coolloud g8
TRANSCRIPT
Taiwan Labor Information & Education Association (TLIEA)
Coolloud Collective and anti-G8 campaign
劉光瑩 Kwang-yin Liu, Coolloud Collective
1. Intro to Coolloud Collective2. Coolloud in the anti-globalisation
movement3. Coolloud in the anti-G8 campaign
Coolloud Collective (TLIEA)
Iron Horse Film Festival
CoolloudWebsite
WholesalesWatch group
Chronicle of Labor movement
Executive Board ( 9 members)
Organisation
苦勞網 Coolloud
http://www.coolloud.org.tw/ “A medium for and by social activism” Established in 1997 by former employees of a
university-owned newspaper, social activists and students
Major website renovation in mid-2007, encouraging participation and interaction
Traffic: 5000 visits/day
Coolloud as alternative medium… Coolloud ( 苦勞 )literally means “pressed
labour” (we’re often misunderstood) border-crossing: aiming at bridging the gaps
among different realms of movement, through our media reporting
Our concerns include labour, environment, aborigines and agriculture etc.
An point of view from social movement, much neglected by the mainstream media
and as participant in social movement
2001: anti- Afghan war demonstration before AIT
2001: anti- Afghan war demonstration
Current and future objectives serve as a platform for social activism
information, assisting NGOs in ways necessary
Help establish online information platforms that facilitate collaboration among labour groups and NGO networks
1. Intro to Coolloud Collective2. Coolloud in the anti-globalisation
movement3. Coolloud in the anti-G8 campaign
Coolloud & anti-globalisation Our roles:
Observer: Report, provide comments and raise awareness
Participant: solidarity with labours worldwide, especially those oppressed by Taiwanese corporations
2001: 年興紡織 (Nien Hsing Textile) in Nicaragua
“Taiwan Solidarity With Nicaraguan Workers” initiated by three NGOs, including Coolloud Collective
Organising protests at the company Mobilizing labours to stand in solidarity,
because capital that flows across borders is doing harm to labours regardless of nationality
Demonstration at Nien-Hsing
Photo: dxchen10
Demonstration at Nien-Hsing
Photo: dxchen10
2001: 年興紡織 (Nien Hsing Textile) in Nicaragua
Outcome: union staff got their jobs back and their union recognised
Meanings for labours in Taiwan: first time to unite in solidarity for workers in
other countries Began to realise what globalisation has done to
people worldwide Reflection: struggle must also turn global!
2003: 台南企業 (Tainan Enterprise) in El Salvador Closing down the factory without warning
and subsidy plans Earthquake brought about disputes, lay-offs Along with other groups, Coolloud protested
for the rights or workers in El Salvador Appeal to the Presbyterian church, bringing
pressure to company owner
Protest at Tainan Enterprise
Photo: dxchen10
Just Garment (2004~2007) Outcome: The enterprise agreed to re-open a
smaller plant for the labours to run Reflections:
Reassuring the necessity of cross-border struggle Establishing three-side relationship
(Taiwan+US+El Salvador)
Cooperation across borders
US: Solidarity Center
El Salvador: organisation of labours
Taiwan: pressure on the enterprise
2005: anti WTO in Hong Kong Ministerial conferences in HK 2004~2005: Coolloud organised discussions with
NGOs about WTO. As a result, over 100 participants went to HK.
Four Coolloud correspondents reported from HK. 40 individuals stayed with us in the same hotel, had discussions.
5 participants were arrested, one of them was kept for a month and sued, but were later acquitted
2005: anti WTO in Hong Kong
and meanwhile, in Taipei…
Activity in support of Yang Ju-Men, who made fake bombs with rice to protest against WTO and was indicted
Jim Page, the singer and social activist, was in Taipei at that time and joined the event
2005: anti WTO in Hong Kong Reflections:
First time for Taiwanese NGOs to participate in a major anti-globalisation event
Strong impression of its magnitude, stimulating imagination for further participation
1. Intro to Coolloud Collective2. Coolloud in the anti-globalisation
movement3. Coolloud in the anti-G8 campaign
Coolloud in the anti-G8 campaign We all agreed that G8 is a major occasion
where anti-globalisation activists should wage war against
Coolloud, as a medium, will grab issues relevant to Taiwan and initiate actions if there are resources available
Send correspondents Do simultaneous reports