Trade union-backed coalition opposes war

BY DARREN JIGGINS

HOBART — Three hundred people participated in a rally demanding “No
war on Iraq” on September 21. The rally was organised by Peace Coalition,
which met for the first time on September 15.

Speakers at the rally included Peter Jones from the Quaker Peace and
Justice Committee, Alex Bainbridge from the Socialist Alliance and Labor
parliamentarian Duncan Kerr, who spoke representing the United Nations
Association of Australia. Kerr argued in favour of the UN Security Council
as a vehicle for multilateral action in place of US unilateralism.

Unions Tasmania initiated the Peace Coalition in response to concerns
raised by union members. David O'Byrne, vice-president of Unions Tasmania,
told Green Left Weekly that “unionists feel strongly about
this issue because it affects the day-to-day lives of our members, their
families and communities”, and that “what unites members is the desire
for a peaceful outcome”.

“Unions have understood the value of taking collective action and providing
a strong united front. We felt that the unions had the organisational skills
and the resources to coordinate the coming together of the various peace
groups.”

From Green Left Weekly, September 25, 2002.

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From GLW issue 510