The Global Labour Movement Charter is our set of global demands. It is now published in ten languages |
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AAWL public meeting: What are the priorities for solidarity activists? Rally: Stop Israeli apartheid! How important is the BDS tactic (Boycotts Disinvestment Sanctions)? |
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Not content with imprisoning people for years in detention centres in the deserts or in other countries, the Australian Labour Party is establishing its own people trade by shipping asylum seekers to Malaysia, a country noted for its routine mistreatment of refugees and its unwillingness to sign the UNHCR refugee convention. Protest against the continued human rights violations against asylum seekers in Australia. Melbourne: Monday 22 August 2011 Brisbane: Wednesday 24 August 2011 Sydney: Friday 26 August 2011 Canberra: Saturday 3 September 2011 |
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The current Labour Government is continuing with its policy of trying to intimidate asylum seekers arriving by boat. They hope that if reports of terrible conditions for asylum seekers who arrive in Australia filter back to others who have not yet embarked on the dangerous journey they will go elsewhere.
On the other hand, Qantas, Australia's biggest airline carrier has announced that it will start a major round of restructuring and outsourcing in order to maintain its profits. Qantas has said that thousands of jobs will have to go. Unions have said that they will oppose this. With ongoing globalisation of the airline industry, workers in many countries are coming under increasing pressures as companies look to establish operations in countries where workers are not well organised and the pay and conditions are lower. In the Philippines the Office of the President (OP) has affirmed its earlier ruling allowing Philippine Airlines to lay off 2,600 employees and make them contractual workers in third-party service providers. Gerry Rivera, PALEA President and Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) vice chairperson, slammed the decision by saying “With the OP decision permitting PAL to retrench thousands of workers despite billions in profit, Pres. Benigno 'PNoy' Aquino, III has unveiled his fire-all-you-can policy. This overturns the provisions of the Labor Code and jurisprudence of the Courts that serious financial losses are a necessary ground for retrenchment.” |
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Roshen was killed in workers protests against a controversial private sector pension scheme. The pensions bill was later withdrawn following strong opposition by workers. In addition, the government is now trying to establish new worker councils as an alternative to the existing trade union representation. All trade unions in the country have come out against this move by the government. |
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 On Friday 2 September Daniel Urai, President of the Fiji Trade Union Congress and General Secretary of the National Union of Hospitality, Catering and Tourism Industries Employees, and union organiser Nitin Gounder, are scheduled to appear in the Nadi Magistrates Court in Fiji charged with unlawful assembly. Both men are charged for having met with union members. Commodore Frank Bainimarama’s military regime in Fiji has instituted a climate of fear for Fijian workers via anti union laws and outright violence against unionists. Fiji unions have specifically requested solidarity from workers in Australia.
Workers need to stand united with their brothers and sisters in Fiji. It is only through our own resistance and solidarity that we will be able to defeat this attempt to destroy our organisations. On Friday 2 September stand with the workers of Fiji. Sydney rally: 11am, Fiji Consulate General’s Office, 100 Walker Street, North Sydney Canberra rally: 11am, Fiji High Commission, 19 Beale Crescent, Deakin
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A leader of the striking oil workers, Aqzhanat Aminov, was found guilty on August 17 by an Aqtau court of organizing an unsanctioned mass gathering. He was sentenced to a one-year suspended jail term. Some 416 striking workers have been fired since May. |
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This intervention would be launched under the guise of human rights and liberating the population. History shows us that this is not true. Afghanistan in 2001, Iraq in 2003, Bahrain and Libya in 2011 are just some of the recent examples on the effects of imperialist intervention. The best way to support the liberation of the Syrian masses is by extending the aims of the popular uprising to neighbouring countries. Solidarity actions by workers in these countries that is able to economically hurt the Syrian government will be the most effective form of solidarity to achieve liberation and justice. The Local Coordinating Committees of Syria have established a media centre to provide information about the Syrian uprising. |
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With the popular uprising in Syria now in its sixth month, and amid continued government repression, there are growing signs that some form of military intervention by Western powers, or their regional allies, is being planned.
In Melbourne, Iran Solidarity Melbourne, in collaboration with the Solidarity committee with Iranian Workers Movement Australia, will be hosting a public meeting to mark the 23rd anniversary of the 1988 massacre of Iranian political prisoners at the hands of the Khomeini regime. The meeting will feature visiting international guest speaker and long time left wing activist Abbas Samakar as well as local speakers who will share their memories of the Islamic Republic’s prisons. Friday 26 August at 6.30 pm |
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While the focus in recent times has been on other countries in West Asia, workers in Iran have not stopped organising. They face repressive anti union laws and a vast security apparatus, but workers nevertheless keep pressing for their rights and challenging the government. Construction workers in the Kurdish city of Sanadaj and manufacturing workers at the Tabriz Tractor factory are just two of the workplaces that have seen 