BY NICK SOUDAKOFF
DARWIN — The M1 Alliance here launched its May 1 blockade of the Northern Territory Chamber of Commerce on March 23, drawing an overwhelming response from passers-by when they asked them to vote for who they thought should be labelled the worst "corporate scumbag".
The M1 Alliance plans to announce the results of the votes in the week before May 1. The results will determine the protest targets on a "Corporate Scumbag Tour" which will follow the morning blockade of the Chamber of Commerce.
Support for M1 is also coming from the trade union movement. The NT Trades and Labor Council voted to back the action on March 26 and appointed an organiser of the liquor trades union to liaise with the M1 Alliance. The TLC has said it will organise a contingent to the protest and has suggested ways its affiliates can help publicise and support it.
Peter Johnston, an Australian Services Union delegate to TLC, who moved the motion of support, told Green Left Weekly "There are a quite a number of delegates, organisers and officials from various unions that are enthusiastic about the anti-corporate globalisation campaign and M1. With this support and the TLC's involvement the campaign here is in a stronger position."
Trades and Labor Council is also organising a May Day festival and march on the Labour Day holiday, May 7.
Support is also growing amongst students at the Northern Territory University, with many students attending a March 22 screening of a documentary about the S11 anti-corporate protest, This is what democracy looks like, and a lecturer in the theatre studies department announced plans for a crew of performers to attend the M1 action.