Unions organise Protest against IR laws at the MCG : Melbourne Indymedia

Rock singer, Jimmy Barnes will perform to the crowd at the MCG. Speeches will also be given, with the event broadcast by satellite to union and community meetings around Australia, including at Belmore and Tumbalong Parks in Sydney; Southbank in Brisbane; Elder Park in Adelaide; Hobart's city hall; Manuka Oval in Canberra; and the WACA in Perth.

ACTU President, Sharan Burrow said "Thursday's protest is an important opportunity for working families to send a message that they are strongly opposed to the Federal Government's unfair IR laws."

"I urge everyone who is worried about the IR laws to come to the MCG or their local protest venue on Thursday. And bring your children, it's their future too." she said.

Last week Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Brian Boyd said all trams and trains to the MCG would be free because members of the Rail Tram and Bus Union would not be checking tickets. This has now been countermanded by the re-elected Labor Premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks: "We expect people to pay fares," he said. "There will be the same sort of scrutiny on that as there has been in the past."

But in response to the Prime Minister's attack on teachers attending the rally, Steve Bracks said "People have the right to express their views in a democracy. People have the right to take industrial action or stop work."

Mary Bluett, Victorian president of the Australian Education Union (AEU) has predicted hundreds of Victorian schools would shut or have just a skeleton staff on Thursday.

The Prime Minister said in Canberra, "Instead of attending a rock concert in the MCG ... instead of attending a Jimmy Barnes concert in the MCG, these teachers should be in their classrooms." He then proceeded to attack State Education System teachers saying "This action by Victorian teachers will further reduce the esteem of the government education system in the eyes of Victorian parents."

Independent Education Union federal secretary Lyn Rolley responded to Mr Howard's remarks, saying independent and Catholic schools teachers from would also attend union organised rallies and meetings around the country. "We've asked them to join their rallies where they live." The Independent Education Union has asked all its members to register their protest at the Work Choices legislation.

Information released by the ACTU shows that workers in NSW are being hard hit by the Government's industrial relations laws with average wages for full time employees dropping $33 a week in real terms over the last year.

ACTU President Sharan Burrow released the research at the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) conference in Sydney on 24 November.

Ms Burrow's address to ACOSS highlighted the effect of the new IR laws on bringing down living standards for many working Australians and the potential emergence in Australia of a US-style two-tiered society with high levels of inequality and poverty.

"While the economic boom means corporate profits are at an all time high, there is a growing class of people in Australia that are being left behind," said Ms Burrow. "Our latest research shows that the Howard Government's unfair IR laws are a contributing factor."

According to the research average real wages for full time workers throughout Australia are failing to keep pace with inflation for the first time since the introduction of the GST. Recent data also shows that workers in the hospitality and retail industries are being hardest hit. Workers in retail, especially shops, cafes and bars are bearing the brunt of the new IR laws.

Figues released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on 16 November shows the Average Weekly Earnings falling. ACTU Secretary Greg Combet said in response: "Many working families are struggling to keep their heads above water and the last thing they can afford is a drop in the value of their take home pay."

"Average earnings in the year to September 2006 dropped in real terms by 1.2% - that is, working Australians have experienced a fall in the value of average weekly earnings of $13 a week as a result of downward pressure on wages and rising living costs."

"This is the second quarter in row since the new IR laws came in that has seen real average earnings for full time workers drop below the cost of living for the previous 12 month period."

"The historically low value of average earnings is caused by the Federal Government's new IR laws and a fall in overtime, penalty rate and bonus payments to workers under the laws."

The Office of the Employee Advocate has admitted that two thirds (63%) of new AWA individual contracts registered under the IR laws scrap penalty rates, a third cut overtime pay, half get rid of shift allowances and another third do away with public holiday payments.

While workers face a fall in the real value of their take-home pay, the cost of living is up with interest rates also rising three times this year.

the Australian Services Union-local government section in Victoria says that their contingent for November 30 is likely to be bigger than they've ever managed to mobilise for any other union protest.
They have a membership of 18,000 & expect
to have a contingent
of 6000-7000. Now this isn't a union that is
renowned for militancy, so
if they are expecting such a large mobilisation, and
that is reflected
across the board, then November 30 will be massive.

