*****
The Honourable Doctor Peter Wong, a member of the 'Bunyip Aristocracy' - sometimes referred to as the New South Wales' Legislative Council - is a caring man.
He rose to power on the Unity Party ticket.
The Unity Party was formed to combat the rise of Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party. But, with John Howard pretty much stealing their more marketable policies, One Nation has since become a haven for ratbags, shonks and the truly bizarre.
Which brings us to the Unity Party.
The good Dr Wong was left in something of a bind, his raison detrehad evaporated, yet he had this cushy parliamentary position and all that shiny, glistening superannuation winking at him over there. What could he do? If he didn't move quickly it would all be lost!
Dr Wong decided to re-invent himself.
Most people would probably be satisfied with having one position on any subject, but not Dr Wong.
This intellectually generous servant of the people re-invented himself as a man who doesn't stop at holding just one position on any issue, but can hold down several at once, depending upon who his audience is.
Wong is all things to all people.
The enigmatic Dr Wong has now taken it upon himself to be the champion of the oppressed in the sweatshop industry.
Now, to the casual observer that may be the people earning a few cents an hour, but not to Dr Wong.
He has exposed a secret and sinister plot to undermine the profit margins of those caring and sharing small business people in the clothing trades who employ people in their own homes out of the kindness of their hearts; providing them with hours and hours of work - sometimes as many as 18 a day!
Dr Wong forwarded a petition to the NSW Upper House, signed by scores of people (well, one score actually). This petition quite nobly sought to end the exploitation of clothing industry employees.
So, who is exploiting these workers?
Not the boss paying them a buck an hour cash in hand, according to Dr Wong. Not the boss forcing them to 'bid' against each other in some bizarre Dutch Auction. Not the boss refusing to provide adequate OHS measures or obey NSW laws.
No, according to Dr Wong, these conditions are necessary for the clothing industry "to ensure its survival and success".
According to Dr Wong, these poor sweatshop employees need to be protected from "bullying by officials of the Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia, including trespassing, intimidation, harassment, and wrongful imprisonment".
Oh really Dr Wong?
Parliamentary sources reveal that when confronted about the accuracy or, rather, the absence of accuracy in his petition, Dr Wong didn't deny the paucity of facts but, hey, who cares, it makes great copy for certain sections of the media around Sydney.
Is Dr Wong stupid or evil? Who knows?
Our Tool Of The Week kept a straight face while asking for a police investigation into the union, so maybe he's just a brilliant stand up comedian with a keen sense for satire. Alternately, he could be as thick as three bricks.
But our Tool didn't stop with merely a petition. His fight for sweatshop justice extends to a motion he has placed on the notice paper for the hard working denizens of the Legislative Council to ponder.
In order to protect sweatshop workers from exploitation Dr Wong thinks their bosses should be given two days notice so that they can dodgy up their books properly. This would replace the hurried and haphazard fashion that they are currently forced to use because of the "bullying" use of the element of surprise by unscrupulous workers representatives.
Some bosses, it has been reported, haven't even had time to get out the liquid paper or unlock the fire exits.
Yes, our hearts go out to the real victims of sweatshops, the owners - being gouged by employees for as much as $1 an hour.
What a mighty champion they have in Dr Wong, the workers friend
Unions NSW secretary, John Robertson, said the Prime Minister�s recipe would equate to a two percent jump in home loan interest rates.
"This shows dramatically what the federal government's minimum wage agenda is - keeping wages down for the benefit of big business," Robertson said.
"Constraining the wage would affect thousands of workers on minimum wages and lead to a real cut in living standards."
The data was revealed as Workplace Relations Minister, Kevin Andrews, confirmed minimum wage rules would be changed as soon as the Coalition gained control of the Senate.
Under the current regime, annual wage cases are heard by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission which is obliged to take into account affects on employment and the broader economy.
The ACTU is claiming $26.60 a week in a case that will again be vigorously contested by employer organisations and the Howard Government.
Complete success for the union peak body would see fulltime minimum wages increased to $494 a week, while hourly rates for casuals and part-timers would jump to $13 an hour.
More than 1.6 million Australians are employed under awards whose only movements are determined by the minimum wage case. Well over half of those people are women.
Every year, since it came to power in 1996, the Howard Government has opposed minimum wage claims.
If its contentions had been accepted by the IRC, since 1997, the country's lowest paid workers would be worse off by $44 a week. Families, with two parents battling on the base rate, would be $4600 a year worse off.
The exact fulltime minimums for each year of the Howard regime, with Government claims in brackets, were: 1997, $359.40 ($357.40); 1998, $373.40 ($365.40); 1999, $385.40 ($373.40); 2000, $400.40 ($381.40); 2001, $413.40 ($391.40); 2002, $431.40 ($401.40); 2003, $448.40 ($413.40); 2004, $467.40 ($423.40).
