Workers Issues in Australia & the Pacific
Australia: Construction unions’ Westgate Bridge deal sets dangerous new benchmark
By Chris Sadlier and Terry Cook, June 19, 2009
An article in the Age on June 18 confirms that an agreement signed by two major construction unions last month to settle a protracted industrial dispute at Melbourne’s Westgate Bridge contains an ex...
Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific
June 6, 2009
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Australia: Unions to police Labor’s new, employer-friendly industrial laws
By Terry Cook, April 29, 2009
Rudd Labor’s Fair Work Act retains all the essential features of the former Howard government’s hated “Work Choices” laws. It will be used by the government, employers and unions in an escalat...
Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific
April 11, 2009
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Australia: Unions promote demoralisation at Pacific Brands rally
By Terry Cook, March 18, 2009
Speeches by union officials at a rally of Pacific Brands workers at Cessnock confirmed that the Textile Clothing and Footwear Union (TCFU) has no intention of fighting the plant closures announced by ...
Australia: Labor government, unions and “lefts” block fight to defend Pacific Brands jobs
By Patrick O’Connor, March 16, 2009
The TCFU’s central preoccupation is with implementing an “orderly closure” of the plants slated to be shut down, thereby preserving its privileged status as industrial policeman in the textile s...
Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific
March 14, 2009
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.
Australia: Sharp rise in job losses and unemployment
By Terry Cook, March 14, 2009
Scenes of distressed workers who have just lost their jobs are becoming an everyday occurrence across Australia. Under the impact of the global recession, the unemployment rate has begun to accelerate...
Australia: Coroner’s findings whitewash Beaconsfield mine death
By Terry Cook, March 13, 2009
In a further blow to the family of miner Larry Knight, who was killed at the Beaconsfield gold mine in Tasmania in April 2006, the coroner’s inquest into his death has exonerated the company and the...
Australia: Union bankruptcy on display at Pacific Brands rallies
By our correspondents, March 7, 2009
Rallies held in Melbourne and Sydney underscore the necessity of Pacific Brands workers organising independently of the trade unions if a struggle is going to be waged against the closure of 10 factor...
Australia: Reject backroom deals! Launch an independent struggle to defend Pacific Brands jobs!
By Socialist Equality Party (Australia), March 4, 2009
Pacific Brands workers should reject the closed-door talks underway between the company, the Rudd government and the clothing union, and launch an independent struggle to save the more than 2,800 jobs...
Australia: Labor government and unions seek to divert anger over Pacific Brands closures
Clothing workers speak to WSWS
By our correspondents, February 28, 2009
Amid growing anger among Pacific Brands workers and throughout the working class over the clothing company’s destruction of 2,700 jobs, the Rudd government and the textile union held talks with the ...
