Heinemann - V for Victory

In the December Edition of the ETU News we carry a 3-page tribute to the workers at Heinemann Electrics, who took on a ruthless employer and won. It makes for compelling reading and should make every ETU member proud. On 13 October 2006 Heinemann Electrics concluded an agreement with ETU organiser Shaun Leane and Heinemann shop stewards. As we explain in the News, the agreement met the log of claims of our members, who'd been on strike for six weeks, following the non-payment of their ordinary hours in the week preceding the strike.

No doubt there will be other employers following in Heinemann's shoes. However, they all know if the ETU is on the other side of the divide they'll be no surrender. To organiser Shaun Leane and shop steward Nalin Nawagamuwage and all of his comrades at Heinemann the ETU offers its deepest praise. Watching Nalin and his mates f ron t the cameras and the radio microphones to tell their story was an inspiring experience.

Plans for the Your Rights at Work rally at the MCG are now in full swing. With the polls showing how unpopular and destructive is the WorkChoices legislation it's imperative that we strike a blow on Thursday 30 November at the G.

ETU members would be aware that ALP leader Kim Beazley told the ACTU Congress - in Melbourne on Tuesday 24 October - he'd rip up the legislation and destroy AWAs. It's working people who've dragged the ALP into this policy position. Every politician knows WorkChoices is an electoral liability. Our job is to ensure that they have no option but to destroy it. As the moratoriums against the Vietnam War in the 1970s showed and opposition to the war in Iraq is proving, people on the street do influence politicians.

If we fill the MCG what can Howard say? He'll have a spin, but the worm is turning. The gates at the MCG will open at 7.00 am. Entry is free and the event will be telecast around Australia via the Sky Channel network.

ETU members will meet at GATE 2 from 7am. ETU officials Ivan Balta (0418 142 272) and Aa ron Harris (0418 376 161) need marshals and volunteers to show people to their seats and to sell T-Shirts on the day. Ring them if you want to join the volunteer brigade. Special Your Rights at Work T-Shirts can be purchased for $20 at the ETU office in Swanston Street , Carlton . They'll cost $25 at the MCG.

Rock For Your Rights at Work

November might be the month when unionists nail their colours to the mast, but who said protesting can't be fun? Why shouldn't we kick up our heels in the spirit of solidarity? Let's face it, you won't find our dour Prime Minister rocking the Lodge to the sound of David Bridie, Monique Brumby, War Pigs or Atomic Bliss. More like the latest George Bush DVD on how he won the war in Iraq , for our obsequious leader.

On Sunday 19 November at 2pm the East Brunswick Club will host the third of this month's Rock for your rights concerts, to be followed by a big session at the Espy on Thursday 23 November and another at the Spanish Club on the MCG rally day, Thursday 30 November.

Ticket prices vary. For more information, go to www.vthc.org.au or ring 9662 3511.

The sessions offer unionists and workers, young and old, the chance to rub shoulders, exchange ideas and build solidarity for the war against this greedy, ignorant government and its big end of town mates. Rocking for your rights at work! What a nice idea.

BBQing Howard at Twilight

On Sunday 26 November, at Antonio Park in Mitcham, working people will gather to roast the Prime Minister. Unfortunately, Mr  Howard won't be in attendance, so we won't see him on the spit. If he had agreed to turn up we'd have asked how he can say he supports families yet wants workers to be a slave to the boss and driven into the kind of flexible working hours that destroy family life. We'd probably have asked him about the lies, also.  Then again, the BBQ is only on for 3 hours! This is another great opportunity to prepare the ground for defeating the Coalition government in marginal seats.  See you there.  Food and drink will be provided.

Where: Antonio Park, Mitcham - Melways 49 C8

When: 5-8pm Sunday 26 November

And Their Racing

Feel like frocking up for the Spring Carnival and seeing whether the bag of fruit still fits? You don't have to swan around on the lawn at Flemington to do that. Yes, this year's annual Trade Union Family and Race Day is on again at Cranbourne. What better way to win a quid than taking to the grass at the beautiful Cranbourne Racecourse on Sunday 12 November?

The aim of the day is to bring together trade union officials, delegates and activists across the whole trade union movement.  Last year's event attracted thousands of people and was a great day for families.

