons filled with dye on the protestors, and used dye stains as a pretext for arrests.

Several labour and union militants have received punitive sentances following on a wave of repression in Iran through 2007 and 2008. In full:

Seyed Qaleb Hosseini, sentenced to 50 lashes and 6 months in prison

Abdullah Khani, sentenced to 40 lashes and 91 days in prison

Khaled Hosseini, sentenced to 30 lashes and a suspended prison sentence

On Saturday 9/08 the peacefull protests by residents of Lefkimi against the creation of an open refuse-dump at the periphery of their village were once again met with police repression: the riot-police made extened use of tear gas and disregarded home-asylum laws by attacking residents with battons within their very backyards.

The movement, and other militant movements in South Africa considers Daniels and Isaacs to be political prisoners and is mobilising support on this basis.

The union is gathering evidence that cleaners have been bullied, harassed and threatened with the sack and with illegal punitive deductions from their wages if they take strike action.

The Pacific Maritime Association has asked the National Labor Relations Board to file charges against the union. The employers’ move, initiated in late May, comes in the midst of ongoing contract talks.

On Monday 23 of June 2008 Bangladeshi foremen and thugs in the pay of the “LADY FASHION” clothing sweatshop in Votanikos, Athens, attacked Bangladeshi immigrant workers who had refused to work in the previous day (Sunday being an official day-off in Greece), using iron bars and wooden clubs.

Grand Rapids, MI (06/06/2008) - Starbucks terminated a barista active in the IWW Starbucks Workers Union today as part of its ongoing effort to combat a growing movement of employees pushing for a living wage and secure work hours. The barista, Cole Dorsey, was fired after two years of service while he was coordinating a union recruitment drive at Starbucks stores in Grand Rapids.

The Iraqi Oil minister, Hussein Al-Shahirstani, had ordered the transfer of 8 Oil Union activists.

They used to work at the Oil refineries in the south. This act represents the minister's anti-union policy, and lack of respect for Unions and Unions' activists in the Oil sector.