On October 28, we sent the following letter to Gary Kennedy (secretary, Newcastle Trades Hall Council), Alison Peters (deputy assistant secretary Unions NSW), Wayne Reynolds (Newcastle university branch president, National Tertiary Education Union) and Stuart Rosewarne (NSW president, NTEU).
We are writing to you in reference to the [ACTU's] national day of action (November 15) concerning what is planned for Newcastle and the Hunter. As union members (NTEU) and members of community groups (the Greens, Socialist Alliance, Amnesty, etc), like you, we want the day to be as significant as possible, and with a strong focus upon the Boeing dispute. More is needed than just the national Sky Channel broadcast.
While we aren't speaking officially for either our union or our community groups, within such groups there is support for (1) something like that "Last Weekend" event in Sydney — perhaps gathering initially in Civic Park from 10.30 am, to march to Pacific Park for the main event with speeches, music, comedy, etc — a barbecue/picnic, etc; and (2) a joint union/community cultural event in the evening (e.g., at Panthers).
We are interested in helping build the day and such activities, and would like to discuss the plans for the day with you. Perhaps a range of union and community groups could meet ASAP to jointly organise the day?
Yours in solidarity,
Peter McGregor,
Ross Edmonds
& Terry Leahy
From Green Left Weekly, November 2, 2005.
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