GDP Measures the Wealth of Bankers
By Dady Chery, News Junkie Post | Haiti Chery. Libya’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 108 percent in 2012. By contrast, the growths of Japan and other developed countries, as measured by their GDP, have stagnated at values below three percent and sometimes negative. If you are shaking your head, thinking there must be a mistake in the World Bank’s computations, think again.
Aaron Swartz’ s Guerrilla Open Access Manifesto
By Aaron Swartz | Haiti Chery. “The world’s entire scientific and cultural heritage, published over centuries in books and journals, is increasingly being digitized and locked up by a handful of private corporations….”
By Dady Chery, News Junkie Post | Haiti Chery. USAID’s goals were originally to diminish the threat of communism and open new markets for the US; these have expanded to include: developing “countries’ policies and institutions” and even “rebuilding government.”
Gee-Whiz Science or Biopiracy?
By Sifelani Tsiki, The Herald | Editorial comment by Dady Chery, Haiti Chery. Pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food companies have made millions on plant species that have been used for generations by indigenous groups. Africa could be losing more than US $15 billion from its biodiversity as medicines, cosmetics, agricultural products from indigenous knowledge are illegally patented by multinational companies without benefits accruing to local communities in the countries of origin.
Haiti’s Assembly Workers Promised 87 Cents Per Hour
By Dady Chery, Haiti Chery. Haiti’s sweatshop factory owners enjoy unprecedented duty free and quota-free access to the U.S. market, and only prison wages come close to the scandalously low 87 cents/hour salary promised to Haiti’s workers.
By Dady Chery, Haiti Chery. For every embargo against the Dominican Republic (DR), there come a rash of repatriations and other abuses of Haitians. Rights groups call on the Haitian government to speak up for its nationals and denounce the abuses against them in the DR.
By Staff, News Track India. An opposition-called shutdown against economic reforms hit normal life in many states of India, where shops and businesses in these states were universally shut. Rail and road transport was also badly hit, inconveniencing millions. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) estimates that the Indian economy lost $2.25 billion because of the pan-India work stoppage.
By Staff, International Labor Rights Forum. Two separate fires in Pakistan killed more than 300 trapped workers: 289 workers in a Karachi apparel factory (sweatshop) and 25 workers in a Lahore shoe factory on Tuesday September 11, 2012. National Trade Union Federation of Pakistan (NTUF) leader Nasir Mansoor called this the “darkest and saddest day in the history of Pakistan’s labor movement.” The fires are considered to be the logical result of the low prices buyers offer the factories and the quick deliveries they demand.
Interview of Michael Novick with Gilbert Mercier, New Junkie Post | Editorial Comment by Dady Chery, Haiti Chery. Occupy is one year-old. One would think from the news that this nascent movement is merely a series of arbitrary skirmishes between protesters and police. But if there is one area where Occupy has shined, it has been in its alliance with Labor. This excellent December 2011 article and interview of an Occupy Los Angeles organizer discusses one of the earliest efforts by Occupy to ally itself with Labor and nicely articulates the hopes for the movement.
By Gahiji Innocent, News of Rwanda. President Paul Kagame gave a rare interview to the Harvard International Review on the heels of a new investment deal with China and the establishment of sovereign fund that has raised some Rwf 15 billion in two weeks. But even with Chinese cash and investments pouring into Rwanda, Mr Kagame says the ultimate decision about the development of Africa remains with Africans. With regard to Rwanda, Kagame said: “No nation, even the ones who supported the genocide, owes us a favor…. I have said many times to our people, ‘Why should the taxpayers of another nation put food in our mouths and for how long?’”
Soaring Food Prices in Haiti (+ Video, Sep 19, 2012)
By Ricardo Pierre Placide, Le Matin | Translation by Dady Chery, Haiti Chery. Over the past several months, Haitian households have faced an unprecedented 40% increase on average in the prices of essential commodities such as eggs, rice, sugar, and flour. (English | French).
By Jenny Brown, Labor notes | William Rogers, Left Labor Reporter. Workers at IKEA, a Swedish furniture company that had outsourced its labor to the U.S. because of low wages, have managed to unionize with support from Swedish workers. The win showed the promise of linking unions across borders to pressure European owners.
Hotel Workers Fight Back: Launch Global Boycott of Hyatt, Class-Action Suit Against Temp Agency
By Staff, UNITED HERE | Jenny Brown, Labor Notes. The hotel housekeepers union UNITE HERE gathered in Washington, D.C. on Monday, July 23 to launch an international boycott of Hyatt hotels under the banner “Hyatt Hurts.” The workers complain of injurious workloads and an employer who seeks to subcontract their jobs. In addition a class action suit is being launched on behalf of 3,000 Indiana hotel workers who estimate a liability of $10 million and claim that temporary agency employer Hospitality Staffing Solutions (HSS) regularly stole their wages and conspired with the hotels to blacklist them and deny them permanent jobs.
By David Swanson/Douglas Ou-ee-ii-jay-ii Jack, War Is a Crime. The great majority of Canadians are unaware of their status as world leaders in activities such as mine development, energy development, deforestation, consumerism, and weapons sales.