Firefighters strip in protest
Firefighters stripped to their Bonds underwear outside the Myer store in the Bourke Street Mall on Thursday as part of a protest rally against the decision of Pacific Brands to sack 1850 workers while moving production overseas. This was the first of a series of rallies organised by the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union to demand a reversal of the company’s decision. In spite of repeated heavy showers some hundreds of workers from Pacific Brands factories along with members of other unions and supporters from the public heard a succession of speakers, including two of the sacked workers as well as Michele O’Neil, National Secretary of the TCFUA and Jeff Lawrence, Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions. Michele O’Neil read out letters from the union to notable Australians Pat Rafter, Sarah Murdoch and Michael Clarke, all three ‘Bonds ambassadors’, calling on them to dissociate themselves from the company which they have helped to promote, and also a letter to the company from a shareholder outraged at what she saw as a betrayal.
There is video footage of the rally on YouTube:
and
For more on the campaign and issues, see:
www.MakeitHere.com.au
and:
http://www.tcfua.org.au/
Other reports:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0903/S00066.htm
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/actu-launches-action-to-save-jobs-20090303-8n69.html
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,25141687-5006301,00.html
http://www.theage.com.au/national/hundreds-rally-over-pacific-brands-job-cuts-20090305-8p05.html?page=-1
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25141687-661,00.html
Some of the sacked workers
Michele O'Neil addressing the rally
ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence
Bill Noonan, VIC/TAS Branch Secretary of Transport Workers Union
ETU members were among a range of unions represented
