21 April, 2011April 12 marks the day that Swaziland declared a state of emergency in 1973, which is still ongoing 38 years later, making it one of the world's longest running state of emergencies. It has been used to suspend the human rights and political freedom of the Swazi people and includes a ban on political parties. April 12, 2011 was chosen by pro-democracy campaigners for mass protests. Yet the protests planned for three days from the April 12 faced brutal crackdown by Swaziland security forces on anti-government protestors.
21 April, 2011The international labour movement marked the 5th anniversary of the deaths of Mario Alberto Castillo Rodríguez and Héctor Álvarez Gómez with a march in Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico and the submission of new evidence to the ILO highlighting the issue of violence against members of the SNTMMSRM. The murders of Rodríguez and Gómez, named in the ILO complaint (no. 2478), remain unsolved.
20 April, 2011To assist the two unions organizing metalworkers in Angola and strengthen their closer cooperation and mutual support, the IMF held a workshop in Luanda in April 2011, that was attended by union leadership and shop stewards drawn from 12 companies in the metal, chemical, electricity, energy and light industries.
10 February, 2011The International Metalworkers' Federation joined with other labour and rights groups in taking further steps to protect the rights and safety of workers, Mexican Miners' Union members and labour rights activists at Johnson Controls in Puebla, Mexico.
9 February, 2011Over 70,000 people are participating in this years' World Social Forum, taking place in Dakar, Senegal from February 6 to 11, where a debate on what kind of economic system is better to serve society globally is taking place.
8 February, 2011IMF joins with other GUFs in a demonstration outside the Egyptian mission in Geneva as part of the ITUC's Global Day of Action in support of democracy in Egypt.
24 February, 2011The International Metalworkers' Federation calls on its affiliates for submissions to the Global Union Labour Film Shorts 2011, a one hour line-up of the best short films from around the world focused on unions fighting back against austerity cuts. The line-up will be released in June online and in DVD. Submission deadline is 1 April 2011.
24 February, 2011In a historic March to Parliament on February 23, 2011 around 200,000 working people of India rallied in New Delhi demanding control on price rise, strict enforcement of labour laws, linkages of employment protection with the stimulus package, universalisation of social security, enhanced social security fund and to stop privatisation of central public sector enterprises.
22 February, 2011Opposition to the anti-union onslaught against public sector workers in Wisconsin, USA goes global, as unions from around the world protest Governor Scott Walker's plan to deny democracy and fundamental rights.
14 March, 2011IMF sends message of condolence and solidarity to its Japanese affiliate, union members and their families, following the massive earthquake and tsunamis that caused untold devastation and damage to the eastern part of Japan.