Good Riddance to a Bad Apple

Back from a fantastic holiday with my family and, apart from the need to catch up on the background/extent of the UK riots, I have been trying to get my head around the many global developments in issues related to labour and workers’ rights.

One of the more eye-catching was the breathless praise poured over the sickly (quite literally) outgoing CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs.

Any trade unionist with an ear to the ground will know that Apple’s success under the reign of Jobs has rested primarily on the outsourcing of production to anywhere that Apple could quickly grow phenomenal profits at the expense of workers’ rights in a number of Asian countries, particularly China.

Our friends at SACOM (http://sacom.hk/archives/837) have maintained an excellent job of uncovering the brutality of working lives at Foxconn for example and Talking Union (blog of the US DSA - http://talkingunion.wordpress.com/) are documenting well the range of contemporary grievances of thousands of Chinese workers including those of workers alleging poisoning at Wintek – see the story posted by Debby Chan on 28 Aug.

In the past Jobs has not disguised his particularly vulgar views on trade unions in the US, so it is not surprising that he would care less about workers’ rights outside of the States. On a number of occasions (http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/119713) he has fallen into the typical hard-right blackhole of condemning teaching unions for alleged poor standards in schools.

The highly rated ZDNET (http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/steve-jobs-blasts-teacher-unions-and-textbook-industry/4518) was one of many electronic sources which, despite its usual support for Apple products, quickly saw through Jobs’ blather, “He's right that the ideal would be to only have great teachers, but blaming the bad teacher syndrome totally on the unions isn't going to solve the problem. Paying teachers a better wage to attract more talent (they don't get those nice back-dated stock options) and keeping the good teachers from seeking other employment because they can't afford to teach would be a good start.”

It is also worth documenting that this has all occurred against a backdrop of nascent labour organisation in Jobs’ backyard. With the news earlier this year (www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/an-app-for-workers-rights-employee-at-apple-starts-union-bid-2297095.html) that some Apple had got together to form the Apple Retail Workers Union what better way to raise two fingers up to the ailing Jobs as he exits stage left.

The union has a hesitant web presence currently with a web-site that it principally collecting contact details (www.appleretailunion) and attempting – for justifiable reasons – to gather the details of potential recruits amongst what Apple staff. A more buoyant Facebook page exists and is worth a visit not least to express solidarity.

Even The Observer yesterday had a praiseworthy piece on Jobs, which is probably the catalyst for this post. What a pity, I thought, that in examining the global growth and reach of a corporation, the media cannot ask at what price for the workers involved?

Comments, additions and questions welcome.

In Solidarity

Ian

Αλληλεγγύης (Solidarity)

Colleagues,

I am just heading off to Crete for a break with my family.

And, I am very pleased to report that, in addition to the strong protest movements on the Greek mainland in full swing, there is plenty of militant trade union action evident in Crete also.

It also transpires that not all of the unrest is linked to the Greek government's response to the debt-crisis.

A quick round-up indicates the following:

The Hellenic Seamen’s Union (PNO) is kicking up a fuss because of planned changes to T&Cs and is currently doing a sterling job blockading a number of ports. I hope to get myself to the port closest to where I am staying and, with my dire Greek, send a message of solidarity.

The taxi drivers' union in collaboration with the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) must be causing mayhem with their blockade of Iraklio Airport. I derive great pleasure from the angst of fuming Brits when they encounter striking sisters and brothers on the continent. These gits think they have avoided Bob Crow and his heirs and saunter off to Crete to avoid him only to find his kindred spirits in equally feisty mode!

Even the dentists are threatening to down their tweezers, or whatever it is they tap your teeth with. Apparently the government want to allow those without a degree in dentistry to set up in practice - and they wonder why the tooth doctors are getting all uptight -much gnashing of teeth!

There is a full round-up of all disputes in Greece and across the islands at: http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/show_news.pl?country=Greece

All being I will make it back without being arrested or joining some form of insurrection!

In Solidarity

Ian

Rank & File

Colleagues,

In October Haymarket Books are publishing a revised and expanded version of this phenomenally important, classic text by Alice Lynd and Staughton Lynd.

Why is this book so important? Because it provides an oral history account of how men and women forged the American labour movement and of how this was done despite the bureaucracy of the 'official' trade union movement.

If you are particularly interested in how we address the modern challenges of labour movement renewal, discover how labour movements start, from stories by the people that started them.

You will be able to order the new edition of Rank & File from PM Books which is a good place to look for books on the labour movement and left in the US: www.pmpress.org/content/index.php

Cheers

Ian

Addicted to Risk: Naomi Klein, Jan 2011

Ruskin College: Education for Transformation

Colleagues,

As the end of the academic year nears it was great to spend some time today with TUC students at Ruskin who have just completed the Employment Law Diploma and Heath & Safety courses.

Pictured left is the group of trade union activists who have beneffited from their educational experience at Ruskin; and from whom Ruskin can still claim a live, direct link with the work of trade unions in the UK and internationally.

No form of workers' education no matter how short or even informal can be derided for its ultimate goal of seeking to enable some degree of change or transformation is society.

As Poalo Freire said: "Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world."

At Ruskin I am proud to say that we continue to play a highly active part in facilitating this form of education. Pictured here are colleagues who make the TUC education activity at Ruskin what it is, Rachel Hemstock (TUC Centre Administrator), Tracy Walsh (Tutor on TUC Courses and labour studies BA and MA) and Nigel Williams (TUC Centre Co-ordinator and current student on the Ruskin labour studies MA!).

Even though the future of further and higher education in the UK remains uncertain, it is days like these which remind you of the central importance that education can play in, quite simply, making things happen.

In Solidarity

Ian

Turn the Tide

Colleagues,

The phone hacking scandal could prove to be a critical juncture at which to strike definitively at News International and Murdoch.

There is plenty going at the moment and you should see it as your duty to get involved.

Sign up for the protests that are being organised by the new FaceBook group - they are working constructively to chuck high grade oil onto the flames which are licking the heels of those companies which are fleeing the NI stable: http://www.facebook.com/boycottNOTW#!/boycottNOTW#!/boycottNOTW?sk=photos

There is the explictly anti-Murdoch/BSkyB petition at 38 Degree: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/murdoch-deal-petition#petition

Avaaz too are taking the NoW scandal to attempt the BSkyB takeover: http://www.avaaz.org/en/murdoch_messages_2/?fp

I have even come across Tories (without whom where would Murdoch be?!) attempting to hitch a ride on the boycott wagon!

In Solidarity

Ian

This is What Anger Looks Like!

Colleagues,

Despite the under-reporting of the fantastic turnout for yesterday's day of action, I am pleased to read this morning the news of concerted strike action across the UK.

I am also pleased to record my own, small contribution to the action in Oxford city centre yesterday where hundreds of trade unionists took over the city centre at lunchtime.

The two pictures here are testimony to the proud throng which bemused tourists and delighted the

locals. Although the ConDems will continue to paint us as a minority, they cannot contain the pure anger that was out on the street yesterday.

I look forward the the planned waves of further action and guarantee you that Ruskin College staff will be there taking a rightful place amongst sisters and brothers of the British labour movement.

In Solidarity.

Ian