About 20 Socialist Alliance trade unionists met to plan cross-union activity and solidarity in Melbourne last month. It was the first meeting of SA members in unions, and gets us off to a good start. The newly formed Victorian Trade Union Steering Committee (TUSC) hopes to call similar meetings about five times a year to share organising experiences.
We discussed starting to build a network around SA members by using the new SA pamphlet, Dare to Struggle - Dare to Win. Members took copies to sell at work and will report back on how the arguments went down.
The meeting also discussed motions on campaigning to defend Medicare, support for the NTEU strike and getting union support for the anti-Bush protests in Canberra and Melbourne. NTEU members had already won support for a donation for the buses to Canberra.
All unions where we have members are supporting the campaign to save Medicare, so this gives us a focus everywhere. We decided to support the VTHC rally around Medicare, education and attacks on unions, held on November 11.
Two more people have now joined the TUSC, which will organise regular meetings and seminars for trade unionists in the future.
If SA members in unions in Victoria would like to get involved, phone Judy McVey on 0418 347 374, or email victoria@socialist-alliance.org