Solidarity

I’m putting together a post on Labor’s IR backdown, but I’m snowed under at work right now so I’m not really in the mood to finish writing it just yet. In the meantime, here’s some video and music you might find interesting.

Kath & Kim: “Bloody Howard”

You’ve surely heard that this week’s episode of Kath & Kim took a shot at WorkChoices and “bloody Howard”. Sophie Black sees it as “proof” that “John Howard’s battlers are deserting him”, and with the polls running the way they have been lately, it’s hard to argue.

ABCC picks on safety rep of the year

Given the dodgy tactics and bias shown by the ABCC, it’s very important that people understand its purpose is to smash the construction unions and weaken building workers — and it doesn’t care if it’s defending dangerous employers. This clip from Constructing Fear shows the story of Brodene Wardley. She was Victoria’s safety representative of the year, but she’s facing jail for standing up for her colleagues.

The full documentary is available for download from the Constructing Fear website.

Cochlear workers denied union agreement

Nearly 300 workers at a Sydney plant manufacturing Cochlear implants have repeatedly called for a union collective agreement, but management keeps trying to force them onto a non-union deal. CEO Chris Roberts admits he is denying the workers their choice:

Dr Roberts concedes that in two company-run ballots and two union-run ballots, 98 per cent of workers rejected Cochlear’s demand for an agreement directly with staff. … “The employees wanted the union to represent them, that’s true,” Dr Roberts said.

Workers’ songs for US Labor Day

Cover Freak put together an interesting collection of union- and work-related songs to celebrate the US holidays. They range from classics like “Which Side are You On?” to the Dead Kennedys doing “Take This Job and Shove It”. Have a listen.