GPJA #487: Sat. Protest: “Justice for Migrant Workers- Stand Up Fight Back!”

GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AUCKLAND NEWSLETTER No. 487, DECEMBER 18, 2013

Sat. Protest: "Justice for Migrant Workers- Stand Up Fight Back!"

Paid less than legal minimum wage – Long hours – No leave. Empty promises made by the employer – threats from the employer. Navvivek Singh was forced to go through all this and much more!! He is simply asking for what is rightfully his. Do not sit in silence – IT COULD BE YOU NEXT. "Appropriation of man by man must end forever" Shaheed Bhagat Singh Join Navvivek and Unite Union for a peaceful protest on Saturday 21 Dec 2013 at 3.30pm outside Super Liquor Papatoetoe.

WHAT’S ON IN AOTEAROA/NEW ZEALAND

Thursday, December 19, 9.30am, Queen Street below the Town Hall clock tower, Queen St, Auckland
Living Wage Mobilization: Next Thursday, Auckland City Councillors will vote on the 2014 budget which includes Mayor Len Brown’s proposal to phase in the Living Wage for directly employed council workers over 3 years. The vote is expected to be close so Living Wage Auckland and the Mayor are asking for a show of support for the Living Wage at the meeting. Please come if you are able to. We will be gathering on Queen Street below the Town Hall clock tower at 9:30am Thur 19 Dec and proceeding to join the Councillors for the vote. You are welcome to bring signs, placards and banners to express your support for the Living Wage. Please circulate this invitation amongst others who may be able to attend.

Friday, December 20, 12 noon, ACC Central Auckland, 18 Sale St, Auckland City
National Day of Action against ACC persecution. Mike Dixox-McIver has had his life ruined by ACC for fighting for the rights of the underprivileged. Here is Seven Sharp’s story on Mike http://tvnz.co.nz/seven-sharp/acc-bankrupted-74-year-old-video-5446517 ACC’s Actions Result In Hunger Strike. Mike Dixon-McIver is a 75 year old man who spent a large part of his life trying to help people deal with ACC. Over the years, Mike assisted thousands of people, victims of personal injury and ACC’s ruthless, bureaucratic claims management practices, to obtain the cover and entitlements that Parliament said they should have. In return, ACC persecuted and broke him. https://www.facebook.com/events/714508471893747/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular

Friday, December 20, 6pm, People’s Cinema, 57 Manners St, Wellington
The Freedom Shop is ending the year with a film that is less overtly political and a little more entertaining, but not without a moral or two…. ‘What to Do in Case of Fire’ is set in Berlin. It’s 1987 and six young squatters are busy fighting street battles with police, smoking a lot of dope and then film themselves making a home-made pressure-cooker bomb. But the bomb is a dud and soon forgotten. However, 12 years later it does go off – but the group have long since disbanded and some of them are a bit more conservative and traditional than they used to be… So come and join us for the last film screening of the year – ‘What to Do in Case of Fire’. Time: Doors open: 6pm – Film starts: 6.30pm. Entry by Koha Links: http://freedomshopaotearoa.blogspot.co.nz/ – https://www.facebook.com/PeoplesCinema

Friday, December 20, 7pm, WEA 59 Gloucester Street, Christchurch
Christchurch event: World’s Wealth for the World’s Workers – A history of New Zealand’s labour movement. This talk will give an overview of the history of the New Zealand labour movement from 1840 to the present day, describe the conditions that gave rise to the movement and explore the parallels with today, and, finally, suggest a route forward for organised labour and progressive movements in the context of growing global discontent with late capitalism.” Ciaran Doolin is a member of the UC Marxist Studies Network and participates in Fightback Aotearoa. He recently won first prize in the Labour History Project essay competition which can be found here. The UC Marxist Studies Network is a student group formed to explore radical ideas and counter hegemonic critiques of capitalism and existing social relations. Gold coin donation to help cover the cost of room hire would be appreciated. https://www.facebook.com/events/218678424981048/

