More than 200 supporters chanted "One law for all!" as construction worker Ark Tribe entered Elizabeth Magistrates Court through an arc of union flags and banners on June 9. He faces charges that could lead to a six-month jail term or a $22,000 fine.
Tribe has been charged for allegedly failing to attend a compulsory interrogation in October before the Australian Building and Construction Commission. The ABCC was set up by the former Howard government to crush the industrial power of the building unions.
South Australian Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union secretary Martin O'Malley promised the crowd that the union would stand by Tribe. "We are not going to stand back and let our members be jailed without repercussions."
"You can kill people on building sites," O'Malley said. "Bosses kill workers left, right and centre. If it's them, they get fined. But if a worker doesn't turn up to a hearing they can get jailed for up to six months."
O'Malley said if Tribe was convicted, a national strike was likely. "The ACTU last week has passed a motion relating to taking industrial action and it's just not going to go away."
O'Malley went on to attack the federal and state ALP governments for introducing other draconian laws attacking vulnerable sections of the community.
He specifically mentioned the attack on Aboriginal rights under the Northern Territory intervention and the South Australian laws outlawing Bikie clubs.
SA Unions secretary Janet Giles told the crowd she welcomed the new industrial relations laws introduced by the Rudd government, but said they did not go far enough.
At the end of the rally the crowd took the Eureka pledge: "We swear, by the Southern Cross, to stand truly by each other and fight to defend our rights and liberties."
Tribe was not required to enter a plea and the case was adjourned until August 11.