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  Issue No 75 Official Organ of LaborNet 27 October 2000  

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News

Picket Protects Broadway Squats

By Phil Davey

The CFMEU together with SHAC Sydney Housing Action Collective have successfully stopped the South Sydney Council from evicting a group of 25 squatters from vacant property on Broadway.

CFMEU rank and file joined the picket, which repelled attempts by council and police to board up the premises. Under the broader umbrella of the Building Trades Group of Unions, stop works were called which successfully resisted an eviction. Negotiations are now underway for a caretaker lease agreement over the property.

This ground breaking policy will allow all vacant South Sydney Council building stock to be available for low income earners. The Broadway squats will now be the pilot study for this progressive proposal. Not unlike the Builder Labours Federation, the CFMEU has shown its strength within broader community issues, like the green bans which saved squats in Woolloomooloo and paved the way for public housing initiatives.

The Broadway squats have been occupied by squatters since February and have provided homes while South Sydney Council plans to sell the block to the Walker Corporation for the construction of 600 luxury apartments. Many working class suburbs are increasingly under threat of this kind of exclusive development while public housing dwindles and homelessness increases. It is estimated that around 30 000 homeless people sleep out every night while there is a nine year waiting list for public housing. This at a time when there are an estimated 2000 empty buildings in Sydney!

Down on the picket line a CFMEU member and paralympian Todd Philpott said 'my mum always told me that charity begins at home, and I reckon these people shouldn't be kicked out on the street just because they have the initiative to house themselves'. While labour and social movements fight for adequate government funding for housing, this caretaker policy provides immediate and real options for housing now.


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*   Issue 75 contents

In this issue
Features
*  Interview: Civilized Capital
The FNV's Harrie Lindelauff explains to Peter Lewis how a friendly government and moderate employers make for a different sort of workplace in Holland.
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*  Politics: Where Too Much Politics Is Barely Enough
With daily newspapers providing polling and analysis, television, cable, radio and Internet providing 24 hour coverage over a year long campaign -- there's more than enough politics for even the most voracious American political junkie reports Michael Gadiel.
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*  International: US Cleaners on Hunger Strike
A number of US cleaners have this week gone on a hunger strike to back a union campaign for higher wages.
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*  Economics: The Pass The Risk Trick
Derivatives, often seen as the currency of casino capitalism, are the fastest growing, largest and potentially most volatile aspect of capitalist economies. Economist Dick Brian sees behind this image an even deeper danger.
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*  Health: Depressing Workplaces
New technologies and the impact of globalisation have sparked more stress and bouts of depression for workers, while causing a growing burden for social security systems, a new ILO report says.
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*  Unions: Costello's Con
The low paid are bearing the brunt of the GST with inflation at a 10 year high argues the ACTU's Greg Combet.
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*  Satire: Bush campaign an in-joke, admit advisors
TEXAS, Thursday: Following Bush's disastrous performance in the first Presidential debate it has been revealed that his bid for president is actually the result of a in-joke about how stupid the American people are.
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News
»  ACTU Calls For Compo For Costello's Inflation Spike
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»  Despair At Our ABC
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»  Outlaw Banks Strike Again
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»  Church Leader Confesses: We're Not Always Good Employers
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»  Building Workers Win $150 A Week Pay Rise
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»  MUA Prosecutes Patrick
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»  WA Secrecy Laws Gag Union Members
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»  LHMU Seek $1 An Hour Rise
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»  Picket Protects Broadway Squats
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»  APHEDA Appeal For Palestinian Medical Relief
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»  World Bank, IMF To Consult Unions
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»  Festering Joy
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»  Heath Our Hero Wins Two Gold
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Columns
»  Away For The Games
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»  Sport
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»  Labour Review
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»  Tool Shed
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Letters to the editor
»  No Back Down By SRA
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»  Bullying Again
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