News briefs

Building workers march

BRISBANE — Around 600 building workers, members of five unions belonging to the Building Trades Group of Unions, marched through city streets to the Queensland Master Builders Association (QMBA) offices to present their log of claims as part of a new enterprise bargaining agreement to come into effect next January.

The log includes the demand for a 36-hour week and a 15% wage increase over three years, but also calls for superannuation improvements and supports the growing campaign for paid parental leave.

The unions promised a fight with the QMBA after Christmas if there was not a "reasoned response" to their log of claims — described by the QMBA as "unrealistic".

Victorian Peace Network formed

MELBOURNE — A broad range of community, religious and political organisations came together on September 11 to form the Victorian Peace Network.

The network is committed to building mass opposition to US aggression against Iraq and has called a mass rally for October 13 (1pm at the State Library). The key slogans of the rally will be "No war on Iraq!" and "No Australian involvement!"

The network has been formed under the auspices of the Victorian Trades Hall Council, and consists of delegates from organisations as diverse as the Islamic Council of Victoria, Victorian Council of Churches, Australian Arabic Council, Democratic Socialist Party and the Refugee Action Collective.

Affiliates are permitted one delegate per meeting, and are required to pay an affiliation fee of $500 (which can be negotiated for smaller or "cash-strapped" organisations). Individual activists are not permitted to affiliate to the network.

From Green Left Weekly, October 2, 2002.

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From GLW issue 511