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Union Solidarity folds but idea needs to live on

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 05:33:00 +0000

Union Solidarity as an organisation formally folded at the end of February 2009. The decision was prompted by a lack of resources and a need to rethink the group’s core strategy. However Union Solidarity activists believe that given Union Solidarity’s success the basic concept of Union Solidarity needs to be spread throughout the whole of the union movement.

Union Solidarity was formed in 2005 as a response to the Howard Government’s Workchoices legislation. The group played an important role in the Your Rights at Work Campaign, coordinating mobilisations for rallies, distributing campaign information and setting up local community/union groups. Crucially Union Solidarity provided a leadership and organising role in a number of industrial disputes. This was due to fact that the legal sanctions prevented the union that had coverage from playing its traditional role. Most of the disputes that Union Solidarity were involved in were settled through negotiation on terms acceptable to the workforce.

In spite of Union Solidarity’s success, in recent times, the demands on the group and attempting to mobilise support from one small and centralised list of union activists has proved unsustainable. The conclusion has been drawn that activist lists need to be generated in every union to face the challenges ahead. A steering committee has been formed to facilitate this important work. The basic concept of Union Solidarity was that we gave committed unionists an opportunity to give other unionists a hand when they were in trouble.

Brian Boyd VTHC Secretary has recently said, “The developing impact of the financial crisis gives rise to big challenges for the union movement.” In many ways the current crisis poses a more profound threat to the union movement than John Howard and Workchoices.

Brian Boyd has also commented, “It is right for workers to be angry at obscene executive salaries; it is right to rebel against job losses and threatened job losses; it is crucial to defend and protect hard worked for entitlements, often swallowed up when companies get themselves into trouble.”

It’s inevitable that some of the anger and rebellion will spill over to industrial action. When it does those desperate struggles need to be given every chance of success. Our experience has shown us that workers giving other workers on-the-ground solidarity during disputes is crucial. Activist lists built in every union will help facilitate this support.

Community Union Weekends

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:02:00 +0000

Strategies for organising

April 17th - 19th, April 25th & 26th, May 2nd - 3rd
Camp Eureka - 100 Tarrango Road, Yarra Junction. Melway Reference 288 K10.
MUA - 46-54 Ireland St, West Melbourne

Over one weekend at the historic Camp Eureka near Warburton, and two weekends at the MUA, we will bring together young union organisers, students, environmental campaigners and social movement activists with veterans of the labour movement and the Left.

Together we will evaluate past and existing campaigns and lay some foundations for new, practical solutions. From the Green Bans to the MUA, to Union Solidarity and WorkChoices, we will ask: What worked? What didn’t? How can we effectively respond to climate change and the economic crisis? How can we use the strength of our unions to make a better country – and a better world?

More info: communityunionweekends.wordpress.com
Contact: communityunionweekends@gmail.com | 0402 657 392

Westgate Bridge Workers Sacked

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 04:20:00 +0000

Forty workers have been sacked from the Westgate Reconstruction project, after demanding to be paid the industry rate for the job.

The AMWU and CFMEU members who were employed last December and told to expect two years full time work, were dismissed on Monday without any warning.

AMWU organiser Tony Mavromatis said the sacking was completely unexpected.

“We were negotiating with the employer, Civil Pacific Services to comply ensure we had a collective agreement that paid the industry standard, which they agreed to, but the builder, John Holland has refused to pay. They want to employ the workers on rates much lower than those in the agreement and the workers refused.”

Mr Mavromatis said that John Holland is now trying to find other people to do the job.

“They’re advertising for people, even though they have skilled, qualified workers.” more details...

Fosters – a hard earned thirst for cash

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 04:42:00 +0000

Community Protest
24 hours
outside CUB.
South Audely St
Abbotsford

Loyal workers sacked
There’s nothing like a global crisis to bring out the worst in some companies. Despite a massive $713 million profit, built by a loyal workforce, the Fosters brewing company decided to outsource its Abbotsford plant and sell off its workforce to a labour hire company. more details...

