Australia: half a million strike against anti-union laws
OVER HALF-A-MILLION workers marched across Australia
on 15 November, protesting against the anti-union Industrial Relations
laws of the right-wing Liberal Party government, led by prime minister
John Howard.
The Australian Congress of Trade Unions (ACTU) had
called for a two-hour walkout and rallies. Many workers decided to stay
out for longer and, in effect, went on strike for the whole day: "They
have turned out in large numbers at rallies around the country – from
tropical Darwin to the southern state of Tasmania", reported BBC World
News online.
The biggest march and rally was in Melbourne, in
Victoria State. Around 250,000 workers marched in the city. Regional
meetings around the rest of Victoria State attracted around 25,000.
Throughout the country, other large protests took place, during the
country’s biggest ever national stoppage. According to Melbourne
Indymedia, about 45,000 attended rallies in Sydney, New South Wales,
with a further 95,000 people in more than 200 venues across the state;
25,000 attended a Brisbane rally in Queensland, with 35,000 turning out
in other parts of the state.
About 40,000 attended a rally in Adelaide, with
10,000 workers at rallies throughout the state. Reporters say 3,000 were
at protests in Darwin and 2,000 in Alice Springs. Five thousand went to
a rally at Canberra Racecourse. Around 30,000 protested in Perth, and a
further 10,000 throughout Western Australia State. Solidarity protests
took place in Auckland and Christchurch, New Zealand, and hundreds
protested at the Australian High Commission in Wellington.
The protests were so big because of the deep anger
at Howard’s unprecedented attacks on workers’ rights and conditions. The
legislation is deeply unpopular. Indeed, Howard introduced the new
legislation last week, on the same day as a massive police operation
against ‘terrorist suspects’. Many workers believe this was an attempt
to deflect attention away from the anti-union bill – a ruse that failed.
The new Industrial Relations laws include attacks on
job security by abolishing unfair dismissal protection for millions of
workers; bosses are allowed to cut take-home pay; the value of minimum
wages will fall; the right to collective bargaining will be eroded; and
bosses are allowed to sign up workers to individual contracts.
Howard claims the ‘reforms’ will ‘boost the
economy’. But the Industrial Relations legislation will mean further
exploitation of workers to boost the super-profits of the bosses. Job
security and work conditions will worsen dramatically and bosses will
find it easier to sack workers.
Huge anger from below pushed the ACTU leaders to
call the industrial action. Even though the protest was limited to a
two-hour walkout, the magnificent response from workers and youth shows
the depth of anger to Howard’s laws. This, despite a massive media
campaign by the government, in the weeks leading up to 15 November, that
saw a sustained attack on workers who planned to go on strike. In some
cases, workers were threatened with fines by bosses if they took action.
The Socialist Party (CWI in Australia) participated
in the walkouts across the country, including in Melbourne, Sydney and
Perth. Initial reports are that Socialist Party members taking part in
the huge rally in Melbourne sold out of copies of their paper, The
Socialist, and sold many of their popular anti-Howard stickers and
badges.
Overall, the mood was more serious and sombre than
during the last day of industrial action against the Industrial
Relations laws, in June. The legislation is now in place and attacks are
starting. Workers understand that it will take bold and determined mass
action to defeat the new laws.
The 15 November stoppage was a brilliant display of
workers’ strength. Now industrial action has to be stepped up, including
a one-day national general strike. But a successful struggle to defeat
the Howard’s anti-union laws, and to kick out the government, poses the
question, what is the political alternative to the ruling Liberals?
This vital issue was addressed during a public
meeting, organised by the electricians’ union, in Melbourne, after the
walkouts and rallies. Around 150 to 200 people packed the ‘Comrades’
Bar’, to discuss political representation for working people. The
meeting was entitled: ‘The Great Debate: Howard is against us – Who is
for us?’ and sub-headed: ‘Labor? Greens? Independents? New Party?’
Speakers included leaders of the electricians,
postal workers, plumbers and the fire fighters’ unions. Steve Jolly,
Socialist Party councillor on Yarra Council, Melbourne, and the
chairperson of a huge public-housing estate in Richmond, Melbourne, also
addressed the crowd. Anthony Main, a Socialist Party organiser, chaired
the meeting.
During the meeting, union speakers gave damning
accounts of what Howard’s new anti-union legislation will mean for
workers. The public housing representative condemned attacks on social
housing. Most of the platform speakers agreed that workers do not have
adequate political representation. However, some of the union speakers
said workers have no choice but to ‘reform’ the ALP.
A speaker from Socialist Alliance, which is mainly
made up of the Democratic Socialist Party and International Socialist
Organisation, made a call for people to join the Socialist Alliance. But
the Socialist Alliance has generally performed poorly in elections since
it was set up a few years ago, and it remains a small formation that has
failed to attract the new generation of workers and youth.
Steve Jolly, on behalf of the Socialist Party,
argued that the ALP is no longer a vehicle for workers’ struggles and
carries out pro-market policies when in power, including neo-liberal
cuts and attacks on workers’ rights and conditions. He gave examples of
what a socialist councillor can do representing workers and youth, on
Yarra Council, albeit on a small scale.
Steve got a very good response to his call for a new
mass, workers’ party. Such a party must have democratic, federal
structures and allow different tendencies and ideas, if it is to attract
youth and working people. Furthermore, it must be a campaigning party –
a combative party of mass struggles, with bold socialist policies – if
it is to grow and be successful.
The Comrades’ Bar meeting was an important exchange
of views on political representation for workers and youth and marked a
step forward in the campaign for a new mass party of the working class.
The Socialist Party will continue to raise the idea of building a new
workers’ party, alongside its campaigns in the communities, workplaces
and colleges. The idea of a new workers’ party will get a stronger
response as workers and youth struggle against the Howard government and
come to realise that they need to build a political alternative to all
the bosses’ parties.
Niall Mulholland
More reports and photos of the 15 November day of action across
Australia are on the CWI website
socialistworld.net
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