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Issue No. 275 | 05 August 2005 |
Iemma�s Dilemmas
Interview: On Holiday Unions: One Day Longer Industrial: Never Mind the Bollocks Politics: Spun Out Economics: If the Grog Don't Get You .... History: Taking a Stand International: The Split Legal: Pushing the Friendship Poetry: Simple Subtractions Review: Sydney Trashed
Discriminating Centrelink on Charges Taxpayers to Fund Advertising Orgy Constituents Don�t Trust Andrews Howard Steamroller Hits Building Sites
Parliament The Soapbox The Locker Room International Postcard
AFL-CIO Not The Only War Be Afraid Frame Up We Love Morris ANew Development A Readers Suggestion
Labor Council of NSW |
Letters to the Editor AFL-CIO Not The Only War
There has been some discussion recently in the WoL letters page about the US AFL-CIO split. But one good thing that came out of that convention is a resolution supporting �rapid withdrawal� of the US from Iraq. David Bacon is a well known US unionist & journalist involved in reporting on and supporting Iraqi unions. His article �AFL-CIO CONVENTION CALLS FOR TROOP WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ� makes for interesting reading (see the link below). Some may ask what has this to do with Aussie unions. The Aus union movement has a position against the war in Iraq. It is an important issue to keep up with given this country�s recently increased commitment to troops to Iraq.
Iraqi unions, banned during Saddam's regime, are trying to survive and grow in a harsh environment attacked by the islamic fundamentalists and Ba�athists in the 'armed resistance', the US occupation forces and the interim government.
In the US a widely supported grass roots movement 'US Labor Against the War' (USLAW) has done a lot to support Iraqi unions by promoting speaking tours from Iraq and raising money for Iraqi unions. The UK Trade Union Congress gives a lot of support to the Iraqi unions including a "donate here" button on their web site.
The Aus union movement is a bit behind this level of awareness of the issues facing the emerging democratic union movement in Iraq. In the view of many unionists this movement is one of the few sources for hope in Iraq. In Sydney and in Perth there are a couple of small groups of unionists supporting Iraqi unions. Maybe it is time for the �official� union movement to take a greater interest.
For more info go to: http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org/ http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/index.cfm?mins=376 http://lists.portside.org/mailman/htdig/portside/Week-of-Mon-20050725/015593.html Leon Parissi NSW Public Service Association Central Councillor
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