Nine trade union members of IndustriALL affiliate, the Bangladesh Independent Garment Workers Union Federation, were detained over the weekend of 11-12 February in Chittagong after police interrupted a training session in union offices. The new arrests, and, in particular, the targeting of national-level union leaders, represent an escalation of the government’s campaign of repression against…
The international trade union movement continues to deplore the actions of the Iranian government in its heavy handed stance of imprisoning trade unionists on unjust, trumped up charges. One such case is of Mr. Esmail Abdi, a leader of the Tehran Teacher Trade Association, who has been sentenced to a six-year jail term on bogus…
As delegates head to Brighton for the TUC’s 148th Congress, we’ve received a fascinating report from the Ghana TUC Congress held last month, which we wanted to share. Thanks to Justice Baako Ntarmah, General Secretary of the Migrants & Domestic Workers’ Union, for his report. The Ghana Trades Union Congress held its 10th Quadrennial Delegates Congress…
The teachers’ union UNE of Ecuador (Unión Nacional de Educadores), an affiliate of global union federation Education International (EI), is facing the threat of being shut down by the Ecuadorian government as the Ministry of Education has initiated proceedings for the union’s legal dissolution. EI is running a campaign action in partnership with Labour Start…
I wrote with some optimism a few days ago about Colombia’s impending peace deal that would seek ratification in a referendum in September. This historic cease-fire agreement was signed on 23 June by the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP) guerrillas after years of negotiations. It should bring an end to…
Colombia is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a trade unionist. It has become a murder capital for trade union activists and continues to feature prominently on the International Trade Union Confederation’s annual Global Rights Index, which names the world’s top ten worst countries for workers’ rights. Last year 22…
The debate around mobilising young voters in the EU Referendum was the topic of the live studio debate organised by visual think tank COVi in partnership with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) last Wednesday (15 June). The event at Somerset House brought together a panel of MPs, academic researchers and campaigners to thrash out what needs to be…