Two previous items from Humphrey McQueen looked at the volume and value of comments from several socialist grouplets on the crisis in the accumulation of capital. Two of the biggest have the least impressive records. Instead of preparing for an implosion of global capital, each is locked onto the campaigns they had developed to attract [...]
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The right to strike to save the environment?
Why shouldn’t there be a right to strike to save the environment in the Fair Work Bill? Why should workers and their unions be penalised when involved in bargaining on environmental protection claims? Why should workers be not legally allowed to attend legitimate protests such as community rallies against corporate and government failure to address [...]
Outlawing pattern bargaining unfair
The Fair Work Bill is not a fair collective bargaining system when the repressive WorkChoices outlawing on the right to strike for pattern or industry bargaining remain. Outlawing pattern and industry bargaining is still unfair. It does not meet any form of ‘keynesian demand management’ necessary to stimulate the econmy, but the reverse. The incessant [...]
WorkChoices repression remains
The Fair Work Bill is not a fair collective bargaining system when the repressive WorkChoices restrictions on the right to strike remain. Repression of the right to strike remains If ever the accusation is true that the FWB is ‘Workchoices lite’ it is in the regime repressing industrial action. The COIL process was watertight in [...]
FWB: Unions downgraded
I argue that the Fair Work Bill downgrades legally the status of unions.Professor Harry Glasbeek argued (2008): ‘During the long reign of compulsory conciliation and arbitration, trade unions had become legitimate political participants. They had won the right to represent workers in an industry or occupation before a formally and functionally independent tribunal (the AIRC [...]
FWB: Hang the lawyers
I am concerned that the Fair Work bill before the Senate continues the juridification of industrial relations, where lawyers dominate. The Howard government’s ‘ 1984 spin’ had many believing WorkChoices was de-regulation – where the opposite was the case. Employers’ interests had previous labour law social justice rules removed. But rather than no regulation to [...]
Fair Work Bill:breach of promise on collective bargaining
On the issue of fair collective bargaining rights, there is a deliberate breach of the ALP’s election promise by the government not to allow unions freedom to negotiate over the content of collective agreements. One of the extreme outrages of the WorkChoices regime unique in the OECD world was the ‘prohibited content’ regulation. Without listing [...]
Fair Work bill: unfair dismissal rights?
The Fair Work Bill has reforms for unfair dismissal for some…but there is still no reinstatement remedy for millions. The FWB abolishes the 100-employer threshold for taking unfair dismissal proceedings that under WorkChoices meant over 4 million employees could be dismissed at will – harshly and unreasonably. But millions could still miss out. A remedy [...]
MPs pattern bargain but not workers
In the Financial Review yesterday, DPM Gillard remains tough in Labor’s crack-down on pattern bargaining. Pattern bargaining – industry-wide industrial action in pursuit of an industry agreement or identical enterprise agreements – is like workChoices specifically prohibited by her Bill (sections 412 and 422). Her “Fair” Work Bill retains all of the WorkChoices repressive regime [...]
News from LabourStart
- Australia: BHP's aim is to break the power of unions
- Turkey: Support for Arrested KESK Women
- Ireland: IMPACT calls on Government to deliver reforms on collective bargaining and employees' rights
- Australia: Unions wrap up ACTU Congress with renewed vigour to campaign for rights at work and fairer Australia
- Colombia: Urgent Action: Colombian union leaders in danger
- Europe: IndustriALL-European Trade Union Born Today with Merger of Three Federations
- Bangladesh: Workers suffering from low wages end days of strikes and riots sparked by disappearance of trade union leader
- Switzerland: Unions hold protest at International Olympic Committee to support Canadian Rio Tinto workers
- Global: Full coverage of IUF congress in Geneva
- Turkey: Turkish Government ’s anti-democratic attack on the right to strike
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