Melbourne: 1.30pm.
June 1
State Library,
cnr Latrobe & Swanston sts.

Students and young workers across the country will be taking action on June 1 against the Howard government's attacks on workers' rights. The "Work Choices" legislation is aimed at making it easier for bosses to rip off working people, and it's going to impact on young people especially harshly.

What "Work Choices" will mean for you:

• Slash in pay rates
• Sacked whenever the boss feels like it
• More bullying and harassment at work
• No weekend pay rates
• Forced to negotiate with the boss without a union.

French students recently showed the way when they led the fight against their conservative government's attacks on young workers' rights and forced it to back down through ongoing mass protests. This victory show that if we put up a fight, we can win. Join the strike on June 1, and tell your friends and family about it.

more info: Bri 9639 8622 | 0439 694 505.

Labels: Community Protest, IR Laws

Help raise money for Grasslands and Food Not Scabs while dancing (not cumpulsory) away to one of Melbourne's most popular Latin American bands La Mezcla

Friday 2 June 7.00pm-1.00am
Maritime Union of Australia Auditorium,
46 Ireland Street, North Melbourne.
Melways 2A G12

Grasslands is a not for profit organic grocery that has supported a range of community projects since being established in 1997.

• Asylum Seeker Resource Centre Inc.
  
• Food Not Scabs. Provided healthy food at community assemblies in support of the trade union movement.
• Women's Circus.
  
• Food Not Bombs. Providing free meals to the homeless and hungry across Melbourne.
• Murnong Community Garden Co-operative.
  

Cost: Donation suggested $15-30 (or what you can afford),
Latin American food & drinks by donation.

more info: Grasslands 9362 0830 | Pablo 0407 864 036 | grasslandsorganic@telstra.com

Bookings are encouraged for catering purposes but tickets will be available at door.
RSVP: June 1st 2006.

Please book by phone: 9890 4203, fax: 9890 1601, email:events4asrc@bigblue.net.au
or snail mail to Events 4 ASRC, PO Box 5144, West Heidelberg 3081.

Get ready for June 28 National Day of Protest

• Unions and Community stand together against Howard's IR laws
• Mass Rally and Protest

June 28 2006
10AM
Gather at these points:

• Trades Hall
• Federation Square
• Spring St
• Southern Cross Station

Then march to the Bourke St Mall for a mass rally and demonstration.

Working Rights: Worth Fighting For
more info: Trades Hall Website | Download flyers

Also: General Strike Bloc Fiesta, 9.30am Crn Bouke & Swanston St

Banule "Community Against Industrial Reforms" (name might change later) is having their first meeting:

Tues May 30
5.15-6.15pm
Watsonia Library (next to train station)
Ibbottson St, Watsonia
Melway reference: 20E4

Banule covers north eastern suburbs, Ivanhoe, Heidleberg, Watsonia.

more info: touchonetouchall@hotmail.com

Moreland City Council is set to make a decision at a special council meeting on who will run the Coburg Leisure Complex. Will the council allow the Leisure centre to be run by a private operator with a hostile record towards workers and the community or bring it under council control? Workers fear their recently won EBA is under threat.

Community Assembly from
5.30pm May 22
Coburg Town Hall
Bell St Coburg

• Community Assests for the community
• Bring Coburg Leisure Centre "in-house"

Community members at a public meeting in Brunswick last night (Wed 17 May) unanimously passed a motion urging Moreland City Council to bring a local leisure complex under council management. The complex is currently tendered out to a non-government organisaton. Workers and the union representing them believe that the only way to guarantee wages, conditions and high quality service to the community is direct council control of the facilities.

In the inner northern suburbs of Melbourne workers at council owned but privately run recreation centres earn roughly 25% less than employees at council managed centres for doing exactly the same work.

The leisure industry is notorious for poor conditions and a high-staff turn over. In recent years the Australian Services Union has achieved modest gains in improving conditions. A tender process that sees private companies undercut each other for control over community owned assets however undermines these gains. Logically in a bidding war, wages and services will be cut.

We urge all supporters to attend the Special Council Meeting. We request that you print out and ask the following questions at the meeting. Please take the time to contact the elected Moreland City councillors.

5.30pm May 22
Coburg Town Hall
Bell St Coburg

More info: Motion passed at meeting | Questions to ask councillors | Contact details of local councillors

Moreland Stands Up!

Now is the time to stand with your community.

