
Issue No 92		20 April 2001

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News

Claims of Dirty Tricks Conspiracy at Mobil

Questions have emerged about the Howard Government's possible involvement in another dirty-tricks conspiracy to cut people's wages - centring on plans to deunionise a group of Victorian meatworkers.

The allegations, aired on the Nine Network's Sudney program, included claims of criminal tactics, incitement to violence, perjury, frame-ups and the use of undercover spies in a three-year drive to cut workers' wages at the G&K O'Connor meatworks at Pakenham, near Melbourne.

ACTU Secretary Greg Combet says there are serious unanswered questions about the role of the Federal Government and in particular of former Workplace Relations Minister, Mr Peter Reith, in the dispute.

"The Australian public can now see the end product of a vicious industrial relations system built on conflict. This is the ugly side of industrial relations that is flourishing under the Howard Government," Combet says.

"We know that there was regular contact between Mr Reith's department, the Office of the Employment Advocate and the employer during this dispute,"

"We also know that there are 700 secret Government documents on this dispute that the union has been denied access to. They should be released immediately to assure the Australian public that their government is not involved in these activities."

Combet has also called for the present Workplace Relations Minister, Mr Tony Abbott, to distance himself from the tactics used in the O'Connor dispute, and to assist in releasing the documents.

The Worst from the US

Labor's IR spokesman Arch bevis says the Australian Industrial Relations system is now importing the worst aspects of a 1970s style US system

"We have one of the world's largest companies engaged in a Patrick's style tactic to secretly train people to break a strike - even before the strike has begun," Bevis says.

"The Howard Government's laws have allowed these divisive and aggressive tactics to be used. What's worse though, is the encouragement given by the Government to companies to follow these extremist tactics. Government Ministers have even berated companies for not adopting more militant and aggressive tactics against unions and their workers.

"It's about time we got some balance and fairness back into the Australian Industrial Relations system. It's clear from the past five years that we won't get that from John Howard."

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Issue 92 contents

Interview: Beyond the Accord
Simon Crean cut his teeth in the trade union movement, now he's gearing up to run the economy.

Politics: In Defence of Dellaďż˝s List
The proposition that trade unions should ask members of the ALP for a commitment that they uphold Party policy should hardly be controversial.

Corporate: The Real Rorters
The unspoken sore of the WorkCover Scheme is non-compliance by employers. None more so that in the construction industry, as this CFMEU paper details.

Legal: In the Real World
Lawyer Ross Goodridge exposes the defficincies in the new medical assessment guidelines for workers compensation by looking at real case studies.

International: The Docklands and Global Labour
Ma Wei Pin and Jasper Goss recount how the struggle of a group of Indonesian hotel workers effected a lucrative Melbourne contract.

History: Sweatshops in America
Since the dawning of the Industrial Revolution, many generations of Americans have toiled in sweatshops.

Unions: Losers Never Start
At the end of her six week vigil, Grenadier delegate Michelle Booth gave her heartfelt thanks to the trade union movement.

Review: Working Classes: Global Realities
The Socialist Register 2001 looks at class realities and the lives of workers in the new century.

Satire: Democrats Change Leader
The Democrats have a new leader after belatedly discovering that Meg Lees had become the second Democrats leader in a row to defect to another party.

» Costa To Join Dellaďż˝s List

» Compo Campaign Gathers Steam

» Dellaďż˝s List: Dissident MPs Targeted

» Day of Mourning to be Compo Focus

» Small Steps in Negotiations ďż˝ But Hard Yards Still to Come

» Important First Step for E-Mail Privacy

» Outraged Cleaners Continue AXA Axings Protests

» Grenadier Picket Ends ďż˝ But Legacy Lives On

» Entitlement Dramas in Health and Printing

» Nurses Still Waiting on Olympics Bonus

» IRC Delays Hit Eight Month Barrier

» Claims of Dirty Tricks Conspiracy at Mobil

» Sydney Water Workers On Strike

» MUA Rides Anti-pollution Wave

» Governments Urged On Child Slavery

» Time To Act on Pay Discrimination

» Construction Union Supports Folk Festival

» Activists Notebook