Another report I recieved is that Amcor Flexibles in
Preston (this is
the company that threatened individual workers with
$6000 fines for
illegal strike action a few months ago) threatened workers with $6000 fines if they attend the November 30 protest. This threat had the opposite effect of what management wanted.
Initially, Amcor workers were
planning to send a significant-sized delegation to
the rally but would
keep the plant operating. After receiving the threat
from management,
they've decided to shut the plant down for 24-hours
so that everyone can
attend the rally

28 November 2006: Government sneaks workplace changes into the Senate

The Howard Government tried to sneak changes that allow workers to cash out leave and let bosses stand down employees without pay if there is a downturn, strike or breakdown in machinery into the Senate this evening...

The changes were bundled in with amendments to the Independent Contractors Act introduced late this afternoon as debate commenced in the Senate, and were only picked up at the very last minute.

"We were told that sick leave was sacrosanct and would not be touched, but now employees will be encouraged to cash out their personal and carer's leave, to be left unprotected and unable to cope if disaster strikes," said Senator Siewert.

"This is not family friendly legislation. We are already facing a crisis in care, and workers are struggling to balance work and family. With an ageing population the need for family carers will only get worse."

"I am particularly worried that the stand-down provisions are wide open to interpretation and abuse. According to the Bill, workers can be stood down with no pay during any time there is "a stoppage of work for any cause for which the employer cannot be reasonably held responsible," which could mean almost anything," said Senator Siewert.

"Could employers who fail to maintain their own machinery stand down their workers when it fails? What if you fly in to the mine-site to find your truck has broken down ... will you have to walk home? We simply don't know because we have not been given the chance to examine the implications of these sweeping changes."

Once an employee is stood down their only recourse is to pursue expensive legal action through the courts - something which is likely to be beyond the means of many young, or low-paid workers and those with substantial family commitments.

"This is sneaky and in bad faith. It is an attempt to undermine the democratic processes of the Senate. I do not believe that the Australian people want this kind of governance."

---

Greens Work Rights Website:
http://workrights.org.au/

Watching giant TVs in a corporate stadium - Unions avoid real and direct action
by Direct Action General Strike Group 2006-11-28 2:13 PM +0800
NOVEMBER 28, 2006: Time for General Strike?

As Australian unions prepare to meet, march and be entertained this week they seem to be missing the most powerful tool for political change. Workers are the exploited economic backbone of Australia's current wealth boomtime. If workers withdraw their power - their only power - their labour, then their voices will be heard. Bosses will get nervous. Pressure will ultimately force change.

Workers are denying themselves the crucial opportunity to walk off the job en-mass across the nation and really fight for their rights - which are under perpetual erosion by John Howard's "anti-worker" regime.

As fundamental worker's rights arestripped by the Liberal government, it seems the WA union movement are meeting in a corporate stadium to watch themselves on giant TV screens...
++

Unions WA assure readers of their website that at the November 30 gathering, "additional to vociferous chanting, there will also be entertainment provided throughout your time at the stadium. Included will be bands and other theatrical attractions, John Howard comedian, as well as a sea of orange cards that will make this event one to remember..."

But perhaps the only thing that will beat the radical Australian IR sweep is the very thing that got us our worker's rights in the first place - DIRECT ACTION!

==Direct Action==
In France earlier this year, workers and students took real action to beat a government every bit as reactionary as Howard’s. With a concerted rolling campaign of strikes, mass rallies, factory shut-downs, school and university occupations - the French people defeated laws similar to Howard’s IR laws.

Since June last year, three mass protests have seen huge numbers mobilise on the streets of our cities and regional centres. The November 2005 demonstration was the largest workers’ demonstration ever seen in Australia. The fact that hundreds of thousands of workers have been prepared to take to the streets – and in many cases to actually go on strike – is not only clear proof of the overwhelming opposition to Howard’s industrial agenda. It proves that many Australians are willing to fight - an example of the massive power and potential of the this country's working class folk.

France shows that our rulers will only surrender if the threat from below seems really serious. The current ACTU strategy – of rallies a couple of times year - and hoping for the election of a Labor government – is pathetically inadequate. In order to win, workers must disrupt “business as usual”, hitting the bosses’ profits with strikes in the key sections of industry, and creating a political crisis for the government.