 Tickets are now available at $10 for a family and $5 for a single ticket. The tickets are available from Trades Hall or the Cranbourne Racecourse. Affiliates are also welcome to collect flyers and posters from VTHC to promote the day.

The trade union movement will provide free food and soft drink on the day, as well as live music and children's rides. If you were thinking about bringing the car fridge, well, we have to advise you that as the Cranbourne Turf Club has acquired a liquor license you can no longer bring alcohol on to the premises.

 For further details, please contact Anastasia on 9662 3511.

Who's the Traitor?

Those with an interest in Irish or English history might be aware of that classic Irish anthem 'Take it down from the mast Irish Traitor'. It was written as a condemnation of the Irish Parliament for voting in favour of the Treaty in 1922. Not surprisingly, one of John Howard's heroes, Winston Churchill, was a party to the treaty and the threat to begin 'an immediate and terrible war' on the Irish if they didn't accept.

How i ron ic that building workers are virtually being accused of traitorous behaviour for simply hoisting a poster condemning Howard's IR laws and calling on members to rally at the G on 30 November? After adorning a shed above the footpath for a week, at the Women's Hospital site on the corner of Flemington Road and Grattan Street , the banner was given its marching orders by Baulderstone on Tuesday 31 October.

Earlier this year, a few blocks west at the Children's Hospital workers were told they might have been exposed to asbestos. There was no hue and cry about that from the bosses. No will you find any big end of town boss complaining about advertising hoardings that belittle women or treat them as mere sex objects? No, workers expressing a view about IR legislation are far more destructive that ads that belittle women or encourage our kids to eat take away rubbish posing as food.

Let's make sure we fill the G and send the real traitors, the un-Australian Howard government and its mates, on their way.

'In essence, the film is a critique of American corporate ethics. What I can only call the guts of its message, since the explicitness of the meatworks scenes make visceral metaphors unavoidable, can be summed up in the line: you are what you eat. For it's not long before Don reaches the unshakeable conclusion that his customers are indeed being served cow manure'.

So says the Sydney Morning Herald's review of the film, Fast Food Nation. In a world where diabetes and obesity are on the march and workers are being asked to spend more and more time at work, it's probably no surprise that takeaway food is under the griller, so to speak.

If you'd like double tickets to this US drama please contact Phil Cleary on phil@etu.asn.au

The first five email senders will be the recipients of double passes to Fast Food Nation. We suggest you eat at home before going to the movie.

As well as the Rock for Your Rights sessions throughout Melbourne in November there are a number of other special political activities. On 18 November, in the marginal seat of La Trobe there will a Puffing Billy family day. Although the YRAW train is completely booked out you can join the BBQ at Emerald Lake .

'Lunch will be provided free of charge. I'll be there, so why don't you join me,' says ETU political officer Mike Symon . Mike, who is organising the marginal seats campaign for the ETU in Deakin, La Trobe and Corangamite says he'll be at the BBQ, with his wife and two children. You'll find the Symon family at the Messmate shelter, near the Lakeside Train Station at Emerald Lake Park , from 12.15 pm onwards.

On 21 November there'll a public meeting in Corangamite with Sharan Burrow. The location is 74 Fryers Rd Belmont with proceedings getting under way at 7 pm. Contact Colleen Gibbs on 0421 028 624 for details.

On 1 December, there'll be a LaTrobe, Community Protest Breakfast, between 7 am and 9 am outside Liberal Member Jason Wood's Office, at 83 Bo ron ia Rd , Bo ron ia. Contact Katie on 0409 405 826 for information.

And don't forget that you can vote for ETU man Shaun Leane in the Eastern Metropolitan Upper House seat at the state election. Just for the record Shaun is Number One on the ALP ticket and Mike Symon is four places below.

Are You Fit Enough

Each month three ETU Southern States members can win $100 worth of ADIDAS sports gear! It's simple really.  All you need to do is join Fitness2live - http://etu.fitness2live.com.au - the ETU's customised, web based health and wellbeing service. 

And the good thing is that it's free.  Yes, it's free to all ETU union members and partners.  If you register now for your free membership on the link above you'll have access to personalised diet and exercise plans, over 2000 health and fitness publications, 100s of healthy recipes, newsletter, health calculators, and wellness surveys (find out your risk for illness and disease) plus more. 

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