Justine Kamprad, Geelong

Inspired by the activities of Union Solidarity, a Melbourne community-union campaigning group, a group of 30 people met at South West Trades Hall on June 21 to set up South West Community Solidarity.

In Liberal Party heartland, this is no small thing. As one activist said, “At the moment we are dealing with people who will cross the road to avoid meeting union activists. But that just means we need stalls on both sides of the street.” Several activists talked about the bullying and scare tactics used by the bosses in their attempt to stop unionists attending the June 28 rallies in Warrnambool, Portland and Hamilton against the federal government’s anti-union legislation.

Daniel Trenorden, a local unionist and boat owner, told the meeting he was worried about the welfare of many of the older people who live on their boats at Portland’s wharf. He explained that the council is giving out 18-day eviction notices if residents don’t have $10 million worth of public liability insurance each. “Where is a bloke like me going to get that?”, he asked. He asked the meeting to support his call on unions to make sure that they don’t “get involved in towing pensioners boats out to sea”.

Australian Manufacturing Workers Union organiser Mark Solly told the group he welcomed the local support. “It’s an inspiration to see that community members are willing to put their hands up and be involved in the struggles against the Work Choices and corporate greed.”

From Green Left Weekly, June 28, 2006.
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