Such a direct action campaign would strengthen broad layers of workers and breathe fresh energy into the union movement, it would also inspire resistance in other areas, raise people’s confidence, build solidarity and help counter Howard’s despicable divide and rule tactics.

Mass resistance from below is both the surest and most desirable way to get rid of Howard. It would put the bosses on the back foot, while at the same time sending Labor a message that they will be under pressure to make good on their promises to tear up Howard’s IR laws.

==Towards a General Stike==
One way to prepare for a General Strike is to fully celebrate the notion as an actual possibility; to project it as a meme into the collective conciousness.

In other words if workers do not talk about a General Strike it can never happen. If people think that our only course of action is to rely on the ALP as our saviour then we cannot expect much without taking direct action ourselves. We need to expose the fact that the current Union (ACTU and Trade halls and conservative unions) strategy of sitting on their hands is doomed to failure.

The only reason we are having anbother big IR rally is because of grassroots pressure. As the grassroots we need to activate and agitate for some serious direct action to defeat these IR laws.

==The Industrial Workers of the World - the Wobblies==
The Union Movement has become a virtual auxilliary or appendage of the ALP. The ALP originally was an offshoot of the Union movement but appears to have nearly devoured it's own parent. It was out of the great Shearer and Maritime strikes in the late 19th century that the first Labour MP in the world was put into Parliament.

Unfortunately, this Parliamentary strategy hasn't really liberated the workers but proven a costly distraction at best-at worst a shocking betrayal of the original intentions behind a Labour Party. Time and time againt the ALP has shafted the workers. More recently, it was the Hawke/Keating govenments that started the Economic Rationalist Revolution.

Unions need to get back to basics. The Industrial Workers of the World work towards One Big Union. This is an alternative to the idea of competing trade unions which can be divided and conquered by the bosses. This isn't about centralisation as every workplace would be autonomously controlled by it's own workers through their own branch. It just means that workers across all industries could co-operate when they had to as in the case of a General Strike.

---

A WORKCHOICES OVERVIEW:

==Anti-Worker Laws==
As expected, the WorkChoices laws are being used punitively against workers by some businesses. Other businesses are being forced, through competitive pressures, to take what they probably consider to be unsavoury measures to cut wages and dismiss workers. In other words, we are starting the race to the bottom in Australia.

The problem with giving so much power to employers at the expense of employees is that vulnerable workers – particularly those in low-skilled occupations, women, young people and so on – are in a very poor bargaining position. When handed a contract stripping away their working conditions and wages, ‘Choices’ in this case may mean the choice between a low-paying job and no job at all.

There used to be a number of protections against employers unilaterally deleting working conditions and wages from contracts.

Most significantly, the ‘no disadvantage test’ meant that contracts were assessed by regulators to ensure that under a new agreement, workers would not be worse off when compared with relevant awards and legislation. This test has been scrapped, meaning that wages and most conditions can now be scrapped at the whim of the employer.

The results of the first month’s survey of contracts examined by the Office of the Employment Advocate are very clear and depressing. Every contract surveyed has abolished at least one award condition. One in six have abolished all award conditions apart from the mandatory five. Sixty per cent have wiped out leave loading, and 63 per cent have abolished penalty rates.

==The Minimum Wage==
For a century, Australia has had a system to provide low-paid workers with a so-called minimum wage. This was set by the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) after taking submissions from unions, academics, employer groups and the Government. Currently, in most states of Australia the minimum wage is $467.40 per week, or $12.30 per hour.

Every year, the IRC would run the ‘National Wage Case’ to determine whether the minimum wage should rise, and by how much. In theory at least, this minimum level of payment should at least keep pace with inflation to keep low-paid workers from descending into poverty. The old Workplace Relations Act 1996 contained specific references to fairness and providing “fair minimum standards for employees in the context of living standards generally prevailing in the Australian community”*

Under WorkChoices, this system no longer exists. The new ‘Fair Pay Commission’ (FPC) now has the power to determine the minimum wage. The FPC also sets junior wages, training and disability wages, and casual loadings. The WorkChoices Act removes references to fairness and instead emphasises “employment and competitiveness across the economy”.*

While in opposition, John Howard flagged his intention to “dramatically lower minimum wages for young people*”. The Government, and employer groups such as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry traditionally argue for the lowest possible rises in the minimum wage.

