A selection of articles from the SASK magazine "Työmaana maailma" ("The world is our working place") is translated into English. The magazine in Finnish can be subscribed for free. (In Finland only.) Työmaana maailma is published twice a year, in December and in May.
(Trade Union News from Finland)
The Trade Union Solidarity Centre of Finland recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. I believe that it is safe to say that the organization has far exceeded the expectations of the some 40 union representatives who participated in the founding meeting of SASK on 5 November 1986. A short summary of SASK's development demonstrates why such a claim is justified. Its work has significantly expanded and developed when measured by all essential criteria.
China is widely acknowledged as the world’s manufacturing workshop, producing cheap consumer goods for the global market. However, its role as the world’s manufacturing hot-spot is gradually diminishing because China’s labour is becoming increasingly expensive due to rising standard of living and shortage of skilled labour. Will the search for low-wage production centres therefore shift to other regions in Asia or will there be altogether a continental shift to other emerging market economies, including Africa? These were the subjects in a seminar organised by the Finnish Trade Union Solidarity Centre (SASK) on December 9th 2011.
SASK, The Trade Union Solidarity Centre of Finland celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. It has provided capacity-building and financially supported trade union organisations across the world and sometimes in a very difficult political environment. SASK has also collaborated with many international organisations in high profile labour and human rights campaigns.
Unlike in the agriculture sector, where consumers can switch their purchases to alternative fair trade-label products which are produced under decent working conditions, there are no such alternative fair trade label products in the electronic sector goods sector.
What kind of industry invests in dependence on "self-employed tourists" from Thailand? asks a researcher who spent two weeks with the berry pickers in Northern Finland.
Thai Labour Campaign leader sees that after clearing the Red Shirts from the streets of Bangkok, the government is likely to turn and target trade union members with political persecution.
One would have to be very desperate indeed to wish that the situation in his country “was even as good as in Zimbabwe”. This, however, is the situation in Swaziland, as expressed by the opposition leader Mario Masuku.
- Trade unionists can no longer negotiate realistic wages as the economy continues on its free fall, says Last Tarabuku, coordinator for the ZCTU Emergency Support project.
