Sweatshops

US: A Dispute Over Unionizing at Montana Hair Salons

Sat, 29 Aug 2009

The Regis Corporation, parent of Cost Cutters and the largest hair salon company in the U.S., is asking stylists in Montana to sign a document foregoing any future pro-union signature. Regis claims the document is meant to protect against union-card legislation now in Congress.

US: 'Card check' ballots to determine union representation

Tue, 24 Feb 2009

Glenn Spencer, executive director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, was in Denver on Monday to decry H.R. 800, federal legislation that would give workers greater rights to unionize. Spencer spoke at the offices of the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry and warned of the �most radical rewrite of labor law in 70 years.�

JAPAN: Nissan to Slash Payroll, Pare Japanese Output

Mon, 09 Feb 2009

Nissan Motor Co. Monday announced plans to slash more than 20,000 jobs world-wide, shift production out of Japan and seek government assistance from Japan, the U.S. and elsewhere, part of a broad new effort by the Japanese car maker to weather the economic downturn.

UK, ITALY: Italian business body hits at Brown

Mon, 09 Feb 2009

In the context of global debate around the unfettered free-market system, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown comes under fire from an Italian business association for not reining in wildcat labor strikes at the Lindsey oil refinery in Lincolnshire.

SOUTH AFRICA: AngloGold workers protest SAfrican mine deaths

Thu, 02 Oct 2008

Three workers in South Africa died after three separate mining incidents as miners at AngloGold Ashanti's TauTona mine stopped work over a fatality there last week, union and company officials said on Thursday.

Toyota: Auto Industry Race to the Bottom

Tue, 16 Sep 2008

Globally, Toyota is known for its innovation and quality of products like the Prius hybrid. A closer look at operations in Japan, the Philippines, Myanmar and the U.S. reveals a story of extreme working conditions, union-busting and other corporate abuses. In Japan and elsewhere, workers are speaking out.

US: 2nd Walkout at Boeing in 3 Years

Sat, 06 Sep 2008

The Boeing Company, whose order books are bulging with demand for its planes, was hit by its second major strike in three years early Saturday, when the union that represents 27,000 machinists in Washington State, Oregon and Kansas walked off the job.

US: Inquiry Finds Under-Age Workers at Meat Plant

Tue, 05 Aug 2008

State labor investigators have identified 57 under-age workers who were employed at a kosher meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa, and have asked the attorney general to bring criminal charges against the company for child labor violations, Dave Neil, the Iowa Labor Commissioner, said on Tuesday.

US: Toxic Smoke and Mirrors

Filed in federal District Court in Cleveland, their claim joined thousands of others pending against welding-products manufacturers in state and federal courts. (Employers have not been among the targets because lawyers generally concluded they were ignorant of the metal's dangers.)

US: Workers on Hunger Strike Say They Were Misled on Visas

Sat, 07 Jun 2008

The Indian workers say they were deceived by Signal International and labor recruiters when they paid as much as $20,000 for visas they believed would allow them to work and live permanently with their families in the United States. In fact, the H-2B visas are for short-term contracts.