Surprise result in Victorian ETU

@FM18 WIDE = Surprise result in Victorian ETU

By Dave Mizon

Last week's election for the Victorian branch of the Electrical Trades Union, which replaced state secretary Gary Main and assistant secretary Dick Gray by the leaders of the Recharge the ETU team, came as a surprise to many on the left and in the trade union movement.

Under the leadership of Main and Gray, the ETU in Victoria not only supported other trade unions involved in struggle, but more recently supported community-based struggles fighting against Kennett's austerity drive.

The result is a continuation of a trend over the past few years for incumbents, no matter how progressive their politics, to be ousted by an angry and frustrated rank and file. So long as union leaderships, of whichever faction, are straitjacketed by the Accord and loyalty to the ALP, the rank and file will feel that their interests are not being represented.

From GLW issue 201