Andrews and Treasurer, Peter Costello, both say the current arrangement does not give enough wait to job creation.
When that line has been tested before the IRC it has been found, on the evidence presented, to have been "unconvincing".
Since staff sprung a senior manager describing 350 strikers as "blobs" in an internal email, the company has been in whitewash mode.
"They have been back-pedalling furiously," LHMU assistant secretary, Jo-anne Schofield, reported.
"They claim it was a typo which our members don't believe. We're running a contest for the best explanation of what it was they actually meant."
The manager, based in the company's Ryde head office, gave instructions on "how to prevent a blob from entering the site".
However, a Workers Online search of industrial insults painted the manager's effort as both unoriginal and lame.
The best NSW authority on the subject was an IRC decision, handed down in 1999, on an unjustified dismissal case, arising from a punch-up at BHP Steel.
Commissioner, James Redman, ruled the term that provoked the fisticuffs - "two-faced c..." would rate nine on a scale of 10.
He reasoned "scab", when applied to a strike breaker, would attract a perfect score.
On this scale, Commissioner Redman said, "poofter" would fall at the lower end.
LHMU members returned to work on Wednesday after a three-day strike at five sites around the country in support of EBA claims.
They are seeking annual five percent wage movements and improved redundancy provisions after Wattyl tried to gloss over plans to shut its Blacktown operation which employs 120 workers.
"We met in December and they assured us no decisions had been taken but, two days later, workers discovered a costed proposal to close Blacktown," Schofield said.
"That proposal included reasons on why the company should play its cards close to its chest in negotiations with workers."
"This is about freedom of speech," says Geoff Derrick from the Financial Sector Union (FSU). "Workers Online is one of the only independent worker oriented industrial news services available to white collar private sector employees."
Workers Online is on a banned list of union publications which Suncorp staff are barred from accessing.
The FSU is concerned about ongoing delays in introducing the proposed NSW Workplace Surveillance Bill, which would make it illegal for employers to play big brother and snoop on employee emails.
The Attorney-General's Department has now advised that it expects the Bill to be tabled in the parliamentary session commencing early May. 2005.
SunCorp has previously been implicated in an alleged 'dirty tricks campaign' including a controversial ballot surrounding EBA approval and a campaign against the FSU during a merger between SunCorp and GIO.
"SunCorp for years has been automatically blocking emails fro the FSU to their workforce, which would be illegal under the proposed legislation," says Derrick. "There are a number of employers that are using electronic blocking of emails."
"What this case shows is that action is needed urgently; the states need to work together and with the Commonwealth to prevent this sort of management bullying,' says Unions NSW secretary John Robertson.
In a dispute before the Industrial Relations Commission over the rights of workplace representatives at Suncorp to engage in union activities, Vice President Lawler said that it would be "no skin off Suncorp's nose" for email to be sent to employees.
In a related incident a delegate at a Westpac branch in southwestern Sydney was cautioned for using work email for union communication.
That�s the vision of privatised water that Sydney Water staff will take to the public this week.
They will rally, outside the utility on Tuesday, in an effort to head off the massive price increases, system breakdowns and job cuts privatisation has ushered in elsewhere.
ASU co-ordinator, Col Lynch, invited Sydneysiders to join in.
"We're all in this together," he warned. "The track record of water privatisation should concern everybody.
"The federal government has opened up the prospect of a sell-off by supporting the definition of water services as traded goods, covered by GATS.
"Water should be a national treasure, held in trust for all Australians."
The rally, to be addressed by ACTU president Sharan Burrow, and AFTINET representative, Pat Reynalds, is part of an international mobilisation for Trade Justice.
Both organisations contend that the inclusion of water in GATS (the General Agreement on Trade in Services), and free trade, open up the possibility of privatisation.
A quick sniff around the world of water privatisation, unearths ...
- Adelaide's notorious Big Pong, so-called because of the stench that descended on the city's northern suburbs following the knocking off of Adelaide's water and sewage
- Suez, the world's largest water multinational being driven out of Bolivia after mass public demonstrations against a cost structure that denied at least 200,000 El Alto residents access to supplies
- American giant, Bechtel, being paid millions a year to do nothing after it was driven out of Cochabamba, another Bolivian city, following massive price hikes
Britain's Thames Water regularly appearing in lists of the country's worst polluters. Since privatisation, complaints about service and quality have increased, while magistrates and tribunals have found Thames Water was aware of failures that led to raw sewage discharges and could have prevented them.
Without fanfare, the Industrial Registrar wrote to the CFMEU conceding that after considering Cole�s allegations in "some detail" there were no grounds to "conduct an investigation or commence a prosecution" against the NSW branch�s Wage Claims Department.
