IWW Oz News
The collapse of global financial markets in late 2008 has given Mining companies in Australia a welcome gift for 2009. The rejection of the anti-worker ‘Work Choices’ legislation by the Rudd government in 2008 had kick started feelings of optimism and solidarity amongst mine workers in the conspicuously un-unionised mines of Western Australia. |
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OFFICIAL International Solidarity Commission of the IWW resolution on Gaza Saturday 10 January 2009 The International Solidarity Commission (ISC) of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) condemns in the strongest possible terms the military attack by the Israeli state and IDF on the 1.5 million Palestinian people living in the Gaza strip. This attack has included sustained indiscriminate aerial bombing of urban population centers, schools, mosques, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure. Hundreds of civilians have been killed and injured, and homes have been destroyed. This attack is a form of collective punishment by the Israeli state against the people in Gaza. This attack on the people in Gaza is barbaric and represents an attack on the working class in all countries. The ISC condemns the 18-month siege against the population in Gaza which has prevented food, electricity, medical supplies, and other basic necessities from reaching the people of Gaza and crippling the economy. |
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Student Housing Action Cooperative (evicted after 5 months from 272 - 8 Faraday Street, Carlton, VIC Australia) shachouse@gmail.com http://www.shacmelbourne.blogspot.com/ I ♥ the Student Housing Action Collective (SHAC) update Hi All, Thanks for all your support over the last few days. So even though SHAC has been evicted from faraday st we're not going to go away. We're going to hold a follow up meeting/picnic at 5.30 pm this sunday at the edinburgh gardens near the rotunda. Thanks, SHAC The Ballad of Pete McPhee. Introduction (spoken): How things had changed in the Royal Court of Victoria. Professor Peter McPhee, French Revolution scholar and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, appeared to take from the poor to be a hero to the rich. Unlike good King Richard, Vice-Chancellor Glynn Davis was away – not at the crusades but on holidays: He was more than happy to leave Prince Peter and the Sheriff of Melbourne in charge. The merry peasants of “S.H.A.C.-wood Forest” stood their ground. Where was Robin Hood? (To the tune of ‘Robin Hood’) Pete McPhee, Pete McPhee |
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"I ♥ the Student Housing Action Collective (SHAC)" Big meeting and dinner sunday night Hi All, Thanks so much to everyone who has come down to support us. Our latest info from the police and the sheriff's office is that an eviction attempt will not happen tomorrow or over the weekend. This sunday night we're inviting all our supporters and people who want to help defend SHAC from eviction to come around for a big meeting, info session and dinner from 6 pm. Student Housing Action Cooperative 272 - 8 Faraday Street, Carlton, VIC Australia outside crew contact person is James on 0403672431 barricaded inside crew contact Liz T on 0402657392 On the roof crew contact Teishan 0430321233 shachouse@gmail.com http://www.shacmelbourne.blogspot.com/ |
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Canada, Anarchist journal Linchpin #7 of Common Cause - Women organizing within: an interview with the IWW Edmonton Women's Committee Date Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:20:08 +0200 IWW Edmonton Marches on May Day, 2007. http://edmonton.iww.ca/ ---- Women often feel the need to organize as women within larger organizations – including the more radical and leftist ones – in order to fight against inequality between men and women, develop their own voice and feel empowered by it. A great example is the Women’s Committee of the Edmonton, Alberta branch of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), a union that believes in workers’ power to organize ourselves and take the fight directly to the bosses without other people acting on our behalf. Karine Welm interviewed one member of the Women’s Committee. We hope this interview will empower and encourage other women to organize within their own organizations. ----
Linchpin: Could you explain what the I.W.W. is in brief and tell us a little bit about the Edmonton branch? |
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Wobblies Know How to Ring in the New Year! IWW Hits Starbucks with Protest By Stephanie Basile January 06, 2009 Anna Hurst at the New Year's Eve protest NEW YORK-While New Yorkers were wishing each other a Happy New Year this past New Year’s Eve, a few select Starbucks managers were met with three different words: Where’s Anna’s Money? This simple question has become the catchphrase of a campaign to help barista Anna Hurst win two weeks’ pay from the company. Hurst is a member of the Starbucks Workers Union, which is part of the Industrial Workers of the World. The SWU staged a New Year’s Eve protest as part of the ongoing campaign for Hurst. In addition to demanding pay for Hurst, the demonstrators talked to customers about the union’s struggle for secure work hours and respect on the job. For one of the demonstrators, Starbucks barista Henry Marin, it was his first public action as a member of the union. |
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wAGE slave Newsletter of the Melbourne Wobblies Merry Crisis and Happy New Fear, Boss ! The capitalists in 2008 got away with yet another year of plunder, polluting the planet and people. YET, as always wage slaves resisted da exploiters. Internationally for the IWW: The annual IWW Congress was held in London, Europe. A Delegation went to Haiti. Wobs at Starbucks have been busy standing up to the Boss: organising solidarity and coordinating actions around Americas, Europe and the world. see www.starbucksunion.org. Local Melbourne delegate Canopy Son went to Japan met with fellow Wobs from Americas & local proles. Joined in solidarity events opposing the G8, for the local Ainu indigenous people Friends of the IWW Polish workers Initiative has been harassed, had members in court. Australian & New Zealand new members have signed up. The IWW web sites around the planet and here in Oz presented news and views from ewes at the queues as well as her-his-our story and some jokes & songs. Melbourne members have been about at many local events. WISE UP - READ ABOUT TIME –www.iww.org.au |
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Melbourne IWW Delegate Canopy will be walking from Sydney to Canberra Victoria Park Tent Embassy BBQ: Peace Walk Send-off Send-off BBQ for the peace walk, at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy at Victoria Park, Sydney. 5pm onwards, Wednesday January 7. BYO everything. (Tents, sleeping bags, food for the BBQ...) NO ALCOHOL. The Tent Embassy and the Peace Walk are both DRUG AND ALCOHOL FREE. Join Darren Bloomfield and the walkers for a BBQ at the Victoria Park Tent Embassy to send the peace walk off on its journey to Canberra. Walkers will be leaving from Kurnell, Botany Bay, early in the morning on Friday January 9, arriving at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra on January 26, Sovereignty Day. (Please see below for more details on the walk.) For more information, contact: Victoria Park Tent Embassy: Darren 0412 826 043 Peace Walk: Inge 0418 345 686 Peace Walk for Aboriginal Sovereignty and a Nuclear Free Future **Leave Kurnell, Botany Bay (site of Captain Cook's landing) January 9, 2009 **Arrive Aboriginal Tent Embassy, Canberra January 26 |
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"The Rich, The Rich, We Gotta get Rid of the Rich". SINGING... On the fifth day of shopping, my true love bought for me, RAM-PANT COR-PORATE GREED ! pre-sweated pants, slave labour shoes, toys made by kids, all gifts made in sweatshops right here.... Union Solidarity Santa and anti-sweatshop campaigners FairWear visited the RICH outlet in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne for the annual sweat free carols. This was the second time the store was targeted: two years ago management undertook to sign up to the Homeworkers' Code of Practice following a public shaming, but according to FairWear have so far failed to honour their promise. SOngs like "Learn to Sew! Learn To Sew! Learn To Sew!" and "Slaving in a Sweatshop Wonderland" as well as other classic Christmas tunes with better lyrics as Joe used the Salvation Army tunes and gave them IWW lyrics. Santa turned out to be a "red" and two " elves" aka "santa helpers" dressed in blue also known as Police showed up. |
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December 17, 2008
************** December 17, 2008 |
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