Solidarity actions with Weipa strikers

Trade unionists and left activists organised actions around the country last week to condemn CRA's attempt at union-busting and show solidarity with the CRA workers striking for equal pay in Weipa. More than 400 workers, unionists and solidarity activists attended a picket organised by the metal workers' union outside the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) in Sydney on November 20. The picket coincided with the beginning of the dispute hearings, and aimed to put pressure on the commission. Garden Island dockyard workers walked off the job and marched to the picket, along with large numbers of construction workers who held stop-work meetings on several building sites. Unionists from the public sector unions, the Maritime Workers Union, the Communication, Electrical and Plumbers Union, and the Transport Workers Union also supported the action. Several hundred workers were also crowded inside the IRC where they gave the Weipa strikers rousing applause. In Adelaide, Melanie Sjoberg reports that a lively stall was held in the Rundle Street Mall on November 24. The action was initiated by the Democratic Socialist Party and Resistance, and supported by various trade unions and the International Socialist Organisation. Participants collected donations for the Weipa strike fund from passers-by, and distributed thousands of leaflets explaining the dispute and calling for solidarity with the strikers. In Newcastle, Alex Bainbridge reports that a picket was held outside Comalco's offices on November 23. The action, organised and endorsed by rank and file members from a range of unions, featured placards declaring "8% isn't equal pay" and "Stop CRA union bashing!". The picket also expressed solidarity with the workers at CRA's Vickery coal mine near Gunnedah who have also been on strike. Public Sector Association member Kamala Emanuel said that it was even more important to support the Weipa strikers since the IRC had directed them to return to work. "If CRA manages to defeat the strikers this time it will make it much easier for them and other employers to do the same to other workplaces and industries." Leaflets were handed out and donations collected for the Weipa strike fund. Sue Bolton reports from Melbourne that a noisy picket was held outside the CRA office on November 23. The picket was endorsed by a wide range of unionists including the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union Building Division (Vic); Craig Johnston, organiser of the AMEU (Vic); Dean Mighell, state secretary of the Electrical Trades Union (Vic); Steve Roach, state secretary of the Shearers and Rural Workers Union; and Greg Adamson, assistant secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union (ACT). The action was addressed by Martin Kingham, CFMEU state secretary; Kim Linden, a contract cleaner at the Austin Repatriation Medical Centre; and Chris Slee from the Democratic Socialist Party. Construction workers fitting out the office of the Minister for Industrial Relations, Phil Gude, located in the same building as CRA, joined the picket line. As well as expressing solidarity with the Weipa strikers, they were also protesting about the lack of adequate health and safety gear. A solidarity message, sent from the La Trobe Job Action Committee, said that like the Weipa strikers other unionists also want a real victory rather than a paltry compromise.