QCU 'maintains peace'

March 5, 2003
Issue 

BY TIM STEWART

BRISBANE — When the leaders of the trade union movement in Queensland proclaimed to the 100,000 anti-war protesters who rallied on February 16 that they would give the strongest possible support to the anti-war movement, what should activists expect?

When secretary of the Queensland Council of Unions Grace Grace told the cheering crowd that "the union movement stands strong" in the fight for peace, and economic and social justice, should we take it that she means the QCU will take action?

That's not how the QCU executive interpreted it. On February 26, that body passed a motion titled "Maintaining Peace". The wonderfully crafted "feel good" statement "unequivocally condemns terrorism", "commends the [Australian government for] controlling biological weapons" and "calls upon the Australian government and all political parties to avoid incitement of a climate of suspicion and fear in Australia."

It also mentions opposition to "any declaration of war with Iraq" and "opposes the Howard government's servile rush to support a US-led war against Iraq" — the words used by Grace when she spoke at the February 16 rally.

But what precisely does the QCU propose to do? With the situation in Iraq so grave, the countdown to midnight already begun, the QCU called on affiliated unions to "continue their efforts to ensure the rights of members [to] live in an environment free from harassment or discrimination [based on religion]" and "work to increase understanding of the current international situation amongst their members".

Just when the stakes need to be dramatically raised through trade union-led industrial action against the war, the QCU executive is instead trying to "maintain peace" by not doing anything.

The federal government and the ALP opposition, which are both ultimately in favour of a war on Iraq, can now take comfort in the QCU's resolve that will indeed help "maintain peace" amongst the restless ranks of the working class.

It's time for workers to join the call to "Stop work to stop the war" at 4pm on March 14 at King George Square, Brisbane.

[Tim Stewart is an assistant delegate in the Community and Public Sector Union, a member of the Queensland Peace Network and a Socialist Alliance activist.]

From Green Left Weekly, March 5, 2003.
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