Sue Bull, Geelong

As the campaign against PM John Howard’s industrial relations legislation hots up, 88 women unionists in Geelong met over dinner to discuss the fight ahead.

The July 21 dinner brought together women from all sections of the movement and was addressed by Jenny Kruschel, Victorian assistant secretary of the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union; Joyce Robinson, Ballarat organiser for the Health Services Union; and Gail Tierney, Victorian secretary of the vehicle builders division of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU).

Kruschel described how far many women in the textile manufacturing industry had come. This industry has a majority of female workers who are traditionally poorly paid and easily intimidated. In recent years, however, the union has become much better organised and the members are very proud of the gains they have made. “All of this can be taken away if we don’t organise to fight back”, she said.

The other speakers echoed that sentiment. Tierney has launched an activist network led by AMWU women to campaign within the community against Howard’s reforms.

At the end of the night, Geelong Trades Hall vice-president Christine Couzens commented, “It just shows how concerned women unionists are about these attacks if they’re going to come out in the depths of winter to organise the next phase of the fight-back.”

From Green Left Weekly, July 27, 2005.
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