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Issue No. 227 | 02 July 2004 |
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A Place To Call Home
Interview: Power and the Passion Unions: Tackling the Heavy Hitters Industrial: Seeing the Forest For The Wood Housing: Home Truths International: Boycott Busters Economics: Ideology and Free Trade History: Long Shadow of a Forgotten Man Review: Chewing the Fat Poetry: Dear John
Politics The Soapbox The Locker Room Postcard
 Letter From America
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News Activists What’s On!
Save Nursing at Sydney Uni: Online Petition The National Tertiary Education Union has launched an online petition as part of a campaign to keep the Faculty of Nursing open at Sydney University and to keep Sydney University's orange campus open. Click here to add your support. UNMASKING EXPLOITATION National sportswear workers speaking tour A national speaking tour by Noi Pongkhwa and Yong Jaikla will give Australians the opportunity to hear first hand about work practices in the sportswear industry. It will also provide us with an insight into the changes that can and are taking place. Fairwear and the union movement will also have input into these public meetings. Noi is a former employee of the Bed and Bath factory in Bangkok that produced sportswear for Nike, Reebok, Adidas, Levi's, Fila, Umbro and nearly 40 other brands. The owner of the factory suddenly disappeared, taking with him all the wages and entitlements money of the factory's 850 workers. After months of protest the workers won some compensation. Some of the workers then used their compensation to establish the Solidarity Group co-operative clothing factory. They have now started their own clothing label called 'Dignity Returns'. Yong works for the Thai Labour Campaign and has a broad knowledge of working conditions in the sportswear industry in Thailand. These quotes from former Bed and Bath factory workers highlight the situation sportswear workers too often face. "I had worked here for three years with constant tension, with no time to relax or rest. Sometimes I had to work until 2am or much later. The employer demanded a constant speed of production." "After I drank water added with amphetamine (by the owner), I lost my senses. When I worked at night, I did not feel pain when a needle pricked my fingers. But in the morning, I felt so much pain in my fingers." "There was a small food shop near the factory building where I always ate. The employer came to the shop, furious, and ordered us to go back to work while we were eating. I felt so tired. This was too much to endure." SYDNEY WHEN: 6pm Thursday 8 July - public meeting with Noi and Yong, Louise Southalan (AFTINET) and Dez Karlsson (Fairwear). WHERE: Sydney Mechanics School of Arts, 280 Pitt St, Sydney . Fundraiser for the Cuban Children's Fund Merdith Burgmann, President of the NSW Legislative Council will host a fundraising reception for the fund as follows: Friday July 9th, 5.30 pm - 7 pm At the President's Dining Room, Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney. $30 donation, plus surprise raffles. RSVP by 2nd July To Claudine Lyons Ph 9230 2548 The special guest will be: Anthony Albanese, MHR (Shadow Minister for Employment Services and Training). Anthony was a member of the recent parliamentary delegation to Cuba. During the visit he was able to visit the Wm Soler Hospital, the focus of the Cuban Children's fund's efforts. Anthony will talk about the progress of the hospital and his observations of Cuba generally. In recent months the Fund Committee has been able to assist the further development of the Wm Soler Hospital with donations that have enabled the purchase of intensive care beds for small children and paediatric anaesthetic equipment. If you would like to join the fund please return this email and I will send you the necessary information. The fund is assisted and administrated through APHEDA - Union Aid Abroad, the ACTU's aid and solidarity organisation. Business Ethics Forum - timely opportunity to discuss corporate values and responsibilities The second Oxfam Community Aid Abroad Business Ethics Forum on Tuesday 13 July 2004 comes at a time when global events have again thrown a spotlight on the social responsibilities of the corporate sector. The forum will bring together representatives from many top Australian companies, government departments, educational institutions and the general public to discuss values and ethics in the workplace. The forum will take place in Federation Square in the heart of Melbourne's CBD and will feature distinguished keynote speakers: Justice Neville Owen (Royal Commissioner, HIH Inquiry) Christine Charles (Corporate Executive, Newmont Australia) Sharan Burrow (ACTU President) Corporate governance matters such as boardroom responsibility and shareholder interest, the environmental impact of business and best corporate practice are some of the issues that will be the subject of conversations at the forum. Andrew Hewett, Executive