Annual profits from forced labour amount to US$ 236 billion, ILO report finds

The new study on forced labour in the private sector reveals a 37 per cent rise in illegal profits from forced labour since 2014.

Gewalt im Job weit verbreitet | DW | 06.12.2022

Eine Studie der Internationalen Arbeitsorganisation (ILO) lässt aufhorchen: Fast jeder fünfte Beschäftigte weltweit erlebt demnach Gewalt oder Schikane am Arbeitsplatz.

Fußball-WM: Innenministerin Faeser führt politische Gespräche in Katar | DW | 31.10.2022

Knapp drei Wochen vor Beginn der Fußball-WM in Katar ist Bundesinnenministerin Nancy Faeser nach Katar gereist. Hauptthemen sind Arbeiterrechte und andere Menschenrechtsfragen in dem Golfemirat.

Frauen in Jordanien: Der lange Weg zur Gleichberechtigung | DW | 03.07.2022

Jordanien will die soziale Kluft zwischen den Geschlechtern bis zum Jahr 2030 schließen. Doch landesweite Fortschritte sind zögerlich. Eine Schlüsselrolle nehmen kleinere privat geführte Sozialunternehmen ein.

Kinderarbeit: Das wachsende Problem | DW | 15.05.2022

Eine Folge von Corona und Armut: Die Kinderarbeit nimmt zu. Um Gegenmaßnahmen geht es ab diesem Sonntag auf einer Konferenz in Durban. Denn in vielen Ländern Afrikas sind Mädchen und Jungen gezwungen zu arbeiten.

Better Late Than Never: ILO Subjects the EPO's Management to Some Belated Justice (Sans the Removal of Immunity, so Nobody is Being Held Accountable)

There’s some good news from Geneva; the EPO is being served many rulings that reaffirm its negative stigma in spite of António Campinos wasting millions of Euros on lawyers who fight his own staff

The EPO’s Overseer/Overseen Collusion — Part XLVII: Institutionalised Injustice at the EPO?

For nearly a decade already the EPO has had a profoundly dysfunctional court for staff, much like the court for stakeholders, which is beholden to the Office management (no separation of powers)

EPO Pays Out Millions of Euros in Compensation -- to Thousands of Workers Who Deserve a Lot More for Moral Damage -- for Battistelli's Illegal Acts (But Battistelli Himself Has Not Been Punished at All, Nor Have His Enablers)

pushing ahead for justice after more than a decade of chronic, ongoing, systematic injustice, which saw the rule of law abolished, patent quality as "collateral damage", and Europe's reputation/leadership in tatters

[Meme] Almost a Decade for EPO Justice (Delayed, Hence Denied)

ILOAT has been far too slow in curtailing/stopping Benoît Battistelli‘s EPO abuses and nobody is being held accountable, either

[Meme] Geneva Convention or Geneva's Suggestion?

It remains to be seen whether EPO President (the ‘heir’ of Benoît Battistelli) António Campinos will obey a ruling from Geneva or just treat that as “advisory”, as usual, to protect Battistelli and the ‘coup plotters’

ILO Tribunal Once Again Rules That the European Patent Office (EPO) Violates Fundamental Rights

The EPO‘s management, namely António Campinos and his mates (it’s all about nepotism rather than democracy), will need to deal with Benoît Battistelli‘s “reforms” having been ruled as breaching fundamental rights of staff (for the second time in a...

Only Norway Followed the Advice of EPO Workers and Consulted Relevant Ministries About Unlawful EPO Policies

Credit is due; as far as is known, Norway’s delegation was the only delegation that actually bothered to check if Benoît Battistelli‘s proposal regarding EPO strikes was in fact lawful (it’s not lawful)

Only Norway Followed the Advice of EPO Workers and Consulted Relevant Ministries About Unlawful EPO Policies

Credit is due; as far as is known, Norway’s delegation was the only delegation that actually bothered to check if Benoît Battistelli‘s proposal regarding EPO strikes was in fact lawful (it’s not lawful)

Sonderwirtschaftszonen in Honduras: Indigene gegen Ministaaten

In Honduras laufen lokale Gemeinden Sturm gegen Sonderwirtschaftszonen mit eigenem Rechtssystem. Die Regierung verspricht neue Jobs.

The Committee on Patent Law (PLC) Informed About Overlooked Issues “Which Might Have a Bearing on the Validity of EPO Patents.”

In a publication circulated or prepared last week the Central Staff Committee (CSC) of the EPO explains a situation never explored in so-called 'media' (the very little that's left of it)

Working From Home When the Rich and Powerful Corporations (or Governments) Make All the Important Decisions and Rules

A video and further thoughts about the situation at the EPO, where working outside the Office became somewhat ‘normal’, albeit seemingly to the detriment of workers

[Meme] Sun King Against the Law

For nearly a decade the EPO had unlawful regulations in force, first under Benoît Battistelli and then his double, António Campinos, another French autocrat who does not understand the actual purpose of patents

[Meme] ILO Designed to Fail: EPO Presidents Cannot be Held Accountable If ILOAT Takes Almost a Decade to Issue a Simple Ruling

The recent ILOAT ruling (a trivial no-brainer) inadvertently reminds one of the severe weaknesses of ILOAT; what good is a system of accountability that issues rulings on decisions that are barely relevant anymore (or too late to correct)?

As Expected, Minimal Pseudo Compliance From EPO Management, Adding Insult to Injury

SUEPO Central, the core of the staff union of EPO staff (almost 7,000 workers at the EPO, most of whom are SUEPO members), has strong words about the EPO's attitude and stance, which is perhaps unsurprising but still extremely disappointing