Update 12/3/2009
At the end of the workers employment with CUB union members have set up community/worker protest line outside CUB with the aims of

Winning decent working conditions with the new contractor ABB
Securing more maintenance jobs for union members

Union members and members of the community are encouraged to show their support by attending the protest.

more info: Howard Worthing 0418 534 926 | Chris Spindler 0425 784 819 | Fosters Corporate Greed Will Crush Jobs | Petition to Save Fulltime Jobs at Fosters

'Illustrations of Freedom' Exhibition Opening

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:28:00 +0000

Melbourne Opening
6-9pm Friday
27th of March
Loophole Community Art Space
834A High Street, Thornbury
Exhibition showing until the April 2.

25 Original Art Pieces by Peta Ridgeway and Fern York. The artists will discuss sovereignty, activism and creativity

Free Entry - Music, Brews not Bombs, Kumera Kitchen snacks.
All works for sale - Fund-raising for independent activists educating about Sovereignty.

It is an exhibition of artwork of Auntie Peta Ridgeway, who is an indigenous woman from the Newcastle area and is active in the struggle for sovereignty, and Fern York, and activist from the same area.

Solidarity with Colombian Trade Unionists

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:06:00 +0000

12pm Friday
March 13
Rio Tinto
120 Collins St, Melbourne

download: Peace in Colombia flyer | poster

In the past 6 years, over 2,500 union members have been killed in Colombia. This is in addition to the over 1,800 indigenous activists that have been murdered, over 25,000 disappeared and over 29,000 people that have been extra judicially executed.

Multinational mining companies are guilty of the displacement of communities and had financed the Colombian army, responsible for most of the human rights violations. The Colombian government has launched a campaign to persecute international solidarity, accusing intellectuals, students, activists of collaborating with international terrorism.

Peace and justice for Colombia asks workers and peace loving people to protest against the assassination of workers in Colombia, and against the criminalization of international solidarity. Bring banners and flags.

more info: Organized by Peace and Justice for Colombia, Melbourne

See Off Telstra's Sol Trujillo Rally

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 06:10:00 +0000

Support Telstra Workers
8.45 am Wednesday
4th March 2009
Melbourne Convention Centre
Corner of Flinders St and Clarendon St
-Nth of Yarra River

Bring Union Banners and Flags

more info: www.yourrightsattelstra.com/ | www.cepuconnects.org | Sol’s parting gift for call centre workers | CEPU Telecom & Services Branch 9349 4411

Support Pacific Brands Workers

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 06:28:00 +0000

Rally
12:00 noon Thursday
5 March 2009
Outside Myer
Bourke Street Mall, Melbourne

download: Pacific Brands rally leaflet

Protest Pacific Brands’ decision to sack 1,850 workers!

Michele O’Neil, National Secretary of the TCFUA today said, ‘This is a devastating blow to these workers, their families, this industry and Australia. We are not talking just the 1850 jobs losses announced today, the likely spin off effect on suppliers and other companies in the industry could well see thousands more jobs lost.’ more details...

more info: Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia (TCFUA) 9639 2955 | info@tcfvic.org.au

Internation Women's Day Rally

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 06:21:00 +0000

2-3pm Friday
March 6
Crn Swanston and Latrobe St
Melbourne

Download: International Women's Day rally leaftlet

100+ rally in support of 7-Eleven workers in Geelong

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:37:00 +0000

On Friday February 13 more than 100 people attended a rally outside the 7-Eleven store in the heart of Geelong.

The protest called for 7-Eleven to start paying its workers the legal minimum wage and for all unpaid wages to be paid back to them. The rally was also demanding that one of the workers, who was sacked for making a complaint, be reinstated.

This particular 7-Eleven store on Moorabool Street is particularly dodgy. The operator makes any new employees work for up to 2 months in what he calls an “unpaid trial”.

