
Issue No 50		14 April 2000

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

News

Pacific Unions Increase Regional Ties

By Greg McLean

Public sector unions from the Pacific region have secured gruarntees that child labour will not be used in connection with the Sydney olympic Games.

The delegation from the Pacific Islands included Mr Albert Evald, the Vice-president of the Trade Union Congress of Papua New Guinea, who is also the President of the PNG Electricity Workers Association, along with Elina Dulakiverata. The General Secretary of the Fiji Nurses Association.

Albert Evald in his address to the Labor Council praised the work of Australia's oldest central Trade Union Body, and congratulated the Secretary, Michael Costa, and Officers of Council for their hard work in the establishing and Agreement with the Olympic Games Sydney Organising Committee and the State Government that outlaws the use of slave labour or bonded labour - Child Labour and also reaffirmed commitments to the International Labor Organisation charters of collective bargaining.

In addressing the Labor Council meeting the visitors referred to a presentation made to a Michael Costa by Albert Ponniah of the Public Services International, of a plaque to commemorate the good work undertaken, he reminded Labor Council delegates that this Agreement was a message to Governments, Countries and employers throughout the world that the use of labour outside of the International Labor Organisation charters was unacceptable.

The address to Labor Council was the culmination of a week-long conference held by the Public Services International, hosted by the Australian Services Union National Office: dealing with issues confronting the Trade Union Movement across the Pacific - issues discussed included privatisation, Workplace Reform, the role of multinationals and challenges that lie ahead for the Trade Union Movement.

Major addresses to the PSI Conference included Greg McLean, Assistant National Secretary, of the Australian Services Union, on the Electricity and Water Reform Privatisation and the role of multinational companies - Greg has been appointed by the Asia Pacific Regional Executive Committee of the Public Services International as the Energy/water Utilities co-ordinator, in order to develop the Regional Network.

Greg in reporting to workers confirmed that the many challenges facing the Australian Trade Union Movement are similar to that of our neighbours across Asia and Pacific, he also acknowledged the many challenges facing the industry least of which is a development of International markets for electricity and related products in the Energy Industry.

New South Wales Public Sector Unions seeking more information on the work of the Public Services International, that represents approximately 20 million public-sector workers worldwide, should contact him at the ASU National Office, Sydney, for more advice.

To workers online it seems ironic that at a time and that the International Labor Organisation has condemned the Australian Prime Minister and his Government for their anti worker attitudes and violation of Trade Union/human rights that the new South Wales Government has received acknowledgement supporting the International Labor Organisation charters.

Premier Bob Carr at a similar presentation spoke of the necessity for International Trade Union co-operation and the need for workers to think globally in the global market. He congratulated the Public Services International on their fine work and the continued efforts for outcomes for workers throughout the Public Services and public-sector's throughout the world.

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Issue 50 contents

Interview: The Gospel According To ...
Green Bans legend Jack Mundey looks back on his days in the BLF and the lessons that can be drawn from that experience today,

Unions: Spinning at the Casino
In the lead-up to this weekend's historic strike, active LHMU members at Sydney�s Star City Casino have been making their own news.

East Timor: Rebuilding From the Nightmare
NSW Attorney General Jeff Shaw travelled to Dili to get a first-hand perspective on the reconstruction work required.

History: Internal Democracy and the BLF
How the rank and file team that took over the BLF in the early sixties attempted to devolve power to the grassroots.

International: Towards Liberation
Zimbabwe trade unions are at the centre of the democratic struggle going on within the African Nation

Republic: The Referendum We Had To Have
Paul Norton finds some hope in last year's resounding defeat of the republic proposition.

Work/Time/Life: @work in the e-century
Marian Baird takes stock of how far we�ve come, or not come, in terms of our working life.

Review: Rocking the Foundations
Pat Fiske's wonderful documentary on the BLF should be compulsory viewing for anyone in the union movement talking about shifting to an Organising Model.

» Sock Nazis Spark Casino Strike

» Grave Fears Over Carr's Funeral Agenda

» Packer, Pratt to Profit at Unions' Expense

» Telstra Discrimination: 'Round one' to the Workers

» Timor Fundraiser a Blast

» Water workers flood CBD head office

» Libs Plead for Help on IR

» Employment National Workers Win CES Conditions

» Teachers Deal Still Undone

» Pressure Builds for Compo Pull-Out

» Pacific Unions Increase Regional Ties

» Ellis to Give May Day Toast

» Special Comp: Just Who Are Our Friends?