May Day post no.2: May Day around the world
Prompted by Will, I checked in with LabourStart for some Mayday news.
In Zimbabwe, the Mugabe regime is clamping down on celebrations. The trade unions remain one of the best hopes for a post-dictatorship civil society for Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, food prices rise and rise. (Mugabe, of course, is still seen as an anti-imperialist hero by some...)
In Egypt, May Day marchers are fighting the authoritarian government's continued neo-liberal drive, but also the state-controlled union leaderships.
In Nigeria, another "democratatorship", there is little to celebrate, and the police are coming down heavily on them.
In Burma, May Day is banned.
In Turkey, May Day marches have turned violent. This was the first time that workers have been allowed to march since the 1980 coup that turned Turkey into a semi-fascist state.
In Palestine, teachers are on strike, not having been paid in months, putting the continuation of the unity government in doubt.
In Macau, in the "People's" Republic of China, marchers are shot at by police.
In Iran, Tehran's workers are marching, showing great courage.
In Cambodia, the trade union movement's three main leaders have been murdered in recent months.
Bonus links: The story of May Day, Wikipedia's May day, May Day mayhem
Previous: St George's Day, Labour history: Sacco and Venzetti
In Zimbabwe, the Mugabe regime is clamping down on celebrations. The trade unions remain one of the best hopes for a post-dictatorship civil society for Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, food prices rise and rise. (Mugabe, of course, is still seen as an anti-imperialist hero by some...)
In Egypt, May Day marchers are fighting the authoritarian government's continued neo-liberal drive, but also the state-controlled union leaderships.
In Nigeria, another "democratatorship", there is little to celebrate, and the police are coming down heavily on them.
In Burma, May Day is banned.
In Turkey, May Day marches have turned violent. This was the first time that workers have been allowed to march since the 1980 coup that turned Turkey into a semi-fascist state.
In Palestine, teachers are on strike, not having been paid in months, putting the continuation of the unity government in doubt.
In Macau, in the "People's" Republic of China, marchers are shot at by police.
In Iran, Tehran's workers are marching, showing great courage.
In Cambodia, the trade union movement's three main leaders have been murdered in recent months.
Bonus links: The story of May Day, Wikipedia's May day, May Day mayhem
Previous: St George's Day, Labour history: Sacco and Venzetti
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