5000 workers join on M1 May Day rally

May 7, 2003
Issue 

BY TONY ILTIS

MELBOURNE — This year's May Day rally, held on May 1 for the third year running rather than on the following weekend, had the theme "For a people's budget, not a war budget". The rally, which was organised by the Victorian Trades Hall Council, was attended by about 5000 people, predominantly unionised blue-collar workers.

An anti-war contingent, organised by Books Not Bombs, marched from a speakout at the State Library to join the main rally as it was assembling at Trades Hall at 10am.

From Trades Hall, the marchers headed to Federation Square, where the crowd gave a rousing welcome to Martin Kingham, state secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union, who was facing prosecution for refusing to hand over the names of shop stewards to the federal government's anti-union building industry royal commission.

Kingham told the crowd that his union had been singled out by the authorities because of its recent achievements, including the "family friendly working hours" in the 36-hour work week. He said that while some union leaderships might include "time servers and status junkies" who shrink from standing up to government attacks, he had faith in the rank and file to "stick together and fight together".

Books Not Bombs activist Lincoln Hancock spoke about the war against Iraq. He pointed out that it was the same people waging the war on Iraq who were responsible for the royal commission and the charges against Kingham and the attacks on Medicare and higher education. Calling on the Senate opposition parties to block the budget, Hancock said that the money for the war was coming from workers, from health and from education.

Trades Hall Council secretary Leigh Hubbard talked about the right to strike, enshrined in the constitution of South Africa, but still not legally recognised in Australia. He said May Day was about commemorating solidarity between workers, not just in this country but throughout the world, and spoke of the struggle for global justice not corporate "free trade". He said that May Day was a traditional day for workers to oppose unjust wars, and that he agreed with Hancock that the troops should be brought home from Iraq.

From Green Left Weekly, May 7, 2003.
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