Libya’s Humanitarian Crisis: Solidarity First
According to IOM and UNHCR figures, before the Libyan popular uprising against the dictatorship of Colonel Gadaffi broke out on 17 February, there were 3.5 million migrant workers, including about 1 million Egyptians, in Libya. Today there are still over 1 million, many from sub-Saharan Africa.
A Sporting Chance for Workers: Launch of the Play Fair Campaign in Brazil
An international conference organised by Play Fair and the Building Workers’ International is opening today in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Conference will launch the BWI Campaign around the World Cup 2014, as well as the Olympic Games 2016 Play Fair Campaign, and will formalise the strategies and action plans around both campaigns.
Egypt: Decree to Criminalise Strikes a Betrayal of the Revolution
The ITUC has called on the Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf to scrap a proposed decree which would make strikes a criminal offence, with prison terms of up to one year and fines of up to US$ 90,000. The Egyptian Federation of Independent Trade Unions (EFITU) has described the decree as “a grave and worrisome development”, which has already been approved by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
Syria: Regime’s Promises of Partial Reform Insufficient
Partial reforms promised by the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are unlikely to quell the anger spreading across the country, nor satisfy demands for democracy and human rights.
Libya: Deep Concern at Mounting Civilian Toll
The ITUC is deeply concerned over the mounting civilian death and injury toll in Libya, with the continued refusal of the regime of Muammar Gaddafi to enter any form of negotiation with the opposition precipitating international military intervention under a United Nations mandate.