Youth wages campaign gathers pace

Issue 

By Jo Williams and Tully Bates

MELBOURNE — Fifty angry supporters of the campaign against cuts to apprentice and trainee wages picketed Peter Reith's luncheon with big business at the Grand Hyatt on July 18. The picket, initiated by Resistance, was attended by members of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Engineering Union, Young Christian Workers, the metalworkers' union, the Democratic Socialist Party and Friends of the Earth.

One hundred police prevented the protesters from entering the meeting. Chanting "Wage cuts, no way, we're gonna fight it all the way!", the protesters applauded a suggestion from Resistance's Alana Kerr that the campaign target all public appearances by Reith.

Julie Chetcuti from Young Christian Workers described her experiences as an apprentice chef and how the legislation will affect apprentice and trainee wages. Martin Kingham, secretary of the construction division of the CFMEU, spoke about the need to draw apprentices into the fight.

A forum on this issue was also held on July 18, organised by the Victorian TAFE Students and Apprentices' Network (VTSAN) and Trades Hall Council, and sponsored by trade unions, Young Christian Workers and Resistance.

The forum endorsed VTSAN's efforts to organise apprentices, trainees and TAFE students to attend the Maintain Your Wage rally on July 31 and the August 19 cavalcade to Canberra. It also called for more protest actions against the federal government and for the support of trade unions, student unions and community groups in the campaign.

The next meeting of the youth wages campaign will be held at 2pm on July 26 at Trades Hall.

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