Pilger, unionists join campaign to free Johnston

More individuals, unions and organisations have joined the fight to free Craig Johnston. A statement calling for his release now has signatories from 15 different countries, and a number of white collar unions have passed motions of support.

Those to have signed the statement in recent days include prominent journalist John Pilger, New Zealand Alliance leader and Maori Party campaign advisor Matt McCarten and major left trade union formations in Indonesia, the Indonesian Front for Labour Struggle (FNBPI), and the Philippines, Solidarity of Filipino Workers (BMP). A motion calling for Johnston's release was also passed by the New Zealand Feltex carpet delegates conference on September 23.

A welcome development has been growing debates among white-collar unionists about the case. While there are still many misconceptions about the case in this sector, some union bodies have passed motions calling for Johnston's release, including, the Community and Public Sector Union's Family and Community Services section council, the Monash National Tertiary Education Union branch, the NSW Department of Commerce Public Service Association delegates committee, and the Canterbury-Bankstown and Lower Blue Mountains Teachers Association branches.

[If your union passes a motion of support for the campaign, fax it to (03) 9341-3427 or email <sueb@dsp.org.au>. Copies of the statement are available on the Green Left Weekly.]

From Green Left Weekly, September 29, 2004.

Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

From GLW issue 600