The reasoning is that high minimum wages are a disincentive for employers to take on new workers. However there is little evidence of this link in reality - employment rose by 18% between 1997 and 2005 in Australia, despite increases in minimum wages awarded by the IRC.

The bottom line is that the Government has changed the rules so that fairness is no longer a factor: the intention is clearly to drive down the wages of the lowest-paid Australians. While wages will not fall immediately, it is highly likely that they will no longer keep pace with inflation, falling in real terms. When combined with rising interest rates and inflation, and rising housing and petrol prices, the consequences of the Government’s attack on the minimum wage could be severe.

==Wages and Conditions==
As expected, the WorkChoices laws are being used punitively against workers by some businesses. Other businesses are being forced, through competitive pressures, to take what they probably consider to be unsavoury measures to cut wages and dismiss workers. In other words, we are starting the race to the bottom in Australia.

The problem with giving so much power to employers at the expense of employees is that vulnerable workers – particularly those in low-skilled occupations, women, young people and so on – are in a very poor bargaining position. When handed a contract stripping away their working conditions and wages, ‘Choices’ in this case may mean the choice between a low-paying job and no job at all.

There used to be a number of protections against employers unilaterally deleting working conditions and wages from contracts. Most significantly, the ‘no disadvantage test’ meant that contracts were assessed by regulators to ensure that under a new agreement, workers would not be worse off when compared with relevant awards and legislation. This test has been scrapped, meaning that wages and most conditions can now be scrapped at the whim of the employer.

The results of the first month’s survey of contracts examined by the Office of the Employment Advocate are very clear and depressing. Every contract surveyed has abolished at least one award condition. One in six have abolished all award conditions apart from the mandatory five. Sixty per cent have wiped out leave loading, and 63 per cent have abolished penalty rates.

References:
http://workrights.org.au/

---

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY FOR MEMBERS EQUITY STADIUM

"...NO SMOKING ANYWHERE INSIDE THE STADIUM
The stadium reserves the right to refuse entry or evict:
* People under the influence of alcohol and drugs
* People displaying disorderly or inappropriate behaviour
It is prohibited to bring the following items into the stadium:
* Alcoholic beverages
* Illicit drugs
* Cans and glass bottles
* Opened water or soft drink containers (they must be sealed)
* Articles displaying offensive messages
* Any item deemed by Stadium Management to be either a danger or a nuisance
Eskies, prams, pushers, bags and other belongings must be able to fit under the seats. Umbrellas are not allowed to be opened in the stadium. All persons must comply with all reasonable requests from the Stadium Manager. SECURITY WILL BE CHECKING BAGS AND PERSONS ON ENTRY AND WILL BE ENFORCING THE CONDITIONS OF ENTRY. IF SECURITY MAKES THE DECSION TO REMOVE INDIVIDUALS UNIONSWA WILL BE UNABLE TO INTERVENE..."

SOURCES:

Critical Times - IR LAWS
Workrights.org.au
100 reasons why WorkChoices is a dud, with 100 examples of ripped off workers - IWW WorkersOnline
Towards A General Strike - Melbourne Indymedia
why we need a general strike - Melbourne Indymedia
General Strikers June 28th 2006
30 November 2006 - National Day of Action - Unions WA
rightsatwork.com.au - ACTU
November 30th Corporate Stadium Rally, Details for Perth - Unions WA

scale pictures

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If you want action
by Ray 2006-11-28 4:34 PM +0800
Join the MUA, CFMEU, NTEU, AMWU and the community for a rally and march at 10am at the Perth Cultural Centre in Northbridge.

It isn't a general strike but it does act as somewhat of a counter to the passivity of the ACTU TV watching later in the day.

Link here
That's right!
by Jerome 2006-11-28 4:47 PM +0800
We do (supposedly, though less and less so) have the right to protest. But then we must get back to work and do as we have always done.

People look down their noses at those who do actual action to fight for their rights. It appears that having ones' rights eroded while being complicit in inviting the vampire into the house (and taking it up the arse) is the greatest virtue.

Well you go for it. I prefer to sleep very well at night in the knowledge that even though I'm in the same position as you - at least I tried.

Link here
Yeh I got that flyer at my work....
by net.paw 2006-11-28 7:38 PM +0800
It's quite funny when you are told by your employer that your "sales" targets have gone up by no more than a couple of percent for the year but then recieve a handout from your Union that has gone over the figures and the REAL figures start to emegerge.