Director of Oxfam Community Aid Abroad, says a constructive business ethics debate in Australia is vital in this era of corporate globalisation. "Corporations today wield an unprecedented level of influence and power over human development. Current patterns of globalisation are creating opportunities for those with skills, education and assets. People who have these opportunities can make a positive contribution so that the three billion people surviving on less than $2 per day and the one in seven children who have no school to go to are not left behind." DATE: Tuesday 13 July 2004, 6.30pm to 8.00pm VENUE: BMW Edge Theatre, Federation Square, Corner Flinders & Swanston Streets, Melbourne COST: $75 per head Drinks and canapés on arrival For more information visit: www.oxfam.org.au/businessethics The Day Before Tomorrow The Real Threat of Climate Change and What Australia should do about it Place: @Newtown 62 Enmore Road, Newtown (old Newtown RSL) Date: Wednesday, 28 July 2004 Time: 7pm to 9pm Guest Speakers: world-renowned climate scientist Dr Graeme Pearman Chief, CSIRO Atmospheric Research (1992-2002) Anna Reynolds , Climate Change Campaign Director Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) Kelvin Thomson MP Federal Shadow Minister for Sustainability, the Environment and Heritage All Welcome For more information: Shane McArdle (02) 9564 3588 or Paula O'Sullivan (02) 9357 6366 Strategic Thinking And Planning An East coast opportunity to work on your campaign or organisation's strategic thinking and planning. Would you like to be an activist who knows where their campaign is going? Do your current strategies and tactics match the broader social and political context? Would you like to be the kind of community worker who is clear about the aims of their project so that you can clearly evaluate what you are trying to achieve? Many environmental and social justice advocates are flying by the seat of their pants and looking for effective strategies to address the challenges we face. Sometimes we can get stuck in reactive modes, or feel overwhelmed by the challenges of the moment. The good news is that there are skills and tools for helping us become more pro-active, and creative as an organisation. We can become smarter at strategy! So would you like to build the skills base in your organisation? How to develop a plan? Strategic analysis? Are you merely being more reactive about your work? This workshop provides you with an opportunity to not only reflect, but to learn new skills in strategic thinking and planning to add to your activist tool kit. Four seasoned trainers will be facilitating two days of active and experiential learning on strategic campaign analysis and planning. Workshop goals: Develop skills in understanding how organisations create smart strategies for change; Learn new tools for campaign planning; Increase your skills for accessing creativity and understanding your gifts for strategic thinking; And apply these skills and tools to your organisation! When &where: Brisbane :: Thursday 29th & Friday 30th July :: Brisbane Powerhouse Sydney :: Monday 2nd & Tuesday 3rd August :: Quakers Meeting House Melbourne :: Thursday 5th & Friday 6th August :: The Green Building How much: $220-550 > sliding scale [includes GST unfortunately] Contact Amy for more details: [email protected] Work Interrupted The ACTU will be co-sponsoring a conference on casual and insecure employment in Melbourne on August 2, 2004. This timely national conference will examine the impact of casual and insecure work on Australian workers, business and the economy. Casual employment as a proportion of the total workforce has grown from 13% in 1982 to 28% in 2003. It is widespread in many new industries and occupations and is increasingly long-term. Most jobs created in the 1990s were part-time and casual. This conference will look at: * the personal experience of casual workers * international comparisons with Australian casual employment * the economic impact of casual employment * policy challenges for legislators, business and unions This conference brings together some of Australia's leading thinkers and commentators and policy makers from business, unions, academia, politics, and the media to further this important debate. Union places at the conference will cost $150 per head. To reserve your place download and complete the registration form below and fax it to RMIT University/CASR on 02 9365 6067. Or email your details to [email protected]. Or post the registration form with payment to: Work Interrupted, PO Box 7267, Bondi Beach NSW 2026. http://www.actu.asn.au/public/news/1087890291_19647.html hoWARd the arseLIcKEr -Written by D.B.Valentine - Directed by Mark Cleary -The Edge Theatre - Cnr King & Bray Sts Newtown -Advance previews Wed 4th & Thurs 5th August. -Opening Friday 6th Aug to Sunday 29th Aug. -Time: 7.30pm (tbc) -Bookings 9645 1611 or www.mca-tix.com -More info go to: www.newtowntheatre.com.au click on "The Edge"
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