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Asia
Nepal teachers fight for better pay and conditions
Thousands of teachers in Nepal protested in Kathmandu on April 7 to demand implementation of the School Education Act. Nepal Teachers’ Federation members had been protesting outside the offices of politicians and education authorities for several days prior to the mass rally. The federation declared an indefinite strike, commencing April 7.
Teachers decided to act after the government failed to endorse the school education bill which has been in a parliamentary committee for over 18 months. The bill contains improved conditions for teachers, regular payment of monthly salaries, equal pay and entitlements with civil servants, retention of teachers under the federal government and an increase in entry age of teachers to 40. They also want a dedicated hospital for teachers in line with army, police and civil service hospitals.
Teachers refuse to negotiate with the government. A teachers’ federation spokesperson said there was no reason to hold talks, “We have had ample dialogues and have reached different agreements in the past. Let the law be enacted incorporating the already agreed provisions.”
India: Telangana state road transport workers to strike indefinitely
On Monday, the unions representing Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) workers announced a state-wide indefinite strike from May 6. The TGSRTC Joint Action Committee (JAC) accused the Congress-led administration of not fulfilling promises made during the election campaign, despite being in office for 16 months.
The workers’ main demand is for state government employment status. They complained of the lack of wage revisions, non-payment of pending dues, delayed salary credits and violation of the Motor Transport Workers Act, forcing many to work for 12 to 16 hours a day.
The JAC said that their grievances extend beyond current employees, with retired workers still awaiting arrears, pay scale corrections, and other retirement benefits. Workers also fear that increasing uses of electric buses operated by private entities is jeopardising their jobs.
Sari weavers in Telangana strike for higher pay
Sari weavers, who operate hundreds of power-looms and handlooms in the township of Sircilla, Telangana, began an indefinite protest hunger strike on Monday demanding the state government set fair wages. The strike was supported by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions.
All looms were stopped, bringing sari production to a standstill. Union leaders accused both officials and political leaders of ignoring workers’ repeated pleas for a wage revision. They want the rates paid for saris to be increased and broader welfare measures for handloom workers, particularly women, to be implemented without delay.
Uttar Pradesh power utility workers to strike against privatisation
The union covering 25,000 workers at two state-owned power distribution companies announced this week that its members will strike on May 29 against privatisation of the utilities. Their union, Vidyut Karamchari Samyukt Sangharsh Samiti, held a protest outside the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation headquarters in Lucknow on Wednesday to demand a roll back of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill and permanent jobs for contractual workers.
The union has planned an “awareness” campaign between April 16 and 30 and a motorbike protest on May 1 followed by an eight-day hunger strike.
The government recently issued a tender inviting advisers and consultants to devise a public private partnership model for the distribution utilities Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam and the Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam. The government claimed it is exploring options to improve efficiency and service quality in electricity amid financial losses. Workers are concerned that the government’s plan is about job losses.
Gujarat public health workers end strike after government assurances
The 15-day strike by 8,500 public health workers in Gujarat state was called off on Monday after workers accepted an assurance from the government on two major demands.
The demands included revision of grade pay, scrapping of departmental exams and inclusion in technical grades, among others. The government promised them that the decision on the technical exams would be taken soon.
ASHA workers in Kerala determined to remain on strike until demands are met
About 26,000 ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists) workers are determined to maintain their state-wide strike begun on February 10 against poverty wages and poor conditions. The workers have begun cutting off their hair while maintaining a protest relay-hunger strike at their ongoing protest outside the Thiruvananthapuram Secretariat.
Workers want their monthly wage increased from a meagre 7,000 rupees ($US80) to about 21,000 rupees, a 5,000-rupee pension, and withdrawal of the compulsory retirement age of 62. Workers complained that they only receive 4,000 to 5,000 rupees of the current monthly pay.
Although ASHA services have been crippled for nearly nine weeks, the Kerala government is maintaining its false claim that ASHA workers in Kerala are highly paid compared to their co-workers in other states. The government cynically promised to increase the ASHA honorarium if the central government “chips in.”
Vocational teachers in Himachal Pradesh start hunger-strike protest
Over 1,200 contract vocational teachers at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh have been on strike since March 31 to demand proper government jobs and an end to the role of private contractors. They are protesting at the Chaura Maidan and on Monday began a hunger strike.
Despite the impact of the strike on over 80,000 students in more than 1,100 government schools, the State Education Department has not held a single round of talks with the protesting teachers. The teachers ended an 11-day protest in November after the government falsely assured them that their demands would be addressed.
Pakistan: Sacked Pakistan Steel Mills workers demand reinstatement
Dismissed workers from the government-owned Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) complex at Bin Qasim held a sit-down protest at the Pipri Railway Station on Monday to demand reinstatement of over 6,000 workers and reopening of the mills. The protest delayed train services for several hours.