Saturday, December 21, 3.30pm, Super Liquor Papatoetoe 24 Charles Street Papatoetoe
"Justice for Migrant Workers- Stand Up Fight Back !!" Paid less than legal minimum wage – Long hours – No leave. Empty promises made by the employer – threats from the employer. Navvivek Singh was forced to go through all this and much more!! He is simply asking for what is rightfully his. Do not sit in silence – IT COULD BE YOU NEXT. "Appropriation of man by man must end forever" Shaheed Bhagat Singh Join Navvivek and Unite Union for a peaceful protest on Saturday 21 Dec 2013 at 3.30pm outside Super Liquor Papatoetoe.

Sunday, December 22, 11am, Bethells Beach, Auckland
For the Socialist Summer Solstice – gasp in amazement and choose your side as we play for the Kronstadt Kup! Sing from the Red Song Book around the camp fire with one dozen proletarian guitars. Defend the Beaches from Andarko INvaders! Celebrate the Man in Red with the big white beard on the beach Kiwi style with SA. https://www.facebook.com/events/607432445959465/?source=1

January 24-26, 2014
CLOSE THE WAIHOPAI SPYBASE NOW! Organised by the Anti-Bases Campaign, P.O. Box 2258, Christchurch. E-mail abc www.converge.org.nz/abc

Saturday, January 25, 10am, Nativity Church Hall, 76 Alfred St, Blenheim
Blenheim public meeting on the morning of Saturday January 25th, on the wider issues of spying, to put Waihopai into context. We see this as a continuation of the 2013 protests and meetings about the infamous GCSB Bill (and its companion TICS Bill). SPIES AND LIES, WAIHOPAI AND GLOBAL SPYING. Speakers at that public meeting will be Jane Kelsey, John Minto and ABC’s Warren Thomson.
Murray Horton, ABC. Anti-Bases Campaign, Box 2258, Christchurch, New Zealand. abc / www.converge.org.nz/abc / https://www.facebook.com/AotearoaABC

ANNOUNCEMENTS

UNION ORGANISERS WANTED FOR SOUTH ISLAND AND WELLINGTON
Unite Union is looking to employ full-time and part-time organisers to be based in Wellington and Christchurch. Both organisers will have a primary repsonsibility for visiting, recruiting and representing workers in the fast food industry, cinemas, hotels and security.

Organisers need to have some experience as a union delegate, being an advocate for workers and beneficiaries or organising experience in community movements. A knowledge of current industrial law would be an advantage.
Applicants need to be computer literate. A current drivers licence is essential as substantial travel will be required.
Applications should be sent by email to Unite National Director Mike Treen mike by 5pm, Friday, December 20.

GUY STANDING VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND FEBRUARY 2014
Guy Standing, author of The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class in 2011 who spoke at several events in New Zealand early this year, is coming back to NZ in February 2014. His new book A Precariat Charter: From Denizens to Citizens is due to be published in April 2014. See here. This will focus more on ‘what can be done’. As you know the CTU also published a document on insecure work in October and that included recommendations for action. A number of events are being organised (details still being finalised) including:
· Monday 24th February, 2014 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. hosted by University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology.
· A seminar in Wellington on Wednesday 26th February (time to be confirmed)
· Discussion and brief presentation in afternoon of CTU National Affiliates Council at our 27th February meeting in Wellington
· Social event Friday late afternoon/evening in Wellington.