National Secretary, John Sutton, said it was "small comfort" after allegations of wrongdoing thrown around in public.
Newspapers made headlines of Counsel Assisting's claims that millions of dollars had been misappropriated.
Essentially, Counsel Assisting Ron Gipp, accused the union of knocking off more than $4 million in recovered wages.
Despite strenuous denials, and a lack of hard evidence, Cole referred the allegation to "authorities" for investigation.
Nearly three years after the headlines were generated, those authorities have now vindicated the CFMEU.
Sutton says the wage claims outcome reflects the "complete failure" of the Commission to back-up "slanders" contained in sensational findings, published two years ago.
In a report delivered to former Workplace Relations Minister, Tony Abbott, the Royal Commissioner made 392 referrals to investigating or prosecuting authorities. He boosted that number to 482 by including another 90 instances in a "secret" document withheld from public scrutiny.
Abbott leapt on Cole's findings to claim Australian building and construction was "largely lawless" and "near anarchy".
He set up a special industry police force, the Building Industry Taskforce, with sweeping powers and promised industrial legislation to severely curtail the rights of building workers.
Two years down the track, Cole's 482 referrals have resulted in just one criminal prosecution and that was for perjury before the Commission, rather than any industrial activity.
Controversial Taskforce chief, Nigel Hadgkiss, has publicly conceded that the majority of referrals to his organisation have been investigated and will not result in prosecutions.
Yet, all the Commission's findings, and the names of those accused, are still available on its website.
Sutton says efforts to have the names of union members cleared have fallen on deaf ears.
"We wrote to the federal government more than 12 months ago, asking that it do the right thing by people who have been publicly accused and subsequently cleared. It refuses to do that, and leaves allegations that cannot be substantiated on the public record."
The government is now moving to give Hadgkiss' Taskforce increased powers to run its anti-union agenda. It will use its control of the Senate to remove the right to silence from building workers and force them to produce documents, on pain of gaol.
The Taskforce has also been given the power to run industrial prosecutions of the union, carrying six figure fines, and prosecutions of rank and file members, carrying five figure fines and possible prison terms, even when parties to disputes do not want to proceed.
Thus far, the Taskforce has churned its way through $13 million taxpayer dollars and recovered just $15,000 in fines.
The tenacity with which it pursues its anti-building worker campaign has drawn repeated judicial fire.
Last year, in the federal court in Melbourne, Justice Marshall's described Taskforce tactics as "foreign to the workplace relations of civilised societies, as distinct from undemocratic and authoritarian states".
This followed an October, 2002, judgement critical of one of its officers, Greg Alfred, who gave sworn evidence, then changed his testimony after being contradicted by a company witness.
Last month, in the federal court, a Taskforce case against the CFMEU was described as having been "instituted without reasonable cause".
Justice Wilcox ordered the Taskforce to pay the union's costs, describing its taxpayer-funded action as "hopeless".
Sutton says the federal government has given up trying to justify its $65 million Cole Commission.
"I don't think they spend a lot of time dwelling on the substance of the Royal Commission," Sutton said.
"It served its purpose but when you can count the number of prosecutions that resulted, on one finger, they realise that the more its exposed the thinner it looks.
"Now, they have control of the Senate, they don't bother trying to justify their actions."
Three of the women, employed by Print Mail Logistics at Hobart and Kingston, have not been rostered for any shifts since challenging their employer over all-in rates, more than $2.50 below the award minimum.
The trio has joined the AMWU in a bid to win back pay and end exploitation of their colleagues.
AMWU organiser, Donna Sargent, says Print Mail Logistics has a bad name in the industry.
"Not only are they ripping off their employees, they're under-cutting contracts to get the work," Sargent said.
The AMWU has filed actions against Print Mail Logistics before the Anti-Discrimination Board and the Tasmanian IRC.
The union alleges the dismissed workers lost their jobs because of union membership, and is seeking $20,000 in back pay, through the Commission.
Sargent says, if other workers join the union, the back pay claim will rocket into the high six-figures because of significant overtime hours.
Casual table hands at Print Mail Logistics are expected to work up till midnight, and on weekends, for a flat hourly rate of $13.00, under AWAs promoted by Prime Minister, John Howard.
The minimum Monday-Friday casual rate in the Graphic Arts award is $15.36.
Workers Online reported in detail on claims that three seamstresses had been underpaid more than $80,000 over an 18-month period
Now, Goldbridge Clothing, situated at a private residence in Waratah Ave, Bexley, has been accused of dodging a string of other obligations, including tax and planning requirements.
Labor MLC, Ian West, told the NSW State Parliament, Goldbridge's own records revealed it was trading with a string of companies "that do not seem to exist".
