Coles and Woolworths worker launched their super strike in Meanjin/Brisbane on October 7, video by Alex Bainbridge.
Issue 1391
News
Retail and Fast Food Workers Union members at hundreds of Coles and Woolworths supermarkets took part in a historic nationwide “superstrike” as they fight for better pay and working conditions, reports Isaac Nellist.
A cross-party delegation of Australian politicians visited the United States in September to lobby for an end to US attempts to extradite Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, reports Alex Bainbridge.
Members of the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) at Coles and Woolworths are taking industrial action after negotiations over pay and conditions fell through, reports Nova Sobieralski.
Green Left journalist’s Isaac Nellist and Chloe DS go through the latest news from across the continent and around the world.
Sue Bull, Zane Alcorn and Chloe DS were featured speakers at a September 26 forum titled “Albanese's Labor: Sacrificing principles for power?”.
A new report from the Climate Council (CC) reaffirms the need for Australia to reduce carbon emissions by 75% by 2030 and aim for net zero by 2035, writes Alex Bainbridge.
UWU National Secretary Tim Kennedy commended the Inghams Chicken workers for standing up and winning better pay and conditions. Kerry Smith reports.
Activists, authors and unionists sent messages of support for Green Left as part of its 2023 supporter campaign.
The Civil Liberties Council affirmed its role of helping anyone who challenges the rich and powerful would continue at its 60th birthday. Rachel Evans reports.
A protest called on the Australian government to break its silence about Turkey's ongoing war on the Kurds and its recent deadly attacks in the south Kurdistan region of Iraq. Peter Boyle reports.
Gunditjmara ocean defenders organised against proposed gas exploration and seismic blasting of more than 55,000 square kilometers of the Otway Basin. Jordan AK reports.
Fourteen members of the Electrical Trades Union, employed at EnerSys’ Thomastown, are now in the ninth week of a strike. Sue Bolton reports.
Striking workers, many of whom earn around $25 an hour, are demanding a 6% pay rise or $1.50 an hour as a result of cost-of-living rises. Inghams’ current offer is 3.5%. Nova Sobieralski reports.
Twenty women refugees began a march from Naarm to Ngunnawal to demand permanent visas. Chris Slee reports.
Green Left journalist’s Isaac Nellist and Chloe DS go through the latest news from across the continent and around the world.
Analysis
This episode of the Green Left Show highlights the campaign to defend whistleblower rights, in particular the case of David McBride who faces trial in November.
Socialist Alliance recommends a Yes vote for the referendum on the Voice. But we also recognise that substantial measures to benefit Indigenous people require a strengthening of the grassroots movements for change. This will be true whatever the outcome on October 14, writes Sam Wainwright.
Good riddance to Rupert Murdoch, but don't hold your breath for any positive change to his massive media empire, writes Sue Bull.
The Victorian state Labor government's Housing Statement allows for residential developments valued at more than $50 million to be fast-tracked, proposes the demolition of all public housing towers for public-private development and sells off public land to developers, report Jacob Andrewartha and Jordan AK.
AUKUS’s next phase, or “second pillar”, focuses on technology sharing of “advanced capabilities”, a major aspect being artificial intelligence. Matilda Byrne investigates the development of autonomous weapons technologies.
A Yes vote won’t change whose constitution it is; a no vote won’t take the struggle back decades, argues Arrente woman Celeste Liddle.
Suzanne James looks at the NDIS review panel's interim report and finds even the people who built the NDIS are still struggling to clearly define all its moving parts.
A six-member delegation of MPs has just ended a short stint to lobby members of the US Congress and various relevant officials to release whistleblower Julian Assange. Binoy Kampmark reports.
World
Turkey escalated its bombing of civilian targets in North East Syria (in the region known as Rojava) on October 5, reports Susan Price.
Progressive leaders from Latin America gathered in Mexico on September 30, to discuss further regional integration, combating climate change, a regional currency and opposing sanctions. Tamara Pearson reflects on the contrasts with earlier gatherings at the height of the "Pink Tide".
Following his recent visit to Ukraine, LabourStart founding editor Eric Lee outlines the challenges in building trade union solidarity with the Ukrainian people following Russia's brutal invasion.
Ammar Ali Jan is general secretary of the anti-capitalist Haqooq-e-Khalq Party in Pakistan. He spoke with Green Left’s Federico Fuentes about growing US-China tensions, its impacts on Pakistan and implications for anti-imperialism in the Global South.
Ahead of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Summit on September 18–19, thousands of people in 16 cities across 8 countries gathered to call on the UN and governments to stop Japan's discharge of nuclear waste into the Pacific Ocean, reports Kerry Smith.
The Global Ecosocialist Network brought together labour and climate justice activists from Africa, Asia, the United States and Europe, in June, to discuss how to build stronger links, reports Susan Price.
US President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump addressed autoworkers in Michigan this week, as their "stand up" strike at the "Big Three" car manufacturers escalated, reports Malik Miah.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) secured a tentative agreement with the major Hollywood studios and streaming companies on September 24, ending its nearly five-month-long strike, reports Malik Miah.
While the United Auto Workers (UAW) "Stand Up Strike" in the US has received global attention, in Canada, unionists ratified a three-year deal with Ford on September 24 — the first target in their pattern bargaining with the Big Three, reports Jeff Shantz.
What has been dubbed a second decolonisation process is occurring right now in Africa’s Sahel, reports Paul Gregoire.
Thai pro-democracy activists say a pervasive culture of impunity exists in Thailand to protect those responsible for enforced disappearances, reports Peter Boyle.
Opposition to a 30-day ban on the carrying of firearms in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, drew opposition from gun owners and the far right, including threats against the state governor, her family and staff, reports Bill Nevins.
West Papuan advicates suspect that Indonesian security forces are behind the shootings of five Papuan youths, aged between 15 and 18 years old, in the Yahukimo Regency in the highlands of Indonesian-occupied West Papua, reports Susan Price.
Prominent West Papuan independence activist Victor Yeimo was released from prison in Indonesia's occupied capital of West Papua on September 23, sparking celebration among Papuans, reports Yamin Kogoya.
Promise Li is a socialist from Hong Kong currently based in Los Angeles, and a member of US socialist organisations Tempest and Solidarity. In the second part of our interview, he discusses multipolarity and its implications for anti-war and anti-imperialist organising, with Green Left’s Federico Fuentes.
US-based Hong Kong socialist activist and scholar Promise Li discusses how economic interdependence across rivaling geopolitical blocs shapes inter-imperialist tensions today, with Green Left’s Federico Fuentes.
A frontline against the Khalistan movement has become violently visible after it appears that Indian agents murdered a vocal supporter for an independent Sikh homeland. Binoy Kampmark reports.
Culture
Mat Ward slogged his way through Walter Isaacson's new 600-page biography of Elon Musk, so you don't have to.
Under the Shadow is a forthcoming podcast series hosted by journalist and producer Michael Fox, which delves into the history of rebellions and interventions by the United States in Latin America. Green Left’s Federico Fuentes spoke to Fox about the upcoming first season.
Antony Loewenstein discusses his new book, The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel exports the technology of occupation around the world.
Mat Ward looks back at September's political news and the best new music that related to it.
Activist and author Micheal Euade has traced the history of the struggle for Catalonian nationhood and its intersection with class struggle from the medieval period to the present in his 2022 book, A People’s History of Catalonia. Alex Salmon reviews.