In case anyone thinks the fight for union rights is over

Police open fire on striking miners in South Africa - so far 34 dead and 78 wounded.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/worldview/south-africa-mine-shooting-leaves-34-dead-and-a-nation-reeling/article4485512/?cmpid=rss1

You know, it really doesn't matter where this kind of murder of men trying to make a living for their family takes place it is an affront to working men and women everywhere. And yes it can happen here again.

How true... the explotation of the poor and weak by those in power have been carried out for thousands of years. Now, in the 21"st Century its a refined art. There are those among us who believe the economic hardship we face in our everyday lives are the direct result of the poor and even the labor groups fighting for worker rights.

We've become a population controlled by the rich, or as some like to call, "The Job Creators". The sad truth is that, In a Global Economy, the need for low skill jobs and demand for natural resorces and precious metals often are found in third world countries.

Todays wealth is concentrated at the top 1% and return on investment is the #1 tool for Growing wealth. Todays wealth is generated through oversea's investments and stored in bank accounts in the Cayman Islands and Bahama. The $30 dollar an hour manufacturing jobs have all but disappeared, replaced by $12 dollar an hour service sector jobs. The Baby boomers are retiring in mass and living on a fixed income watching rising costs eat away at their nest eggs. The Young Men and women are faced with huge debt saddled with college loans with little chance to repay.

Some feel the way out of this mess is to cut entitlements and social services,Cut taxes on capital gains, get rid of estate taxes, eliminate th trade unions , and get rid of enviorment protection. The pensions we've worked all our lives for are becoming nothing more than a broken promise.

For those of us with vision its becoming increasingly frustrating seeing the bumper stickers and comercials trashing the last ones left who stand in the way of exploitation.

Think it can't happen here? Look what happened in Europe 80 years ago! History has a strange habbit of repeating itself.

Can you imagine what would have happened if the strikers had killed 34 police??

In this particular incident the first reports from the police were that the strikers opened fire on them - with what; spears and machetes??

Apparently as much as the police tried to prove otherwise there were no guns among the strikers.

South Africa mine: Lonmin drops threat to fire workers

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19330271


Gee, it only took 34 murdered workers fighting for their rights.


https://www.lonmin.com/

Lonmin Plc
4 Grosvenor Place
London
SW1X 7YL

Our mission

To grow and build our portfolio of high quality assets. needs.

To deliver the requirements of the South African broad-based socioeconomic Mining Charter and we welcome the opportunity to transform our business.

To build a value-based culture, which is founded on safe work, continuous improvement, common standards and procedures, community involvement and one that rewards employees for high performance.


Roger Phillimore
Chairman May 2009

Sickening........Solidarity to our brothers and sisters in Africa and Sympathy to those who lost loved ones in this massacre.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19360124

South African President Jacob Zuma has given details of the commission that will investigate the circumstances around the deaths of 44 people at the Marikana platinum mine.

The actions of mining company Lonmin, the government, police, unions, and individuals will all be examined.

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Gee, do you think???

Remember that the Company's policy states:

To build a value-based culture, which is founded on safe work, continuous improvement, common standards and procedures, community involvement and one that rewards employees for high performance.

"Thirty-four were shot dead by police during a strike over pay last week.

Previously 10 people, two of them police officers, had died in violent clashes.

Reports of worker action at two other platinum mines have added to industry fears that the unrest is spreading.

The price of platinum has jumped amid concerns about disruptions to supply."

The way things are going here in North America, with the massive shift to the political right (meaning business controlled) it could very easily happen here in the next decade or so.

I have never figured out why workers didn't catch the idea about where the future was headed when Ronnie Raygun fired the aircraft controllers in the 1980s.