When he realised that some of the workers were thinking of reporting his illegal behavior to the Workplace Ombudsman, he threatened them with violence. Despite this, while breaking nearly every law in the book, 7-Eleven still had the audacity to visit the Geelong Police station on the morning before the rally asking them to put a stop to it! more details...

more info: www.unite.org.au

Union response to bush fire crisis

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:02:00 +0000

Union Solidarity wishes to express our deepest sympathy and solidarity to the victims of the recent bushfires. Trade Unions across the country are mobilising to help.

On Monday Feb 9 building unions in Victoria "met at Trades Hall to consider an immediate collective response." Victorian Trades Hall Council (VTHC) will "convene an all-unions special meeting on Wednesday Feb 11 to further maximise trade union support for States’ response to the fires."

Brian Boyd, VTHC secretary, urged employers to assist in the emergency. “We in particular call on all employers to co-operate sympathetically with those directly affected and those who are assisting or wishing to assist in the ongoing fire fighting and relief activities. No-one should have their employment status effected by matters related to the fires,”. more details...

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has urged union members to take up collections in their workplace and importantly "ensure that employers at least match whatever is raised."

Details of how you can help can be found here: www.actu.asn.au/bushfireappeal

ACTU asks that "If you have any details about union members or activists who may be directly or indirectly affected and who require help, please contact appeal@actu.asn.au or atattam@actu.asn.au."

7-Eleven action for decent wages

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 10:41:00 +0000

12 noon and 1pm Friday
February 13
7-Eleven store
115 Moorabool St Geelong.
[corner of the mall Geelong city centre]

UNITE has opened a second front in our campaign against 7-Eleven’s super-exploitation. Workers in the Moorabool Street store are only paid a flat rate of $10 per hour and some have been forced to do an unpaid trial of up to 2 months! To top it off one worker was stood down for making a complaint and other workers have been threatened with violence.

The Workplace Ombudsman is now investigating the employment practices at the store and complaints have also been registered with Worksafe and the Police. UNITE is demanding that the store start paying all of their workers at least the minimum wage plus penalty rates. We also want the worker who was stood down to be reinstated and for the franchise owner to pay back all of the wages he has stolen from the workers over recent years.

The protest is being organised by UNITE and is supported by the Geelong Trades Hall Council. For more information about our ongoing 7-Eleven campaign.

more info: http://www.unite.org.au/

Sustainability convergence 'breakthrough: from recession to sustainability'

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 07:19:00 +0000

9am – 5pm Saturday
February 14
Northcote High School
St Georges road, Northcote
(tram 112, West Preston, stop 26)

As we face a looming financial crisis, what are the threats and opportunities to social and environmental movements?

How do we break the 'business as usual' model? How do we 'bail out' the planet? This convergence seeks to bring together people from across Melbourne to start to develop a pathway through the recession to a sustainable economy. What would this look like and how we would we get there? What about livelihood and good work, what about community resilience? What about our place in the world? How do we respond effectively to the looming crisis of climate change? And what does this mean for the social and environmental movements in the short term? more details...

cost: Low income - $15 > Waged - $25 (no one excluded through lack of funds)

more info: www.melbourne.foe.org.au | Cam 03 9419 8700 | cam.walker@foe.org.au

Telstra Workers Deserve Your Support

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 07:01:00 +0000

Rally
12.30pm Monday
9 Feb
Testra T Shop
Crn Bourke & Swanston Sts, Melbourne
Download support leaflet

Update: This action was called off due to the bushfires on the weekend
see. "Vic fires delay Telstra industrial action"

Currently Telstra workers are engaged in a landmark dispute with the company for a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA). However this is not just another EBA dispute.

