Australian Unions / Day of Action – June 28 2006

Unions in New Zealand are taking action to support the Australian Day of Action against the repressive Work Choices legislation on June 28.

Australian workers are rallying next Wednesday June 28th against the Howard government’s Work Choices legislation. This is their first large scale national day of action since the successful one on November 15th last year. They have recently launched a new series of TV adds, which you can view by going to their campaign site www.yourrightsatwork.com.au.  You can also donate to the campaign from that page.

In New Zealand, the CTU is encouraing local union groups to organise public leafleting events on June 28th. A CTU leaflet focussing on the Australian situation with a link to the proposed Mapp "90 Days No Rights" Bill is here.

The National Distribution Union, EPMU and Service and Food Workers Union are taking a protest delegation to the Australian High Commission in Auckland, at midday on June 28th. Contacts are: Lisa Eldret and Nikki Jonas at the SFWU, phone 09-375-2680.

CTU leaders will be meeting with the Australian High Commissioner Alan Hawke to outline New Zealanders concerns about the Australian legislation. Private sector unions working with companies with Australian connections are also being asedk to send a letter outlining their concerns about the impacts of the legislation both on Australian workers and on Australian-owned companies operating in NZ.

Unions Wellington will be doing a leafleting action on the day. Contact Pat Bolster, Unions Wellington.

Other events will be circulated as they come in, or contact your Unions Local convenors (contacts details are on the Unions local home page here: http://www.union.org.nz/about/local.html

Canadian educators battle corporate takeover of education

The Canadian Teachers Federation has done a national survey (May 2006) of commercial activities in Canadian schools. Read Beyond the bake sale: Exposing the many faces of commercialism in public schools

The study's key findings included:

• About a third of schools reported the presence of advertising in or on the school, with higher rates in secondary schools than in elementary schools.
• 27% of schools had an exclusive marketing arrangement with Coke or Pepsi.
• The majority of schools reported charging user fees for a variety of services and programs.
• 15% of elementary schools and 21% of secondary schools reported selling services to generate revenue.
• Fundraising activities are common in schools, with money being raised for school trips, library books, athletic programs and technology; 60% of elementary schools reported fundraising for library books.
• Schools reported raising – through fundraising and other activities including user fees, advertising revenue and partnerships/sponsorships – amounts of money ranging from a few hundred dollars to, in some cases, several hundred thousand dollars.

Australian Education Union battles for public education and rights at work

The 2006 Australian Education Union Federal Conference hears that John Howard's industrial legislation has dramatically changed the Australian social and political landscape, wiping out the gains of workers over the past 100 years. More

The conference responds with a condemnation of the Government's "criminal neglect" of public education, and a commitment to work with the broader union movement and the community to protect workers' rights. More