He questioned invoices claiming payments of $70,000 to Jenny Ngo Fashions, $33,000 to Vu Clothing, $31,000 to Blue Rice Pty Ltd, $58,000 to Luu Henry Clothing and $51,000 to Hung Clothing.
"I am concerned that Goldbridge has not only broken laws in this state that protect workers and businesses but Goldbrdge has paid out more than $680,000 to various parties for 160,000 units of clothing," West said.
"Goldbridge would have had to receive more money than it paid out to remain in business.
"Goldbridge payments of GST on the amounts received was $46,000 or, at most, seven percent.
"In addition, Goldbridge's company statements about how much its workers earn are quite ludicrous. That is, of course, unless Goldbridge is evading other responsibilites."
Goldbridge has found a defender in Unity Party MLC, Peter Wong, who has criticised the TCFUA's raid on the sweat shop.
He wants Parliament to "condemn sweat shops" while restricting the ability of "industrial organisations" to identify them. He also wants it made illegal for the media to cover sweat shop busts.
Wong identified Goldbridge's operators as Chung Sheng Tan and Yan Hua Deng.
West ridiculed Wong's claim that the Rockdale Council had green-lighted use of their property as a clothing factory.
He told Parliament Goldbridge had operated legally, at Hurstville, until 2001 but, for the last four years, had "operated as an illegal clothing factory" at Bexley.
"This furphy creates even more issue for Goldbridge," West said.
He said Goldbridge had got an exemption under clause 21 of the Rockdale development control plan which sets out requirements for home occupation.
"The exemption states the occupation 'must be situated within the dwelling only and not in a garage, carport or ancillary structure or yard area,' he said.
"The DCP states that the work referred to must be carried out by 'permanent residents' of the home.
"Goldbridge has broken each of the clauses in Rockdale's DCP. Goldbridge Clothing proprietors must determine what they are doing. So must their supporters and barrackers."
Police received a written commitment from NSW Police Minister Carl Scully that he would take to Cabinet an agreed scheme of comprehensive protection for frontline police.
Police Association president Bob Pritchard says the agreement represented an historic breakthrough that would provide certainty for all frontline police.
"The Minister is to be congratulated on resolving the issue, something that four previous Police Ministers were unable to accomplish," Pritchard says.
The agreement means that the 70 per cent of serving police officers who have joined the force since 1988 will now have comprehensive protection should they be killed or injured in the line of duty.
The breakthrough followed a series of meetings of rank and file police around the state that endorsed a campaign of industrial action if agreement were not reached.
Worried bus operators are driving a campaign to slash travelling times, fearing such scenarios will drive people away from public transport.
The drivers have gone to the public in a bid to force the RTA to provide bus lanes on the city's most stressed corridor, Victoria Rd.
Last month, they handed flyers to every passenger who got on a Victoria Rd bus, urging them to email the RTA, Members of Parliament, and Mayors.
In a follow-up, the Burwood, Leichhardt and Ryde drivers, last week, handed passengers congratulatory leaflets, in response to complaints and praise from politicians who copped hundreds of messages.
RTBU official, Peter Jenkins, said the lack of the bus lane "dramatically stuffs up" Sydney's transport system.
"There is a domino effect when buses can't get through," he said. "By regulation, drivers can only operate for five hours without a break.
"When buses run late at peak hour there are few, if any replacement drivers available, and the whole system breaks down. When people have to wait 50 minutes to travel seven kilometres, they will walk away from the system, and everybody loses.'
He said the "domino effect" had caused as many as 48 Victoria Rd, peak hour, services to be cancelled in a single week.
Drivers want bus lanes, which have sped traffic flows along Parramatta Rd, extended along Victoria Rd as far as Ryde.
Drivers thanked state Labor MP, Angela D'Amore, for publicly supporting their campaign.
The guards are campaigning against 'single manning', which has left them working alone up to 7pm at night, and instructed not to make arrests.
The WA Branch of the Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) claims single manning jeopardises passenger and guard safety.
The matter came to a head last weekend following an assault on several guards on Perth's Northern Line.
Two female guards rostered to work the following Sunday felt insecure about working alone and informed their employer. The Public Transport Authority (PTA), responded by standing them down.
On the Monday more guards refused duties and the matter became a lively community debate on Perth talkback radio.
Instead of addressing the guards safety concerns, the PTA launched an internal investigation, accusing guards of phoning up talkback.
"Many guards have been quite badly beaten," says Glen Ferguson from the RTBU. "We told the Minister that unless this was addressed she would find herself on a war footing with the RTBU."
The women were subsequently reinstated.