WINNERS OF THE 2013 LABOUR HISTORY PROJECT ESSAY COMPETITION
Two Wellingtonians and a Christchurch resident have won the first annual “Another World is Possible” essay competition. The competition was organized by the Labour History Project, to emulate a similar event held a hundred years earlier by Walter Nash, then a labour organizer and later a popular prime minister. Mark Derby, organiser of the “Another World is Possible” competition, says it aimed “to inspire debate on alternative futures”. A total of more than 40 entries from throughout the country were received, remarkably similar to the number who entered the original competition a century ago. The oldest entrant was aged over 90, the youngest 17. A panel of three judges – Victoria University historian Cybele Locke, political commentator and trade unionist Matt McCarten, and journalist Jeremy Rose – assessed the entries anonymously, and independently of each other. Derby says, “The judges’ decisions were fairly unanimous, but they tempered their admiration with criticisms. Entrants had very different ideas about what was expected of them, and this uncertainty was reflected in the varying nature and standard of the entries.”
The overall winner, receiving the first prize of $500 cash, was Ciaran Doolin of Christchurch. One judge said this entry “hinged on a vision of how powerful participatory democracy of ordinary people could be”. Second prize winner, receiving $250, was Jane Blaikie of Wellington. A judge commented that Jane’s was “a deeply moving, personal story that gave real clout to the vision of freeing the poor.”
The youth (under 18) winner was 17-year-old Wellington schoolgirl Daisy Cadigan. Reading Daisy’s entry, said one judge, meant having “eyes opened to a brave new world where diversity and equality were not exclusive terms.”
The three winning essays appear below. The Labour History Project hopes to repeat this competition annually.
Ciaran Doolin’s essay can be downloaded here.
Jane Blaikie’s essay can be downloaded here.
Daisy Cadigan’s essay can be downloaded here.
For more information, contact: anotherworld Labour History Project, PO Box 27425, Marion Square, Wellington
Bert Roth Award for labour history: The family of the late Bert Roth, the doyen of New Zealand labour historians and a witty, wise and generous archivist-activist, has given the Labour History Project approval to use his name for a new annual award. For details go to http://www.lhp.org.nz/?p=907

BEST ON THE WEB

NZ & MANDELA

Do you remember the 1981 Springbok Tour? By Giovanni Tiso http://overland.org.au/2013/12/do-you-remember-the-1981-springbok-tour/

Matt McCarten: Insult to send tour supporters http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11172651

New Zealand’s Leader Questioned Over Apartheid Amnesia http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/yasmine-ryan/apartheid-new-zealand_b_4411734.html

Rosemary Mcleod: Mandela and the power of protest http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/columnists/rosemary-mcleod/9507148/Mandela-and-the-power-of-protest

Celebrations for Mandela continue across South Africa http://www.maoritelevision.com/news/latest-news/celebrations-mandela-continue-across-south-africa

Wounds healed as Madiba honoured at Rugby Park http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/9520733/Reconciliation-at-remembrance-event

Nelson Mandela remembered at Hamilton protest site http://m.tvnz.co.nz/news/national/5778923

TVNZ: Mandela remembered at Hamilton protest site (2:40) http://m.tvnz.co.nz/news/video/national/5778923/?videoId=ref:5778909

New Zealand’s John Key adds ‘unidentified guest’ to unwanted tags http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/12/new-zealand-john-key-unidentified-guest?CMP=twt_gu

New Zealand Protests Against Springbok Tour: 1981, 1970, Rugby, South Africa, Apartheid http://inlandscenic.net/2013/12/08/new-zealand-protests-against-springbok-south-africa-rugby-tour-1981-and-1970/

Nelson Mandela funeral: Minto and Meurant recall pitch protest http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11173047

Remembrance for Nelson Mandela – John Minto’s Closing Speech

Harawira performs haka for Mandela http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/harawira-performs-haka-mandela-5779628

We did what John Key should have done By John Minto http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/12/17/we-did-what-john-key-should-have-done/

Harawira defends taxpayer-funded trip http://www.3news.co.nz/Harawira-defends-taxpayer-funded-trip/tabid/423/articleID/325395/Default.aspx

Harawira defends trip to South Africa http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/231059/harawira-defends-trip-to-south-africa

