Global briefs
The International Labor Organisation (ILO) says that half the world's unemployed are between 15 and 24 years of age. An ILO report, "Global Unemployment Trends for Youth, 2004", said the worldwide youth unemployment rate last year was 14.4 percent — representing a 26.8 percent increase in the total number of unemployed young people over the past decade. Although young people represent about a quarter of the working age population, the ILO said, they made up as much as 47 percent of the 186 million people out of work in 2003.* * * NIGERIA: The four-day general strike called by the Labor Civil Society Coalition to protest against petrol price hikes was officially suspended on October 14. But the Nigerian Labor Congress — a key component of the coalition — warned that an indefinite stoppage could begin in two weeks if the government fails to lower petrol prices. The strike — which had the participation of broad sectors of Nigeria's working people — closed banks, businesses, shops and public services. The action was the third general strike in 18 months over fuel prices, which have soared following government deregulation of the domestic fuel market — a move made at the behest of the International Monetary Fund.* * * CANADA: Global low-wage retailer Wal-Mart said last week it was "concerned about the economic viability" of its store in Jonquiere, Quebec, which in August became the only unionised Wal- Mart in North America. Wal-Mart claims the Jonquiere store "is not meeting its business plan". The company said it had not yet heard from the United Food and Commercial Workers Union about starting talks on a contract, and alleged that "the unresolved labour situation is proving detrimental to improving the performance of the store". Wal-Mart is increasingly besieged by criticism from the labour movement, social activists and academics, and faces as many as 8000 lawsuits — including a number of class action suits — at any given time.* * * BOLIVIA: Thousands of peasants marched on Bolivia's capital, La Paz, for an October 18 rally demanding that former President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada be tried for the deaths of 80 people during last year's protests against the export of natural gas. Lozada, who was forced out by the protests, is now in exile in the US. Bolivia's Congress backed the peasants' demand. The current President, Carlos Mesa, had been Lozada's deputy. But Mesa has been forced to listen to demands of peasants and indigenous Bolivians that their gas resources be used to industrialise and develop the country instead of merely enriching giant energy transnationals. Bolivia's Congress is currently debating a new law to govern gas exploitation, which would increase the royalties transnationals pay for the gas and direct the income to health, education, roads and jobs. The current demonstrations, like those a year ago, are being led by indigenous leader Evo Morales.