Apart from single manning - which the RTBU puts down to short staffing - Ferguson also hit out at PTA treatment of injured workers and the high attrition rate amongst rail guard staff.
"There is a running conflict between their legislative responsibilities and their policies," says Ferguson. "Workers Compensation laws mean that employers have the responsibility to provide workers with other jobs when they are recovering from injury.
"The Public Transport Authority is dodging all its responsibilities in this area. They want to give their injured workers the sack."
Privately employed Chubb Security guards are also up in arms with similar complaints regarding their placement at PTA facilities.
Negotiations by the CFMEU and Unions NSW has also resulted in over 100 white collar workers receiving some money or new jobs, and approximately 100 subcontractors receiving around 80% of money owed.
"It shows that strong unions and dedicated members get a result,' says Andrew Ferguson from the CFMEU. "Workers stuck together to get this outcome."
Unions expressed concern that proposed changes to Federal laws would prohibit contractors from joining unions and campaigning to reclaim lost money.
Workers on jobs including Gosford and Wyong Hospitals, Sydney shopping centres and Sydney Water projects received the news as ALP Federal leader Kim Beazley tabled 4000 petitions for more protection for workers entitlements.
Another 2000 petitions will be tabled this week.
Multiplex Under The Gun
Meanwhile, threats to Multiplex crane drivers have been renewed, with an extortionist advising the CFMEU that unless $50 million is paid they will commence shooting at a building site in Australia or Great Britain on Monday, April 18.
Multiplex employees held stop work meetings on sites, with workers voting to remain on the job.
"This is nothing short of terrorism," says CFMEU NSW President Peter McClelland. "We take the threat seriously."
McClelland hailed the Multiplex employees for their bravery in standing up to this latest threat.
"The CFMEU is proud of our membership. This
The academics have taken their case to graduating students following a six-month management's refusal to negotiate.
Staff have begun campaigning at graduation ceremonies fearing the University's "appalling" student staff ratio is undermining the value of degrees.
NTEU official Kevin Poynter says students have been supportive of the campaign with graduates and parents stopping to talk to leaflet totting lecturers.
Poynter says workload pressure has led to the University being the most "productive" in the country with annual productivity growth of 12.2 percent compared to a national average of 1.8.
"While this may make the University's finances look good it is important everyone realises that such a high student staff ratio seriously reduces the quality of teaching," said Poynter.
Poynter said staff are working long into the night and on weekends to keep up teaching standards. He says many employee's personal lives are suffering as a result.
"It's fair to say the Uni is only running on the dedication of its staff," he said.
Charles Sturt University's last enterprise agreement with academic and general staff expired almost two years ago.
Since then the university has refused to discuss staff concerns about bullying and three year probationary contracts which allow for staff to be punted with no mechanism of appeal.
Though no agreement has been reached with staff over pay, the University has been simply paying increases it deems appropriate.
Poynter says staff are prepared to take industrial action if University management does not meet with staff.
"It's difficult because the students are the ones who suffer," he said.
Union Aid Abroad APHEDA raffle
The annual Union Aid Abroad APHEDA raffle is on again. There are wonderful prizes including an around the world trip for two and the proceeds go to UAA-APHEDA's work to help build human rights, workers' rights and justice in developing countries. If you can sell a book of tickets to friends, family and workmates please contact UAA - APHEDA on tel. 1800 888 674 or by email [email protected]
The raffle closes on June 2nd with the winner drawn on June 16th.
Trades Hall hosts Keating! the opera
Trades Hall hosts Keating! The Country Soul Opera We Had To Have. Billed as the simple tale of an Australian political superhero and his valiant battles with assorted mugs, dummies, gutless spivs, clowns, fools and scumbags.
The Drowsy Drivers return with the country, soul, jazz and funk opera we had to have. Historically accurate* and independently verified by skimming through Don Watson's book, it's the simple and time-honoured tale of an Australian political superhero and his battles against assorted mugs, dummies, dimwits, gutless spivs and scumbags.
Come share in the heady rise, tempestuous reign and tragic fall of the Placido Domingo of Australian politics. GASP! as Hawke ignores the Kirribilli agreement! THRILL! as Prime Minister Keating sticks it to the drones opposite! CHEER! as he wins the sweetest victory of all! HISS! as the evil Howard betrays his colleagues in his thirst for power! SCOFF! at the blatant historical revisionism!
KEATING! will be performed at the Old Council Chambers, Trades Hall, in a brave attempt to redefine the boundaries of "preaching to the converted".
