Nearly 100 delegates from two dozen unions and peace organisations from Australia discussed the need to build the peace movement and how to go about it. Some Britain unionists also attended the December 9-10 conference held at the Maritime Union of Australia.
Warren Smith, Assistant National Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia, said the conference was called “because the world is sliding into a more dangerous phase of permanent war and militarisation”.
“From Palestine to Venezuela and Europe to Africa, ordinary workers, their families and their communities are the ones being killed, displaced, surveilled and silenced, while corporations and political elites profit.”
He urged the meeting to “leave with a plan”, including “a national union peace network or coordinating body; regular cross-union meetings; agreed campaigning possibilities; and mechanisms for sharing resources, research and strategies”.
[Tim Gooden attended the conference on behalf of Geelong Trades Hall Council.]