Poignant Mandela memorial (2:21) http://m.tvnz.co.nz/video/nz_news/ref:5779212

John Key on springbok tour

Remembrance for Nelson Mandela – Joe Carolan Tells It Like It Is

NEW ZEALAND

Resounding vote against asset sales in referendum http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11172228

Protests target deep sea drilling https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55466

Gordon Campbell on oil drilling permits, and Iris Dement http://gordoncampbell.scoop.co.nz/2013/12/06/gordon-campbell-on-oil-drilling-permits-and-iris-dement/

Kim Dotcom still being spied on – judge http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11170965

Customs official: Feed Dotcom info to FBI for ‘brownie points’ http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11173895

Top man in Dotcom FBI info plea http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11174141

ACC needs to front up or hunger striker will die http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1312/S00199/acc-needs-to-front-up-or-hunger-striker-will-die.htm

Casinos an engine of crime – Greens http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/casinos-engine-crime-greens-5765189

A young migrant woman’s experience of work in NZ http://fightback.org.nz/2013/12/13/a-young-migrant-womans-experience-of-work-in-nz/

NZ authors sign spying petition http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11172292

The Blank Slate Boy: Are voters being encouraged to read into Colin Craig whatever image they would like to see? by Gordon Campbell http://werewolf.co.nz/2013/12/the-blank-slate-boy/

Laws out of balance http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/9514945/Laws-out-of-balance

Ideas for 15 December 2013 – Young Activists http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2579949/ideas-for-15-december-2013-young-activistsn

Asset sales proceed in spite of referendum http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11172629

Pat Baskett: Spirit of 1973 needed to stop oil drillers http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=11171547

Third World imprisonment levels slammed http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9521082/Third-World-imprisonment-levels-slammed

NZ – POVERTY AND INEQUALITY

Bryce Edwards: Political roundup: Who cares about poverty? http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11170924

One in four Kiwi children living in poverty http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9492080/One-in-four-Kiwi-children-living-in-poverty%20

Food queues already huge, says Mission http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11172307

The reason for the drop in welfare numbers By Frank Macskasy – See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/12/15/the-reason-for-the-drop-in-welfare-numbers/#sthash.vR0NZu27.dpuf

Is the rebuild worsening poverty in Christchurch? http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/business/the-rebuild/9517254/Is-the-rebuild-worsening-poverty-in-Christchurch

Channel cash to poor, sick children, doctor urges http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11169145

Why The Poverty Line Is Valid, And 265,000 Children Really Are In Poverty http://www.inequality.org.nz/why-the-poverty-line-is-valid-and-265000-children-really-are-in-poverty/

Homes may be making children sick http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/9511826/Homes-may-be-making-children-sick

Angry protesters attend National’s Christmas function http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11169127%20

Millionaire PM ‘doesn’t care’ – poverty group http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9491829/Millionaire-PM-doesn-t-care-poverty-group

NZ – ECONOMY

Government must focus on growing social deficit http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/12/17/government-must-focus-on-growing-social-deficit/

Bernard Hickey: ‘Dutch disease’ drives rash of losses Downunder http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=11172658

Parliamentary Process a rubber stamp and a joke http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1312/S00206/parliamentary-process-a-rubber-stamp-and-a-joke.htm

Kelsey: TPPA ‘Trust Me’ Is Not Good Enough http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/12/16/tppa-trust-me-is-not-good-enough-for-democracy

Parliament and people shut out of treaty ratification process By Keith Locke http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/12/16/parliament-and-people-shut-out-of-treaty-ratification-process/

Plain Packaging Tobacco Bill: National must back Malaysia’s tobacco carveout in TPPA http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1312/S00245/national-must-back-malaysias-tobacco-carveout-in-tppa.htm

NZ – WORKRIGHTS

“Better to starve fighting than starve working” – the taxi driver hunger strike By Tali Williams http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/12/18/better-to-starve-fighting-then-starve-working-the-taxi-driver-hunger-strike/