Folks of all political persuasions are welcome (though some may feel more welcome than others). You'll have the time of your life!*
(* non-core promise)
The Drowsy Drivers are a talented group of Melbourne-based musicians (Casey Bennetto, Justin Ludowyk, Kevin McFerran, Ross McFerran, Enio Pozzebon, Cameron Rogers and Mike McLeish) who have been performing together in various groups for over 10 years. Indeed, the Drowsy Drivers project itself is now six years old: it began in 1999 as an impromptu gathering of musicians and friends in a warehouse in North Melbourne, playing and recording several quite silly songs written by Casey. The tape of that session has been accidentally shredded, melted and misplaced.
Their last production, Northcote Country Soul, earned them the award for Best New Artist at the 2002 Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the 2002 Green Room Award for Best Original Music (Cabaret). The show also received 2002 Green Room nominations for Best Cabaret Artiste, Most Outstanding Show, and Best Musical Direction / Arrangements.
When: March 23 - April 15, Wednesdays - Fridays, 9.00pm
Where: Old Council Chambers, Trades Hall
Price:$20 full / $16 concession
Bookings: www.keatingtheopera.com.
Politics In the Pub
Whether or not beer is your cup of tea, the Gaelic Club's
Politics in the Pub session on Friday 15 April promises a topical
discussion. Titled 'The Current Crisis in Mental Health and the Cross Union
Mental Health Workers Alliance', speakers include Child Psychiatrist and
Director of the NSW Institute of Psychiatry Louise Newman, Angela Garvey
from the NSW Nurses Association, and Unions NSW Secretary John Robertson.
Session runs from 6pm to 7.45pm at the Gaelic Club, Level 1, 64 Devonshire
St, in Surry Hills.
Could Chifley win Preselection Today?
Getting better Labor candidates.
Does Labor have a problem with preselections? Do the factions have too much control? What about the local branches? the trade unions? And who should be getting preselected?
The NSW Fabian Society is conducting a seminar with
John Button (Former federal Minister)
Tim Gartrell (ALP National Secretary)
Rodney Cavalier (former State Minister)
When: Weds 20th April, 6pm - 7.30pm
Where : Gleebooks, 49 Glebe Point Road, Glebe
Cost: Free
The controversy of one man - Kisch in Australia
When Czech journalist and peace campaigner Egon Erwin Kisch (1885-1948), came to Australia in November 1934, he challenged a conservative Lyons government, caused a media sensation and won the hearts of many
Australians.
The renowned political activist will be remembered in a new exhibition - Kisch in Australia - opening at the State Library of NSW on 14 February 2005.
The exhibition tells the story of the man who publicly defied the government's ban on his entry to Australia by jumping overboard at Port Melbourne (breaking his leg) in his determination to reach the Australian public with his message of anti-Fascism.
According to State Librarian & Chief Executive Dagmar Schmidmaier AM: "The fascinating story of this extraordinary man will be brought to life through original items from the Library's renowned collection, including Kisch's hand-written notes used in his public speeches."
The exhibition panels also include newspaper reports of the controversy surrounding his arrival, rare protest posters campaigning for Kisch's release and letters written in defence of Kisch's freedom.
Dr Heidi Zogbaum, author of the recently published Kisch in Australia: The untold story (Scribe, 2004) said, "Kisch had the ability to give rousing speeches with limited English and drew enthusiastic crowds wherever he went."
"Kisch was convinced that his ban was the result of Nazi pressure on the Australian government," said Dr Zogbaum, "but he was quite wrong. The newly appointed Attorney-General, Robert Gordon Menzies had staked his reputation on keeping Kisch out of Australia."
After his return to Paris, Kisch worked tirelessly on behalf of his fellow writers who had fallen victim to the Nazi regime. Upon the fall of France in 1940, Kisch managed to escape to Mexico. He returned to Prague in 1946 and died of a massive heart attack in 1948.
"The memory of Kisch is kept alive in Germany through the renowned Egon Erwin Kisch Prize for journalism, which honours the "reporter of truth" in a most fitting way," said Dr Roland Goll, Director of the Goethe-Institut, Sydney, who initiated and is supporting the exhibition.
Kisch in Australia is a free exhibition in the State Library's Picture Gallery from 14 February - 24 April 2005. It will then travel to the Migration Museum in Adelaide.
Community Organising School
In light of the re-election of the Federal Liberal Government, reflecting on and increasing our ability to organise and work across movements is vital. We can gain strength if we learn new strategies for working with people from different sectors and experiences.
The Community Organising School 2005 is a part of a broader project that seeks to link experienced organisers from a variety of movements, including community organisations, the union movement, environmentalists and social justice movements, to learn together and to build our collective strength.
Details of the School
The School will be held at Currawong (Pittwater training facility) from Sunday April 3 to Wednesday April 6 2005. It is the first of a variety of cross-movement, capacity building projects to begin in 2005.
People attending the School will learn, share and build organising techniques for expanding our capacity and effectiveness for social change in Sydney and NSW. It will run sessions to draw out experiences and lessons on effective organising and social change practices from participants.
