Protesters condemn Democrats
BRISBANE — A picket against the GST was held outside the Fortitude Valley offices of the Australian Democrats on May 29, the day after their dirty deal with the Coalition was announced. Called by the Democratic Socialist Party and Resistance, the spirited picket attracted overwhelming support from passers-by who responded to the placards urging "Honk against the GST" and "Keep the bastard Democrats honest".
A picket organiser Ruth Ratcliffe said "the Democrats have a lot to answer for. Just like when they did a deal with the government on the Workplace Relations Act, they've proved again how anti-worker they really are.
Tim Stewart, a Community and Public Sector Union delegate who attended the action, added, "It's not too late to stop the GST. The wharfies' campaign last year proved that the Liberals' and Democrats' anti-worker agenda can be uprooted by concerted action on the ground."
Workers First win
MELBOURNE — In Australian Manufacturing Union elections for organiser and Victorian state conference delegates, the Workers First team won all positions. Workers First's Linda Pope won an organiser position with 78% of the vote. In the food division, Workers First-endorsed candidates also won. Debbie Quarrell won the position of regional president in the food division.
NTEU members demand no job losses
CANBERRA — A May 25 meeting of 80 National Tertiary Education Industry Union (NTEU) members at the Australian National University voted unanimously to reject the administration's offer in the latest round of enterprise bargaining of a 2.8% pay rise over 18 months. The union is demanding a 19% wage rise and a guarantee of no net job losses.
NTEU general secretary Grahame McCulloch stressed the importance of forcing a guarantee from the administration of no net job losses. After the last enterprise bargaining agreement, in which job losses of 190 were proposed, the administration cut 430 jobs.
The administration recently initiated a "faculties restructuring" review aimed at finding ways to cut the faculties' 20 % "deficit". This money is owed only to other parts of the university; ANU is not only debt free but made a $27 million surplus last year.
Jobs campaign
MELBOURNE — The Metal Trades Federation of Unions and the Victorian Trades Hall Council have called a stop-work rally on June 3, 10.30am, at Trades Hall to support the workers of Dorf industries, who have decided to fight a company threat to close down at the cost of more than 200 jobs. Among the demands are a freeze on tariff reductions and more money for research and development.
Reproductive rights day marked
BRISBANE — About 30 supporters of women's reproductive rights gathered in Queen Street Mall to mark International Reproductive Rights Day on May 28.
Despite harassment by the mall management, protesters persevered in informing shoppers about how women's right to control their bodies is denied by current laws. Stella Riethmuller, a member of Resistance and Children by Choice, spoke about the right of young women to access abortion. Regan Davis, coordinator of the Cross-campus Pro-choice Collective, said the speak-out was a useful campaigning exercise.
Shorter working week campaign
WOLLONGONG — Fifteen people met to discuss the launch of a shorter working week campaign in the Illawarra. Ray Markey reported that on a recent survey of the effects of longer hours on workers, which include higher stress levels and more work accidents. For more information, phone Nick Southall on (02) 4284 8004.
Sydney University staff to strike
National Tertiary Education Industry Union (NTEU) members at the University of Sydney will strike on the morning of June 2 to press the university management to settle an enterprise bargain. After nine months of negotiations, agreement has not yet been reached on the core matters of salaries, employment security and workload regulation remain outstanding.
It was noted at the stop-work meeting on May 26 that management has set aside millions of dollars for new information technology systems while not budgeting for staff pay increases. The meeting voted to not cooperate in implementing the new systems and to ban the processing of examination results from July 5 if a settlement has not been reached.
Protest at Timbarra
The Sydney Timbarra Action Group (STAG) will join a protest at the Timbarra goldmine project on World Environment Day, June 5. Despite the area's high environmental conservation value and sacredness to local Aboriginal people, the government has approved Ross Mining's application to mine the area.
Ross mining will contaminate Clarence River with cyanide and hydrochloric acid. The company has proposed four to six open-cut mines and a cyanide leach pad 25 hectares in size.
The Timbarra Plateau is 25 kilometres south-east of Tenterfield. The base camp is in the Girand State Forest. STAG is organising transport. Phone Natalie Deanne or Tash Verco on 9267 4462 or 0414 336800, or e-mail <nataliedeanne@hotmail.com> or <environment@firestorm.scu.edu.au>. Check out the web site at <http://www.nrg.com.au/bsmith/>.
Greens slam Democrats
"The Democrats' GST package is a sell-out", Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown told 20 people at a protest organised by the Greens outside the Democrats' national office in Canberra on May 24.
Brown said that the proposals put forward by the Democrats are "bad for the environment and bad for social justice". The fuel rebate will benefit big corporations, Brown said. The Greens favour of an eco-tax on environmentally destructive fuels, abolishing payroll tax and boosting funding for solar energy.
Southern Cross students continue campaign
LISMORE — On May 28, 30 students demonstrated outside a meeting of the Southern Cross University Council to demand answers about the council's and university administration's decisions to cut funding to 2NCR community radio and invest $2 million in a commercial aquatic centre.
The students demanded that the university take a firm stand against the proposed federal "voluntary student unionism" legislation, reinstate funding to 2NCR, hold a referendum on involvement in the aquatic centre, and that there be no more cuts to teaching staff and library services. Further protests are planned in July.