MELBOURNE — Resistance held a stall on January 21 in Bourke St Mall to campaign in solidarity with the Pilbara workers who are fighting attempts by BHP to introduce individual contracts. Participants sold many copies of Green Left Weekly and collected donations.
Resistance members then picketed BHP's office for an hour on January 25, during which they sold 45 copies of Green Left Weekly and collected $25 in donations. An "individual contract" was burned.
Resistance branches in Wollongong and Perth have also organised actions.
By Sarah Peart
Statement of solidarity
A statement of student solidarity with the Pilbara workers is being circulated by Resistance. If you would like a copy, e-mail <resistance@greenleft.org.au>. The names and campus details of the signatories will be sent to the Pilbara workers.
The statement says, in part: "In 1999, students were involved in a major campaign to defeat the government's voluntary student unionism legislation. This was also an attack on the right to collectively organise ...
"We commit our solidarity to your campaign and we understand that in order to defeat these attacks, whether from government or business, active solidarity from unionists, students and the broader community is essential."
The statement has been signed by: Bernie Wunsch, chairperson, Southern Cross University (SCU) Lismore Students Representative Council (SRC); Megan White Fox, environment officer, SCU Lismore SRC; Adam Baker, education officer, Griffith University SRC; Simon Butler and Kate Carr, co-education officers, Sydney Uni SRC; Daniel Ooi, co-international solidarity officer, Sydney Uni SRC; Sarah Cleary, international officer, Murdoch Uni Student Guild; Nikki Ulasowski, general representative, Tasmania Uni SRC; Chris Atkinson, general representative, La Trobe Uni SRC; Hsien Harper, National Union of Students WA women's officer and general representative, Curtin Uni Guild.
By Kerryn Williams
Students join Resistance
SYDNEY — At a student enrollment day at the University of Sydney on January 25 eight people joined Resistance and 10 others volunteered to be involved in campaign activities. Resistance organiser Bea Brear told Resistance, "'Almost everyone we spoke to remembered that Resistance had organised the high school walk-outs against Pauline Hanson and racism in 1998. There was also a keen interest in socialism."
By Aaron Benedek