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Early childcare educators ‘shut the sector down’

 

More than 6000 early childhood educators walked off the job on March 27 for the third time in 12 months to demand equal pay. In addition, more than 30,000 parents made other arrangements for their children, or kept them at home, to stand in solidarity with childcare workers.

The walk-off was part of a nationwide day of action called by the workers’ union United Voice prompted by the failure of the federal government to act on equal pay. Early childhood educators are among the lowest paid professionals in Australia.

Justice for Marielle Franco

Members of Sydney's Brazilian community and socialist and LGBTQ activists organised a vigil in Martin Place on March 26 to demand justice for the assassinated Brazilian socialist city councillor Marielle Franco and her driver Anderson Pedro. Massive demonstrations have taken place throughout Brazil and solidarity actions have happened around the the world.

Video by Mert Balkanli for Green Left TV.

Country and city unite to demand a renewable energy future

“If we want to look after people and the land as we repower New South Wales [with renewable energy] we have to fight for it”, George Woods from Lock the Gate told a large rally of First Nations people, farmers and city-dwellers who took over Martin Place near NSW Parliament on March 24.

Walid Zazai speaks from Manus Island to Palm Sunday rallies

Thousands of people rallied across Australia for refugee rights at the annual Palm Sunday rallies on March 25. Melbourne had its largest rally in years as people called on the government to close down the detention centres, bring them here and let them stay. Walid Zazai, one of the men on Manus Island, sent this speech to refugee activist in Australia. The speech was read out at Palm Sunday rallies across Australia.

Tales from Sydney's Immigration Detention Centre

For nine months I have volunteered at the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney.

For the past few months, an African woman has also been visiting the centre. She is Somalian and was once in detention in Villawood. Before that she was on Christmas Island, and before that on Nauru.

On this day we all sat together laughing, as volunteers do. This was the first time I had properly spoken to her. She seemed happy, calm and free.

XXXX workers strike for job security

United Voice members working at the XXXX brewery in Brisbane stopped work for one hour, supported by other unionists and community members, on March 26.Damien Davie addresses media at rally

PHOTOS: XXXX workers strike for job security

United Voice members working at the XXXX brewery stopped work for one hour supported by large numbers of unionists and community supporters on March 26. Their main demand is for job security in a context where labour hire workers are being brought into the brewery with 25% less pay than regular workers and concerns that the company is shifting production interstate.

More photos on the Green Left Facebook page.

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