Sunday, October 26, 2008

[olympiaworkers] Support striking workers at Oak Harbor


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From: ericlee@labourstart.org
Date: Sun, October 26, 2008

In this week's mailing:

* USA: Support striking workers at Oak Harbor
* South Africa: Dispute ends at Woolworths
* Philippines: Demand release for jailed labour lawyer
* Labour Photo of the Year: Voting ends on 31.10
* Your dollars go further at LabourStart - here's why

***

USA: SUPPORT STRIKING WORKERS AT OAK HARBOR

Oak Harbor Freight Lines workers in Oregon, Washington and Idaho went on
strike more than a month ago and the response of the company has been
brutal.

They've employed scabs, cut off health care to retirees, and bullied and
intimidated striking workers.

A number of responsible companies have decided not to work with Oak Harbor
until the dispute is resolved.

But not The Gap. They're continuing to use a company which is breaking U.S.
labour laws.

We've been asked by the strikers to launch a global campaign to put
pressure on The Gap and on Oak Harbor. Please take a minute to send off
your message:

http://www.labourstart.org/oakharbor

If you're on Facebook, please sign up to the Oak Harbor strikers' cause,
here:

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/135663

Thanks -- and now spread the word!

***

SOUTH AFRICA: DISPUTE ENDS AT WOOLWORTHS

A couple of weeks ago we asked for your support -- and you responded with
over 1,000 messages to the company. Woolworths proved to be acutely
sensitive to this pressure and sent out email messages to many of you
explaining their side of the story. The result has been that the company
agreed to a joint membership verification exercise beginning on Monday, 27
October, and the workers returned to work on Friday. Thanks for your
support!

***

PHILIPPINES: DEMAND RELEASE FOR JAILED LABOUR LAWYER

On Wednesday last week, Remigio Saladero, the chief legal counsel for the
KMU (an independent labor federation in the Philippines) and the union
representing Dole Philippines's workers, was illegally arrested by the
Philippine government. The International Labor Rights Forum has launched
a campaign to call for his release:

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/saladero

***

LABOUR PHOTO OF THE YEAR: VOTING ENDS ON 31.10

Over 2,000 of you have cast your votes for this year's Labour Photo of the
Year competition -- and the race is tight. We have five outstanding
photos to choose from and the deadline for voting is Friday, 31
October. Please make sure you've voted (once!) and spread the word:

http://www.labourstart.org/lpoty/

***

YOUR DOLLARS GO FURTHER AT LABOURSTART - HERE'S WHY

The one good thing to have come out of the global economic crisis is that
your donations in US dollars to LabourStart are now worth a lot more money
to us. A $100 donation used to be worth only £50; today that's worth
almost £63. As we're based in London and pay for services in pounds,
we're very grateful for every dollar donation we receive these days.
Please give generously to support LabourStart's campaigns:

http://www.labourstart.org/docs/en/000002.html

Thanks!

Eric Lee

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