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Vigilance Bulletin No. 45, May 19, 2010
1) Greek workers say: “We won’t pay” Greek workers say: “We won’t pay” On May 5, Greece was paralysed by a massive general strike, the fourth in recent months. Half a million workers took to the streets to protest the Greek parliament’s adoption of a brutal austerity program, part of the 110 billion euro ($155 billion) “rescue” package for Greece. The Greek crisis first surfaced last year when PASOK (akin to the Labor Party) took office and discovered a budget “black hole”. The crisis exploded on April 27 after Greece’s credit rating was lowered to junk bond status. The effects were felt immediately with billions wiped off the world’s stock markets. Within days the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Union (EU) had stitched up a “rescue” package that aims to slash the Greek government’s deficit by 30 billion euros ($42.5 billion). These measures include harsh budget cuts, tax rises and pension cuts. The female retirement age will go from 60 to 65 by 2013. Public service wages and pensions will be frozen for three years and Christmas and Easter bonuses (equivalent of two months salary) will be lost. Other changes will make it easier to sack workers and privatise state-owned companies. These attacks amount to an 11% cut in GDP over three years, a huge blow when the jobless rate is already 18%. Not surprisingly, there is not one single measure to counter corporate tax evasion, the main source of the “black hole”. Most Greek corporations declare their profits in countries with lower tax rates or in tax havens. This is because the IMF-EU “rescue” package was not designed to help the Greek population. Its aim is to shore up the profits of the German and French banks that hold most of the Greek government’s debts. The IMF, EU, and the Greek government face one big problem – the Greek working class, the most militant and best organised in the EU. The workers of Greece understand that this crisis is not of their making – and they have already shown that they are not prepared to pay for it. “Lazy Greek workers”: myth versus reality If you believe the newspapers, Greek workers are overpaid, don’t work much and retire early on big pensions. But the facts tell a very different story. The average monthly wage in Greece is 800 euros ($1150) while the minimum monthly wage in France and Ireland is around 1250 euros ($1750). Greek workers are among the lowest paid in the European Union (EU). Greek workers work an average of 42 hours a week, two hours higher than the average across the EU. The Greek pension averages 750 euros ($1075) a month, less than Spain’s 950 euros ($1350) and way behind Holland’s 3200 euros ($4500). The newspapers lie about “lazy and overpaid” Greek workers because foreign investors and local bosses want to blame Greek workers for this crisis. Let’s not fall into the same trap.
From 1979 to 1990, Thatcher’s government sold off huge swathes of publically owned assets and sliced taxes for big business. The filthy rich became even richer. Her anti-union laws undermined a host of workers’ rights – including the right to strike and peacefully picket. The warrior for the rich went to war in 1982 over the Falkland Islands and defeated the Argentine generals (who she called “the enemy without”). In 1984 she declared war on “the enemy within” – the miners’ union led by Arthur Scargill – who were only defeated after a year-long strike. Thatcher was only forced to resign in 1990 after the campaign aganst her hated Poll Tax saw over 18 million people refuse to pay it. Thatcher ruled for the rich. Abbott wants to do likewise. This is one “Iron Man” that must not be allowed to win. Firebomb car attack on NSW CFMEU office On the night of May 13, the NSW office of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union suffered extensive fire damage after being hit by a car filled with petrol drums. The union’s state secretary Andrew Ferguson believes that the incident may be linked to a dispute with a building contractor. Others point the finger at possible opponents of the construction union campaign to force Kevin Rudd to abolish the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC). The Howard-era ABCC has charged building worker Ark Tribe with refusing to attend an ABCC meeting. He stands trial on June 15. Ark Tribe faces six months jail Fair, consistent and transparent? The DP World (DPW) national selection criteria policy is anything but. When seniority only accounts for 10% of all selection points in this policy, it is grossly unfair. It must go. Last year, wharfies at Port Botany launched a petition against this policy, which 300 people signed. The Sydney MUA responded with a forum in January that 200 members attended. But since then we have heard nothing. The MUA is holding a Stevedoring Terminal Conference in Melbourne from June 1 to 3. This is an ideal opportunity to draw up a seniority-based selection criteria – and a plan of action to win it. Let’s hope that all delegates and officials in attendance make the most of this opportunity. Wharfie Nick Fanos died at Patrick Port Botany on March 28. The next day the company announced the introduction of the “DuPont model” safety system. Days later a DuPont consultant was on site. The “DuPont model” is an approach to safety that focuses on workers’ behaviour as the cause of most workplace injuries (as opposed to the elimination and control of hazards). This lets companies off the hook by neglecting unsafe conditions, fatigue and other factors. It’s no surprise that this “model” comes from the notorious US chemical giant DuPont, makers of Agent Orange and Napalm. Initially a handful of leading MUA members agreed to the introduction of this model. However, under pressure from rank and file members, it now looks like the “DuPont model” will not be implemented without a fight. DP World Botany’s new contracts have seen a leap in weekend work, with the company scrambling to get enough labour for the weekends. On May 1, DPW tried to do this by forcing wharfies – with only an hour’s notice – to work a one hour extension. This breaches the EA which states: 1) “an extension will be notified at the commencement of the last break”; and 2) no one is required to work an extension if an unavoidable “pressing personal necessity” prevents them. Members need to know and exercise their rights. We must ensure that the EA is not broken like this again. DP World Botany’s weekend labour shortage (see previous article) has been the sticking point in the ongoing labour review that started months ago. The company have refused to hand over more permanent jobs until the current roster is changed to make more permanents available on weekends. MUA negotiators tried to break the deadlock by proposing a “5 & 3” roster for any new permanent jobs (five days on – three off means only two full weekends, one Saturday and one Sunday off every eight weeks). Management weren’t too interested. On May 18 the union held a two-hour yard meeting. A range of measures were voted on that will put more pressure on DPW to hand over more permanent jobs. Good. But why is the union pushing for these new jobs to be on a different roster to the current one? It’s like going into a fight but only aiming to win the bronze medal. We should be going for gold – more permanent jobs on the current roster – first. |
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When Tony Abbott says he is Australia’s political “Iron Man”, he is not referring to triathlons or stupid comments about women doing the ironing. Abbott is looking to emulate Britain’s “Iron Lady” Margaret Thatcher – the Conservative who led a “free market revolution” and gutted trade unions.
