Category: Labor / Economics

Reports on support for Palestine and its Workers at the 2026 Labor Notes conference, June 12-14, 2026

A new analysis by the Project On Government Oversight argues that the real cost of maintaining the U.S. military is far higher than officially reported. By examining spending across multiple agencies and including long-term obligations and debt-related costs, the study estimates total military-related expenditures in 2025 at between $1.5 trillion and $2.3 trillion. The authors…

South Africa’s growing anti-migrant movement blames Black African migrants for unemployment, crime, and strained public services, despite limited evidence supporting these claims. Khwezi Mabasa argues that the country’s deep economic inequalities are rooted in decades of deindustrialization, labor market precarity, and policy choices rather than migration. Drawing on research and labor data, the article examines…

The Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) argues that the new international convention on platform work falls short of workers’ demands for enforceable rights and accountability. While acknowledging issues such as unsafe work, algorithmic control, misclassification, and inadequate social protection, the union says the framework leaves too much to national laws and future implementation.…

The primary importance of the cooperative sector in Brazil and elsewhere, where cooperatives are established, lies in their effective embedding in communities. This inherent decentralization encourages local participation in resilience and adaptation projects.

A proposed U.S.-funded Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya has sparked protests, legal challenges and a wider debate over transparency, sovereignty and public trust. Busani Ngcaweni argues that the controversy reflects deeper concerns about governance, economic insecurity and the relationship between citizens and the state. Drawing on the idea of narrative economics, the article examines how…

In an historic victory for the working class — one that will have a political impact on the upcoming national election — Brazil’s chamber of deputies voted to end the odious “6×1” work week, writes Israel Dutra.

India’s pastoralist communities sustain livestock economies, conserve indigenous breeds, and steward vast rangeland ecosystems, yet they remain largely invisible in policy. This article examines how historical discrimination, shrinking grazing commons, weak implementation of legal protections, and the absence of a national commons policy continue to undermine pastoral livelihoods. While a few states have taken steps…

Hugh J Curran examines how colonial rule continues to shape political instability, economic dependency, and environmental crises across African nations. Focusing on the Sahel, Sudan, Congo, and Nigeria, the article traces how European powers extracted resources, deepened ethnic and regional divisions, and left behind fragile states vulnerable to conflict and foreign intervention. It also explores…

The administration is targeting travelers who criticize US policy.