The government closed the mill complex in 2015, dismissing all workers, devastating the local economy and leading to closure of education institutions in surrounding residential areas. Workers and community supporters said they will continue their protest at the railway station until management grants their demand.
Bangladesh: TNZ Group garment workers resume protest for unpaid wages
Hundreds of workers from TNZ Group garment factories held another protest rally in Gazipur on Monday over non-payment of overdue wages, accrued leave benefits, and Eid bonuses. A previous protest was suspended when management agreed to making a partial payment of their entitlements after a meeting with the labour secretary.
Garment and shoe factory workers in the Chattogram Export Processing Zone protest termination
Hundreds of footwear and garment factory workers protested last Saturday and on Monday over the termination of fellow workers in the Chattogram Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) in Bangladesh. At least 173 workers were sacked during the Eid holidays from three CEPZ factories, including Excelsior Shoe Ltd, JW Apparel and Chittagong Fashion.
About 200 garment workers from the three factories on Saturday blocked the main road in the city’s Free Port in Chattogram.
On Monday, over 500 workers from Patenga Footwear Ltd blocked the Freeport Mor intersection near the entrance of the CEPZ, creating severe traffic congestion on the road that connects Agrabad Commercial Area and Chattogram Port with Shah Amanat International Airport.
A clash between workers and officials the previous day led to at least 15 workers injured, including eight admitted to the Chattogram Medical College Hospital. The factory was later shutdown.
Sri Lankan garment workers protest unpaid New Year bonus
Over 2,000 apparel workers from the Votex factory in Weligama, Matara, Southern Province, protested on Tuesday and then occupied the factory to demand their annual bonus, which is traditionally paid during the Sinhala-Tamil New Year festival in mid-April.
Workers accused factory management of deceit and dishonesty, claiming management had denied the bonus at the last moment, under the pretext of tariffs imposed on Sri Lanka by US President Trump. The situation escalated as angry workers locked up managers, later rescued by the police. Workers protested outside the factory the next day when they reported for work and found it closed.
Australia
BAE shipyard workers continue rolling stoppages in South Australia
Over 500 members of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), Australian Workers Union (AWU) and the Communications Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) at BAE Systems naval shipyard at Osborn in Adelaide are maintaining rolling stoppages begun in February to demand industry standard pay rates.
Workers held their fourth strike on April 4 when they walked out for a mass meeting in the morning then decided to strike for the rest of the day from 12 p.m.
The unions have allowed the company to drag out negotiations for a new enterprise agreement since July last year. Faced with only minimal industrial action, BAE is refusing to improve its pay offer.
In September, workers rejected BAE’s proposed enterprise agreement, which included a pay increase of only 9.75 percent over three years. The pay rise offer has since been increased to 12 percent over three years. Workers want a 30 percent increase on average over three years to keep them in line with industry rates.
The unions claim their BAE members are paid on average 20 percent less than workers with the same skills in the same industry. Their last pay rise in 2023, negotiated by the unions, was only 2 percent when the consumer price index rate was over 6 percent.
Boral Resources workers in Queensland strike for higher pay
About 30 truck drivers from Boral Resources construction materials depots in southeast Queensland walked off the job on Tuesday to demand a higher pay offer in the company’s proposed enterprise agreement. The Transport Workers Union claimed that wages at Boral have not kept up with inflation, with pay going backwards by 9 percent in real terms over the last three years. Workers are demanding pay parity with their counterparts in neighbouring New South Wales who they say are paid $6 an hour more.
Tomago Aluminium maintenance workers in New South Wales vote for industrial action
Tomago Aluminium smelter maintenance workers in Newcastle, north of Sydney, have overwhelmingly voted for industrial action after rejecting the company’s proposed enterprise agreement. Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) and Electrical Trades Union (ETU) members want a 15 percent pay rise over a three-year agreement.
The company has rejected other demands by workers, including five weeks annual leave and six weeks for shift workers, mental health days and the right to take long service leave at half pay.
Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health workers begin industrial action for higher pay
About 350 workers from the Victorian Institute of Mental Health (Forensicare) have imposed work bans to win improved wages and conditions in a new enterprise agreement. Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) members voted on March 26 to approve industrial action, including 34 different work bans.
The workers, at five facilities across Victoria, include allied health professionals, lived and living experience workers, disability support workers, administration and support workers.
Negotiations between HACSU and the state Labor government have been ongoing for more than four months, beginning before the last agreement expired in December 2024. Workers want wages and conditions in line with public hospital equivalents and improved staff to patient ratios.
The previous agreement negotiated by HACSU and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Union saw all grades of Forensicare worker’s wages fall relative to inflation. Some workers received wage rises of only 1.5 percent in July 2024 when the official inflation rate was 3.8 percent.