Charges dropped against ex-Pike River boss Peter Whittall http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11171336

CTU: Government wrong to withdraw charges against Whittal http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/12/12/government-wrong-to-withdraw-charges-against-whittal/

Banks accused of sales ‘terror regime’ http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9431795/Banks-accused-of-sales-terror-regime

Union pleased with outcome of airport taxi protest http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/union-pleased-outcome-airport-taxi-protest-5776354

Strike action looms at Te Roopu Taurima O Manukau Trust http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1312/S00197/strike-action-looms-at-te-roopu-taurima-o-manukau-trust.htm

Young suffer from 90-day trial – union boss http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/9487199/Young-suffer-from-90-day-trial-union-boss

EPMU National Secretary Bill Newsome

NZ should hang its head in shame: writer http://www.nzherald.co.nz/mining/news/article.cfm?c_id=64&objectid=11171620

Workers deserve to get a break http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11172515

U-turn on paid leave boosts parents’ hopes http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9521084/U-turn-on-paid-leave-boosts-parents-hopes

Living wage provides many benefits http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/columnists/9521116/Living-wage-provides-many-benefits

Kiwi Kindergarten teachers celebrate bargaining breakthrough http://saveourschoolsnz.wordpress.com/2013/12/16/kiwi-kindergarten-teachers-celebrate-bargaining-breakthrough/

All the way for equal pay http://www.nzno.org.nz/get_involved/campaigns/equal_pay

Helen Kelly: On Pike http://thestandard.org.nz/on-pike/

Pike River injustice: taking up Helen Kelly’s offer http://rdln.wordpress.com/2013/12/13/pike-river-injustice-taking-up-helen-kellys-offer/

STATS OF THE WEEK

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"We have come out of the time when obedience, the acceptance of discipline, intelligent courage and resolution, were most important, into that more difficult time when it is a person’s duty to understand the world rather than simply fight for it." – Ernest Hemingway

FEATURES

Fight or Flight – Chilean Socialism 1: Indonesian Fascism 0 by Andre Vltchek http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/11/22/chilean-socialism-1-indonesian-fascism-0/

For Land and Life: 25 stories of Indigenous resilience that you might’ve missed in 2013 http://intercontinentalcry.org/for-land-and-life-25-stories-of-indigenous-resilience-that-you-mightve-missed-21364/

The Selling of ADHD: Diagnoses, Prescriptions Soar After 20-Year Marketing Effort by Big Pharma http://www.democracynow.org/2013/12/17/the_selling_of_adhd_diagnoses_prescriptions

FROM OUR HISTORY

WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS

Pope says he is not a Marxist, but defends criticism of capitalism – Pope Francis says trickle-down economics do not help the poor, in a wide-ranging interview with Italian daily La Stampa http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/15/pope-francis-defends-criticism-of-capitalism-not-marxist?CMP=fb_gu

The corporation invasion: A new treaty being negotiated in secret between the US and the EU has been specifically engineered to give companies what they want — the dismantling of all social, consumer and environmental protection, and compensation for any infringement of their assumed rights. http://mondediplo.com/2013/12/02tafta

How markets are rigged against you http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/how-markets-are-rigged-against-you-1.2456677

LAND, LABOUR AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Global warming is unpaused and stuck on fast forward, new research shows http://www.skepticalscience.com/global-warming-fast-forward-trenberth.html

Media failure on Iraq War repeated in climate change coverage http://www.skepticalscience.com/iraq-war-media-failure-repeated-climate-change.html

Anadarko tumbles on multi-billion dollar ruling http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gW0w9mhMXv88nAy_3HtLRei_c-JA?docId=430a9829-c7d9-4de7-a9ed-121e988c1b7

We need to be as radical as reality to fight climate change https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55547

