Recent news
- Assembly stands up for building workers rights
- Save our posties
- Snap strike at Dandenong Letter Centre
- Boeing Dispute Ends
- Boeing strikers remain defiant
- Boeing Dispute Enters Wed 23
- Boeing Dispute Enters 3rd Week
- Boeing Workers Fri 18
- Managements Plans thwarted
- Boeing Workers Continue Strike
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get ACTIVE in your local area.
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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 har  sh welfare laws.What does Union Solidarity do?
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
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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 |
Union Solidarity at the "G" on November 30
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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. |
Leafleting for November 30
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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 |
Turella Dispute Victorious
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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 |
Support Turrella Workers in 4th week of strike action
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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 |
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 Labels: Community Assemblies, Port Campbell |
Community Action Targets Alcoa
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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 Labels: Alcoa, Community Assemblies |
100 support Feltex workers
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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 Labels: Community Assemblies, Feltex |
UNSW Mail Room Staff Latest Victims Of Corporate Agenda
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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
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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) Labels: Community Protest, FairWear |
