Critical comments on DPM and Minister for Workplace Relations Julia Gillard’s Forward with Fairness policy speech are widespread. Union activists in Your Rights at Work campaign, acknowledged as pivotal in defeating Howard because of his workplace regime, are bitterly disappointed in DPM Julia Gillard’s address to the National Press Club on Labor’s proposed IR system [...]
No rights on site for building and construction workers
The ACTU’s TV ads and campaign argues there is no fair play with Australian building and construction workers having less rights at work than other workers. Unions and voters want the repeal of the Building and Construction Act 2005 and the ABCC before 2010. The back-ground. On average, 50 construction workers are killed each year [...]
World day for decent work October 7th 2008
October 7th is the world day of decent work which is a joint campaign supported by UNI Global Union and led by the International Trade Union Confederation, the Global Progressive Forum, Social Alert and Solidar which aims to: * Build awareness of Decent Work amongst citizens, decision makers and key institutions; * Show that Decent [...]
Works Councils Way Ahead
With Australian workers under the Howard regime not having any legal ability for workplace democracy rights, you would have thought Minister julia Gillard would be ensuring these basic rights at work. But not so. This is a book review I wrote in 2002 on the then Works Councils debate. Workplace democracy is worth reviving. WORKS [...]
USA Unions Surviving? 2007 report
I was in that great city San Francisco in March 2007 and looked at the union question. Australian unions are dependent on US unions’ surviving, whether we like it or not. I talked with union activists and report on union debates: ∑ social unionism lives; ∑ organising for growth, the SEIU; ∑ militant left unionism [...]
Right to strike to be denied by government
The Howard government suppressed the freedom of workers to associate by severely limiting the means workers have to collectively bargain, in particular prohibiting the withdrawing of their labour power. ‘Law and order’ was the political ‘spin’ used against unions, with zero tolerance allowed for so-called ‘unlawful’ strikes. In a collective bargaining system, the strike is [...]
Howard outlaws the right to strike 2005
I published this in 2005 against WorkChoices. Depressingly, PM Rudd is doing much the same! ‘The right of workers to leave their jobs is a test of freedom. Hitler suppressed strikes. Stalin suppressed strikes. But each also suppressed freedom. There are some things worse than strikes, much worse than strikes – one of them is [...]
A FRAMEWORK OF FLESH by Humphrey McQueen
Humphrey McQueen, freelance labour historian’s new publication: A FRAMEWORK OF FLESH Builders’ labourers battle for health and safety The hope of the world Foreword “A red armband view†What follows http://home.alphalink.com.au/~loge27/sborder/blf_framework_of_flesh.htm This is soon to be published with a limited print run. Building unions and the ACTU health and safety unit should really pre=purchase many [...]
News from LabourStart
- Philippines: Violations of workers’ rights, getting worse – rights group
- Norway: Norwegian Court overrules the EFTA Court
- Mexico: CAT member kidnapped, beaten and threatened with death in Puebla
- USA: Nurses unite at first major NATO protest
- Global: Locked Out Workers Launch International Campaign to Get Rio Tinto 'OFF the Olympic Podium'
- Germany: IG Metall get highest pay rise in 20 years
- Australia: BHP's aim is to break the power of unions
- Canada: UFCW App Locates Unionized Stores
- Mexico: Worker rights defender kidnapped, beaten and threatened with death in Puebla
- Turkey: Support for Arrested KESK Women
Recent Comments