Fair Go Julia

She kissed him on the cheek at the shop stewards conference but ran a million miles when it became public that he'd told ETU members, at a private meeting at Dallas Brooks in November, he'd squeezed a few dollars out the bosses. Yes, you guessed it. We're talking about the Julia Gillard-Dean Mighell show. Was there a bigger show in town last week? There's obviously something wrong with the ALP when a bit of colourful language has them bringing out the strap.

Just for the record, Dean's comments about the taskforce were meant to be theatrical and a dip at their covert tactics and bullying. And they were made, believing the meeting was private and could not be re-produced without permission. So, while he admits he might have found a more appropriate expression - undemocratic bullyboys - to describe this mob, there's no hiding the fact that the taskforce is an enemy of workers.

In the end Dean did the right thing. He resigned from the ALP, in order that John Howard couldn't use the incident to distract people from the real issue; that the Liberals must go at the next election.

Speaking of the Taskforce

How interesting that a senior official with the Australian Building and Construction Commission (taskforce), Nigel Hadgkiss, is reported to have likened the work of his taskforce to that of the US army in Baghdad. Although he denied comparing union officials and members to Saddam Hussein, such bragging leaves you wondering about the culture of the taskforce.

According to John Masanauskas (Herald Sun 4 June 2007) Hadgkiss admitted comparing people allegedly bullied on worksites with rape victims, whom he said needed to have someone hold their hand. Defending his comments, Hadgkiss resorted to the script, describing the building industry as full of 'criminal elements'. No mention of the use of stand-over tactics by bosses in the building industry, as revealed in the Cole Royal Commission.

It seems to have escaped Hadgkiss' attention that it's the US army which has been responsible for the rape of women and the torture of civilians and resistance fighters in Iraq. Interestingly enough, this is the same bloke who wrote to ACTU secretary Greg Combet complaining about Dean's comments at the mass meeting last November and asking whether the ETU's secretary Dean would be counselled.

Clearly, if Mr. Hadgkiss believes the best we can do for a rape victim is hold their hand and that rape is akin to what some multi-national companies experience in the building industry, he needs counselling.

War of Words

In the great tradition of Keating v Howard, Bovis Lend Lease and some well known union officials have been trading insults about developments at Bovis' docklands site. After CFMEU official John Setka made some unflattering remarks about a Bovis employee manager Geoff Moore sent a letter to the union. 'Let me make our position clear. Bovis will manage its construction sites in accordance with the law,' said Mr. Moore. The war of words is a product of what union officials believe is the harassment of shop stewards on Bovis sites.

Last week workers from the site attended a BBQ, at which the company's work practices were condemned. John Setka - whose father survived the Westgate Bridge disaster - can be heard discussing the Bovis management style on the ETU website at www.etu.asn.au

Bullying Toyota

On Wednesday 30 May in the AIRC the AMWU argued that Toyota was not complying with the Toyota WPA and had unfairly sacked shop steward Tony Carvalho and OH&S rep Shane Blackney. Instead of addressing these claims Toyota's lawyers argued the unions had no right to have this matter dealt with in the AIRC. This led unionists to ask what Toyota was worried about. 'If they have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide then why won't they allow the argument to be heard,' says ETU organiser Greg Arnett, who looks after 70 ETU members at Toyota. The Commission will shortly hand down a decision on whether the unions can have this matter dealt with in the commission.

In the meantime workers and union members are encouraged to visit the peaceful protest, being held outside the main entrance to Toyota, in Grieve Parade, Altona and support the campaign to have Tony and Shane reinstated.

BBQs are a regular feature.

For further information please contact:

Victor Jose (AMWU) 0425753756

Greg Arnett (ETU) 0419376801

Fairness My Arse

There was a time when the expression 'fairness my arse' was a feature of Australian slang. Despite Kevin Rudd's hypocritical love affair with polite language the online magazine thought it the only appropriate set of words to describe John Howard's IR fairness test. Seriously, would anyone who lived through the Heinemann dispute believe him when he says the 'fairness test' will save workers who trade off award conditions?

As the ACTU sees it 'The only way a worker can question a ruling on their AWA individual contract under the Howard Government's new fairness test would be to lodge an appeal to the High Court'. Such an option would cost a worker up to $25,000 in legal costs. Changes to the government's WorkChoices industrial relations laws currently before Parliament require the Howard Government's new 'Workplace Authority' to rule whether each new AWA individual contract signed since May 7 this year passes the Government's new so-called 'fairness test.' There is no mechanism for workers to appeal against a decision of the Workplace Authority.

Just one more reason to vote Howard out

The Young Unionists' Network will be holding a Trivial Night fundraiser on 29 June at the Trades Hall bar. ETU members interested should ring 96593578 to book a spot or a table of ten.

Anyone or any union with prizes to give away - bottles of wine, merchandise, vouchers for The New International Bookshop and the like - would be well received.

Please contact Danielle to make bookings, donate prizes or for any further information.

WHEN: 29 June at 6:30pm

WHERE: Trades Hall Bar - 54 Victoria St Carlton South

COST: Entry is $10 or $15 solidarity Price

MC: Josie Parrelli

FOOD: Finger Food provided

PRIZES : Excellent Prizes including books, CD's, your rights at work merchandise, gift vouchers, wine and more. 

ETU online subscribers will shortly be receiving a direct email regarding the new Union Active site on the ETU website. This site will enable the ETU to apply the latest campaigning techniques - email, petitions, podcasting and the like - to the industrial and political landscapes.

Such strategies have been utilised by the ACTU in its very successful Your Rights at Work campaign.

The direct email you receive will advise people - ETU members and their comrades in the community - on how they can participate in an array of campaigns. From defending shop stewards bearing the brunt of attacks by employers armed with the anti-worker WorkChoices legislation, to the marginal seats campaign, we'll be able to mobilise people like never before.

All the ETU asks is that you consider becoming an active member of the campaign to improve Australia, whether in getting rid of John Howard or defending our collective human rights.

We Rocked the G with Barnsey last year. Now it's time to rock Darebin. The Darebin Arts & Entertainment Centre will be the venue for a Rock the Vote concert, from 2.30 pm till 6.30 pm on Sunday 21 June. The purpose of the concert is to maintain the momentum needed to rock John Howard out of his leaking boat.

The cost is $45 or $30 concession.

It includes a star studded line-up of entertainers and guest speakers. Among the most notable will be Julia Gillard and Sharan Burrow. Maybe Julia will invite Dean Mighell to the stage for a post mortem.

Your Rights at Work

The campaign to unseat John Howard will fail if we do not win marginal seats such as Deakin. Few ETU members could have failed to notice the broadside delivered at former shop steward Mike Symon and assistant secretary Kevin Harkins - Tasmanian seat of Franklin - in the wake of the Dean Mighell v Kevin Rudd stoush.

Workplace minister Joe Hockey cast off the cuddly bear image with a savage attack on unionists who dare to run for parliament. It's regrettable that retiring ALP member for Franklin, Harry Quick, should resort to offering Hockey ammunition. I met Harry during my four years in the federal parliament - 1992 to 1996 - but can't say as we had much to do with each other. However, he surely knows how important it is to banish John Howard from the parliament.

Mike Symon has a tough job to unseat Phil Barresi in Deakin. If you can help, give him a call on 0418 362 154 or email mike.symon@alp.org.au

You'll find him outside Safeway in Blackburn South and at Kmart in Burwood East, on Saturday morning.

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