Rocking the G

Contrary to the mutterings in some sections of the conservative media the MCG Rally was an outstanding success. Given the early start, three train lines being down and the trepidation some workers are feeling about taking on the boss, the crowd of 60 000 was a ringing endorsement of our campaign. So persuasive has been the union movement's criticism of John Howard's IR Laws the polls are showing the Liberals are on course to lose next year's federal election. It's no accident that Victorian Labor premier Steve Bracks was at the MCG attacking WorkChoices. No politician in their right mind can defend these laws.

The spirit at the MCG was truly uplifting. And how inspiring it was to see the section above the MCC Members awash with ETU flags. We didn't let the side down. Many members heard our rally advertisements - delivered by the editor of the online magazine - on 3AW and SEN. 'We'll be doing more ads next year, in an attempt to rid the country of the Howard government,' said ETU secretary Dean Mighell.

Please email me - Phil Cleary - at phil@etu.asn.au if you have thoughts or ideas about advertising, including the best radio outlet for any ads. As well as spreading the message in the media we'll be taking our campaign to the marginal seats, in particular against Phil Barresi the Liberal member in Deakin. Mike Symon , the ETU's political officer is co-ordinating the campaign. He can be contacted at mike@etu.asn.au

The ETU would like to thank the following people - Ivan Balta, Mark Grech, Peter Morgan, Wayne Thompson, Rick Conduit, John Bentrovato, John McEwan, Dean Lawler, John Pullen, Graig Suslik, Troy Smythe, Peter Audino, Chris Morton, Chris Strathdee, Garry Skerys, Scott Wallbridge, Bill Dempster, David Mier, George, Rywatt, Grant Gordon, Brett Cox, Luke Petersen, Andrew Di-Mieri, Omar Merhi, Neville Spratling, Toss Battle, Erinn Sales, Andrew Taranto, Linda Dobson, Mick Montebello, Tom McEwan, Mick Rybicki and Joseph Youssef - f or their work in marshalling on the ground and in the aisles, bearing flags at the ground and at Federation Square, selling Your Rights at Work T-Shirts and undertaking the midnight shift. It was this work that helped make the rally such a success.

And special thanks of course must go to Aaron 'Aza' Harris and Ivan Balta, who co-ordinated the volunteers with such precision. Aza and Ivan are currently seconded as organisers with the union. Special thanks must also go to political officer Mike Symon and his midnight crew. Who else but Mike, who was at the MCG during the major renovation, would have thought to hang the ETU Eureka Flag and our Powering the State flag above the Members?

Women Out of the Kitchen

On Tuesday 19 December Dr. Sarah Charlesworth, a senior research fellow at RMIT will be the guest speaker at a women's breakfast, titled 'Getting Gender (In) Equality onto the WorkChoices Agenda'.

It's no secret that women, especially women with children, are particularly vulnerable under WorkChoices. Dr. Charlesworth, who works in the Centre for Applied Social Research, will provide some telling information about the situation faced by women in the workplace under the new IR laws.

Date: Tuesday, 19 December 2006

Time: 9.00 - 11.00 AM

Venue: La Notte Café / Restaurant

140 Lygon Street Carlton South, VIC. 3053

Cost: $25

Contact: Ellen on ekleimaker@vthc.org.au or call 9662 35 11

In line with Trades Hall's commitment to women in the workplace the ETU has appointed Vanessa Garbett to the position of Women's Officer. Among other things Vanessa's task will be to attract more women into the trades. She can be contacted through the ETU.

Contracting's Big Win

On Wednesday 15 November 2006 a massive crowd assembled at Dallas Brooks to hear about the latest act of bastardry by the Howard government. As members would be aware, with the stroke of a pen Kevin Andrews ruled that the ETU's contracting industry agreement was not code compliant and, therefore, any employer who signed up to it could not win a government tender.

What's astounding is that his own, workplace department - DEWR - had ruled that the agreement was code compliant. Andrews was having nothing of that, telling DEWR that he'd decided to change the guidelines to ensure the agreement wasn't code compliant. Now we wait to see if Graeme Samuel from the ACCC might point the finger at Andrews and tell him he's engaging in anti-competitive behaviour. Don't hold your breath!

The meeting was momentous for many reasons. Not only did members move a resolution demanding that the ETU avoid any agreement that compromised our hard fought conditions, they also heard an impassioned speech by ACTU secretary Greg Combet. It was impossible to ignore the deep anger Greg Combet feels as a consequence of the actions of this craven, anti-worker government.

In the December 2006 ETU News, Dean Mighell has written a detailed account of the government's attack on the contracting agreement. The News should be in the mailbox in a few days. You can also hear Dean on the latest Spark Podcast, which should be on the ETU website next week.