Increases of over 64% plus when you take into account the fact they no longer factor in annual leave, training sick days, public holidays or anything else. What is the result ? Unreachable targets.. what happens when you don't reach your targets ? You are on notice and they can terminate your employment at will.

With the rates increases and huge hikes in rent payments people are going backwards fast. Not to mention places like coles and woolorths reducing the brands you are able to purchase forcing smaller australian food companies to sell out to Nestle and co'increasing their prophets then when they have saved money and increased their prophets hike up your food prices and even the veges imported from China.

Have a watch of the following video in two parts. It may give an indication of why this transfer of wealth is happening. I see a crash coming very soon.

Part 1

http://video.google.com.au/videoplay?docid=-8753934454816686947&q=the+money+masters

Part 2

http://video.google.com.au/videoplay?docid=-2665915773877500927&q=the+money+masters

These IR laws and the increases in rates just at a time when the economy was going great guns for many people is no accident and has been deliberately brought about just as it has happened throughout history.

People don't care any more. They are too busy with their own lives and own careers to want to do anything that will look bad to the corporate masters who pay their own wages.
It's almost allready too late. All of us are being raped by these people. Not just the people in Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine or Africa or any other unfortunate country in the world. All of us are slaves to these people. We need to stand up, show others how this world really works.

I find it incredible that when you mention that there are deliberate steps being made to dumb people down and control their lives that even people from here in Perth Indy will call you a conspiracy nut. I've read some interesting info on OBE and the thoughts of those who put forward that enlightened education system.

It wasn't till I had a conversation with my daughter that I realised how true it all was. She was in tears because she is so bored at school. The teachers keep going over the same work until everyone else in the class has caught up. So what happens is EVERYONE is kept to the lowest common denominator. DUMBING EVERYONE DOWN. But hey the thought of these systems being put in place deliberately so we all become mindfucked slaves is a loony conspiracy theory...

Yet we are ALL losing our rights wether it be at work or through the semi police state or our lack of privacy yet most people are oblivious... their plans are working a treat.

Link here
by Jerome 2006-11-29 6:41 AM +0800
I agree with you Net_paw. The evidence is anecdotal; we need only listen to people, on public transport, our friends and relatives, in chat rooms, it's everywhere! People are suffering!

If you don't believe the hype, just listen to people and you'll see just how effective these horrid changes are.

I might be sadistic but sometimes it just makes me laugh (maybe nervously). This is what it takes (and more) to make some people stand up and say 'Hang on! Fuck off! NO!'

Anyway, with Climate Change upon us (itself requiring it's own brand of change), we need to change our ways anyway. And many are still too slow - switching on air conditioners still as our climate heats up.

Duh!

Link here
by Hairy Tortoise 2006-11-29 9:21 AM +0800
Yes, lets just leave all those 'stupid' kids behind. After all, if the 'smart' kids don't get their chance to conquer them, who will fill the ranks of the future elite?

Link here
Get On The Streets, Direct Action Works
by Emma Goldman 2006-11-29 12:25 PM +0800
'If voting changed anything they would make it illegal'

It was the recent mass Direct Action taken by workers, students and migrants in France and Italy that forced those governments to withdraw IR leglislation much milder than the extreme anti- worker and ideologically driven law of Howard and his business cronies.

Don't wait for the next election,resist now.Join the rally and march at PICA.

Put the pressure on Howard and more importantly let the timid and conservative union bureaucrats know that Howard's attacks on the community and the erosion of rights won through a 100 years and more of struggle will not be tolerated. Let the bosses and the politicians and the bureaucrats know that these attacks will be resisted and not just at the ballot box.

Lets see.. the government does something good by freeing up the labor market. It introduces greater freedom of contract.

So what do these bludgers do ?
They protest against freedom !

Less is Less
by Yeah! What he said! Wednesday November 29, 2006 at 06:07 PM

Yeah Jono, I don't know why people can't see how Howard is helping them out by taking stuff off them.

Hang on a minute, please explain this 'less is more' business again...

Howard takes my money, sick pay, holiday pay and lots of other stuff and I'm better off how?

Don't mean to depart from the neo-liberal dogma script but this just sounds stupid, real stupid, even for idealogues like us.