On 7 September 2010 Indian workers staged the world’s biggest ever strike, with an estimated 100 million workers taking part in a 24 hour strike. This year, all major trade union federations* in India have called another general strike for 28 February. Indian workers are expected to come out in huge numbers once again

Increasing integration into the global capitalist economy is impacting severely on workers. Workers in India are now seeing increasing casualisation of jobs, a constant downward pressure on wages, and increasing work pressures to keep up with world’s best standards

The strike’s demands include: Increase the minimum wage; Greater employment protection; An end to contracting out & outsourcing of jobs; Social security for unorganised & informal workers 

5:30pm Tuesday 28 February
Federation Square, Melbourne Australia

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Workers get ready

The 2011 AAWL activities report

Capitalists and their governments impose austerity on workers so that the rich capitalists will maintain their profits. Austerity is a combination of cuts in workers' wages, the destruction of social services and the stealing of natural resources by corporations.

Workers are starting to fight back. Below are reports from some current strikes in strategic industries across the world.

Workers can link these struggles through international solidarity: Solidarity messages, connecting the struggles and coordinating joint industrial actions.

With the uprising in Syria approaching its first year anniversary, the situation for workers, their families and communities is desperate. Syrian workers are fighting for their rights.

Increasingly, various imperialist powers, are competing for influence in the Syrian struggle for their own geopolitical agendas. Alliances with any of the imperialist powers will not serve the workers interests. As we have seen in places like Iraq, Egypt and Libya, the end to dictatorship does not mean an end to repression for workers.

It is time for labour organisations to intervene in Syria. We need to mobilise our economic and social forces to aid our brothers and sisters in Syria. We have the same interests as our Syrian comrades. If we don’t intervene, our enemies will. Click here to keep up to date. 

Education International (EI) is spearheading an international campaign in support of all teachers and students charged with offences related to freedom of speech and the right to assemble. In particular EI is focusing on the plight of Vice-President and President of the Bahraini Teachers Association (BTA). Jalila al-Salman and Mahdi 'Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb have been sentenced to three and ten years’ imprisonment respectively. Click here for more information 

On the 6th of February, a three storey pharmaceutical factory in Lahore collapsed following a major explosion to one of its boilers. It killed 16 workers, some of whom were children, and injured at least another 50. The factory had been shut down by inspectors twice already in the past, but was operating illegally. Companies routinely flout OHS laws in Pakistan 

Foxconn is one of Apple’s biggest manufacturing partners. It employs hundreds of thousands of workers in China in huge industrial complexes. A recent report into the working conditions of electronic workers once again highlighted the shocking conditions workers have to endure. Independent unions are not allowed at Foxconn. Click here for more information

The fight against contracting out at Philippines Airlines is ongoing. Around 1,800 members of PALEA, the local union, are still holding their picket line and demanding their jobs back. They are not being intimidated by constant harassment, including judicial hearing against them. International support for their struggle keeps expanding. Click here to end solidarity messages and financial assistance