May 1st - International Workers Day

[boris1gary]

In a little over 3 weeks it will again be May 1st, International Workers Day. This is celebrated all over the world. In my city we celebrated 100 years of May Day in 2011.

Over the next few weeks i will add to this thread - the upcoming May Day Marches around Australia and some history. Please add anything that is in keeping with the topic, positive comments, stories, etc most welcome.

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/635382/workers-walk-for-100th-may-day-march/

Below is an article from the local paper, May Day 2011.

Illawarra workers vowed to stand by coalminers and steelworkers in the "carbon-constrained economy" of the future during the 100th South Coast May Day march on Saturday.

Guest speakers included president of the Copper Miners' Union in Chile, Christian Cuvas, who spoke about the lack of OH&S standards in his country and the battle for reform

May Day Committee life member Fred Moore provided a history of May Day marches in the region and the fact that even the right to march in Wollongong had been earned."The first president of the South Coast Labour Council, Paddy Molloy, was jailed for 12 months for attempting to march at May Day,"

Mr Rorris said."We reflected on the gains of the last 100 years, the fact that the conditions we now enjoy, everything from sick leave through to superannuation, even the funding of Medicare, all of these things have been won through the sacrifices of the trade union movement and the workers who lead it."Mr Rorris said the march was also about facing the challenges of the future together.

[boris1gary]

The Queensland Council of Unions–

Bundaberg

SATURDAY MAY 3rd.

March & Family Fun Day to celebrate

the achievements of working people.

10.30am March Assembly

Riverside Parklands, Quay Street

11.00am Family Fun Day at Memorial Park, Quay St.

[boris1gary]

Don't forget March on May Day

http://www.cpa.org.au/guardian/2014/1636/02-editorial.html

March for workers’ rights

May Day is a day belonging to the workers of the world, a day for the working class to celebrate its many fine achievements and to focus on the struggles ahead. There is no shortage of challenges, with workers and trade unions under attack around the world. In Australia, the Abbott government has launched an all-out war on the trade union movement.

The government offensive includes increased powers for the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC).

The ABCC Bill extends coverage to any resources platform in the creation of an exclusive economic zone or in the waters above the continental shelf and any ship, in the same zone or waters travelling to or from (or both to and from) an Australian port and to transportation to building sites such as by rail, plane or truck.

This means the Maritime Union of Australia, the Transport Workers Union and other unions such as rail will come under the ABCC. Community and trade union pickets are outlawed. The right to strike is all but completely outlawed and penalties for breaches increased from $51,000 to $170,000 per day per offence for trade unions and from $10,200 to $34,000 for individuals – workers and trade union officials.

In addition trade unions, officials and workers face the ongoing risk of being sued millions of dollars for damages. The aim is to smash trade unionism and rid building sites of militant workers by intimidation and bankrupting them.

There are a number of other dangerous provisions in Abbott’s ABCC legislation that criminalise legitimate trade union activity but the most the media does is repeat the lies about “thuggish” and “violent” trade union behaviour and ignore the criminality of employers who do not pay benefits and put workers’ lives at risk.