More trade union leaders have rallied to support the Green Left Weekly Emergency Appeal as it enters its sixth week with $70,173 raised and less than $30,000 to make our target. These follow earlier endorsements by Jim Reid, Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) Victorian printing division state secretary, and Chris Cain, WA secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA).
Socialist Alliance national executive member Craig Johnston, the former Victorian secretary of the AMWU who was jailed for leading industrial action to protect workers' jobs:
"In the new industrial climate of increasing attacks on workers, there will be times when the union movement needs to respond quickly with solidarity actions.
"Most union journals and newsletters don't come out very frequently. That's a good reason why we need Green Left Weekly, which comes out each week to publicise struggles and build solidarity.
"Another reason to support Green Left Weekly's emergency appeal is that it covers lots of issues of concern to working-class people and not just union issues. Workers need a paper that gives them a voice on all issues. We need Green Left for the fight against the Howard government's attacks on all fronts."
Martin Kingham, Victorian secretary, Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union:
"It is so important to have an independent media out there, not just reporting on struggles but giving us the sort of support that Green Left Weekly has given us for the struggle.
"At the time of the building industry royal commission, the government spent millions of dollars on the royal commission and on slandering building workers. The CFMEU couldn't get the mainstream media to print our point of view. Green Left Weekly was the main media that allowed us to get our point of view to the public.
"Unionists should support Green Left Weekly's emergency appeal. We need Green Left Weekly for the battle against Howard's anti-union laws."
Dean Mighell, Victorian secretary, Electrical Trades Union:
"Green Left Weekly is an important publication for workers to learn about struggle and get the in-depth understanding of the issues. To lose Green Left would be to lose the most credible left-wing publication around. Losing Green Left would be a blow to the anti-Howard struggle so I urge unionists to contribute to keep Green Left Weekly going."
Kevin Bracken, Victorian secretary, MUA:
"Trade unionists should support progressive views and Green Left Weekly is a quality publication which needs to be supported."
Green Left Weekly has been campaigning hard against the Howard government's new anti-union laws because they are an attempt to shift the balance of power in this society even more in favour of the ruling corporate elite. If Howard succeeds in further weakening the trade union movement, every single community struggle is going to be weakened.
The corporate media is campaigning hard on the other side. But that is no surprise. As Ian Jamieson, Fremantle Socialist Alliance member and co-convener of the WA MUA Port Committee, explains in his endorsement:
"Everyday working people are bombarded with a mass media hellbent on propagating lies, denigrating progressive campaigns, promoting the rich and famous, decrying those who are brave enough to oppose war, poverty and injustice.
"I guess that's their job — to protect a system that makes media owners and their mates in the big end of town rich and powerful at our expense.
"Green Left Weekly has its own job. First, to tell the truth and expose the liars and hypocrites. Secondly, to help organise and generate opposition to the system they dearly love to protect."
Early in the Green Left Weekly Emergency Appeal, "Jammo" donated a generous $5000, the largest single donation we've received yet. If there are just six others out there prepared to match that, we will have met our $100,000 target.
Acknowledgements of recent donations will be made in the next issue.