Union militants to discuss strengthening the movement to defend rights

December 9, 2016
Issue 
Troy Gray, ETU state secretary.

A panel of union militants will lead a discussion about the new challenges facing unions and unionists in the wake of the passing of the federal Coalition government's Australian Building and Construction Commission and other anti-union laws.

Troy Gray, Victorian secretary of the Electrical Trades Union and key leader of the successful 180-day campaign against Carlton and United Breweries’ efforts to sack 55 specialist workers, is one of several union leaders to speak in a special session at the Socialist Alliance’s national conference in Geelong in January.

Siobhan Kelly, president of the new Retail and Fast Food Workers Union which is challenging the bosses’ union, the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association, has also confirmed.

Mike Treen, national director of the Unite union from New Zealand, will present on that union’s success in joining casualised fast food workers and campaigning against zero-hour contracts.

Joining them will be Tim Gooden, former secretary of Geelong Trades Hall Council, member of the Construction, Mining and Energy Union and Jackie Kriz, president of Geelong Trades Hall Council, member of Australian Nurses and Midwives Federation. Both are members of the Socialist Alliance.

It’s hoped that the "Building a militant union movement today" will contribute to a vital discussion we need to have to step up our ability to defend workers’ rights and conditions against the new version of the Australian Building and Construction Commission and other anti-union laws.

The Socialist Alliance’s 12th National Conference is being held January 20-22 at the Geelong Trades Hall. For more information about the agenda visit the website.

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