
Issue No 90		30 March 2001

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East Timor Goes Union

Workers in the fledgling nation have established their equivalent to the ACTU to build a safety net for workers.

On 27th February, 2001 the first Congress of East Timor Workers declared an interim federation called the Confederacao Union Trabhalador Timor Lorosa'e (CUTTL). This peak federation is the East Timor equivalent of our ACTU.

A nine member council was elected comprising representatives from the nine industrial sectors present at the Congress. These were teachers, agricultural workers, nurses, construction workers, carpenters, journalists, hotel workers, doctors and dockworkers. A two member executive was also elected. The President is Jose Conceicao and the General Secretary is Ana Mota.

The council of the CUTTL reviewed the draft constitution presented to the Congress. A final constitution will be adopted at the second Congress which is expected to be held sometime after independence.

The trade union movement in East Timor faces many problems. Besides being confronted by the lack of resources, the emerging unions are also fighting against the exploitation of East Timorese workers by some of the foreign (often Australian) companies there, as well as a lack of adequate consultation with trade unions by the United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor in the development of East Timor's Labour Code.

APHEDA - Union Aid Abroad, along with the ACTU and a number of Australian unions has assisted the formation and resourcing of unions in East Timor as well as assisting to fund the Congress and helping the establishment of the CUTTL. APHEDA - Union Aid Abroad is also assisting with the placement of a volunteer labour lawyer, Eliza Bergin, to advise the East Timorese trade unions during the drawing up of the Labour Code and also the placement of an asbestos removal expert, Ron Westrupp, a CFMEU delegaste, in Dili during March.

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  Issue 90 contents

Interview: On the Up and Up
On the eve of new figures showing the slide in union membership may be bottoming out, ACTU secretary Greg Combet takes stock of the state of the movement.

Unions: Organising Theory
Labor Council�s Chris Christodoulou reports back from this week�s ACTU Organising Conference

Economics: The Failure of the Third Way
In his presentation to this week's ACTU Organising Conference, John Buchanan painted a dark picture of the emerging labour market.

History: Emblems of Unity
The Gregory J. Smith Collection of Trade Union badges was auctioned today in Sydney. Smith compiled a book on 763 of his remarkable collection which was published in 1992.

Legal: Della's Compo Plan
Labour lawyer Richard Brennan places the NSW workers compensation reforms under the microscope.

International: East Timor Goes Union
Workers in the fledgling nation have established their equivalent to the ACTU to build a safety net for workers.

Satire: Management for the Post-Industrial World
A new management fad is sweeping the post-industrial world, which has major social and political implications at the macro and micro level. We have called it "Purge Management Strategy" (PMS).

Review: Surviving The Temptations of TV Island
Cultural analyst Mark Morey rakes over the coals of American TV culture to find very little is there.

» Compo Wars: Round One to the Workers

» Breakthrough on Sweat-Shops

» Beazley to Force Executive Disclosure

» Call Centre Union Busters Get Wake-Up Call

» Victorious Workers Paint the Picket Red

» Grenadier Workers Maintain Vigil

» Kembla Water Rats Face Extinction

» Employers Told: Casual Workers Have Full-Time Rights

» Good On Ya Mum, Buttercup�s Leaving Town

» Forty Seven Years of Service Rewarded

» Telstra Called to Account on Legionella

» Record Low Aussie Dollar Adds to Surging Profits

» No Progress on Stonemasons

» Burrow Lobbies on BHP and US Trade Abroad

» Feed the Shangri-La Workers Fund

» STOP PRESS: Union Numbers Up - ABS

» The Soapbox

» The Locker Room

» Trades Hall

» Tool Shed

» Crumby Company

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