On November 12, nearly 25,000 protesters in Athens, Greece participated in the first general strike in the country since its current government came to power in January. The issue at center involved a new round of “bailout-related tax hikes and spending cuts.” After a three-week-long strike, Brazilian oil workers finally ended their protest against state-run oil producer Petróleo Brasileiro’s planned divestment program. The stoppage cost the company 2.29 million barrels of oil production. The Connecticut AFL-CIO voted last month to join the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers in their support of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS). BDS is a Palestinian movement that encourages people to boycott Israeli business and enterprises until they comply with international law and Palestinian rights. On November 11, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Republic of Ecuador entered into an agreement to “ensure workers and employers of Ecuadorian origin are protected under, and acting in accordance with U.S. anti-discrimination laws.”
