An evening seminar with Ged Kearney - President of ACTU

Last Thursday I went to a seminar by the President of the Australian Congress of Trade Unions Geradine (Ged) Kearney at Congress House. The event was sponsored by TUC international office and Unions21.

Ged has a nursing background and gave a honest and articulate appraisal of the Labour Movement in Australia (they have a Labour Party and affiliated unions in a similar way to the UK). The current Labour Government is in trouble in the polls and Ged fears a Conservative victory in the next General election.  Despite being only a minority government it has done a lot of progressive things such as the Fair Work Act. While they wish the Labour Government had done more, they dread the return of a Conservative government. One campaign issue in the future by the unions will be to try and help build a truly progressive space for the Labour Party to step up to and fill. 

I asked a question about the trade union run pension funds in Australia which I understand are very successful but currently under attack. Ged replied that they are a success story with the fund she helps manage worth over $20 billion yet the market has always been "pissed off" (Aussie for upset) by the idea of workers controlling their own capital and there has been constant attacks on union pension funds for no reason whatsoever.

I'm not sure how long Ged is in the UK but if you get a chance to go and see her speak I would recommend it.

Update: I am reliably informed that Ged is now at the ILO in Geneva and is then going home but no doubt she will return to the UK at some time in the future.

Check Owen's more detailed and complete report of this meeting at Stronger Unions.

"It's Going To Ruin Us"

Excellent Aussie trade union video from the same mob that brought us this. Great stuff! I must admit to not knowing all that much about the local issue but every single advance for workers which we now take for granted was attacked as being "ruinous" at the time.

Reminds me a bit of this argument as well.

Hat-tip thingy to Eric Lee and Labourstart. Pass it on.

The Aussie fire-fighter heroes who put themselves in harms way

Anyone who has seen the TV pictures from the ongoing tragedy in Victoria would be horrified at the stories of those who fled and narrowly saved their lives.

This is a fitting trade union tribute here about those who race towards danger on the public’s behalf.

Statement by David Carey State Public service union leader - Australia. Victoria Fire Tragedy

We are humbled by the dedication of our public sector colleagues in the face Victoria's tragedy.Working through extremes, that would be unimaginable in most of our working lives, our friends and colleagues and public workers are working to save, protect and preserve vital public services.

Fighting the terror of the fires.They are working to heal and counsel the injured and bereaved. They are feeding and clothing the people who are displaced. They are housing thousands who have lost homes.

They are being literal hero's - there is no other word- in the face of horror and trauma on a scale never seen in Australia. Our movement , the trade union movement, tens of thousands of other public sector workers and the whole community thank you and praise you.You are emblems of the selflessness and community we aspire to be.

"We are with you, in our prayers for your safety, our hope for your recovery. You are making unbelievable sacrifices and our certain knowledge is by your deeds our faith in human decency is again proved. While many public workers have suffered the worst possible personal loss themselves they work on.

You are our colleagues and friends. We hope our thoughts for you are some comfort.

"David Carey
Federal Secretary
On behalf of State Public Services Federation
120 000 state public sector workers - Australia wide (Hat-tip to Col Roi)

What have the Unions ever done for us?

Continuing here with the Monty Python “Life of Brian” theme, with an excellent typically Aussie take on the age old question of “What have the Unions ever done for us?” Hat tip to Ian at IANSREDLOG