Closures of Walmart stores in China have been challenged by the local unit of the ACFTU (All China Federation of Trade Unions, supported by the Chinese government) in Changde, Hunan province. The union has been leading protests outside a Walmart store that closed last week. As it is highly unusual for the government sanctioned union to lend its support to industrial actions, their backing has given workers great confidence.

On a cold and wet Friday afternoon in March, young trade unionists from across Europe took to the streets in Athens, Greece, to demonstrate their commitment to the young, precarious and unemployed. UNI Europa Youth’s action marked the launch of the new European Trade Union Federations’ joint youth campaign, “Enough of their crisis, back to our future!” which demands that EU institutions and employers finally make good on their promises to make youth issues a priority.