That's capitalism

Ryanair's huge profits (EURO 2.5 million a day) are being added to by making new cabin crew pay IRP 450 for their uniforms. And this comes after the starting pay for new cabin crew was cut by IRP 1,000 a year. The airline also charges pilots IRP 50 to apply for a job. Maybe this explains why multi-millionaire boss, Michael O'Leary, won't allow union rights for his staff.

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Since World War II there have been more than 250 major wars, in which 23 million people have been killed.

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Right to pollute upheld

THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT lost its appeal against a decision made under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the free trade area covering Canada, USA and Mexico. Like the World Trade Organisation, NAFTA removes "barriers to trade", such obstructive unnecessary things like labour laws, environmental and health regulations.

All poor old Metalclad Corp wanted to do was build a toxic waste dump in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Local people took direct action to stop it being built because it would poison the local water supply and forced the local government to refuse planning permission and declare the site part of an ecological reserve.

This was however - thanks to NAFTA - a barrier to trade, an infringement of the corporations rights (yes, corporations feel pain as well you know) and illegal. So the company sued for $90 million in damages, including compensation for lost profits and future business! They got $16.9 million in the end, but we're sure for the Californian based company that will do nicely thank-you-very-much.

From SchNEWS (Brighton), November 23rd, 2001

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Strikers piss on bosses

Hundreds of strikers urinated on a Government building in Romania to show what they thought of 'their' government. They urinated on the walls of the Ministry of Labour building in Bucharest after a 15,000 strong march through the city in December. Members of the country's National Block Union are demanding more pay.

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This edition is No68 published in Jan 2002