Campaigns

The 5th issue of "Crossing Borders", a transnational newsletter on "Movements and Struggles of Migration", is out again in several languages with a focus on womens migration. One year ago "Crossing Borders!" appeared for the first time as an attempt to foster transnational communication ...Website: http://www.noborder.org/crossing_borders/

On March 8, 2008, the third station of the Transnational Chain of Migration Related Actions took place in Turin. The conference was planned after the huge demonstration of October 27, 2007, in Brescia (14.000 migrants), and held in the perspective of opening the process toward a migrants’ May Day008 in Milan. Our aim is to improve the general struggle against precarisation of labour starting from the political centrality of migrant labour. In this perspective, and for the developing of migrants’ networking process and struggles, it was necessary to understand deeply how the contemporary conditions of labour are changing and how the political management of borders and migration is connected with the process of precarization of labour as a whole.

China Labour Bulletin wholeheartedly adds its voice to the local and international condemnation of the recent attacks on a migrant workers' centre in Shenzhen, and calls for the local police to thoroughly investigate the case and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The Dagongzhe Centre in the Longgang district of Shenzhen has been vandalized and staff intimidated by groups of thugs in three separate incidents over the last two months, the most serious of which occurred on 20 November, when Dagongzhe lawyer, Huang Qingnan, was attacked and grievously injured by two men with knives. The attackers escaped and a week later Huang was still in a serious condition in hospital.

On Saturday November the 17th, a new campaign in the cleaning sector of the Netherlands has started. It’s an initiative from the trade union, but unlike in other union campaigns, this time the cleaners themselves will take action. It is David against Goliath , only 7% of the cleaners are organised, fighting against some of the biggest cleaning companies in Europe. The cleaners need all the help they can get. We, social organisations involved with the campaign, call out to all people concerned with social justice, to help us make this campaign a success. Join us, participate, come to the campaign launch on Saturday November 17th or subscribe to the newsletter below.

A.A.: "Defensor del Pueblo "

Estamos ya en fechas frías, de familia, de recogimiento, de fiestas, pero yo
no puedo dejar de pensar en unas personas que sin haber hecho nada más que salir a
buscar el pan muy lejos, se encuentran encerradas hoy en unos centros militares que
parecen cárceles de otro tiempo, me refiero entre otros al Centro de Internamiento
de Extranjeros de Las Raíces, en Tenerife, del que he tenido conocimiento, por lo que
viene saliendo en los medios de comunicación y sobre todo por la especial vinculación
que tengo con las causas humanitarias, que están allí recluidos en muy malas
condiciones, en un viejo cuartel militar ubicado en una zona fría y muy lluviosa
en esta época del año, donde los migrantes duermen en tiendas de campaña a la

HOUSTON--On the heels of a string of victories in Miami, Los Angeles and Boston that have resulted in dramatic gains for workers and their families, more than 5,300 janitors in Houston won higher wages, more hours, and health insurance in their first city-wide union contract. The contract will lift hundreds of janitors out of poverty, more than doubling their income within 24 months and guaranteeing secure affordable health care. Houston is the second major victory for janitors in less than a year, and is being seen as a major breakthrough in the South and for low-wage workers around the country.

Berlin Update: On Wednesday November 8th almost 50 of us participated in a strong action against 3 Hines related properties. We made an action tour and picketed a bank, a hotel and the Hines headquarters. We were activists from different collectives, unionists from Verdi (German Trade Union) and also representatives from the London and Australian justice for janitors campaigns. The Berlin police was a pain in the ass but we were able to make ourselves heard.

Justice for Janitors in Houston www.houstonjanitors.org

Thousands of migrant cleaners are on strike in Houston, the 4th most important city in the US - and Bush territory. The cleaners, many of whom are migrants from Mexico, clean the majority of Houston's office buildings. They receive the lowest wages and benefits of any major city in the U.S -- only 4,16€ per hour and no health insurance coverage while cleaning the most important oil companies' headquarters in the world and the most important global real-estate corporations.

Cleaning companies recently threatened to deport undocumented cleaners who support the strike to break union efforts (Texas has one of the harshest political climates, i.e. anti-labour and anti-migrant).

Take Action to Support Striking South African Cleaners!

Hold Multinational Corporations Accountable for Cleaners’ Poverty Wages!

On September 13th, cleaners and supporters in New York, London, Hamburg, Sao Paolo, the Hague, Sydney, Chicago, Boston and other cities will take action to support South African office cleaners who have been on strike for more than one month.

Cleaners will conduct a “Day of Global Action” aimed at convincing wealthy multinational corporations like Bayer, J.P. Morgan and KPMG to take immediate steps to improve the wages of South African janitors who clean their facilities.

We expect our support actions to continue and to grow in more cities until South African cleaners win their struggle. So please pass on the word and help us organize more global support.

Edward Morrison used to be a packing house worker at Smithfield Foods' plant in Tar Heel, North Carolina. His job was to flip 250-pound hog carcasses, and then line them up for the next worker to handle. Smithfield expected Edward to handle 500 of them every hour, working at an inhuman pace.

When Edward injured his knee at work and needed surgery, Smithfield gave him only 30 days to recover. His doctors said he needed four months. After two months, Smithfield got tired of waiting and fired him.

Edward describes his time on Smithfield's line as "a living hell." Today, he is fighting for justice at Smithfield.

You can help. Stand with Edward, Smithfield workers, other working people, and community leaders as they rally for justice at the company's shareholders meeting on August 30.