Archive for October, 2009

UN on Gaza war crimes

Posted 31 October 2009 | By chriswhite | Categories: Social justice | No Comments

Gaza was a war crime that cannot and must not be ignored. And those responsible must be prosecuted. Yet our Labor government is doing nothing. John Wight: ‘The millions who came out in unprecedented mass demonstrations from Buenos Aires to Birmingham, from Montreal to Madrid, in response to Israel’s 22-day assault on Gaza back in [...]

Climate run

Posted 31 October 2009 | By chriswhite | Categories: Environmental crisis | No Comments

Safe Climate Australia – Run for a Safe Climate Run for a Safe Climate is a unique and powerful project aimed at protecting life, property and the great natural icons of our country from a slide towards catastrophic global warming. The run is being performed by active and serving members of Australia’s emergency services– firefighters, [...]

East Timor project

Posted 30 October 2009 | By chriswhite | Categories: Social justice | No Comments

http://www.apheda.org.au/projects/easttimor/index.html Union Aid Abroad – Apheda East Timor Home Overseas Projects East Timor Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA maintains an office in Dili staffed by both Australian and Timorese personnel which oversees an extensive program of capacity building and training, including * vocational education * establishing and strengthening trade unions * literacy training for rural people * [...]

Environment debate

Posted 29 October 2009 | By chriswhite | Categories: Environmental crisis | No Comments

When the Climate Change Center Cannot Hold by Patrick Bond Last week when 350.org and thousands of allies valiantly were trying to raise global consciousness about impending catastrophe, we can ask some tough questions about what to do after people depart and the props are packed up. No matter today’s activism, global climate governance is [...]

Incitement!

Posted 29 October 2009 | By chriswhite | Categories: ABCC Australian Building and Construction Commission, Labour Law, Right to Strike, Workers Rights | No Comments

“Our liberties had not been won by mining magnates or stock-exchange jobbers, but by genuine men of the working-class movement who had died on the gallows and rotted in dungeons and were buried in nameless graves. These were the men to whom we owed the liberties we enjoyed today.” BLF organiser Samuel Champ, Hobart, 1916. [...]

Iran jails strikers

Posted 29 October 2009 | By chriswhite | Categories: Right to Strike | No Comments

In a drive to destroy the independent union at the giant Haft Tapeh plantation/refining sugar complex in southern Iran, a court on October 12 sentenced six union leaders to prison on charges of “endangering national security.” Their only crime was to lead a strike. Haft Tapeh workers have repeatedly had to resort to strikes and [...]

Rudds (in)humanity

Posted 29 October 2009 | By chriswhite | Categories: Public Policy, Social justice | 1 Comment

Rudd ignores the Humane Solution. Rudd, so-far ahead of the Liberals, shows no leadership on refugees and much can be said about reverting to Howard’s fear politics…and ALP MPs remain silent! Here is another right-wing union view from Unions NSW. ‘The Australian Government must immediately find a humane solution for the 78 Sri Lankan asylum [...]

Equal pay?

Posted 29 October 2009 | By chriswhite | Categories: Public Policy, Social justice | No Comments

In the debate on strategies for equal pay for equal worth for many women workers, this background research by Christine Short and Margaret Nowak is invaluable. ‘Persistent Australian Gender Wage Inequality 1990 to 2003: Stakeholders’ Views of Why and How’ Journal of Industrial Relations 2009 51: 262-278. http://jir.sagepub.com/content/vol51/issue2/ Christine Short’s new book is “Why and [...]

350

Posted 28 October 2009 | By chriswhite | Categories: Environmental crisis | No Comments

350 reasons to be alarmed at the environmental crisis and why the ETS will not work. http://www.350reasons.org/ http://www.350.org/