"No free trade without free trade unions" was the theme of the 300-strong May day march on May 1 in Adelaide. Melanie Sjoberg reports that Greg Mead, author of The Royal Omission, told the crowd about the gross misrepresentation of Aboriginal culture and beliefs perpetrated through the royal commission into the Hindmarsh Island development and Aboriginal sacred sites.
On May 3, more than 40 people celebrated workers' history of struggle at a DSP and Resistance event. Frank Barbaro, a journalist and member of FILEF, talked about the need for an alternative media. Emma Webb from Resistance emphasised the need for the labour movement to relate to young people, and South Australian Institute of Teachers president Janet Giles described the difficulties of leading a campaign against the Liberal government.
From Melbourne, Kim Linden writes that around 1500 people including contingents from the CFMEU, CEPU, supporters of the EZLN, the Firefighters Union, the Democratic Socialist Party and Save Albert Park, attended the city's 103rd May Day rally.
Bluey Rutherford of the CEPU chaired the rally, at which Ian Stewart, from the Save Albert Park campaign group, urged people to fight the Kennett government privileging a select few big business heads.
Karen Batt, state secretary of the State Public Service Federation and one of the leaders of the recent child protection workers' struggle, explained some background to that dispute and urged people to fight the Coalition's changes to federal industrial relations law.
A representative of the Union of Australian Kurdish and Turkish Workers spoke against privatisation. Mike Salvaris, from the Victorian People's Action Network, called on people to get involved in drawing up a new constitution for a republic to protect fundamental rights such as the right to organise.
From Darwin, Tom Flanagan reports that about 300 people gathered outside the Trades and Labour Council building on May 6. Trade union contingents, led by the teachers, led the march to the Esplanade followed by East Timor activists and supporters and a large and vocal anti-uranium mining contingent.
Bill Mason writes from Brisbane that more than 2000 unionists and members of political groups braved pouring rain. Several union contingents, including the Maritime Union and the AMWU, were sizeable, despite the participants being wet through and their anti-Howard placards and banners drenched.
Political organisations, including the Democratic Socialist Party and Resistance contingent, raised loud chants such as "What do we want? Keep Telstra public! When do we want it? Now!" Although the major festival planned for Albert Park had to be cancelled, many marchers adjourned to the Paddington Workers' Club to continue the May Day celebrations.
From Perth, Anthony Benbow reports that many unions and community groups had information stalls at a trade union expo. More than 100 people attended a May Day toast in Fremantle, at which Lenore Layman from Murdoch University spoke about the history of May Day, along with Rosalie Evans from the Australian Services Union and TLC secretary Tony Cooke.
More than 1500 people attended the rally and march. Construction unions were well represented, along with transport, maritime, public sector, plumbing, electrical and meatworkers unions. Many community organisations, including Friends of East Timor, the Democratic Socialist Party and WA South African Solidarity (WASAS) also had contingents.
Speakers included Tonia Kluczniak from the ALHMWU, WA TLC secretary Tony Cooke and Glenn Ferguson, WA secretary of the AMIEU, who called for the rebuilding of union unity "not for unity's sake, but on clear principles".
On May 4 Green Left Weekly supporters organised a successful dinner at which 100 people heard greetings from Fretilin activist Nelson Baptista, Graeme Haynes from the AMIEU (meatworkers), Michelle White from the SSTU (teachers), Marc Newhouse from WASAS, Dorothy Parker from the DSP and Francesca Davidson from Resistance.
All Perth's May Day events included tributes to Aboriginal activist Rob Riley, whose tragic death on May 1 shocked union and community activists.