Green Capitalism: Why it can’t work – Review: Ian Angus says Daniel Tanuro’s book is an important contribution to the fight against climate change and for ecosocialism, but parts of it are open to challenge http://climateandcapitalism.com/2013/12/16/green-capitalism-cant-work/

Dahr Jamail, The Climate Change Scorecard http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175785/tomgram%3A_dahr_jamail%2C_the_climate_change_scorecard/#more

CULTURAL DISSENT

Interview with Roger Waters: ‘It’s a duty for artists to speak out’ http://mondoweiss.net/2013/12/interview-waters-artists.html

Roger Waters at Apartheid wall in Palestine

‘Chávez ideas will solve crisis’: Antonio Banderas http://www.thelocal.es/20131120/chvez-ideas-wil-solve-crisis-antonio-banderas

Donald Sutherland: ‘I want Hunger Games to stir up a revolution’ http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/nov/19/donald-sutherland-hunger-games-catching-fire

Books to Give (or Keep) http://www.labornotes.org/blogs/2013/12/books-give-or-keep

“Hallelujah” cover by Tunisian Folk Singer Emel Mathlouthi who has been an important voice of the ongoing Tunisian political upheavals provoked by leftist youth activism. http://www.juancole.com/2013/12/hallelujah-tunisian-mathlouthi.html

A Review of Steve Early’s "Save Our Unions" – Does Organized Labor Have a Future? http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/12/13/does-organized-labor-have-a-future/print

50 years ago, Bob Dylan silenced the crowd with his performance of "North Country Blues". http://www.wimp.com/silencedcrowd/

Former Pink Floyd frontman sparks fury by comparing Israelis to Nazis http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/dec/14/pink-floyd-frontman-fury-israel-nazis

A new perspective on 
antiquity’s greatest slave rebel http://isreview.org/issue/91/new-perspective-antiquitys-greatest-slave-rebel

Five reasons Beyoncé’s new album is a multi-faceted thing of awe and wonder http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2013/12/five-reasons-beyonces-new-album-multi-faceted-thing-awe-and-wonder

Clip from "The Ruling Class" starring Peter O’Toole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmlYIsa0508

Summer reading: recommended books of 2013 https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55520

SPORT

Why is Rugby League still patronised as a mud-splattered, parochial throwback? http://www.newstatesman.com/node/199347

AFGHANISTAN

West’s war far from over https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55509

Robert Nickelsberg’s Photos Show The Suffering And Turmoil Of War In Afghanistan http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2013/12/14/robert-nickelsberg-s-photos-show-the-suffering-and-turmoil-of-war-in-afghanistan.html

AUSTRALIA

New laws to smash union picket lines http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/new-laws-to-smash-union-picket-lines/story-fni0fee2-1226781028373

Broken toilets, no shoes, limited water: the daily humiliations of life on Manus http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/16/broken-toilets-no-shoes-limited-water-the-daily-humiliations-of-life-on-manus

CANADA

Time for protest against the degradation of postal and other public services http://www.rogerannis.com/time-for-protest-against-the-degradation-of-postal-and-other-public-services/

Conrad Black and Hizzoner Rob Ford http://www.rogerannis.com/conrad-black-and-hizzoner-rob-ford/

CHILE

Bachelet Vows Free Education After Chile Landslide Victory http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-15/chile-holds-runoff-vote-as-bachelet-seeks-to-regain-presidency.html

Bachelet pledges radical constitutional reforms after winning Chilean election http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/16/chile-president-elect-michelle-bachelet-election-reforms

CUBA

Cuba was conspicuously absent in Mandela coverage http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/235146711.html

Censored: Why the media hides Cuba’s role in the end of apartheid http://uk.news.yahoo.com/comment/talking-politics/censored-why-media-hides-cuba-role-end-apartheid-102945153.html#GHtomx7

HONDURAS

In Honduras Election, the People’s Will Is Hushed but Not Silenced http://www.thenation.com/article/177549/honduras-election-peoples-will-hushed-not-silenced#

