Last night from 7-9pm Thusday 14 September at St Matthews Hall cnr Widford St & Melbourne Ave Glenroy locals and activists gathered to hear speakers and ask questions discuss what has been happening since we last met at this location.

Some of the local job losses:

• Autoliv: 250 jobs lost 150 remain in jeopardy.
• Johnson Controls: Company closed with 80 jobs lost.
• Meritor: Company closed with 40 jobs lost.
• Kozma: Company closed 50 jobs lost.
• Visy, Coburg: 70 redundancies.
• Kraft, Broadmeadows: Company closed, 200 jobs lost.

(the above job losses are due to the policies of the Howard Government including the Free Trade Agreement with China.)

• Finlay Engineering's attack on Union delegates before the closure of the Company.
• Amcor Flexibles in Preston attack union delegates under the pretext of redundancies.
• Guest Labour 457 visas at Austral Bricks.
• Minimum Award conditions attacked and stripped.
• Diffiiculties with negotiations and the taking of legal protected action. (industrial action)
• Unfair dismissals - for example Karin Palmer at Greer Industries.

The great volunteer work done (eg leafletting at Broady and other shopping centres, attending community protests and the Big Ralies, etc) by some of those gathered local industrial and community activists was cheered. All present were encouraged to also consider using their time, energy and wits in
solidarity in the ongoing and upcoming struggles.

One local Melbourne Avenue resident (who was letter boxed with a leaflet about the night's meeting) reminded us all that 35 years ago there was a rising working class community expectation for an end to Conscription & the war in Vietnam, the end of the bleak years Liberal Government... in this very building an overflowing, huge community rally was held and out of that upsurge came the improvements in the local area which may now be taken away if we do not organise again.

We heard first hand about the impact of the Howard government's anti-worker laws and
the sort of campaign's that defeat them.

Speakers included:

Joan Doyle, state secretary of the postal workers' union spoke about the ongoing situation of increased casualisation and the current resistance to the bosses schemes.

Tim Gooden, Geelong Trades Hall secretary spoke about their local preparations for disputes eg a picket line kit they distributed a year ago and the local events there since. We heard about the the 107 WA construction workers who face fines of $28,600 for going on strike now joined by 40 AMWU members also charged by the ABCC. A Portland Victoria health & safety rep was recently hassled by the ABCC and faced six month in jail if she refused to answer their questions.

A delegate from Amcor discussed their strike for the reinstatement of sacked delegates which was won (!) thanks to industrial action at other Amcor plants in solidarity with Preston & Union Solidarity other union Unions and community support.

Mary Merkenich, Australian Education Union delegate and state councillor spoke about the need to have to take on the collaborating bureaucrats in the Unions. Also about the problems with the State ALP government's education policies and the Federal ALP Opposition education policies' holes; hardly an improvment on the current Liberal national party exploitation of the sector and incremental
privatisation of "state" school system for profiteers.

A delegate from Finlay Engineering who was sacked for standing up for a sacked worker then won reinstatement through a community campaign could not make it. However a summary of the Finlays dispute and security gained from being in the AMWU explained contrasted with those on AWAs who lost $ to their despicable boss.

A worker, sacked when she returned from sick leave after 14 years' work for Greer Industries could not make it but sent a letter which was read out.

Questions/statements from the audience included an ex meat worker who was very pissed off with the ALP Accord period which did over the union in the 1980s and warned us not to trust the ALP again. Others echoed the call that we must take over the running of our unions and our community struggles for ourselves and by taking direct action inevitably this may put some of us into situation of breaking these bad laws.

Local issues like the Toxic Waste Dump at Tullamarine, the closure of the after hours service at the Dianella Health Centre and long awaited opening of the Coolaroo Railway station (45 years on and still waiting!) were discussed.

We ended the unusually upbeat but long meeting with a unanimous vote for our concerns to be noted by our local politicians to ensure that the IR Laws be ripped up after the next election.

• To close the Tulla Toxic Waste Dump
• To support manufacturing in Australia
• Repeal the Industrial realtions Laws
• Ensure Dianella medical Clinic after hours service is retained.
• Coolaroo Railway Station be opend on the electrified line to Craigieburn.

.......................................................

There is to be a public meeting at the
Good Shepherd Hall,
88 South Circular Drive,
Gladstone Park
Tuesday 19th September 2006
at 7.30pm
with a demand for Zero health Risks.
Contact Terminate Tulla Toxic Dump Action Group

more info: Kaylene 9308 7515 | 0402 135 507 or George 9324 4455 | 0417 496 996.

NOTE:
Northern Communities and Union Solidarity group meets in two weeks time in Broadmeadows to organise a Rally on Sunday October 22nd from 1.00pm at Pearcedale Parade Broadmeadows, then march through the shopping centre. Speakers & BBQ.

more info: sue_bolton@hotmail.com | 0413-377-978 | Wayne 0438-304-326

Thanks to the organisers & all who came out on the night and shared their experiences and enthusiasm that we can and will defeate te Howard Laws.