Union activist shot dead in Panama - call for urgent action

[Omaha Steve]

In this week's mailing:

* Panama: Worker shot dead, two wounded, in battle with company union
* Albania: Police destroy trade union offices
* Korea: E.Land workers occupy stores, face riot police
* Book of the week: A Job and a Life

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PANAMA: WORKER SHOT DEAD, TWO WOUNDED, IN BATTLE WITH COMPANY UNION

According to the global union federation for building workers (BWI), Osvaldo Lorenzo -- a union activist -- was shot and killed, and two other workers injured, in a confrontation between a company-controlled union and SUNTRACS, which is a real union. The BWI is calling for a full investigation and has sharply criticized the transnational corporation involved, which is notorious for violating workers rights elsewhere. It has launched an online campaign and I urge all of you to sign up today.

At the bottom of this message there's a link which reads 'Forward to a friend'. Please use it to spread the word.

ALBANIA: POLICE DESTROY TRADE UNION OFFICES

The BWI is also running an online campaign to protest the 1 August raid by Albanian police on union headquarters. The following unions were expelled from their offices -- the Trade Union Federation of Building, Wood and Public Services (FSNDSH), the Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania (BSPSH), and the Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania (KSSH). Police seized union property and documents as well. The online campaign is here -- please send off your message today and spread the word. (For full coverage of this attack and the response of unions around the world, visit LabourStart's Albanian news page.)

KOREA: E.LAND WORKERS OCCUPY STORES, FACE RIOT POLICE



Carrefour is the second largest retail chain in the world (Wal-Mart is the first). Carrefour Korea is now called E.Land (Carrefour is no longer the owner) and it's a chain of giant hyper-markets. In an attempt to cut costs, E.Land sacked hundreds of its employees recently. They then embarked on an amazing struggle to keep their jobs, occupying eleven of the stores six weeks ago. They were met with arrests and the intervention of riot police, who attacked one demonstration with water cannon.

The International Labour Organization and the International Trade Union Confederation have both called for the release of jailed union activists -- to no avail. Reports from the front lines of this incredible battle are available on the Union Network International (UNI) website. There's comprehensive coverage of Korean labour news on LabourStart's Korean news page as well. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions has asked for messages to be sent to the President and Minister of Labor -- see details here.

BOOK OF THE WEEK: A JOB AND A LIFE

Once again we're going to start recommending books to you that are specifically aimed at trade union activists. These books are sold by a unionized bookshop and every purchase you make also provides a small benefit to LabourStart as well.



Our book this week is A Job and a Life: Organizing & Bargaining on Family Issues. You won't find it in your local bookshop and it's not going to be on any best-seller list. But it's a step-by-step guide for union leaders, activists, negotiators and organizers to advance a successful work and family agenda. Written by the Labor Project for Working Families, this book is essential reading for all of us.