Abang Sharon arrived in Lebanon on April 24 last year, having travelled there from Cameroon. The 21-year-old had a goal in Lebanon to work and earn money so she could support her family back home. An agency organized everything for her to get to Lebanon but later on, in a video published by a migrant rights organization in early December, Sharon talks about how she was working "in a toxic family." No wages, no secure contract, no protection and always this feeling that nobody can really help her.
They are underpaid and haven't seen a raise in many years. This is the predicament facing many workers in the service industry, even though they play a critical key role in the contemporary capitalist economy. Gig and service-sector workers are indeed among the most overexploited segments of the working class - struggling with low pay, lack of legal protection, and insecure employment.
The story of the diamond industry is one of monopolies, marketing and monthly salaries. For decades, men in many countries were expected to spend two or even three months' salary on a diamond engagement ring. This notion and the iconic status of this gem did not come about by accident. The story goes back to 1870, when an Oxford University dropout named Cecil Rhodes set off to try his luck in the Cape Colony modern-day South Africa, then a key British domain.
While the rich have long enjoyed luxury cars, mansions and yachts, their newest luxury vehicle is the spaceship. Musk has the most useful rockets as his SpaceX vessels can put satellites into orbit and reach the International Space Station. While they do make some innovations, they are more of an evolution of existing rockets rather than a revolution in space travel. Virgin Galactic has a spaceplane, which can be likened to a passenger version of the old X-15.
Sharanjeet Kaur faced severe labor exploitation and harassment while working for â¬200 a week with minimal breaks, leading to her receiving a compensation award after the case.