ICELAND

Iceland’s jailed bankers ‘a model’ for dealing with ‘financial terrorists’ http://rt.com/op-edge/iceland-bank-sentence-model-246/

INDIA

Scrap Article 377, defend LGBTI/queer rights through mass movements http://links.org.au/node/3635

IRELAND

Dockers Re-enact 1913 Scenes http://www.newsfour.ie/2013/12/dockers-re-enact-1913-scenes/

Jim Larkin 2013 Let Us Arise

KOREA

After 70 Years of Repression, Samsung Must Allow its Workers to Unionise http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/530044/20131213/samsung-worker-abuses-leukaemia-unions-industriall.htm

KORAIL suspends 807 more striking workers, for a total of 6,748 http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/615099.html

Nationwide rail strike poised to expand http://www.arirang.co.kr/News/News_View.asp?nseq=154729

MEXICO

Huge teachers’ struggle takes on gov’t https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55516

The Zapatista uprising: twenty years on https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55584

NEPAL

Elections in Nepal and Questions for People’s Struggles http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/910.php

PACIFIC

PNG: Deadly clashes between locals & the world’s biggest gold mining company https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55542

Taking on the challenge of Timor-Leste’s media in transition http://cafepacific.blogspot.co.nz/2013/12/taking-on-challenge-of-timor-lestes.html

PALESTINE

New UK drones “field tested” on captive Palestinians http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/new-uk-drones-field-tested-captive-palestinians

Bedouin relocation plan revived http://kiaoragaza.wordpress.com/2013/12/17/bedouin-relocation-plan-revived/

SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi activist sentenced to 300 lashes, 4 yrs in jail after calling for constitutional monarchy http://rt.com/news/saudi-activist-jailed-lashes-290/

SINGAPORE

Eighteen injured as foreign workers riot in Singapore’s Little India district http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-09/an-hundreds-of-foreign-workers-riot-in-singapore/5143372

SOUTH AFRICA

Mandela: the dangers of deification http://terrybellwrites.com/2013/12/13/mandela-the-dangers-of-deification/

"One of Our Greatest Coups": The CIA & the Capture of Nelson Mandela http://www.democracynow.org/2013/12/13/one_of_our_greatest_coups_the

The Anti-Apartheid Underground: Ronnie Kasrils on Meeting Nelson Mandela in an ANC Safe House in 1962 http://www.democracynow.org/2013/12/12/the_anti_apartheid_underground_ronnie_kasrils

From Marxism to Neoliberalism: Ronnie Kasrils on How Mandela & ANC Shifted Economic Views http://www.democracynow.org/2013/12/12/from_marxism_to_neoliberalism_ronnie_kasrils

A Faustian Pact With Neoliberalism – How the ANC Sold Out South Africa’s Poor http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/12/11/how-the-anc-sold-out-south-africas-poor/print

Greatest Hypocrite Of Them All http://convincingreasons.wordpress.com/2013/12/12/greatest-hypocrite-of-them-all/

A Flawed Freedom by John S. Saul http://www.socialistproject.ca/bullet/909.php

Blurring Mandela and Neo-Liberalism http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/blurring_mandela_and_neoliberalism_20131214

Boycott activists celebrate as Ahava quits South Africa http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/boycott-activists-celebrate-ahava-quits-south-africa

Mandela Embodied the Victories and Failures of the South African Liberation Struggle http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=10380

Praised by his persecutors – British socialist and writer Mark Steel remembers that some world leaders praising Nelson Mandela today had different things to say about him before apartheid fell. http://socialistworker.org/2013/12/09/praised-his-persecutors

The radical legacy of Nelson Mandela https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55563

SYRIA

Syrian Refugees’ Misery deepened by Snow Storm as Europe Shuts Doors http://www.juancole.com/2013/12/refugees-misery-deepened.html

