Baiada workers win strike

Workers at Baiada Poultry, Australia’s largest chicken supplier, have won their dispute with management after a 13 day strike. The workers stared down bullying, intimidation and police violence without any sign of wavering. It was this determination that forced this rouge employer to retreat and concede to the bulk of their demands.

Primarily the workers were fighting for a union agreement which included a decent pay rise, job security and improvements to health and safety – particularly they wanted an end to the constant bullying and harassment that takes place on a daily basis.

Sri Lanka: United Socialist Party holds important Congress

The 12th National Congress of the United Socialist Party (CWI Sri Lanka) took place in Colombo on October 8 & 9 in extremely difficult circumstances.

Since the end of the war in 2009 President Mahinda Rajapaksa has moved towards creating a dictatorial regime. Repression has in many ways been increased and the police and military play a key role in the running of the country.

Ban live exports!

Bring the industry into public ownership

The issue of live animal exports has come to the fore in recent months ever since the ABC’s ‘Four Corners’ program exposed examples of animal cruelty in Indonesian abattoirs. Graphic footage of cattle being kicked, whipped and beaten prior to slaughter has angered many people. This led to the Federal Government putting a temporary ban on live cattle exports.

Millions of animals are exported live on ships from Australia every year. Tens of thousands do not survive the weeks long journey while those that do often end up in places where they are killed in inhumane ways. If disease doesn’t kill them they face the likelihood of having their throats cut while still conscious.

Desal plant: Thiess sack 160 sparkies

The Desalination Plant project in Victoria has become the front line of the battle ground between big business and some of Australia’s most militant unions. In the latest battle construction giant Thiess Degremont has announced that they will sack 160 electricians – all members of the Electrical Trades Union (ETU).

On top of the sackings Thiess has said it will also implement changes to working conditions. They plan to move the electricians from the current four-day-on four-day-off roster back to the traditional 56 hour week.

Where is Australia heading?

Support for the Gillard Labor Government hit an all-time low in July. A Newspoll published in The Australian newspaper showed support for Labor at a mere 27%. On a two-party preferred basis the Coalition was polling at 58% with Labor at 42%.

Clearly Gillard is having trouble selling the carbon tax to ordinary people. While many people want to see action on climate change, most see no need for the costs to be passed on to them. Tony Abbott has made a lot of mileage out of the fact that this tax will cost people more while doing next to nothing to reduce emissions.

What can we expect from the Greens ‘balance of power’?

Since the start of July four new members of the Australian Greens have taken their place in the Senate. This now gives the Greens the ‘balance of power’ in both houses, meaning that the Government needs the support of either the Greens or the opposition Liberal-National Coalition to pass legislation.

The Greens have played a crucial role in the House of Representatives since last year’s election. Their support for Labor helps Gillard maintain her minority government. If either the Greens, or one of the Independents, withdrew their support for Labor the government would fall in an instant.

Federal budget: $22 billion of unnecessary cuts

Wayne Swan’s fourth budget is set to deliver a number of blows to society’s most vulnerable. While the screws are tightened on the disabled, long-term unemployed, Indigenous people and single mothers, the big mining companies are rubbing their hands together with glee.

In several polls 80-90% of people have said that they feel the budget will not leave them better off. The only people set to gain are the super rich. Consequently Labor has plunged in the polls with Julia Gillard recording her worst figures since she took over from Kevin Rudd a year ago.

Racist ADL attempts to divide workers

On May 15 a racist organisation called the Australian Defence League (ADL) organised a small protest in the Melbourne city centre. The ADL is the sister organisation of the English Defence League (EDL), a group who have engaged in violent activities and organised a number of racist demonstrations against Muslim people in Britain.

Socialist Party members were part of a much larger group who organised a counter-demonstration to stop the ADL from marching through the city and to ensure minority groups were not targeted by this group of misfits.

Oppose armed guards on train stations

A debate about public safety and policing is underway in Victoria with Liberal Premier Ted Baillieu announcing plans to introduce guards armed with semi-automatic weapons, batons and capsicum spray on Melbourne’s train stations. Similar debates are also taking place in other states.

Baillieu claims the proposal, for 940 Protective Services Officers (PSO) to patrol train stations after dark, is aimed at addressing safety and anti-social behaviour on the transport system. The guards will reportedly be granted police-like powers to apprehend and arrest people.

Australian economy resting on shaky foundations

The first few months of 2011 have seen many parts of Australia hit by floods, fires and cyclones. These disasters have ravaged entire towns and forced many people to start their lives again from scratch. While some of us were lucky enough to escape the worst of the extreme weather, it seems that almost no one will be able to escape the economic impacts of these disasters.