 For more videos on people's struggles, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. Hello and welcome back to Around the World in 8 Minutes, where we at People's Dispatch bring you stories of the struggle and resistance from across the globe of people who, despite all odds, continue fighting for change and a dignified life for all. For the past year, People's Dispatch, we have been following the actions and organizing of frontline or essential workers who have stood up to demand their rights, protections and respect. While it is their labor that maintains the conditions of our survival, many companies and governments have instead taken advantage of the pandemic-imposed lockdown to cut back on workers' essential rights, wages and hard-fought-for victories. These efforts, however, have been met with resolute resistance and we have seen how from India to Indonesia, Brazil to the United States, workers across sectors have deepened their commitment to organizing and sharpen their demands. In this week's episode, we will take you to three recent examples of such efforts. Workers across South Africa took part in a massive general strike that was called for by the left-wing South African Federation of Trade Unions, SAFDU, on Wednesday, February 24. The trade union confederation reported that millions took part in the labor action which was described as a resounding success. Demonstrations were held across the country and in the western Cape province, please attack the protesters and detain union leaders. SAFDU had called for the strike on the day of the presentation of the budget to highlight the need for a drastic change in policy to address the severe crisis faced by the workers in the country. It raised a number of demands including nationalization of all strategic monopoly industries, a basic income grant of 1,500 rand and a living minimum wage of at least 12,500 rand, as well as community health care, public housing and a bar in evictions. With these demands, SAFDU sought to appeal to the broader working class in South Africa to participate in the strike, regardless of union affiliation or whether or not they're unionized. There were demonstrations held in numerous cities across the country. Let's check out the speech given by Noomsa's president, Andrew Chirwa, during the mobilization outside Arcelor Middle. Preca is open. You can just come in and make money out of black African labor and take it outside. Free of charge. That's our struggle. That's why SAFDU, we are out as SAFDU because we can't keep quiet anymore. COVID that they are talking about is now a source to attack us. This company is one of the worst employers. Labor broker is reigning the day in this company. It is now called SAFDU's providers. When we thought labor brokers are assorted, you know labor brokers, the parasites, who makes money out of workers. When we thought they assorted because we've achieved some gains, no, this company came with a new English now. They are service providers. Being exploited by this company paid cheaply by this company. There is no living wage in this company. Only these nice managers are getting paid. Next, we take you to the United States where workers from the Fight for 15 campaign have been mobilizing to raise the demand of a $15 minimum wage ahead of the vote by the House Budget Committee on the $1.9 trillion pandemic relief plan, which would include the $15 minimum wage hike. We spoke to Eric Winston, who is a restaurant worker and a leader with NC Raise Up, the North Carolina branch of the Fight for 15 and a Union campaign, about the importance of this minimum wage increase and why he and thousands of workers are fighting for it. Raising the $15 minimum wage would make so much difference to low wage workers, mainly people of color, women. The point is a franchise. It gives people a chance to make a wage to where they can start paying their bills, support their children. It eliminates having to depend on the government so much for necessities in life to where if we paid a better wage, you could handle more things like that yourself. And it's just a better quality of life where we're fighting for and we're fighting for union rights as well. And the $15 is a start. It's not the finish. It's a start. And it's the right thing to do. And I'm glad that this new administration has seen the urgency or is at new urgency as part of the COVID relief package. Finally, we take you to London, where around 2,200 bus drivers employed by RATP, an operator of the London Bus Network, went on strike this past week to protest deteriorating terms and conditions of work. The call for the strike was given by the Unite Union. Unite has been accused of the French-owned RATP of using the pandemic as a pretext for attempting pay cuts that could see some of their drivers lose up to 2,500 pounds a year. The cut in wages are a double blow for bus drivers in London as they have already been in distress due to the pandemic. In April last year, unions, including Unite, demanded enhanced safety measures for transport workers in wake of a spike of COVID-19 cases among bus drivers across the UK, especially in London. Unite announced that the bus drivers will be on strike next week as well on March 3rd. And that's all we have time for. Keep watching People's Dispatch.