Today, 28 April, construction workers observed a minute's silence for their comrades who went to work but never came home. On average one person dies every week in the construction industry.
It's a shocking figure. Yet the ABCC continues to threaten an harass construction workers and their unions for sticking up for their rights. It makes me sick, especially a supposedly pro-worker Labor Government is the one keeping these laws in place so that the Master Builders and their ilk have lower wage costs.
28 April 2009
04 April 2009
Now is the time to grow
With the impending Fair Work Act to come into force from 1 July 2009 now is the time for unions in Australia to get out into workplaces and show they are just as relevant in the 21st century as they have ever been. There are no more excuses for not organising workplaces and these news laws will be the ultimate test of union success - not all will survive.
The current Generation Y know very little about unions as they have lived most of their lives under conservative rule. We need to show them that Howard's lies and deception were just that. We need to show them that unions are not a bunch of scary, fat old men (although they do exist). Your typical union official is an educated professional and probably female. We're moving with the times. We need to make this count.
The current Generation Y know very little about unions as they have lived most of their lives under conservative rule. We need to show them that Howard's lies and deception were just that. We need to show them that unions are not a bunch of scary, fat old men (although they do exist). Your typical union official is an educated professional and probably female. We're moving with the times. We need to make this count.
03 April 2009
AWU - 15 years behind the game
This author has had the (mis)fortune of reading some articles recently where the AWU has been rabbiting on about its growth strategy. Looks like it discovered the organising model about 15 years after most unions. And let's face facts - it's pretty hard to know what is the truth from that union. Its reported membership figures are some of the biggest works of fiction around. Its Queensland Branch counts over 10,000 unfinancial members as being full members.
Mind you this is a union that put in charge a right-wing hack by the name of Paul Howes who is so young you'd think he was straight out of high school with no real work outside of being an ALP lacky and time in the union movement. Oh wait - that is the case. How can this person be the national leader of a (let's face it) mid-size union? Is he rank-and-file? Did he cut his stripes in a shearing shed or a mine? No. He was 26 when "elected" to the post. It's pathetic. For unions to be truly representative their leaders should actually have worked in the industries they represent so they know the issues facing their comrades. At least Bill Ludwig was a shearer.
And whilst I am discussing right-wing unions and ridiculously inexperienced union leaders I cannot go past Joe de Bruyn. Born in 1947 this man has been National Secretary of the SDA for more than half his life. If there was ever a case for limited terms for union officials Joe would be Exhibit A.
Mind you this is a union that put in charge a right-wing hack by the name of Paul Howes who is so young you'd think he was straight out of high school with no real work outside of being an ALP lacky and time in the union movement. Oh wait - that is the case. How can this person be the national leader of a (let's face it) mid-size union? Is he rank-and-file? Did he cut his stripes in a shearing shed or a mine? No. He was 26 when "elected" to the post. It's pathetic. For unions to be truly representative their leaders should actually have worked in the industries they represent so they know the issues facing their comrades. At least Bill Ludwig was a shearer.
And whilst I am discussing right-wing unions and ridiculously inexperienced union leaders I cannot go past Joe de Bruyn. Born in 1947 this man has been National Secretary of the SDA for more than half his life. If there was ever a case for limited terms for union officials Joe would be Exhibit A.
30 March 2009
NUW: democracy at its worst
The National Union of Workers (NUW) recently had a ballot of all members to decide whether to merge the South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland branches into a new General Branch. Members in those states voted overwhelmingly against the merger. However the largest number of NUW members by far is in Victoria and their votes drowned out the will of the smaller SA, WA and Qld branches.
Unfortunately for the NUW members in these smaller branches the union's rules (it's constitution) allowed for such a vote to occur. Many unions rules would not allow one branch's vote to decide the fate of another. If an Australian state was to merge with another our constitution specifically says that a majority of both states must agree to this, as well as a majority of Australian citizens.
The NUW's rules have been abused. It is a blatant power grab by Charlie Donnelly to sure up his power base in Victoria. The Central Branch will operate out of the same building as the Victorian and National Offices. Charlie Donnelly is a power-broker for the ALP Right faction - the faction that helped get Steve Fielding elected in the 2004 federal election over a progressive candidate for the last senate spot in Victoria. These people are not friends of working Australians.
The NUW has always been a bit odd. It's Western Australia Branch shares exective members Joe Bullock and Martin Pritchard with rival union the SDA. Bullock is State Secretary of the SDA and Assistant State Secretary of the NUW. Pritchard is the same but reverse the unions. (note this might have changed recently). This has led to some interesting national meetings.
The only positive from this merger is that it will do away with the absurd situation of shared officials. A union official cannot properly serve the interests of two unions and their members at the same time, particularly when the unions are rivals in coverage.
Unfortunately for the NUW members in these smaller branches the union's rules (it's constitution) allowed for such a vote to occur. Many unions rules would not allow one branch's vote to decide the fate of another. If an Australian state was to merge with another our constitution specifically says that a majority of both states must agree to this, as well as a majority of Australian citizens.
The NUW's rules have been abused. It is a blatant power grab by Charlie Donnelly to sure up his power base in Victoria. The Central Branch will operate out of the same building as the Victorian and National Offices. Charlie Donnelly is a power-broker for the ALP Right faction - the faction that helped get Steve Fielding elected in the 2004 federal election over a progressive candidate for the last senate spot in Victoria. These people are not friends of working Australians.
