BY KATHY NEWNAM
It will be worth watching the business section of the news on May 1, 2001, local Resistance organiser Sam King told a public meeting in Adelaide on November 11.
The meeting, organised by Resistance and the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP), brought together a range of organisations to discuss DSP's proposal for a global strike against corporate tyranny on May 1 (M1).
Participants in the meeting overwhelming supported M1 as a basis for unifying the growing anti-corporate people's movement.
The success of the S11 protests against the World Economic Forum in Melbourne, "have made the M1 project possible" said King. Steven Spence, chairperson of the SA United Trades and Labour Council's international committee agreed, saying that the successes of S11 must be built upon.
Spence referred to the developing global movement and mobilisations against corporate tyranny, proclaiming that "everybody's done it and now we need an accelerator to make it international". He said that M1 could provide this accelerator.
The potential for such a mobilisation to stop "business as usual" was addressed by DSP member John McGill. Reflecting upon his experience as a marshal at the S11 protest, McGill described S11 as a concrete demonstration of the ability of people to stand united against attack.
Understanding that "when injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty", McGill declared support for the proposal to shut down the stock exchange on M1. "Less stock ex, more change! could be our slogan", mused McGill.
Adelaide S11 Alliance activist Sue McKay described the development of the alliance, which she said considerable potential to "grow larger". McKay reported that the S11 Alliance had not yet decided to adopt the M1 project, but would make a decision at its November 23 meeting.
Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) rank and file activists Gerry Deneit and Jim Murphy also addressed the meeting. Murphy outlined the AMWU's plans to gather community support for its Campaign 2001 and affirmed the potential of the M1 project to unite the unions and the community.
Deneit, also a member of the Adelaide S11 Alliance, called on all those supporting M1 to involve more people in organising the event. This sentiment was also supported by Simon Brayshaw, from the Un(der)employed People's Movement Against Poverty (UPM). "M1 can bring people together and give them a voice", he said.
Various speakers in discussion emphasised the role M1 could play in taking the global movement forward and providing a unifying force for various social movements, as took place with S11.
"It is not every day the World Economic Forum meets in Melbourne" noted one participant, pointing out the importance of the movement taking the initiative and "not simply responding" to the meetings or attacks of the ruling elite.
All those wishing to get involved in discussing M1 are encouraged to attend the November 23 Adelaide S11 Alliance meeting [see Activist Calendar for details].
In Melbourne, the M1 Alliance, which is the new name for the S11 Alliance, has begun the process of building the May 1 (M1), 2001 mobilisation at a corporate target in the "S11 city", reports Arun Pradhun.
The M1 Alliance has provisionally decided to set up an anti-corporate tyranny blockade starting at a symbol of international capital, the Melbourne Stock Exchange, and then moving to other corporate targets in the vicinity. M1 Alliance activists will now discuss this idea with a range of groups and confirm the target over the next couple of weeks. Key to the project will be discussions with the Victorian Trades Hall Council, key militant Victorian unions and green groups.
Jorge Jorquera, Democratic Socialist Party member and M1 Alliance activist said "The alliance is determined to continue the success of S11 — we are calling upon all those who came to S11, all people who are active for worker's rights and the environment, feminists and international solidarity activists to strike, walk out of school and walk off the campuses to join the world-wide mobilisation on May 1, 2001", Jorquera said.
The Melbourne M1 Alliance next meets on Wednesday November 22 at 6.30pm. Call 9639 8622 for more information.