The Thorny Road to Freedom (of Association): A Dispatch from the Philippines
On January 24, women trade unionists in the Philippines held a silent protest in front of the Makati Diamond Hotel
How ILO’s Mission to the Philippines Became the Focal Point of Labour Mobilisation: A Primer
The ILO High Level Tripartite Mission (HLTM) is visiting the Philippines on 23-26 January 2023, and the Philippine labour movement has been mobilising to pressure the government to respect the rights of workers. We present a Prime to explain what the HLTM is and why this is a crucial moment for the Philippine labour movement.
Raids on KCTU, Neoliberal Crisis and Popular Authoritarianism in South Korea: An Explainer
On 18 January, the National Intelligence Service raided the headquarters of Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). What happened, and why? Here is an Explainer.
Arrests, Power-Building and Togetherness: An Interview with Philippine Activist Kara Taggaoa
The moment Kara Taggaoa and Larry Valbuena stepped out of the court for one false charge, they were immediately arrested and taken away by the police on another false charge. We spoke with Kara Taggaoa about her arrest, the red-tagging and surveillance, and dealing with fellow activists being killed, as well as her own organising background and campaigns.
Resistance is Possible: Lives of Grab Workers in Indonesia
Some analysts of the platform-based gig economy have argued that the potential of gig workers to resist their exploitation is low. I want to show the opposite: it is not only possible to organise drivers to resist precarity - it is already happening.
The Thorny Road to Freedom (of Association): A Dispatch from the Philippines
On January 24, women trade unionists in the Philippines held a silent protest in front of the Makati Diamond Hotel
How ILO’s Mission to the Philippines Became the Focal Point of Labour Mobilisation: A Primer
The ILO High Level Tripartite Mission (HLTM) is visiting the Philippines on 23-26 January 2023, and the Philippine labour movement has been mobilising to pressure the government to respect the rights of workers. We present a Prime to explain what the HLTM is and why this is a crucial moment for the Philippine labour movement.
Raids on KCTU, Neoliberal Crisis and Popular Authoritarianism in South Korea: An Explainer
On 18 January, the National Intelligence Service raided the headquarters of Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). What happened, and why? Here is an Explainer.
Resistance is Possible: Lives of Grab Workers in Indonesia
Some analysts of the platform-based gig economy have argued that the potential of gig workers to resist their exploitation is low. I want to show the opposite: it is not only possible to organise drivers to resist precarity - it is already happening.
A Brief History of Grab in Southeast Asia: transnationality, dominance and resistance
Platform companies operate transnationally. Should labour movements respond transnationally, too? Over the next few months, we will be publishing a Special Series on Grab in Southeast Asia to understand how Grab operates in different contexts, and what forms workers' organising and resistance have taken in each context.
Labor’s Winter of Discontent: Korean Truckers’ Strike against the Conservative Government
Cargo truck drivers in South Korea have repeatedly gone on strikes to protect their livelihood against a conservative government bent on eroding the power of unions. We explain why their struggles are so important, how the government has wielded its power to attack unions, and what unions are doing to push back against the attacks.
Arrests, Power-Building and Togetherness: An Interview with Philippine Activist Kara Taggaoa
The moment Kara Taggaoa and Larry Valbuena stepped out of the court for one false charge, they were immediately arrested and taken away by the police on another false charge. We spoke with Kara Taggaoa about her arrest, the red-tagging and surveillance, and dealing with fellow activists being killed, as well as her own organising background and campaigns.
Foxconn’s Great Escape
In late October, dramatic images and videos of Chinese workers jumping over factory walls and fences and walking home on foot grabbed global headlines. Why is this happening, and why does the story resonate with so many people?
“Human life means nothing (to them)”: A Chinese worker’s account of fleeing Foxconn
Stories of workers escaping from Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory in China have been circulating on Chinese social media. Fearful of COVID-19 inflection and confined to the factory compound, some workers panicked and fled home. To bring forward a worker's perspective on why and how they fled, we have translated a worker's account of her experience.
Becoming a Union Leader: the story of Indonesian garment union organizer Aan Aminah
From unhappy childhood in a village, working as a domestic worker, to learning to become a union leader who courageously leads workers' protests, Aan Aminah recounts her inspirational stories in a wide-ranging conversation.
Unions Ramping Up Pressure for Respecting Rights of Hong Kong’s Foreign Domestic Workers
More than 300,000 foreign domestic workers are vital to sustaining Hong Kong society, yet their existence is almost invisible, their voices marginalised, and concerns sidelined. We spoke to FADWU about their campaigns to protect domestic workers' rights.
The Longest Strike in Cambodia: How NagaWorld Workers Fight for Livelihood, Dignity and Union Rights (Part 2)
The striking workers, having held out for so long against employer and government attacks, need international support and labor solidarity as urgently as ever.
Unravelling the Hidden Underpinnings of Capitalism: revisiting labour regimes and value chains in globalised production
What are the analytical tools with which we can best understand the changing organisation of work in globalised production? This review essay revisits and contextualises critical concepts such as labour regime and value chains as discussed in two recent outstanding publications.
How Urbanizing the Population Deepened China’s Rural-Urban Divide in Migrant Schooling
As China urbanizes, its system of household registration, hukou, continues to exacerbate social, economic and educational inequalities for rural migrant workers and their children.
Year in Review: Collected Reflections
As 2022 drew to a close, we posed a number of questions to activists and researchers. We hope these reflections can deepen our understanding of each other’s work, and stimulate more dialogues on our projects of building workers’ power.
Fahmi Panimbang’s Year in Reflection
In our latest Year in Reflection, we invited Fahmi Panimbang from Solidar Suisse, Asia. In 2022, which workers’ struggle in
Yang Kyung Kyu’s Year in Reflection
We wrap up our Year in Reflection with an extended reflection by Mr. Yang Kyung Kyu, the former Vice President
Elaine Lu’s Year in Reflection
In our latest Year in Reflection, we posed the questions to Elaine Lu from Solidar Suisse, Asia. What is one
Aidan Chau and Caitlin E. Schultz’s Year in Reflection
In our latest Year in Reflection, we spoke to Aidan Chau and Caitlin E. Schultz at China Labour Bulletin, Hong
Monishankar Prasad’s Year in Reflection
In our latest Year in Reflection, we posed the questions to Monishankar Prasad, an independent labour researcher. In 2022, what