Workers and the community will march on May Day this year under the banner "Put jobs before profits".
Wollongong has seen plenty of the opposite recently. Pacific Brands, for example, announced it will sack its entire Illawarra workforce — some 281 jobs — while giving top executives millions of dollars in payouts.
The unemployment rate in the Illawarra, especially among youth, is one of the highest in the country. Working people will be hit especially hard by the global economic crisis unless unions and the community unite to ensure the corporate elite pay for the crisis they created.
The May Day toast will take place on May 1, 6.30pm at the Hellenic Club. The May Day march will meet on May 2, 10am at Lowden Square (east side Wollongong train station) for a march to the mall. For details contact (02) 4229 2888.