UNIONSOLIDARITY
Defend Dave Kerin!
Don’t put this man in jail
Union Solidarity Coordinator Dave Kerin is now facing up to 6 months jail for supporting striking workers at Boeing.
The Australian Workplace Ombudsman has issued Dave with a “Notice to produce documents” in relation to the recent strike at Boeing.
Dave 
is being asked to supply a government agency with all information and documents concerning Union Solidarity, the AMWU and rank & file members by May 8. Basically Dave is being asked to “rat”, he wont.
Union Solidarity will not comply with laws and government agencies whose sole purpose is to prevent workers having the ability to strike and organise.
In the last election the Australian people voted overwhelming to get rid of anti-union laws, Union Solidarity operates within the spirit of that intention!
We are asking you to indicate your public support for Dave Kerin and Union Solidarity.
Please provide comments of support in the space below.
Defend Dave Kerin, P.O.Box 285 Carlton South 3053
Messages of support can be sent to: defenddave@unionsolidarity.org
or fill out the petition on the Union Solidarity Website:
WWW.UNIONSOLIDARITY.ORG
From: Community Solidarity
To: wasolidarity@yahoo.com.au
Sent: Thursday, 15 May, 2008 12:57:02 PM
Subject: Meeting this Sunday May 18
Comrades,
We held an emergency Community Solidarity meeting last Sunday to discuss developments in the ABCC and Dave Kerin defence campaigns. We agreed to collect information on the planned national campaign by the all the building industry unions and then hold another meeting this Sunday so we can organise complimentary activities as part of the overall campaign. We have invited representatives from the Peel and Rockingham groups to join us for this discussion.
Suggested meeting time and place: Sunday May 18, 2:30pm at the Fremantle Club, Bannister St Fremantle (upstairs in the committee room). Please let me know if you can attend.
Regards, Sam (0412 751 508 )
As well as Dave Kerin being hassled by the Workplace Ombudsman’s Office Inquistion there are ongoing ABCC prosecutions.
WORKERS UNITED WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED?
Earlier this month (May) In Brisbane Queensland unionists from AWU, AMWU, ETU, Plumbers, CFMEU Qld CTU, Unions NSW, Vic THC & ACTU gathered; 50+ delegates in all discussed Australian Building Construction Commission and launched a campaign to abolish ABCC.
In Brisbane 20,000 trade unionists marched on May Day/Labour Day Holiday on Monday May 5th followed union floats through streets to Showgrounds where Unions had stalls; with drinks & bbqs and rides for kids.
Murrie – indigenous – workers and supporters called for their Stolen Wages.
ABCC?
The Cole Royal Commission into the building industry during 2002 was set up by Howard Government to investigate & bust the construction unions. The recommendation set up ABCC with extreme powers using Federal Police like anti-terrorist Laws…;
eg require anyone they name to attend compulsory interrogation; failure to attend 6 months jail.
Failure to answer questions at the Inqusition; 6 months jail.
Speaking to the media about prosecution; 6 months jail.
INQUISITION
Basically you can be interrogated about a union meeting and jailed for not giving evidence!
In 2006 107 construction workers from the Perth to Mandurah rail project were the first Australian workers to face prosecution under the Howard Government’s new IR laws and face fines of up to $28,000 each.
Their “crime” ? – solidarity – supporting a sacked shop steward.
See also: http://vic.amieu.asn.au/pages.php?recid=304
EBA TODAY
Enterprise Bargaining Agreements have to meet ABCC code.
See also: http://www.constructingfear.com/
ALP election platform used community concern at the ABCC and AWAs/individual contracts…since getting elected the ALP has said.
UNION RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS
Under attack is right to organise, right of entry for Union officials, right to stop work over health & safety concerns etc
Basically this represses your right to free association which the 1948 UN Declaration of Human Rights states:
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. … (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. …”
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
BLUE FLUE?
“The workers engaged in unlawful industrial action because they failed to attend the site for work on 8 July 2005.
The Commissioner observed that:
“I expect the report, coupled with condemnation of ‘blue flu’ practices will send a strong message that the orchestrated abuse of sick leave entitlements for industrial purposes is unjustifiable and unlawful.”
http://www.abcc.gov.au/abcc/NonComplianceReports/
4 unionists working on a building site stopped work as site unsafe, inspected and work in other safe areas until made safe.
Bovis Lend Lease sent their names to ABCC…more examples see
http://www.abcc.gov.au/abcc/Prosecutions/
Qld meeting agreed to Focus on:
* Industrial – at workplaces
* Political – lobby politicians eg letters to each and all to state their position on ABCC and thus will they campaign to abolish ABCC and expect
Unions to affliate & donate to ALP and members to locally vote for them ?
* Education to community eg Media campaign which unions fund like anti-Howard regime’s AWAs “Your Rights At Work” campaign
CFMEU leaflet: CFMEU official Noel Washington has declined to be interviewed by ABCC.
The ABCC has asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to put Noel in court.
http://www.cfmeuvic.au
CONCLUSION GOAL/VISION ?
* Education * Organisation * EMANCIPATION
KEEP IT SAFE PIX
http://www.cfmeuvic.com.au/index.cfm?section=43&category=94
what a joke, i think we are going to get screwed by this rudd government,as a boeing worker involved in the fight with dave i am filled with disgust by the unjust attack on this man who has more dignity and respect for fellow workers than any minister in this rudd gov what ever happened to the “working families” they won power on the back of thieir attack on howards IR laws , but nothing seems to have changed.having court orders and propaganda letters sent to your home whilst on a three week strike shows how unjust these union breaking laws are, good luck dave in your fight