Indian workers join global day of action to Make Amazon Pay

Amazon workers across India took part in protests on Black Friday in November as part of a global day of action organised by Make Amazon Pay, a coalition of 80 trade unions, civil society organisations and environmentalists. They are calling for the company to pay its workers fairly, respect their right to join unions, pay its fair share of taxes and commit to real environmental sustainability.

“It was similar to working at a sweatshop… 10-hour long shifts, low wages, insufficient breaks, and leave,” said a former employee at Amazon’s packing warehouse near Manesar, Haryana. Protests took place in Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. They were among actions in dozens of countries.

Dharmendra Kumar, one of the organisers and co-convenor of the Joint Action Committee against Foreign Retail and E-commerce, said, “Amazon is lowering working standards across the board in India. It is based on a business model which is ecologically disastrous and economically unviable.”

Guatemalans vow to resist US mine despite $400m corporate court claim

Communities living near the site of a gold mine north of Guatemala City have vowed to continue resisting the project, after Nevada-based mining firm Kappes, Cassiday & Associates (KCA) filed a $400 million claim against the Guatemalan government at the World Bank’s investor-state dispute settlement tribunal.

For more than a decade, community groups have maintained a roundthe-clock protest camp in front of the road to the mine site, while presenting evidence of how it would lead to water depletion and contamination. The mine was suspended by Guatemalan courts in 2015 over a failure to adequately consult with communities. KCA hopes the corporate court claim will force the Guatemalan government to unblock the project – or pay out on its expected profits.

“What’s needed is a different economic model — one that prioritises clean water and soil, healthy communities, peace, dignity, and selfdetermination,” said Ana Sandoval of Peaceful Resistance La Puya, one of the groups resisting the mine.