TIMOR LESTE

Tear gas, hidden truth and news media ‘fudging’ over East-Timor http://cafepacific.blogspot.co.nz/2013/12/tear-gas-hidden-truth-and-news-media.html

UK

Woman who miscarried in private prison ‘made to clean up after herself,’ court told http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/woman-who-miscarried-in-private-prison-made-to-clean-up-after-herself-court-told-9002657.html

For a real-life Hunger Games, look no further than your local bank – The dystopian fantasy starring Jennifer Lawrence is a lot like real life – if you’re a high-street bank employee http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/dec/16/high-street-banking-hunger-games-jennifer-lawrence

URUGUAY

Heroic Uruguay deserves a Nobel peace prize for legalising cannabis http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/12/heroic-uruguay-deserves-nobel-prize-cannabis

USA

A Government of the Billionaires, for the Billionaires, by the Billionaires http://www.juancole.com/2013/12/government-billionaires-for.html

While top 1% gets richer, House GOP slashes food stamp funds http://www.latimes.com/opinion/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-top-gets-richer-20130919,0,6944544.story#ixzz2nljzQrai

Prisoners In The Us Assert Their Humanity http://convincingreasons.wordpress.com/2013/12/18/prisoners-in-the-us-assert-their-humanity/

Watch Two American Families online anytime. It’s one of the more than 150 films streaming for free on FRONTLINE’s website. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/two-american-families/

Polaroid & Apartheid: Inside the Beginnings of the Boycott, Divestment Movement Against South Africa http://www.democracynow.org/2013/12/13/polaroid_apartheid_inside_the_beginnings_of

The 1% is Hogging so much of our Income that it’s Holding the Economy Back http://www.juancole.com/2013/12/hogging-holding-economy.html

Noam Chomsky: America hates its poor http://www.salon.com/2013/12/01/noam_chomsky_america_hates_its_poor_partner/

ASA membership votes to boycott Israel by landslide http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/asa-membership-votes-boycott-israel-landslide

American Inequality In Six Charts http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/johncassidy/2013/11/inequality-and-growth-what-do-we-know.html

USA – WORKERS REVOLT

NYC Domino’s Fires 20 Workers For Protesting http://www.popularresistance.org/boycott-dominoes-washington-heights-dominos-fires-20-workers-for-protesting/

Poverty nation: How America created a low-wage work swamp http://www.salon.com/2013/12/15/poverty_nation_how_america_created_a_low_wage_work_swamp/

Higher profits, smaller paychecks http://tinyurl.com/md3pylv

The South finally coming around on benefits of unions http://www.freep.com/article/20131214/OPINION05/312140011/south-volkswagen-union-UAW-auto

Finally paying for Wal-Mart’s sins: Wage theft settlement yields millions http://www.salon.com/2013/12/16/finally_paying_for_wal_marts_sins_wage_theft_settlement_yields_millions/

It’s Not OK That Your Employees Can’t Afford to Eat http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/12/scrooge-is-alive-and-wel

Telling Fast Food Workers To ‘Get A Better Job’ Is Nonsense, In 1 Chart http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/11/low-wage-jobs_n_4421095.html

USA – SPYING SCANDAL

Federal judge says NSA’s phone surveillance program is likely unconstitutional http://rt.com/usa/nsa-surveillance-unconstitutional-judge-338/

As Judge Rules NSA Surveillance "Almost Orwellian," Obama Prepares to Leave Spying Program Intact http://www.democracynow.org/2013/12/17/as_judge_rules_nsa_surveillance_almost

VENEZUELA

Building communes about ‘moving the revolution forward’ https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/55576

The Economist Gets Economical with the Truth on Venezuela’s Municipal Elections http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/10248

Venezuelan Elections See Clear Victory for the PSUV Led by Nicolas Maduro & Their Allies http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/10240

VIETNAM

The terrible legacy of Agent Orange and dioxin http://links.org.au/node/3636