About: Union Solidarity

Union Solidarity aims to build a mass based united front campaign on the ground to defeat the repressive IR laws. Union Solidarity is a wide network of affiliated community and welfare organisations and unions with the single aim of building a broad people’s movement to beat back attacks on workers, unions and communities.

union solidarity: Union Solidarity
Thursday, November 30, 2006

get ACTIVE in your local area.

How can I get involved?
Register as a Union Solidarity Supporter/Contact
Be informed and help build of actions in your area, tell us when you are available and any special skills.
I wish to register as a Union Solidarity Supporter | need more info

What is Union Solidarity?
Union Solidarity is a network of trade unionists and community activists working together in opposing Howard’s draconian industrial relations agenda and harsh welfare laws.

What does Union Solidarity do?
  • Organise and participate in community assembles and picket lines to protect working conditions and to protest against unfair dismissal.
  • Hold public meetings to educate the public about Howard’s IR laws and his attacks on some of the most vulnerable in the community.
  • Work with the trade unions to build the large “Your rights at work” rallies.
Get involved in a local group
Find out about groups in your area | No groups near me, how do I start a new group?

Keep me posted
Your email address will be added to our email list, you’ll be informed of general Union Solidarity actions. Email contact@unionsolidarity.org put "keep me informed" in message.
 

Power of the People at the G: T-Shirts


Proceeds from T-Shirt sales will go towards keeping Union Solidarity on the road for another year.

Price
Online Orders prior November 30: $20
On the day and after the event: $25
 
Monday, November 27, 2006

Union Solidarity at the "G" on November 30

Below is the Union Solidarity timeline for the November 30 rally at the MCG in Melbourne. Our aim on the day is to sell our T-Shirts and distribute information. If you can get involved in any of the activities could you please let us know. contact@unionsolidarity.org

Set up.
5.45am: We will be at gate 1 of the MCG at 5.45am (I know its early) where we will then establish selling points at various gates around the ground.

Selling T-Shirts / distributing info MCG - outside.
6.30am onwards: Union Solidarity will be at gates 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6. Selling will start as soon we set up.

March to Federation Square.
Scheduled from 10.15am

Arrive at Federation Square.
Approx 11.30am-Noon

Selling T-Shirts/Distributing info [Federation Square].
Noon onwards.

Pack up at Federation Square.
Probably after 2pm depends on crowd numbers.
 
Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Leafleting for November 30

Below is a list of venues to be leafleted (in Melbourne) for National Day of Action on the 30th of November. If you are in a position to help out please do.

Wed 22nd Nov
Parkville, 6:30pm-7:30pm
Melbourne Tigers v Woollongong Hawks,
State Netball and Hockey Centre,
Parkville, contact Mandy on 0414 86 26 56 or mandylcoulson@yahoo.com.au

Fri 24th Nov
Finders Street Station, 4-6pm
Meet at main entrance, contact: Danielle Archer on 0404051223

Sun 26th Nov
Telstra Dome, 4pm-5pm:
Melbourne Victory v Newcastle at Telstra Dome, contact Mandy on 0414 86 2656 or mandylcoulson@yahoo.com.au

more info: mandylcoulson@yahoo.com.au | Mandy on 0414 862 656
 
Thursday, November 16, 2006

Turella Dispute Victorious

The dispute at Thompson's Roller Shutters in Turella (Sydney) has been won, with workers going back to work this morning after signing an EBA yesterday. They will get a 12% wage rise over 3 years, increased redundancy entitlements, a recognition of the union and award conditions and a guarantee that the striking workers will not be intimidated.

A week ago, the morale on the picket line was low and there was no end in sight; only a cocky boss strutting around in front of the factory.

3 community pickets over 3 days changed all this. 30 and 40 people mobilised on each of those occasions. The community pickets and the threat of more to come meant a change in the boss' attitude from one of arrogance to turning and hiding, even closing the doors on us so they wouldn't have to face us from inside. Production was down and so was staffing levels (they had been bringing in labour hire from a notorious anti-union company).

