Inspirational speakers and interactive workshops combined to create a very successful Socialist Alliance trade union seminar attended by more than 90 activists on August 30 in Parramatta, Sydney. It also launched the Alliance’s new trade union pamphlet, Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win.
John Buchanan from the Australian Centre for Industrial Relations Research and Training, and Susan Price, a vice-president of the UNSW branch of the NTEU, opened a panel discussion on the impact of globalisation on work and working life. Participants then joined workshops focused on key campaigns including the attacks on the NSW public sector, the Nelson review of higher education, and building solidarity and networks across industry. Another very useful workshop introduced newer workers to their rights and becoming union active in the workplace.
Victorian secretary of the CFMEU, Martin Kingham, gave a rousing keynote address around the theme of defending militant unions, evoking cheers from the participants. He said the Howard government is waging an ideological battle with the aim of crushing fighting unions, citing the attacks on the MUA, the meat workers, and the manufacturing and construction unions as evidence. The Victorian branch of the CFMEU is under special attack, he said, because it not only fights for wages and conditions but builds broader solidarity and alliances.
Martin described his involvement, more than 18 months ago, in a group that proposed that the CFMEU introduce direct election of national officials by the membership. National officials’ response was to resort to accusations against fellow unionists of “excess militancy, rorting and corruption in the some states”. Martin believes that this was used by Tony Abbott to launch the Cole Royal Commission with a view to damaging the union.
He pointed out that various branches of the CFMEU have responded to Cole in different ways. “The NSW branch spent time and union money preparing submissions in an attempt to get Cole to consider employer abuse”, he said, “and that failed”. By contrast, the Victorian branch’s attitude has been “non-cooperation”.
Martin Kingham proclaimed that he will proudly defy the Workplace Relations Act when necessary to advance industrial rights. He outlined the contempt charges laid against him for refusing to comply with the Cole commission’s demands for the names of CFMEU delegates and activists. This would have subjected those members to hardship and unnecessary state surveillance, he said. The eventual verdict of not guilty was a victory for principle and solidarity, he said.
Martin singled out the left newspapers for special thanks for their support and urged activists to continue to fight against Abbott’s latest proposal to amend the WRA. The seminar endorsed a motion affirming Socialist Alliance’s commitment to defend the CFMEU and build solidarity across unions and the community.