ARCO

ARCO

[This poem was written by one of the sacked miners from the Gordonstone coal mine in Queensland. It was read to an October 17 rally of miners and their families in Emerald.]

So you're sacking all the workers, that's such a bitter pill.
You're trying to crush this union, you're trying to break our will.
You've told a pack of lies, our spirit you're trying to break.
You can go back to America, you stinking rattle snake.
You're constant push for greed comes as nothing new,
You giant multinational with social values few.
With a stroke of your pen you can wipe young and old;
You don't belong in this country, you don't own our bloody coal.
You're just like a hungry shark that's never eaten enough.
You're up against Aussie coal miners now, you're up against the tough.
Why don't you just come clean with what you're trying to claim;
Don't try and belittle this union, don't try and escape the blame.
The decision is yours and yours alone to sack all the men,
To uproot and scatter communities with a stroke of poison pen.
So don't forget "it's you" who has closed the place and you're the only one to blame
So go home Yankee multinational and hang your head in shame.

From GLW issue 296