BY STUART MARTIN
MELBOURNE As the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union's Victorian branch approaches a round of organiser elections, the court case on democracy in the union has continued another week without a decision being made as to who has authority in the branch.
Justice Alan Goldberg is not expected to hand down a decision over whether the AMWU national office has the right to overturn state council decisions until late September or early October.
In its second week of hearings, the case between Steve Dargavel, who was appointed acting state secretary by the state council on September 2, and the union's national secretary Doug Cameron, who has been attempting to overturn Dargavel's appointment and other state council decisions, focused mainly on the payment of officials. Most Victorian staff and officials have not been paid since August 13.
The union's national office has appointed an administrator, Dave Oliver, to run the branch, refusing to recognise Dargavel's authority. Because union dues are paid to the national office, Oliver controls the branch's finances. He is refusing to pay any officials that won't sign a pledge which would mean they had to take direction from him. Goldberg indicated that he would maintain what he believes is the status quo: Oliver as administrator with every official in the Victorian branch under his direction, including the acting state secretary.
The vast majority of Victorian AMWU members are increasingly supportive of their branch's militant leaders and organisers. Under the current elected leadership, members in Victoria have won the best conditions in the country. Members are dissatisfied, however, that the court case is taking so long and that it is not clear that elected state officials have the right to organise members or allocate union resources.
Workers First is standing in the current round of organiser elections in the metals division. Former state secretary Craig Johnston, who is the Workers First campaign coordinator, said: "The best way to find out what the members think is through the ballot box. Let the members decide."
Workers First's candidates are Victor Hose, Brendan Whelan, Tony Mavromatis and Paul Wisniewski.
From Green Left Weekly, September 25, 2002.
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