Telstra workers are fighting for the right to a union negotiated agreement, the right to compulsory arbitration, to push back "WorkChoices" AWAs and they are fighting against a relentless management campaign to de-unionise the workforce. more...

more info: www.yourrightsattelstra.com/ | www.cepuconnects.org | support leaflet

Demand sustainable water options for Melbourne

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 02:34:00 +0000

Community presence outside Tim Holding's office
11am – 12 noon Friday
February 6
Where: 387 – 389
Springvale road, Springvale

We all know that Melbourne is facing growing water stress. In response, the state government has announced a desalination plant for the Gippsland coast near Wonthaggi and the North - South pipeline, which will pump water from the Goulburn River.

Both these projects are being built for the benefit of Melbourne people, so we should educate ourselves about the impacts of these projects, as well as looking at the alternatives.

It is time to bring the message to the Minister for Water, Tim Holding, and other key members of the state government that Melbourne people want a sustainable water future.

Please consider coming along, and send a message to our government that we want water options that:

are sustainable
create long lasting jobs
are greenhouse friendly

We want to make this as colourful as possible - please bring friends and banners!

more info: Cam Walker (03) 9419 8700 | 0419 338 047 | cam.walker@foe.org.au

SHAC Eviction: Dinner and Camp Out at Melbourne Uni tonight!!

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:34:00 +0000

At 6am this morning the students residing at 272-278 Faraday st were evicted by 30 police officers without notice. At the time of writing SHAC residents are being moved out by private security guards.

Tonight, Tuesday 14th January, a dinner and sleep out will take place. Meet outside 272-278 Faraday street at 6pm.

The students have vowed to continue the campaign for more affordable housing.

Victorian Trades Hall Council Campaigns Coordinator Bronwyn Halfpenny has confirmed that unions will meet next week to consider what kind of industrial action will be taken by Trades Hall.

More details of the eviction, watch here:

RSS Feeds

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 07:14:00 +0000

Union Solidarity - Home page
http://www.unionsolidarity.org/atom.xml

Union Solidarity - IR News
http://www.unionsolidarity.org/irnews/atom.xml

Your Firefighters Need Your Help!

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:01:00 +0000

Community Meeting
7:30pm
Thurs 15th January
Footscray Fire Station
69 Droop St Footscray

The Metropolitan Fire & Emergency Service Board is attempting to force Footscray firefighters to occupy the recently refurbished fire station at 69 Droop Street, Footscray, despite significant safety concerns.

The refurbished/reconstructed fire station will cause a delay in the firefighters responding to fires and incidents because of being badly designed. The new design breaches the Metropolitan Fire & Emergency Service Board's own Disability Action Plan and the ‘Design and Delivery Manual for New and Refurbished Fire Stations for MFESB’.

more info: www.firecrisis.com

Ongoing Support Required to Resist SHAC Eviction

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 09:20:00 +0000

The Student Housing Action Cooperative (SHAC) is calling for support from now until the time of eviction.

One hundred people attended an emergency rally outside SHAC on Wednesday 7th January as the Sheriff's department met to discuss the strategy for eviction, which they say will happen "sooner rather than later".

Today SHAC received conflicting information from police and from the Sheriff's office regarding a clear timeline for the eviction. SHAC are asking people to stay overnight and defend the premises until such time as the warrant is executed.

more info: shacmelbourne.blogspot.com

Emergency SHAC Rally

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:49:00 +0000

12 noon
Wednesday 7th Jan
SHAC - 272 Faraday St Carlton

SHAC Update: On Monday 5th Jan, Melbourne University was granted permission by the Supreme Court to apply for a warrant to reclaim 272 Faraday St Carlton, the site of the Student Housing Action Collective (SHAC) occupation. Homeless students from Melbourne University have been running a successful housing cooperative at SHAC since 20 August 2008.

SHAC were in negotiations with the University until Thursday 18th December when the University presented a bogus offer to the students, gave them 45 minutes to sign on the dotted line, then preceded to place five private security guards outside the premises. The students refused to negotiate under conditions of duress, but made a counter offer in the following days.