6.30pm
Wed May 17
Brunswick town Hall

Speakers:

• Kelvin Thompson, federal ALP member for Wills
• Sharan Burrows, ACTU president
• Brian Boyd, secretary VTHC
• speaker from Victorian council of social services
• Phil Cleary, community leader

more info: James dimivasso@hotmail.com | 0405 309 283

Labels: IR Laws, Public Meetings

Today May 15th members of the Maritime Union of Australia, Transport Workers Union, Rail Tram & Bus Union and Union Solidarity community activists took action in solidarity with the International Longshore & Warehouse Union standing up for 600 exploited workers at Blue Diamond the world's largest almond processor.

They went to the Scalzo Food Industries 160-174 Kensington Road West Melbourne at 10am. They to spoke to the Manager and protested the injustice in a show of international solidarity.

Report by: Viola Wilkins | violawil@telstra.net.au

More info: Indymedia coverage | (NSW) MUA Rallies in Support of Blue Diamond

On Wednesday 10th at approx 3pm the Emergency Declaration (under Cultural Heritage Protection legislation) protecting the fire at Camp Sovereignty in King's Domain will expire. It’s possible that at this time, or more likely under the cover of darkness, the State Government will move to extinguish the Fire.

Therefore all Indigenous people and supporters are invited to gather at camp from:

3pm on Wednesday
10th May
Kings Domain

There will be treaty information and signings and an epic night of Indigenous struggles on film (films start after dark) so that we can learn while we wait. Discussion re non-violent resistance to any attempts to extinguish the Fire will take place and direction from Camp Sovereignty about the desired way forward will be given to those present.

There is also a gathering on Tuesday 9th May at dusk: meet at the Fire at Camp Sovereignty for candlelight dinner and stories.

Workers, bring your families to the front of Trades Hall in Lygon St, Carlton for the:

Melbourne May Day Festival & March
Sun. 7 May 2006
Noon until 5pm

• Rides for the kids
• Food, music & speakers
• VTHC & union info stalls
• John Curtin Hotel open

Help prepare for the National Day of Protest against Howard’s IR laws on Wednesday 10am 28 June 2006 Together we are unbreakable!
more info | download Flyer

Authorised by VTHC and the May Day Committee

An accountant was sacked after complaining that she was forced to falsify accounting records. After she informed the board of the company, the Auditor, the Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry about her boss’s unlawful instructions she was immediately dismissed.

Outrageously a recent Full Federal Court hearing ruled against the worker ordered her to pay the employer’s cost and upheld the unfair and unjust dismissal because her claim was “vexatious and without reasons” because she did not complain “to a Court or Tribunal” before she was terminated. In other words for refusing to continue to comply with unlawful directions she was sacked. Because she didn’t go to a legal authority first the court offered her no protection.

The case highlights the horrible “catch 22 situation” many workers now find themselves in. If they expose their boss’s illegal or dangerous activities they risk losing their jobs, but not doing so they become complicit in their boss’s activities.

A petition is circulating demanding constitutional protection for workers resisting unlawful instructions. Please download and circulate widely.

download petition to Commonwealth Senate | download petition to Victorian Parliament

background: http://www.upholdingworkersrights.blogspot.com

The dispute at Finlay Engineering has been successfully concluded with three sacked workers Harra, Vince and Arjunta being reinstated.

Dave Oliver AMWU and Sharon Burrow from the ACTU issued the following statement.

"Following negotiations with the management of Finlay Engineering and the AMWU, the three workers have been reinstated and will be returning to work. The workers are thrilled to be back on the job, and are looking forward to returning tomorrow." Dave Oliver thanked members of the AMWU and members of the community who supported the workers in getting back to work.

more info: ACTU press release | The Age coverage of resolution | Indymedia coverage

background: Workers Online | John Fain interview with Finlay boss | Sunday Times article | The Age article

Labels: Community Assemblies, Finlay

A community assembly has started at an engineering shop in Heidelberg (Melbourne) to save the jobs of three AMWU members, sacked for answering back. There has been a long struggle to get the union onto the site. The boss now has used Howard's IR laws to get rid of three "trouble makers".

action commences

6am Tue 2 May
Finlay Engineering
617 Waterdale Road
Heidelberg West

more info: Dave Kerin 0412 484 094

update: this struggle was successful! see Finlay workers back on the job.

Labels: Community Assemblies, Finlay