isocr's blog

by Pyotr Malatesta

Private property norms establish political control over resources and assets, influencing power dynamics within society. As individuals amass wealth and property, they gain greater influence over the political process, shaping policies and decisions to benefit their interests. This concentration of political entitlements often leads to inequitable outcomes, where the affluent few wield disproportionate power compared to the disenfranchised many.

In partnership with the Association Salidarnast, which was founded in Bremen by Belarusian trade union activists, who left Belarus for security reasons. The organization was created to support those trade union activists who had been arrested and convicted by the Lukashenko regime. The Association Salidarnast provides humanitarian, legal and informational assistance to these people and their families; and encourages everyone to join the struggle for the release of political prisoners.

The Algerian Government continues to repress citizens who try to exercise their basic civil and political rights, including union members and leaders. As part of the increasing repression of all forms of democratic activity, independent trade unionists are relentlessly harassed, arrested, prosecuted and imprisoned.

by Pyotr Malatesta

There are several circumstances in which markets are inefficient and fail to allocate resources optimally.
One of the most significant inefficiencies of markets is market failure. Market failure occurs when markets fail to allocate resources efficiently, resulting in an inefficient allocation of resources. This can happen for several reasons, including externalities, public goods, and market power.

Dariusz Kawka, a leader of NSZZ "Solidarność", was sacked on disciplinary grounds -- in breach of the law. His union activity means that the union needed to be consulted before the company could fire him. That did not happen. The State Labour Inspectorate has confirmed that the sacking of Darius was a gross violation of Polish labour law.

Please take a moment to support the union in its fight to get Darius reinstated. Tell IKEA that it must respect workers' rights -- and the law.

I have gone through the current betting odds on Sportsbet, on the assumption that professional agencies don’t like to lose money. Sometimes, of course, they get it wrong (e.g., late swing to the governing party in the Federal election of 2019), and odds may change over the next several days.

Fernando M. Gonçalves

Lest We Forget: On this day in 1884, 13 European nations shamelessly gathered in Berlin to parcel out the African continent like famished school children (on a school trip) haphazardly dividing up a pizza. Great Britain was represented by Sir Edward Malet (Ambassador to the German Empire). The US, the emerging but reluctant superpower, had a delegate - the explorer Henry Morton Stanley.

Since its 2020 coup that toppled Myanmar's democratic government, the military junta has killed more than 2,000 civilians including trade unionists and children, arrested more than 14,000, and displaced more than 1 million people.

April 19 was marked a black day in the history of the independent trade union movement in Belarus. The State Security Service (KGB) arrested more than a dozen trade union activists, including almost all the Union leaders.

Among them were President of Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP) Alexandr Yarashuk, vice-president Siarhei Antusevich, and the head of the Free Belarusian Trade Union Mikalaj Sharakh. One of them, the head of Free Trade Union of Metal Workers (SPM) Aliaksandr Bukhvostau, had a heart problem and was taken to the hospital.

For many years, Colombia has been recognised as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for activists and trade unionists. The Colombian state confirms that 145 social movement leaders were murdered in 2021 alone.

When Colombian trade union leaders are threatened, they take it very seriously.

Julian Parra and Claudia López are both Quironsalud (Fresenius subsidiary) workers who received death threats. Claudia reported the details of these threats to local police. Julian has fled Colombia.