The contents of the University's "offer" was that the University would pay the bond and be the guarantor for four or five share houses for a period of twelve months. The houses would have run according to SHAC's cooperative principles. SHAC would select appropriate students who would then be referred to the University's low income test and the University would subsidise the rent of these students.

The problem with this offer was that the Uni had made no commitment to funding any new subsidised places from their existing rental subsidy scheme. In effect, the students selected for the "SHAC share houses" would have been taking the places of other students who fit the Uni's low income criteria. The Uni already has a small amount of properties to house students on low incomes with slightly subsidised rent (approximately $100 per week). The SHAC students could not accept this offer in good conscience. It begs the question: what was the Uni planning to do with these properties if the subsidised students were to shift from University owned houses to share houses from the private rental market? Would the Uni have used the SHAC scheme to make their own properties vacant in order to sell them?

SHAC received notification on Friday 19th December that the Uni intended to seek a warrant for the recovery of land from the Supreme Court on Tuesday 23rd December. The students won an adjournment, with the Supreme Court Judge stating he wanted to hear about how the SHAC case relates to the new Victorian Human Rights Charter, which includes the right to housing.

Over the Christmas and New Year period, SHAC received legal advice from Barristers provided by the Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH). The students were unable to commit to the legal process, based on the strong likelihood that the University's legal costs (in excess of $20,000) would be awarded against them. The students were advised that they did not have a case. So the SHAC students made the difficult decision not to engage with the legal process but are now preparing to resist an eviction.

SHAC have called on the supporters of Union Solidarity to be on call to support eviction resistance. The Uni has given the final deadline of 12 noon tomorrow (Wednesday 7th January), however the Uni have not yet served a warrant on the students. It is believed that a warrant may be served sometime this week.

The students involved in the occupation are still hopeful of a positive outcome based on the amount of public awareness raised by the occupation, and the political pressure put on the University.

Victorian Trades Hall Council Secretary Brian Boyd has stated publicly that the Trades Hall Building Industry Group would take appropriate industrial action in the event of an eviction. This means that SHAC's fight for more affordable student housing is far from over!!

more info: shacmelbourne.blogspot.com

Fiver for the Homeless

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:43:00 +0000

Support the Fr. Bob Maguire Foundation
Direct Debit $5 per week for the Homeless

A weekly donation of $5 will support Fr. Bob Maguire Foundation to provide shelter and food for the most disadvantaged people in our society.

Inspired by the lifetime work of one of Australia's genuine heroes, Fr. Bob Maguire, this is a foundation connected to the very fibre of our community and its most pressing social issues.

The mission is simple: to provide material, emotional and social support to whomever, whenever and wherever necessary. Fr. Bob Maguire Foundation has looked after street kids, families ravaged by unemployment, drugs or violence, to the severely disadvantaged people that society has deemed futile. This Foundation is about targeting real needs with very real reaction.

Union Solidarity encourages the working people to support this effort by contributing with a weekly $5 dollar donation debited directly from your account, or donating directly to the foundation at www.fatherbobsfoundation.com.au.

$35.00 will feed a family for a day
$50.00 will pay for medication for one week
$160.00 will shelter a homeless for a week
$600.00 will keep the food van going for two weeks

If you are donating to Fr. Bob Maguire's foundation, please notify Union Solidarity by sending an email to contact@unionsolidarity.org

more info: email lourdes@latinamericasolidarity.org | Ph: 0421 957341

download flyer here: Fiver%20flier.jpg

Telstra Strike

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 23:06:00 +0000

Report from Clayton's Global Operations Center
7:30am - 12:00pm
Tues 16th December
Henderson's Road, Clayton

Last week a 9MSN poll returned a result that 90% of voters support striking Telstra workers. On Tuesday 16th December, Telstra workers walked out around the country in protected industrial action that is likely to last for weeks. Union Solidarity supporters joined Telstra workers at Clayton's Global Operations Center (GOC) which handles transmission problems across Australia.