The NUW has always been a bit odd. It's Western Australia Branch shares exective members Joe Bullock and Martin Pritchard with rival union the SDA. Bullock is State Secretary of the SDA and Assistant State Secretary of the NUW. Pritchard is the same but reverse the unions. (note this might have changed recently). This has led to some interesting national meetings.
The only positive from this merger is that it will do away with the absurd situation of shared officials. A union official cannot properly serve the interests of two unions and their members at the same time, particularly when the unions are rivals in coverage.
ALP - better the devil you know?
The recent victory of the ALP in Queensland brought home to me just how much hatred there is out there for the Greens from ALP supporters. Online I saw the abuse coming for the Greens who didn't preference the ALP in many seats over their poor environmental policies.
Despite what neo-cons might say the Greens and ALP are miles apart on many issues, including industrial relations - the Greens have a better, fairer policy.
The new Fair Work Act introduced by the Rudd Government does undo many aspects of WorkChoices but it continues others such as
1. Restricting Right of Entry for unions
2. Keeping in place bureaucratic secret ballots for workers to take industrial action (despite Julia Gillard being on public record in opposition opposing secret ballots)
3. Treating building workers differently to other workers
It's way better than WorkChoices yet it doesn't take a genius to see that there's still much more room for improvement.
Despite what neo-cons might say the Greens and ALP are miles apart on many issues, including industrial relations - the Greens have a better, fairer policy.
The new Fair Work Act introduced by the Rudd Government does undo many aspects of WorkChoices but it continues others such as
1. Restricting Right of Entry for unions
2. Keeping in place bureaucratic secret ballots for workers to take industrial action (despite Julia Gillard being on public record in opposition opposing secret ballots)
3. Treating building workers differently to other workers
It's way better than WorkChoices yet it doesn't take a genius to see that there's still much more room for improvement.
04 February 2009
Trade unions and social justice
Having attended a couple of rallies recently over the invasion of Gaza by Israeli troops I started to think about the lack of involvement of the wider trade union movement around the world in this issue.
During the apartheid era in South Africa unionists around the world made their voices heard on the issue. The 1971 Springbok tour of Australia led to many unions protesting the continued racism and brutality of the South African government. Yet at the protests in Brisbane unions had a small presence with the usual suspects from the various socialist incarnates having a much stronger presence.
I think the reason is that people are scared to discuss the issue of Palestinian sovereignty openly in Australia for fear of offending others. But this is no excuse. Unions have a responsibility to educate their members of what is happening in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The Israelis are still illegally stealing land in West Bank for the "settlements". They cut off everything to the people of Gaza and killed hundreds of children in the most recent conflict.
I will be pushing this issue amongst my comrades. I hope you will too.
During the apartheid era in South Africa unionists around the world made their voices heard on the issue. The 1971 Springbok tour of Australia led to many unions protesting the continued racism and brutality of the South African government. Yet at the protests in Brisbane unions had a small presence with the usual suspects from the various socialist incarnates having a much stronger presence.
I think the reason is that people are scared to discuss the issue of Palestinian sovereignty openly in Australia for fear of offending others. But this is no excuse. Unions have a responsibility to educate their members of what is happening in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The Israelis are still illegally stealing land in West Bank for the "settlements". They cut off everything to the people of Gaza and killed hundreds of children in the most recent conflict.
I will be pushing this issue amongst my comrades. I hope you will too.
08 January 2009
Why are they called the Labor Party?
I often wonder why the Australian Labor Party calls itself thus any more. The release of the Fair Work Bill into parliament showed that whilst Prime Minister Kevin Rudd thinks Work Choices went too far, he is not that keen on winding all of it back.
This, coupled with the dog's breakfast that is award modernisation, makes me wonder what the whole point of the Your Rights at Work campaign was. I gave up a lot of my time and effort to get a government voted in that couldn't give a flying fuck about people like me and my generation. I work and I am single so I didn't get any free money in December (the poorly targeted save our economy monies thrown at families and pensioners). I know there are a lot of grumblings from people on this. That money could have been better spent on a fixing our schools, hospitals. You name it.
Full marks to the Greens and Senator Christine Milne. It appears only they have the courage to stand up and fight for workers' rights. Only the Greens are backing construction unions in their fight to get rid of the fascist Australian Building and Construction Commission. The ALP has forsaken these workers to intimidation and harassment by this secret police. Building workers have less rights than accused terrorists. Shame, ALP. A fucking disgrace.
This, coupled with the dog's breakfast that is award modernisation, makes me wonder what the whole point of the Your Rights at Work campaign was. I gave up a lot of my time and effort to get a government voted in that couldn't give a flying fuck about people like me and my generation. I work and I am single so I didn't get any free money in December (the poorly targeted save our economy monies thrown at families and pensioners). I know there are a lot of grumblings from people on this. That money could have been better spent on a fixing our schools, hospitals. You name it.
Full marks to the Greens and Senator Christine Milne. It appears only they have the courage to stand up and fight for workers' rights. Only the Greens are backing construction unions in their fight to get rid of the fascist Australian Building and Construction Commission. The ALP has forsaken these workers to intimidation and harassment by this secret police. Building workers have less rights than accused terrorists. Shame, ALP. A fucking disgrace.
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