3CR Calendar

The Seeds of Dissent 2007! Calendar is a vibrant and entertaining celebration of the achievements of twelve progressive campaigns that changed Australia . 

Colourfully designed the Seeds of Dissent 2007! Calendar features radical historical dates for each day of the year, photographs from the lens of Australian activists and activist days such as Survival Day, World Refugee Day and. No Pants Day!

This is the perfect gift for the leftie in your life!

Available now from 3CR on 03 9419 8377 or admin@3cr.org.au for $20 + postage, and from all good bookstores across Australia for $25. More information at www.3cr.org.au

Bring David Hicks Home

There will be a 'Bring David Hicks Home - Day of Action' at Federation Square on Saturday 9 December, starting at 2 pm. T here will be simultaneous events in Sydney , Canberra and Adelaide , as well as in the UK .

Speakers include:

Major Michael Mori, David Hicks' US lawyer; Les Thomas, CRD member and brother of Jack Thomas; Nicole Bieske, Amnesty International Australia; Lex Lasry, QC; Nicola Roxon, Shadow Attorney General; Brian Walters, Liberty Victoria; Michelle O'Neil, Textile, Clothing, Footwear Union; Rob Stary, civil libertarian and lawyer.

David Hicks has spent five years in the hell the American government calls Guantanamo . In years to come Guantanamo will surely be recognised as a concentration camp that flagrantly contravenes the Geneva Convention and human rights as laid down by civilized countries and the UN.

The ETU is calling on members to raise the flag of freedom at Fed Square and defend Hicks' human rights. The day is organised by Amnesty International, Liberty Victoria and Civil Rights Defence. For more information, call 0407 856 628

The ETU has never been reluctant to support a good cause. The 2006 trade union history book ' the little history of australian unionism' , the Salvation Army Heater Appeal of past years, Open Family, Canteen's support of children suffering cancer, and so it goes.

On Wednesday 29 November 2006 the union was the major sponsor of a cricket match in support of the Asthma Foundation. Played at the Merv Hughes Oval and featuring Merv and an array of sporting celebrities - Rohan Smith, Bill Brownless, Gary Dempsey, Peter Bedford and Doug Hawkins et al - wearing the ETU logo on their shirts. It was a great event.

ETU members would be delighted to hear that former secretary and current employee of the ETU, Ron Luckman was superb behind the stumps and Dean Mighell showed great nerve in bowling the last over with the game in the balance. And Merv Hughes? Caught on the fence, off the bowling of your correspondent! Although the scoreboard had us winning the game, it was subsequently ruled a tie.

In 2007 the ETU will look to enhance its position as a good citizen, by supporting appropriate charities and causes. Let's look for a big ETU presence at next year's cricket match.

Once known for a quiet and relaxed way of life, Ireland is in the grip of an economic revival. And while the growth of jobs is far more desirable than the poverty and immigration that once wracked the country, it comes at a cost. ‘Most people behind the counter in Dublin don't speak with an Irish accent. We're importing labour to fill lower paid jobs,' says acclaimed singer, songwriter Paul Brady. With the economic growth has come longer hours and a hectic life, says Brady, whose writing is so alluring, luminaries such as Tina Turner have recorded his songs

As sedition has been a core element of the Irish music tradition it's not surprising Brady has penned a song - Living for the corporation - for the times. With lyrics such as ‘Living for the corporation…boss talking productivity…being with you and the love that you bring could still be my favourite thing…but if I never get to see it you, there's no way of knowing,' the song could have come from one of the ETU members who took on Heinemann Electrics in 2006.

If everything follows the script Brady will dedicate the song to the Electrical Trades Union when he performs in Melbourne. The ETU has double passes to give to the first five ETU members who email me: phil@etu.asn.au

Theatre Royal
Castlemaine
Saturday 16 December

Prince Band Room - The Prince of Wales  

29 Fitzroy Street St Kilda

Sunday 17 December

8.00pm

Thanks for Being a Member

ETU members have already received a letter about the free First Aid Kit. However we've extended that offer with a flyer in the latest ETU News. Simply fill out the form, send it back in the postage paid envelope and the kit is yours. There is also a state of the art swag, discounted from $250 to $88 on page 11 of the magazine.

And don't forget, each month three ETU 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. 

These benefits are all about thanking members for the solidarity and commitment they've showed to the ETU cause. We'll leave the secretary with the final word: 'I never cease to be amazed by the level of solidarity and commitment shown by ETU members. So many people have told me about seeing our flags on TV after the rally. I trust these benefits help you in some way, and reflect the respect we elected officials have for this union and its members'.

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