Sharan Burrow, ACTU Support Climate Change Initiative

President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), Sharan Burrow, recently said that that is “no question” that climate change will eventually become a standard clause in a union log of claims (a claim is something that a union would bargain to have included in a collective workplace agreement).  Ms Burrow said “We are confident you can reduce energy and water use by enormous amounts just by looking at the nature of the work practice…we also think you can generate healthier workplaces … and the nature of the working environment’s design.  “We know that we have a long way to go by way of recycling and the products that are used can be examined for their energy efficiencies.” (The Australian, March 06).  

Unite (UK) and the USW to Merge

Reports from LabourStart today highlight the imminent creation of truely international trade union, with Unite, which has 2 million members in the UK and Ireland, and the Unites Steel Workers, which represents 1 million workers in the USA, Canada and the Carribean, announcing their plans to merge. One cannot help but compare the formidable prospect of a 3 million strong trans-Atlantic union with the sorry state of union fiefdoms in Australia and New Zealand.

Unite’s Working Students Campaign (Part I)

The Unite, the largest United Kingdom trade union, is campaigning directly to organise thousands of student workers across tertiary campuses in the UK. The Working Students Campaign (‘WSC’) is an innovative way of  organising a new generation of workers, and is something that should be implemented by the Australian Council of Trade Unions. The campaign basically involves allowing students to join Unite on-line for £10 per year, and organising students into campus societies who can campaign for respect, rights and better conditions in the workplace while using the collective resources of Unite.

Monbiot is Right: Keep the Big $ Out of Politics

George Monbiot, British journalist and activist, advocated recently for fundamental reform to political donations in Britain (“Death of the Noble Idea“, The Guardian 5/2/2008). The political malaise which Monbiot touches upon is also present within Australia; political parties are desperately reliant on corporate donations. In fact, recent figures published by the Australian Electoral Commission indicate that the ALP received $14.9million in donations for the 2006/07 financial year.

Kevin Rudd’s 20/20 Summit

The great thing about Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s planned summit is that it represents an opportunity for the trade union movement to shape the politico-economic landscape of Australia. An opportunity which has not been present for at least a generation. I have a policy proposal which combines workign rights with our ongoing sustainability, prosperity, and empowering the most disadvantaged within our community. I call it the Sustainable Development Investment Bank (SDIB).