Telstra workers from the Communications Electrical Plumbing Union (CEPU) and the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) want a collectively negotiated, union Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA), not the so-called "Employee Collective Agreements" (ECAs), which are basically collective AWAs, currently offered by Telstra. Staff want better pay rises, conditions such as redundancy agreements set in stone, and improved arbitration procedures. The ECAs would eliminate most award conditions, reduce the rights of union officials in the workplace, introduce a six-day working week with low or no penalty rates, and reclassify pay scales against “market rates”. The ECAs would also lock the union out of future negotiations and would mean that working conditions would be subject to Telstra policy, not accountable to collectively negotiated union agreements.

The ECAs also enable different employment conditions between present and future Telstra workers. The legality of this is dubious. Legal firm Freehills are engineering a system whereby current workers employed under "Part A" would have better conditions than future employees, employed under "Part B". By voting to take protected industrial action, Telstra workers voted to protect the rights of future workers in a display of solidarity. If Telstra workers win the dispute, this may lead to the establishment of a legal precedent that prevents employers from imposing a lower set of conditions for people who are not yet employed.

The cornerstone of the ALP's industrial relations changes, to be introduced in July 2009, is "good faith bargaining". Telstra want to rush through ECAs and the "Part A, Part B" system in order to entrench lesser negotiation and arbitration rights for workers.

Over the past two days, Telstra has lost over $7.4 billion as its share price plummets in the wake of the strikes and the government's announcement that Telstra will be banned from the national broadband roll out.

Stay tuned for further updates and information about how you can support striking Telstra workers.

Fire Fighters Seeking EBA

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:52:00 +0000

Community Assembly
6:30am - 10am & 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Thurs & Fri
11th & 12th December
456 Albert Street
East Melbourne

The United Fire Fighters Union are calling for community support for action at their East Melbourne depot. The highly skilled firies have drafted an EBA that they are happy with, but their employer, the Melbourne Fire Brigade is refusing to implement the EBA, insisting that firies remain on individual contracts instead.

The United Fire Fighters Union is also calling for a better training facility instead of the new $70 million Burnley training center, which the UFU claim has been built on contaminated land that presents health and safety problems for workers.

more info: www.firecrisis.com

Peaceful Assembly at Patrica Baleen Gas Plant

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:35:00 +0000

Ongoing Assembly During December
Patrica Baleen Gas Plant
Ewings Marsh Rd
Orbost Victoria
download flyer with map

Santo's and Worley Parsons have implement the following:

Workers made to work under Non-Union Agreements
Forced Contractors to implement Non-Union Agreements
Union officials refused entry to the site
Safety issue ignored

Currently there is a major 100 million dollar upgrade of the gas plant. Construction workers are faced yet again with an anti-union project manager who is hell bent on forcing workers onto a non-union agreement. The end of Workchoices was supposed to see the end of this sort of bullying.

Colin Milne has been brought in on the project and the company is currently in the AIRC seeking a s496 order trying to stop workers and the community from even having a protest line.

If you are in a position to visit the assembly or spread the word about this dispute please do so.

more info: company non-union agreement

Report on Solidarity Breakfast for sacked ASU delegate

noreply@blogger.com (dazza) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:45:00 +0000

Solidarity Breakfast
8:30 – 9:30am Mon
Dec 8
Jesuit Social Services
371 Church Street Richmond

On Monday 8 December, fifty people gathered outside the head office of Jesuit Social Services in Richmond in support of Luke McMahon, sacked ASU member and OH&S rep of the year.

Issues of worker justice in the community sector often go under the public radar, as the sector is supposed to have a reputation for social justice.

Luke's supporters heard Luke (pictured above), Liz Turner (Union Solidarity) and Steve Jolly (Cr for the City of Yarra) draw attention to the fact that JSS management had enabled the intimidation of workers at the Brosnan center in Brunswick when Brosnan management threatened to invoke WorkChoices fines against workers.

more info: justice4luke.wordpress.com