A business secretary in the UK has proposed a new bill, the Trade Union Bill. It includes legislation that would require a minimum of 50 percent of union members to vote yes on strike action before it could take place; it would allow employers to replace strikers with temporary workers; and would require strikers to wear armbands that identify them when picketing. This proposal is, of course, getting a lot of backlash from those in the labour movement. Australia is still sorting out the deep corruption in its trade unions. This article details the immense need for an end to it. A quick snippet:
Take the issue of union corruption. Is there anyone in Australia prepared to stand up and say our unions are clean? The answer is no. Not all are as base as some but the worst are terrible, and after that it is a question of degree.
This article provides some great charts that compare union membership, average hours, minimum wage, and unemployment in America to other countries. The takeaway – we’re pretty average. 
As far as September strikes go, there were plenty. The following list touches on a few of the most notable.
- 3,800 employees that work in aviation support in Chili went on strike, grounding 400 flights and 70,000 passengers in one day.
- Lufthansa pilots held a 24 hour strike, canceling 1,000 flights.
- 150 million workers in India went on a 1-day strike, or “Bharat Bandh,” to protest recent changes in labor law that say will put jobs at risk.
- After months of protests and strikes, the Uruguayan government declared education an essential service and banned teacher strikes for 30 days. Upon hearing the news, the Uruguayan Teachers Federation planned another 1-day strike.
