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A report from Human Rights Watch details an ongoing legal and political drama in Kazakhstan over the rights to organize, strike, and express political dissidence.

An op-ed by Michigan lawmaker Rep. Woodrow Stanley implores Michigan voters to support the Protect Our Jobs Initiative on the ballot this November and outlines how Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and state Republicans have been rolling back benefits for the state’s most vulnerable while pursuing an anti-worker agenda, pro-big business agenda.

HuffPo’s Michael Tarn updates the ongoing court battle over Wisconsin’s recent union-busting laws. Will the court uphold a previous ruling that found the law unconstitutional, or will Governor Scott Walker prevail in his jihad against public sector workers?

From Monday’s NYT: feeling betrayed by The Left, educators in many states are looking for allies from groups that have traditionally been among the most hostile towards unions (ie: conservative Republicans).

Another example of why labor rights violations are humans rights violations. From the BBC’s coverage: “Hundreds were trapped inside – the building had metal grilles on the windows and no fire exits. Many workers jumped from the upper floors.”

David Madland and Nick Bunker, writing for the Center for American Progress, make the case for unions as benefactors of basically everybody. I think this graph sums things up pretty well.  

James P. Hoffa, president of the Teamsters union, tells voters to support ballot initiatives that will strengthen collective bargaining rights for employees. During the post-War economic boom, America had strong unions and a growing and prosperous middle class. What’s changed since then? Union-busting laws and trade deals pushed for by corporations have weakened the middle […]

A news report from The Times of India describes the latest human rights violations to come out of China’s FoxConn factory complex, which makes many of Apple’s top products. Among the allegations: children are taken out of school and “compelled” to work in the factories by their instructors. In its defense, FoxConn says the “interns” […]

A California labor leader explains how strong unions equate to a growing middle class, in spite of what politicians may tell you. He also makes some interesting points about how recent labor laws and trade agreements have benefited mutli-national conglomerates at the expense of workers in the US and abroad.