Unemployed plan protests

Unemployed plan protests

By Andrew Bath

MELBOURNE — Unemployment and welfare groups here are preparing a campaign to highlight Labor government attacks on the unemployed and to promote a genuine program of job creation.

The groups are concerned that, with an estimated 1.5 million people unable to find full-time work, the federal government's March 12 economic statement seriously worsened the situation. In addition, Canberra is planning to do away with the dole on July 1, replacing it with a so-called Active Employment Strategy.

Unemployed groups are concerned that the AES training schemes will be merely a source of a cheap labour for private enterprise, and that unemployed people will be subject to forced relocation and other forms of coercion.

The Coalition Against Poverty and Unemployment and the Victorian Unemployed Workers Union have initiated an Unemployment Summit, scheduled for April 14, and a rally on April 20.

The conference will be held on Sunday, April 14, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Uniting Church Synod Centre, 130 Little Collins Street.

On the following weekend there will be an unemployment rally around the broad themes of Fight back against unemployment! and Demand immediate action for jobs! It will begin at 11 a.m. in City Square, on Saturday, April 20.

From GLW issue 7