Tree planting memorial
SYDNEY — The next tree planting in the HIV/AIDS Memorial Groves in Sydney Park, St Peters, will take place on Sunday, August 18, from 10.30am to 4pm. Friends, lovers and families are invited to plant native seedlings in memory of loved ones lost to AIDS. South Sydney Council is providing the seedlings. For further information, contact Mannie De Saxe on 9718 1452.
Building workers rally
WOLLONGONG — Two hundred building workers rallied outside the tax office on July 17 to protest against the federal government's proposals to tax travel allowances and cut apprentice pay, and to build the August 19 protest rally in Canberra.
Workers voted to continue their national campaign to place bans on employers who do not compensate workers for income lost through the tax, or who seek to reduce wages for apprentices. The rally also endorsed the proposal, put by CFMEU regional organiser Peter Zaboyak, to strike on August 19.
Education road show
NEWCASTLE — The Howard government's economic policies are unsound even in terms of "mainstream" economic theory said Bruce MacFarlane, economics professor at Newcastle University, on July 23. The meeting was organised by the National Union of Students (NUS) and the NTEU. Speakers including representatives from Wollotuka Aboriginal Education Centre, the Academic Senate, the CPSU and the students association, argued that a broad campaign was necessary to defeat Howard's cuts to education and other public services.
Factory farming cruelty
SYDNEY — Animal Liberation is conducting a poster campaign in NSW on factory-farmed pigs. Despite some legal difficulties, and opposition from the industry, the third of a series of posters exposing cruelty to pigs will be erected shortly in railway stations across the state.
Some 40 people were shown video footage of the cruel practices involved in this type of farming at a public meeting on July 25 organised by SARA (Student Animal Rights Activists). Jo Bell from Animal Liberation criticised the NSW Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act for excluding stock or habitually caged animals in its requirement for all animals to have the right to appropriate exercise. For more information, contact SARA on (02) 357 7851.
ACI strikers' street party
MELBOURNE — Striking workers from the BTR-ACI Spotswood plant are organising a street party fundraiser in Raleigh Street on August 4. The workers oppose the sacking of maintenance workers. Music and comedians will be featured and food and drink will be available between 12 noon and 5pm. Phone 9586 8071 for details.
Stop the Chop
MELBOURNE — A "Stop the Chop" meeting of 150 people in Brunswick on July 25 decided to conduct an ongoing community campaign against the Howard government's cuts to services.
In an effort to prevent the possible closure of CES and DSS offices in the area, Stop the Chop has called a rally at 11am on August 10 at the Brunswick DSS. The July 25 meeting also called for industrial action to defeat the government's attacks and for the ACTU to call a national strike to coincide with the August 19 cavalcade to Canberra. Stop the Chop will support Trades Hall's July 31 stop-work rally and the August 7 National Tertiary Education and Industry Union and National Union of Students rally against education cuts. Call 9288 9500 for more information.
CES 'work-in'
MELBOURNE — Workers at the North Melbourne CES office held a "work-in" on July 20 to protest against the planned closure of the office. CPSU delegate Kylie Suich told Green Left that the workers received support from a range of local organisations.
The office closure will particularly inconvenience new migrants learning English through the North Melbourne English as a Second Language Network. CES workers have been told to choose another office to move to, without knowing what jobs they will be doing there. Some who have been on higher duties at North Melbourne may lose pay.