FIGHT FOR THE 107!

URGENT ACTION NEEDED
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107 rank and file members of CFMEU working on the Perth to Mandurah rail project face individual fines of up $28,600 for taking strike action in February this year. Another 323 workers could face similar fines. Court proceedings are expected to begin on August 29.

The Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) issued subpoenas on July 5 for strike action union members took on the 24 February. In an act of classic intimidation the ABCC has encouraged workers to dob themselves in to aviod "undue cost or hardship". Building contractor Leighton Kumagai provoked a 12-day strike involving 430 workers by sacking highly respected shop steward Peter Ballard. Although the ABCC said the workers could not be sent to prison they could have assets relinquished if they failed to pay fines.

CFMEU members were sent show cause letters, dated March 2, from the ABCC threatening $22,000 fines and asking workers to “explain your absence on the project on the 24 February and any subsequent days”. They were given the deadline of March 10 to provide an “acceptable response”. The ABCC ominously warned of initiating legal proceeding against the workers “without further notice” (82 CFMEU members face an additional $6,600 for allegedly ignoring an Industrial Relations Commission order banning strikes). This sums up Howard's draconian IR laws. That when workers simply fight to protect safety standards, working conditions and defend a fellow worker they are turned into criminals.

CFMEU members facing massive fines deserve our support. The Perth to Mandurah rail project was plagued with problems since day one. Rank and file workers on the job have produced an open letter justifying their actions and explaining why they were compelled to take action. Any decent trade union member would have done the same thing.

more info: Fight for the 107 | jmellor@cfmeuwa.com | www.cfmeuwa.com | ABCC letter sent to workers | Workers open letter | Sacked CFMEU steward donates unfair dismissal win to cancer kids | Construction workers vow to fight fines | Labor vows to scrap building watchdog | Militant rail union faces walkoff fines | Rail Unions sued for millions over strike | Lock me up: I won't pay fine for striking | Green Left Weekly article