Peter HJ's Page

Hi Peter JH,

The Maldives authorities are making a concerted efforts at busting the Maldives Port Workers Union at the Male Port. In fact, the Unionbook's website is carring a news item about this issue. But they have so far failed to launch an online campaigning about it. In fact, I have already forwarded some correspondence that has taken place between the Maldives President and ITF/ILO in this connection. So, please do something. Maybe, you can target the markets that generate tourists for the Maldives leisure market as a strategic element of a future Labourstart campaign. Peter, please discuss this issue with Eric Lee and come up with something innovative in this connection, OK?

Hello Peter,

Hope this finds you well. Have the Libyan working people started organizing? By the way, I suggest that you set in motion a discussion on the shady deals done by the so-called China Sonangol (China International Fund) throughout the globe. Even the Chinese Communist Party is said to be indirectly controlled by this entity run by billionnaire Chinese business tycoons.

Well, you're not so bad yourself! Actually, I wanted to get in touch with you to offer to edit the Danish section of the Union Directory, if that would be of interest. I think I could do something with it - when I get a little more time for it. I would also need to know your policy of "yellow" unions, of which there are a few on your list. They are only unions by name, nobody belonging to them would have the remotest interest in New Unionism and in my wiew they should be excluded form the directory or at least issued with a warning label!

Hi Peter, my union, the National Union of Seafarers Sri Lanka (NUSS) is going to have a website designed for for us and the responsibility of creating a motto (Payoff line), vision and mission statements and doing a write-up about the union has fallen on my shoulders. Could you help? For Motto I have in mind " PROTECTING THE SRI LANKAN SEAFARER GLOBALLY". The NUSS is affiliated with ITF and is the only union dedicated to organizing, fighting for and defending the rights of seafarers. The NUSS also stand for decent work for Sri Lankan seafarers and also work towards their social protection, welfare and dignity. The NUSS is also committed to preventing marine pollution and reducing the carbon footprint of global shipping (sustainable/green shipping)

Thank you for your friend invite. We have been organising several programs in support of Foxconn India workers' struggle in Tamil Nadu. In UnionBook too I have posted many comments with regard to Foxconn workers' strike and WFTU message is the latest. Already WFTU has a website.

Thank you for allowing me to join new unionism. i am organizing Domestic Workers in Trinidad and Tobago and working towards establishing a network in the Caribbean.

Tnx 4 the quick response. The informal sector is growing and with that precarious work is also growing which means union memberships numbers are plummeting. Its high time that unions started to learn from the corporate world and professionally market the union to the working people. The internal democracy of unions too should be strengthened. But we cannot afford to be idealistic fools any more.. Of course LabourStart has taken a step in the right direction.

Hi Peter,
Thanks for the reply msg and links. In Sri Lanka, most of the public sector employees and those n the plantation indusry (Tea/Rubber) are unionized. But maybe about 70% of the country's 7 Million-strong labour force are from the informal sector of the econony and they are not at all organized. Then there are 1.8 Milion Sri Lankan migrant workers in the Middle East and other countries (they are not unionized). Against this background, my educated guess is that the unionization rate of Sri Lanka is between 18 -20% of the labour force.

Whats the unionization rate in New Zealand?