International news in brief

Submitted by Matthew on 6 June, 2012 - 8:36

Strike action by American workers increased dramatically over the past year.

“Serious stoppages” (strikes involving more than 1,000 lasting at least one shift) rose from just five in 2009 to 19 in 2011. Days lost to strike action increased from 124,000 to over 1 million.

The increase comes against the backdrop of a decade of pay stagnation for manufacturing workers, whose wages have mostly remained flat since 2000, despite a 50% increase in output.

Racist attacks on African migrant workers in Tel Aviv

Recent weeks have seen racist riots in working-class neighbourhoods of Tel Aviv as poor Israelis (often from North African backgrounds) are incited by right-wing politicians to scapegoat black African immigrants for their economic problems.

Wafa Tiara of the Workers’ Advice Centre spoke at a recent social justice demonstration in Tel Aviv to argue that “the future is in the unity of Jewish, Arab and migrant workers”.

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