CPSU officialdom
In the lead-up to the 24-hour strike on October 17 by CPSU members in Telstra, the actions of the Northern Territory branch officials in Darwin revealed a sad state of affairs in the trade union movement.
The week before the industrial action, the assistant secretary of the NT Branch, Mark Hathaway, rang a workplace delegate and informed him that, even though it was likely a 24-hour strike was going to be voted up around the country, "We've got to be careful not to disrupt the sense of community we have amongst members and management up here".
On the morning of the strike, Hathaway was interviewed on ABC radio. He sounded like a management parrot, stating how "Telstra customers will be affected in the areas of bill inquiries, phone connections, easycall products" and not a word about why we were on strike.
But the actions of another official — NT delegate organiser Kerrie Parkin — were worse. When it came to stop-work meetings to vote on strike action Parkin, an active supporter of the Country Liberal Party, chucked a sickie for the day. When it came to the days leading up to and including the strike, Parkin then scheduled herself to be out of town!
Why worry about Telstra management sending out bulletins listing "ten reasons not to strike" when we've got CPSU branch officials doing their best to drag their feet and disorient union members at the height of an industrial campaign?
CPSU telecommunications section councillor
Darwin
Police spies
When did Ray Fulcher [GLW #293] last take a taxi? If he'd taken one recently he'd know it's going to take a lot more than the magic wand of "democratic centralism" to defeat police spies. Almost every taxi now is fitted with mini-computers that pinpoint their every movement via satellite.
Ditto everything sent down a telephone line — phones, faxes and not least that instrument the Left thought would be a great liberator: the Internet. Big Brother watches over us: the Internet, invented and designed by America's military, was only released for our consumption after they'd won the Cold War with it and they'd moved onto more sophisticated technology.
Last year a former New Zealand intelligence agent took an enormous risk when he published the fact America has been and can spy on almost any telephone line in the world, via satellite, and does so from New Zealand and elsewhere. The most surprising thing I found about those current revelations of police spying is that they still, apparently, think it necessary to send the cops around, disguised.
Sydney
Sense of purpose
May I take this opportunity to talk about the great group of people involved with the Green Left and Resistance in Adelaide?
Most of them are just kids, but I wish I had possessed their sense of purpose in my callow youth.
Probably, my annoying habit of using such slang terms as "nips", "wogs" and "nungas" has not made me an ornament to socialism 100% of the time.
However, they seem quite happy to allow an old stupid racist (me) to mix freely with them for a few hours each month.
This group: 1. works very hard for democratic ideals; 2. deserves financial support and encouragement from people like me; 3. contribute huge amounts of voluntary time and they seek no individual glory, only the recognition of the real problems that confront Australian society. I'm 50 now, and I am confident they, with a bit of luck, will succeed in their aims.
Henley Beach SA
Fighting racism
I want to congratulate the organisers of the Fight Racism Conference which took place in Melbourne, October 17-18. It shows determination and commitment on Campaign Against Racism's behalf to look at ways to fight racism most effectively. It was therefore disappointing to witness the sectarianism and redbaiting from David Glanz, a seasoned activist and organiser of the ISO.
He accused the DSP of "having opposed the mobilisation against National Action in Brunswick", which is an outright lie. He either has a short memory or deliberately wants to spread scandalous rumours.
David Glanz also commented that, "The DSP is only concerned about free speech if its own interests are under threat". The DSP has a long and proud history of defending all people's right to free speech; it is crucial for genuine socialists to defend democratic rights.
David Glanz also talked about the "mass hysteria out there" (where?), and the irrationality of the working population with regards to Hanson's politics. This is not only a simplistic and false assessment of the collective psychological state of the working class, but also shows his contempt for, and deep-seated pessimism about, the working class.
People are neither irrational nor hysterical; they are hurting from years of slash-and-burn politics, and are looking for answers and direction. The job of the Left is to show an alternative way to Howard and Hanson's politics. The only way to achieve this is by rational argument, by involving people in decision-making and by broadening democratic discussions — not through censorship and cop fights.
The ISO's irrational and hysterical invoking of "Hitler and fascism are imminent" prophecies will not convince the mass of people to stand up for their rights and fight for change.
Melbourne
[Abridged.]