18 January, 2012European shipping companies export hazardous waste to developing countries to avoid the costs of proper disposal. The NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a coalition of environmental and labour organizations, calls on the EU Commission to act and prevent toxic waste trade of European end-of-life ships.
17 January, 2012Master Courses in Labour Policies and Globalisation are about to start in Germany and India. Trade unionists and labour activists are invited to apply.
24 January, 2012Over 150,000 workers came out on the streets of Norway to protest against the imposition of a new EU directive on temporary agency workers. The directive can undermine collective agreements by permitting temporary contracts which currently have to be agreed with the unions.
24 January, 2012In January Fair Labor Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending sweatshop conditions in factories worldwide, announced Apple was admitted as a "Participating Company". That means that Apple promises to clean its supply chains from labour abuses during the coming two years. While welcoming this move GoodElectronics promises to watch closely whether the membership means Apple takes action on key problems.
24 January, 2012Italian metalworkers' unions Fim-Cisl and Fiom-Cgil say the official EU report on arms exports is flawed, incomplete and too late. They are among the promoters of the Arms Control Network Rete Italiana per il Disarmo, one of the signatories of a critical appeal against lax European arms export control.
11 January, 2012IMF calls on governments to accelerate incentives for manufacturing industries, in particular steel, as an effective means to boost the prosperity of economies in the face of uncertain conditions for steelworkers in 2012.
11 January, 2012The German and French trade unions affiliated to the IMF make a joint statement on the industrial future in Europe. They appeal to the French and German governments and the European Commission to strengthen the industrial base and secure employment in the European industry.
10 January, 2012Mining giant Rio Tinto Alcan locked out union workers at its Alma smelter in Quebec from January 1, when the union contract expired.
15 December, 2011After 94 days of strike an agreement was signed in Jakarta on December 14 between PT Freeport Indonesia Workers' Union (SP KEP SPSI) and the Indonesian subsidiary of US mining giant Freeport-McMoRan.
12 December, 2011IMF's British affiliate Unite has warned car maker BMW that it could face industrial action in 2012 unless it reverses plans to close its pension scheme to new starters and use a legal loop-hole to deny agency staff equal pay.