DISSENTING UNIONISTS AGITATE FOR GENERAL STRIKE : Melbourne Indymedia

At the Protest against the Federal Government’s IR laws this Wednesday, dissenting unionists/workers will make themselves heard with a
General Strike Bloc Fiesta!

The General Strike Bloc will provide a platform for workers who want more than rallies and ALP electioneering (the preferred strategy of the ACTU, Victorian Trades Hall and various trades unions.)

Whilst the official programme on Wednesday has people congregating at 10am at four different march starting points in the city, the General Strike Bloc Fiesta! will commence at 9:30am at the marchs’ convergence point at the corner of Bourke and Swanston streets.

General Strikes were effective earlier this year in France in forcing the French Government to scratch laws that made it easier to sack young people. In 1969, an Australian General Strike mobilised a million workers. Sparked by the jailing of Tramways union official Clarrie O’Shea, the strike ultimately neutralised anti-union legislation.

A recent mass meeting (29th March) of Victorian Trades Hall Council Shop Stewards and Delegates passed a resolution urging:
”That all unions consult their membership on an ongoing basis and regularly about their willingness to hold a general strike against the new workplace laws.”

In blatant disregard for this resolution, Brian Boyd, Secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall reportedly kyboshed any discussion of a General Strike at a recent Trades Hall meeting.

The General Strike Bloc Fiesta! has been initiated by the Industrial Workers of the World (and Eureka Sedition).

General Strike Bloc Fiesta! organiser (and Australian Education Union member) Davey Heller says,

“Don't be extra's in the next ALP Federal Election campaign and take a stand not just against the IR Laws but also the ACTU/Trades Hall attempts to silence direct action as a way to fight these laws. Its obvious that it’s only going to be direct industrial action that has any impact against laws that have already started affecting thousands of workers.”

WHAT: General Strike Bloc Fiesta!
WHEN: Assembling 9:30am Wednesday June 28th
WHERE: Cnr Bourke/Swanston Sts

Bring General Strike signs/banners and your radical spirit!
Bring some music, some instruments, some drums and make some noise!

Whatever you do just don't count on labor

Labor's major problem is that labor won't get elected for the next 100 years because they made a deal with the libs to own and sell the country! All Labor has to do is bluff you so as to make you think there is going to be some hope like the parrot people do every other election ie neck a neck. Then Lib comes home eight lengths in front.

The biggest bluff is that they would repeal the laws. However, that is the only way they can suck you in properly prior the next election. Because if they can't give what you want and have you think there is only one way to get it then they can't give you some illusion of some hope. Then they can't sustain the grand illusion, that you live in a democracy.

But if they can give you hope and only one way you think you can get it then they can sustain that you live in a democracy because you had the right to vote. But you lost. Oh! That was just bad luck! If people know that they have no hope then all the votes other than the dim wits that vote for hoWARd have to go somewhere else!

My vote's going to Donald Duck. Quack.

We need a general strike!
Or you get nothing!
Trust Me! I'm not john hoWARd the coward.

Bling!

We are advocating a general strike across the board
regardless of government as a most immediate &
effective way of channeling the power of the people to
achieve our common goals, rather than allowing the
enormous support built thus far to slowly dissapate as
we wait for the next rally, the next government, the
next war.. let the voice of the people be heard, hold
the government to account! (put me in jail for
sedition)

Join us at the Workers and Community National Day of
Protest and
show your support for a General Strike!
Bring some music, some instruments, some drums and
make some noise!

FIESTA STARTS: 9:30AM
WED 28TH JUNE
CNR BOURKE/SWANSTON STS
Initiated by Eureka Sedition and IWW Melbourne Branch