News

  • Teachers protest elite schools funding

    SYDNEY — Teachers, parents and students have attacked a federal government bill which would increase private school funding, saying the bill will damage public education and only advantage the wealthiest families in the most elite

  • Brownbuilt workers locked out

    MELBOURNE — Workers at the Brownbuilt furniture factory in Huntingdale are entering their sixth week of being locked out by their employers. The workers, members of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, imposed minor work

  • 'Reclaim the Night'

    Women rallied across Australia on October 27 to "Reclaim the Night" and protest against violence against women. In Sydney, Lauren Carroll Harris reports, 1000 women and children assembled in Hyde Park for the rally, which was kicked off with a

  • Southcorp workers win

    MELBOURNE — Workers at five factories here owned by manufacturing company Southcorp returned to work on October 23 after a 12 day strike, having won several of their main demands. The workers, members of the Australian

  • Iraqi refugees confident of release

    ADELAIDE — The trial of 10 refugees charged with breaking out of the Woomera detention centre in June began here on October 24, but the defendants are confident they can beat the charges and were bolstered by a demonstration by 25

  • Survey shows casual exploitation

    ADELAIDE — A survey of 350 young casual workers here has revealed that many are being underpaid, do not know their rights and find that work is adversely affecting their studies and social life. With 27% of the workforce now

  • Ringing success for call centre workers

    BRISBANE — Industrial action by workers at the Australian Communications Exchange has led to a significant breakthrough in negotiations, management agreeing in advance to implement a Queensland Industrial Relations Commission

  • Loose cannons

    Committed "Although we do not feel responsible for this regrettable event, we are committed to help clear up what happened." — Cervesur beer company manager Carlos de la Flor commenting on the irreparable damage done to a 500-year-old stone

  • Correction

    In the last issue of GLW, the photo accompanying the article"Unions protest against UWS merger" identified the speaker as Robyn Moroney. The speaker was, in fact, Janice Baker from the Community and Public Sector Union.

  • Victorian VSU laws weakened

    MELBOURNE — Some of the more repressive sections of Victoria's anti-student organisation legislation, enacted by the former Kennett government in 1994, were repealed on October 25, although the Coalition and independents were

  • Action updates

    Unionists protest Reith CANBERRA — The ACT Trades and Labor Council organised a symbolic demonstration here on October 25, outside the offices of minister Peter Reith's Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business.

  • Which bank rips off workers?

    The Finance Sector Union has beaten back an attempt by the Commonwealth Bank to coerce its workers onto individual contracts, for now at least, but the dispute remains bitter. The two parties have set a deadline of October 31 to