This victory is a great victory for workers who stood up in the face of massive intimidation and fought for 4 weeks. It is also a great boost for building confidence and collaboration between community activists and the unions.

more info/background: Support Turella Strikers | Workers Solidarity NSW background

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Saturday, November 11, 2006

Support Turrella Workers in 4th week of strike action

5:45am Tuesday
November 14th
Thompson's Roller Shutters
6 Henderson Street Turrella, Sydney
Next to Turrella Station (turn left at Stn exit)

Workers at Thompson’s Roller Door factory in Turrella have now entered their fourth week of strike action demanding a collective agreement. Their struggle has been supported by three mornings of community pickets of between 30-60 people organised last week by Worker’s Solidarity NSW....read more

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Port Campbell standing up to IR bully

Union Solidarity turned up to the Port Campbell Woodside Gas Plant construction site on Friday 10 November for another round in the fight against IR consultant Colin Milne.

For those of you who aren't up to date with Milne, he is the IR consultant and an anti-unionist responsible for getting rid of, now, well over 150 workers at the construction site in Port Campbell where decent workers are being forced to work 56 hour weeks.

A number of different site supervisors tried to harass workers into pushing through the community assembly, but it would seem the workers have had enough of Milne's scare tactics and his ruthless pursuit of good, honest union people because they refused...read more

background: Port Campbell community stand up to IR bully

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Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Community Action Targets Alcoa

Building work at Alcoa’s new aluminium processing plant at Pinjarra in WA was halted Wednesday and Thursday morning (Nov 1&2) by the Peel Community Solidarity group. The community action, which involved holding mass meetings in the middle of the road, is the first of its kind in WA.

On October 31 thirty building workers were sacked after Alcoa cancelled a building firms contract. C.E.C.K, the new contractor, indicated that the workers would be re-employed under AWA’s (individual contracts) resulting in a 25% reduction in conditions.

Alcoa refused to negotiate in good faith with the union representing the workers, the Australian Workers Union (AWU). In response the community decided to discuss the issue on the main access road into the plant during a shift change. As Alcoa employs about 2,000 employees the action caused a traffic gridlock...more

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Monday, November 06, 2006

100 support Feltex workers

Feltex workers were definitely feeling the love on Friday, 3 November, when around 100 hundred people from Union Solidarity and the greater community turned up to a solidarity breakfast held in their support.

The workers face loosing all their entitlements now that Feltex have gone into liquidation and Godfrey Hirst has bought the company, for a song, through a shelf company with conveniently limited funds.

Evidently, the shelf company cannot afford to pay these workers for the many years (up to 40 years) service they have loyally given Feltex. And, now they expect the workers to sign AWAs that will effectively cut their terms and conditions, including their redundancy package entitlements based on the number of years they have served at their workplace. The AWAs are a condition of continued employment, which may be all very legal under Howard's WorkChoice laws. Just another example of how these laws undermine the rights of Australian workers.

The Textile Clothing & Footwear Union of Australia are taking the company to the Federal Court to test the legality of requiring employees to sign AWAs in these circumstances. Watch this space.

more info: Textile workers suffer AWA carpet burn | TCFUA

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Saturday, November 04, 2006

UNSW Mail Room Staff Latest Victims Of Corporate Agenda

Staff in the University of NSW Mail Room are the latest victims of management cost-cutting and corporatisation at the University of New South Wales.

The move follows a round of calls for voluntary redundancy across the University, which will see hundreds of support staff jobs lost across the institution. The job cuts program is currently the subject of a dispute between the National Tertiary Education Union and the University of NSW, which will be heard today in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission....more
 

FairWare action against top fashion labels

The Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia (TCFUA) launched legal action against 11 clothing labels in the Federal Court in Melbourne. The union alleges the companies behind labels including Rich, Vicious Threads, TL Wood Australia and Frou Frou have breached laws designed to protect outworkers from being exploited.

Protesters gathered outside court this morning, some wearing the names of the labels on sashes across their bodies and sipping champagne, while others stood behind them holding cardboard horses and placards reading "stop sweatshops"...more

more info: Uniting Church FairWare Campaign | Textile Workers Union (TCFUA)

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Disclaimer: Articles appearing on www.unionsolidarity.org come from a wide variety of sources. Opinions expressed and reportage of events do not necessarily reflect the position of Union Solidarity or meant to imply endorsed by any group Union Solidarity is supporting at the time of publication.