Tony Abbott slams AMWU

BY SUE BULL

MELBOURNE — Tony Abbott, federal workplace relations minister, used
parliamentary privilege on May 29 to savagely attack the Australian Manufacturing
Workers Union and, in particular, Craig Johnston, the secretary of the
Victorian branch of the AMWU.

Having been asked what the conflict between the Victorian branch of
the AMWU and the national office might mean for economic growth and jobs,
Abbott launched a tirade. He described the conflict between AMWU national
secretary Doug Cameron and Johnston as “the militant versus the ultra-militant”
and “the Marxist versus the maniac”.

In a clear abuse of parliamentary privilege, Abbott said: “Johnston's
commitment to creating employment involves turning up uninvited outside
a business and exercising his right of entry by smashing down the door
with a crowbar.”

Abbott was referring to charges that have recently been laid against
Johnston. Seventeen unionists, including Johnston, have been charged for
an alleged break-in at the Box Hill offices of Skilled Engineering on June
15, 2001, and alleged verbal and physical attacks against scabs employed
by Skilled Engineering at Johnson tiles in the same month.

The unionists are denying all charges, and Abbott's comments would have
seen him sued if made outside parliament.

The first of the serious charges — including a threat to kill — will
be heard on June 3. Abbott's disgusting abuse of parliamentary privilege
seems timed to influence the court case.

Just to make sure that he'd really put the boot in, Abbott went on to
say, “13 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, a Trotskyite is able
to sabotage the operation of the Victorian Labor Party”.

Chris Spindler, convenor of the Skilled Six Campaign, which is supporting
the charged AMWU leaders, was furious at Abbott's comments. “I'd like to
know who's doing the sabotaging around here”, he told Green Left Weekly.
“I condemn the use of parliamentary privilege to attack trade unionists
who are defending their members.”

On the other hand, Spindler pointed out: “I guess when Abbott attacks
you, you know that you're doing your job. You're certainly having an impact.”

Spindler told GLW that the union is refusing to be cowed by the
attacks — from Abbott, the state government or the police. “They can throw
as much mud as they like but it won't stop us informing and mobilising
our members to expose the real truth. We will expose how state and federal
governments from both parties are in cahoots, trying to destroy militant
trade unionism in Victoria. They'll concoct any lie, present any shabby
evidence just to weaken the collective bargaining power of workers. That's
what this is really all about”, he said.

The Skilled Six Campaign will be organising open meetings — the next
one is at 5.30pm on June 13 at the John Curtin Hotel on Lygon Street. Already,
a May 29 AMWU stewards' meeting unanimously carried a motion calling on
the AMWU national council to pay for all of the accuseds' court costs.
For more information on the campaign, phone Chris Spindler on 0425 784
819.

From Green Left Weekly, June 5, 2002.

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From GLW issue 495