The push for improved working conditions is far from simply an American or western undertaking. To mark May Day, all around the world today workers are expressing their unhappiness with a global economic system that has left many feeling exploited, squeezed by inflation, and demanding justice.
French unions continue to push their president to scrap the higher pensioner age, putting more pressure on Macron to reconsider raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. Meanwhile, South Koreans are pleading for higher wages, as tens of thousands of people attended various rallies in the biggest May Day gatherings since the pandemic began in early 2020.
Elsewhere, Spanish lawyers have requested the right to take days off, as the Illustrious College of Lawyers of Madrid demanded reforms of historic laws that require them to be on call 365 days of the year, regardless of the death of family members or medical emergencies. In recent years, Spanish lawyers have shared images of themselves working from hospital beds on IV drips to illustrate the extent of the problem.
Migrant domestic workers in Lebanon marched in a country plunged in economic crisis. Workers marched through downtown Beirut, protesting inflation that’s grown out of control and has around 75% of the population now living in poverty.
All of these movements are connected by the simple fact that workers are demanding what they deserve. Will all of their demands be met in a timely manner? Almost certainly not! But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth voicing frustrations and exercising their labor rights. If the price of everything is increasing except for our wages, something has got to give. Meanwhile, the so-called ‘leader of the free world’ consistently tweets out messages like this, painfully and predictably making it someone else’s job to find more money for teachers. At this point, Biden is one step away from tweeting out, “who the hell is president anyway, I’d like to have a word with that fella.”
Side Items
Fugitive Princess of Dubai: This article tells the story of Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, the fugitive princess daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the leader of Dubai and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates. Latifa’s escape story involves scuba equipment, satellite communicators, and a midnight rendezvous with a yacht stationed in international waters. Latifa also recorded nearly forty minutes of testimony, to be released in the event of her capture, wherein she describes her father as a “major criminal,” responsible for torturing and imprisoning numerous women who disobeyed him, including his daughter, Latifa’s older sister, who was placed in captivity under sedation following her own attempt to get out, eighteen years earlier. These are the progressive world leaders that America allies itself with
Case of the Stolen Bathrobes: Remember Liz Truss? The British prime minister who lasted just six weeks on the job, but still managed to kill the queen of England in her brief time in charge? Well, now Liz finds herself at the centre of a bizarrely pointless clash, as the british government has demanded she pay more than £12,000 following the “disappearance” of items including bathrobes and slippers from the Chevening estate, a country home she was using as she prepared for her incredibly short-lived administration. Truss was recently sent a bill by the cabinet office to cover the matter of weeks last summer when she thought her reign might extend beyond a fortnight or two. Truly a humiliating fall from grace for Lady Truss
Liverpool Provide Hope (Briefly): In a season that’s been forgettable for any number of reasons, Liverpool finally managed to put a smile on my face yesterday, albeit briefly. Taking on Tottenham Hotspur in an ignominious battle for fifth place, the Reds jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, which was cause for concern as this team loves nothing more than blowing leads. Sure enough, the final 10 minutes of the match saw Tottenham draw even, with the over-enthusiastic Brazilian Richarlison netting the tying goal, his first league goal of the season, which he celebrated by whipping off his shirt and doing his trademarked “deranged pigeon” dance. Imagine his embarrassment when Liverpool proceeded to score the winning goal just 90 seconds later, such a shame