Working Life

I’m not sure what the ILO has in mind or can do — it is hostage to the politics of inertia. But, at least there is a chance this will keep the pressure on.

Read the full story

Down there in the bottom of the pond, the scum, are the trafficker in human beings. It’s a bit unfathomable to contemplate how people are able to exploit other humans and sell them and imprison them for work — until you consider that in the world of the so-called “free market” where everything is for sale — water, education, health care — it’s probably not that big a stretch. The Middle East weighs in with 600,000 people who are in forced labor.

Read the full story

Austerity is wildly successful — if you understand that the only logical outcome of austerity is higher unemployment. Take a bow, austerity. You did it.

Read the full story

   An interesting report came into my email box this morning from the good folks at the International Labor Organization. The World of Work Report is an annual study by the ILO Institute, which provides an assessment of the current state of labour markets. Among its findings:   Based on the latest IMF growth estimates, […]

Read the full story

   From time to time, I try to remind folks that there is a strong link between foreign policy and economics. Here is an example, courtesy of the International Labor Organization: The annual report of the International Labour Office (ILO) on the situation of workers of the occupied Arab territories depicts “ a dismal human, […]

Read the full story

    I’m all for this: Hartmarx, known for its Hart Schaffner & Marx and Hickey Freeman suits, and for making President Obama’s inauguration tuxedo and topcoat, has long been America’s leading clothier for men. Now its workers want to make the company, which is in bankruptcy, a leader in a different way. Hoping to save […]

Read the full story

   Later today, the International Labor Organization will release a sweeping report on global wages. I’ve got a copy and here is the upshot: wages declined in most countries, inequality increase and, thank you very much, a lot of that can be blamed on the wonders of so-called "free trade".   The ILO is an […]

Read the full story

    Last week, the AFL-CIO filed a complaint with the International Labor Organization (ILO) against the Bush National Labor Relations Board (I’m going to try to upload the complaint here but right now we are, as they say, experiencing technical difficulties…or maybe I’m just more lame than I thought). It’s a good indictment of the […]

Read the full story

    A few days ago, I got a copy of a report by the International Labor Organization (ILO) that looks at some global employment trends. The report has got some good data–but, memo to the folks at the ILO, it is really written way too boringly (spice it up!!!). Do you want people to read […]

Read the full story