Australia

Australia: Fighting anti-union laws

This year, John Howard plans to bring in anti-union legislation more drastic than former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher ever attempted in one instalment, and arguably more drastic than the sum total of the whole long series of laws introduced by Thatcher’s government through the 1980s. By Bob Carnegie and Martin Thomas It is an attempt to change the balance of class forces radically and suddenly - to set in train a process which will transfer most workers to individual non-union contracts (Australian Workplace Agreements, AWAs) in place of union-negotiated, publicly-registered...

Brisbane Workers' Liberty discussions, August-September 2005

Workers' movements and globalisation since 1870 - discussion of the research presented in Beverly Silver's new book Forces of Labor . First session: Monday 29 August: Worldwide patterns in the automobile and textile industries (Silver's chapters 1 and 2 and ch.3 to p.97) Second session: Monday 5 September: Overall booms and slumps in working-class struggle in the 20th century (Silver's chapter 4) Third session: Monday 12 September: Strategic locations for the future (Silver's chapter 3, p.97ff, and chapter 5). Each Monday evening at 8pm. Notes and discussion points available at www...

Union rights: make Australian Labor fight!

Draft article for Workers' Liberty (Australia) no.38, by Bob Carnegie and Martin Thomas This year, John Howard plans to bring in anti-union legislation more drastic than former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher ever attempted in one instalment, and arguably more drastic than the sum total of the whole long series of laws introduced by Thatcher's government through the 1980s. It is an attempt to change the balance of class forces radically and suddenly - to set in train a process which will transfer most workers to individual non-union contracts (Australian Workplace Agreements, AWAs) in...

Interview with Dita Sari

Dita Sari spoke to Melissa White when Dita visited Brisbane in July 2005 . It's far more difficult for the left now that the dictatorship has gone. Before, the enemy was clear. We wanted to get rid of Suharto and his family eating up the natural resources. It was easy for us to unite against our common enemy. But now democratic space has come about formally and we can form political parties and trade unions and organise talks like this, social change has become so much more fractured. It's hard to bring together all the different groups with all of their different energies and different...

Australian workers mobilise against anti-union laws

Reports are still coming in, but today (30 June) there has been a massive show of union strength against the Howard Government's attacks. Up to 120,000 in Melbourne; around 10-15,000 in Geelong; 5,000 in Adelaide; 15-20,000 in Perth; 3,000 in Hobart. Up to 20,000 packed King George Square in Brisbane, with large contingents of 2000 or more each from the Electrical Trades Union, the AMWU, the BLF/CFMEU, and Transport Workers all marching to the square. The final contingents could not get in to the square - it was packed out - so stood in Ann St and packed out the church grounds across the road...

Australia plans anti-union laws

By Janet Burstall John Howard has been the Liberal Prime Minister of Australia since 1996. Last November he won not only his third term as Prime Minister, but also, for the first time, a majority in both houses of the Parliament. From that position of strength his government is preparing to introduce a string of anti-union legislation. The Government’s plans include: Removal of employment conditions from collectively bargained conditions (awards). Conditions that would be removed include additional leave and workload matters e.g. agreements on hours and intensity of work. Changes to the way...

Howard's plan: smash unions

Is it the industrial relations system that Howard is out to smash, or is it the industrial power of unions? "It seems incredible that we would see a hundred years of a fair system that has underpinned one of the richest economies in the world [changed] because business says it doesn’t have enough power. I don’t think any Australian is going to accept that" said ACTU President Sharan Burrow in response to the Howard Governments next plans for industrial relations. Howard's new proposals build on Peter Reith's Workplace Relations Act (WRA), which already undermines and penalises basic unionism...

The Australian labour movement today

The Australian labour movement is in deep trouble. Not just the left wing, or the radicals, but the whole movement. According to the ACTU: "Latest union membership figures show around 25% of them are in unions. Over the last two years union membership numbers increased by 24,500 members a year. Union membership currently stands at 1,902,700 members". The recent increase in union density is very welcome, and it reflects tremendous organising efforts in some sectors. The ACTU reports: "Over the last twelve months union membership increased in several industries: * In accommodation, cafes and...

Tsunami relief: social justice not just charity

The scale of the current crisis has as much to do with poverty and injustice as with 'nature'. Trade unions play an important role in education, health and community initiatives across the world that help people fight back. I encourage you to read about the work of the Australian union movement's aid organisation APHEDA and to consider establishing a regular donation. We need to think beyond the crisis. The estimated 200,000 people who will have died from the tsunami join 3 million people who will die this year from AIDS related diseases. Millions more will die prematurely from dirty water...

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