The School�s residential accommodation only allows us to provide 40 places and we are aiming to have a very diverse range of participants in the school. For this reason we are asking people to go through a registration process. If your or your organisation is interested in participating in the school, we request that you distribute the attached registration form to individuals in your organisation, or to other organisations that you work with, and encourage them to register for the School. Registrations are due by Friday 11 February.
The registration fee for the school will be approximately $300 per person (including three and a half days of training, accommodation and food). However we do not want costs to prevent people from registering. If your organisation cannot afford this cost, please indicate this on the registration form. We are seeking sponsorship from larger organisations to subsidise the costs of others. Please do not see costs as a barrier to attendance.
The Community Organising School is the culmination of a year-long discussion between union organisers, community organisations, adult educators and environmentalists. While the School is the first public project, it will be one of many opportunities provided to reflect and learn about community organising. To find out more about the School or to discuss how you can participate in this exciting and timely project feel free to contact either:
Tony Brown, Centre for Popular Education [email protected]
Christine Laurence, Western Sydney Community Forum [email protected] 9637 6190
Melanie Gillbank, Search Foundation [email protected] 0403 051 606
Amanda Tattersall, Unions NSW [email protected] 0409 321 133
Community Organising School Committee
C/- Centre for Popular Education, UTS
PO Box 123
Broadway 2007
Community Organising School
3- 6 April 2005
Currawong, Pittwater
Aims
To increase our ability to organise and work across movements in order to build cross movement collaboration, by:
o providing the opportunity for organisers and activists to share their experiences with other organisers and activists working in different fields
o identifying differences while examining commonalities and opportunities for working together
o learning, sharing and developing organising techniques for expanding our capacity and effectiveness for social change
o discussing different approaches to strategic campaigning and community organising
The School will draw on the experience, knowledge and expertise of those attending.
Are you organising for social and economic change?
Concerned at the growing power of employers, the state and big business?
Concerned at the state of advocacy and activist groups to influence the agenda?
Wanting to turn the tide and re-build grassroots capacity in local communities and the workplace?
Wanting to build cross movement collaboration?
We are seeking organisers working in/with:
Social movements, young people, environmental advocacy, resident action trade unions popular arts, cultural development and education migrant communities, community organizing and development organisations student organising who are committed to working for social, economic and environmental justice.
What's in it for you?
The School will bring together organisers and activists from across different sites of activism who are focused on developing new ways of working to build strong and effective organizations, enable participants to meet, learn from and work with organisers in different fields of practice, provide an environment where organisers from a range of backgrounds can develop mutual respect, understanding and knowledge, develop networks as a continuing resource of skills, expertise and influence, and challenge you to think and act differently.
The program will run from Sunday afternoon April 3 � Wednesday April 6 2005. The Community Organising School is a residential weekend; applicants must be available to attend the entire event.
Black Diamonds and Dust
Councillor John Tate, Lord Mayor of Newcastle and the Councillors of Newcastle City Council have pleasure in inviting you to attend the launch of
Greg Bogaerts'
Black Diamonds and Dust
to be launched by CFMEU national secretary
and ICEM president
John Maitland
11.30 am, Friday 15 April
The Newcastle Region Library,
Laman Street, Newcastle
Greg Bogaerts Black Diamonds and Dust 0 9580795 1 X rrp $25 www.vulgar.com.au
rsvp 02 4969 4783 or email [email protected]
Councillor John Tate, Lord Mayor of Newcastle and the Councillors of Newcastle City Council have pleasure in inviting you to attend the launch of
Greg Bogaerts'
Black Diamonds and Dust
to be launched by CFMEU national secretary
and ICEM president
John Maitland
11.30 am, Friday 15 April
The Newcastle Region Library,
Laman Street, Newcastle
Greg Bogaerts Black Diamonds and Dust 0 9580795 1 X rrp $25 www.vulgar.com.au
rsvp 02 4969 4783 or email [email protected]
United We Stand
Red Rag Publications invites you to the launch of Tom O'Lincoln's
United We Stand
Class Struggle in Colonial Australia
to be launched by
JOAN DOYLE
State Secretary, CEPU Communications Division
Postal and Telecom branch
Trades Hall, Melbourne
Saturday 16 April at 7.30pm
Uncharted
Waters
by
Greg Mallory
Foreword by
Jack Mundey
AvailableJuly 2005
"If it wasn't for that civilising of the building industry in campaigns of 1970 and 1971, well then I'm sure we
wouldn't have had the luxury of the membership going along with us in what was considered by some as
'avant-garde', 'way-out' actions of supporting mainly middle class people in environmental actions. I think that
gave us the mandate to allow us to go into uncharted waters"
(Jack Mundey, former Secretary of the NSW BLF)
These unions would not allow their labour to be used for what they considered 'destructive' purposes.
