News

By Vannessa Hearman More than 60 police were brought from around central Queensland to the Gordonstone coalmine near Emerald on February 11 as 250 unionists solidified their picket line near the entrance to the site. Twenty-two picketers were
Industrial action at Sydney Uni By Tyrion Perkins SYDNEY — Staff at the University of Sydney voted on February 10 to take industrial action over problems with the latest round of enterprise bargaining. At a meeting of 300 National Tertiary
By Yael Winikoff MELBOURNE — Protesters at the Otway forest blockade have accused Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union members and pro-loggers of human rights violations against them. On January 25, 50 CFMEU forestry division members,
Arrests on Timbarra Road By Olivier Maxted NORTHERN NSW — Protesters against the Timbarra goldmine staged the largest action for some time on January 19, with the erection of four tripods on Timbarra Road, 30 kilometres south-east of
By Sam Wainwright SYDNEY — More than 4000 teachers braved pouring rain to rally outside Sydney's Town Hall on February 9. The action was part of a statewide one-day strike called by the NSW Teachers Federation to pressure the Labor and Coalition
Correction In last week's Green Left Weekly the article on the resignation of Queensland MUA organiser Jeff Langdon contained the following sentence: "Langdon claimed the branch leadership did not send copies of his resignation letter to ships
By Anthony Benbowand Bronwen Beechey ADELAIDE — For the last 12 months, the Olsen Liberal government has been trying to privatise the state Electricity Trust (ETSA). A community and industrial campaign has so far thwarted Olsen's plan to ram the
By Chris Slee MELBOURNE — In a decision handed down on January 27, the Australian Industrial Relations Commission found that Mervyn Vogt was unfairly dismissed from his job with Telstra, and ordered his re-instatement with back pay. Vogt, a
By Kathy Newnam ADELAIDE — As part of preparations for International Women's Day, a forum on February 6 featured a range of speakers on the theme chosen by the 1999 IWD Collective, "Women Unite For Your Rights". Melanie Sjoberg, an industrial
Firefighters demand a fair deal ADELAIDE — Firefighters and their supporters rallied on February 10 in support of an 18% pay rise. The SA government has offered 6% over three years. Mick Doyle, secretary of the United Fire Fighters Union
MUA ex-official attacks 'character assassination' By Dick Nichols BRISBANE — Jeff Langdon, former organiser with the Maritime Union of Australia's (MUA) south Queensland branch and well known for his work during the Patrick dispute, has
By Steve Ryan SYDNEY — Despite decades of attempts to convince governments of the public's will to save our remaining forests and wilderness areas, and the need to preserve biodiversity, the dollar has won the debate. Woodchips are evidently more