Geelong rallies against Bracks

BY JEREMY SMITH

GEELONG — Five hundred people rallied on August 9 to protest against Labor Premier Steve Bracks, in town to open the Geelong Sheraton Hotel.

Most of the crowd were workers at Target whose jobs are under threat. Unionists in the construction and maritime industries and members of the Batesford Action Group also rallied.

Workers at Target are angry that 850 jobs are threatened by a mooted move of the company's Geelong office to Melbourne. Many of the workers have bought houses and raised families in Geelong and cannot relocate.

Martin Foley from the workers' union, the Australian Services Union, told the rally, "Corporate monoliths like Coles-Myer, after having such a presence in Geelong, cannot just pack up and leave. We've seen corporate Australia too often ignore its responsibilities to regional communities.

"What Coles-Myer is doing is centralising its operations just to prop up the share price. If this goes unchallenged, then we'll fail to pass on jobs to the next generation."

A union delegation entered the hotel Bracks was opening and presented a 12,000 signature petition collected in the community protesting Target's plan.

From GLW issue 460