Uncharted Waters examines the political theories and movements that influenced these two disputes. Mallory argues that the
unions vindicated a social responsibility when they challenged the government and the employers in the areas of foreign policy,
control of labour and the destruction of the urban environment. He contends that the NSW BLF pioneered a 'new way of thinking'
about the nature of work and the trade union movement's relationship with the wider community.
In order for the trade union movement to develop, it must promote this 'new way of thinking' on social responsibility.
This book will be released in July 2005. To place an advance order, or for more information, contact:
Greg Mallory
Ph: 0407 692 377
E-mail: [email protected]
In 1938 the Waterside Workers
Federation of Australia refused to load
tin clippings and pig-iron on the
Dalfram at Port Kembla.
In the early 1970s, the NSW Builders
Labourers Federation refused to
demolish buildings and destroy
parkland in parts of Sydney.
The 4Corners program on ABC about Cornelia Rau was a chilling look at Australia's detention system.
It is difficult to believe that we put refugees, even children, in such places as Baxter.
Most of the asylum seekers, around 90%, are eventually proved to fit our narrow refugee� criteria.
Others are also shown to be good people who are in need of a safe permanent home, having fled for non-allowed� reasons such as war.
Isn't it amazing that we of the Lucky Country provide these traumatised people with off-shore� "out-of-mind�" no expense spared� camps in Nauru and Christmas Island and "out-of-your-mind"� desert camps on the mainland.
Will it take the story of one wrongly imprisoned Australian to make us look again at what we are doing year after year to innocent men, women and
children?
Elaine Smith
There he is embracing the SBY - putting all that residual nastiness over East Timor to bed, salved no doubt by his generous contribution to Indonesia after the tsunami.
Here he is chatting amiably with the new Malaysian PM - nowhere near as recalcitrant as his predecessor, even if he stopped short of inviting him to his upcoming party.
As Paul Keating observed ruefully, the man who rode a populist wave by turning his back on Asia now appears to be discovering that we are part of the region.
And if the shift on neighbourly relations is startling, what of Howard's change of heart on asylum seekers, some of whom are even being let out from behind the razor wire - a position that Howard dismissed as being 'soft of terrorism' before his infamous Tampa poll victory?
What's going on? Has the man who turned xenophobia into a political art form discovered his caring side? Is he merely following the Bush doctrine Mk II of being nicer to those he has offended?
I think there's something deeper at play, something altogether more Australian - the noble art of covering one's own arse.
Because despite the economic indicators that are being pumped up by personal debt and unsustainable home prices, our economy is showing some signs of underlying weakness that is nobbling our long term growth prospects
The key is a shortfall in our labour supply - the result of a government that has given up on planning the economy or training the workforce in the mistaken belief that the market will get it right.
It hasn't because big business has been more interested in short term profits than long-term growth and now it needs a short-term fix.
The answer? Without a hint of irony, Howard is proposing the introduction of guest workers - a labour force who will be temporary residents with none of the rights of Australian citizens.
This guest worker base will inevitably be made up of workers from neighbouring nations, where even substandard wages and conditions would be considered attractive, nations like Indonesia and Malaysia, the same one's John Howard told us we shouldn't be a part of just a few years ago.
Others may be workers seeking employment in a freer society. Maybe they'll be the cousins of the poor unfortunates who were shipped off to Nauru rather than be given refuge within our borders.
Now the man who decides who comes into the county will decide a few more can - to get him out of the pickle he finds himself in.
The challenge for the labour movement will be to respond to guest workers in a manner which focuses on the real issue - the creation of a second class of worker that is neither good for the guest worker nor for the host.
Thanks to the Howard Government industrial 'reforms' these guest workers will be free to sign individual work contracts that will inevitably drive down wages and conditions for all workers.
The workers themselves will face an uncertain future, unable to establish any real ties in their new home and knowing they can be shipped back home at the government or their employer's whims.
As such, they are the Howard Government's ideal worker: disposable, invisible and highly unlikely to do anything as dangerous as joining a trade union.
More concerning still is the knowledge that where these arrangements have been implemented in other developed countries, they have led to a whole range of social problems, from racial ghettoes to resentment about the undercutting of wages by the guest workers.
These are the inevitable consequences of a policy based on the idea that living and working in a community is not sufficient to warrant citizenship - the ultimate in turning one worker against another.
At the end of the day, John Howard's treatment of asylum seekers and guest workers is entirely consistent - they are all pawns of political convenience - and no amount of photo-ops with foreign dignitaries will prove otherwise.
Peter Lewis
Editor
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