Stick Together

The Fair Work Commission's decision to stop strike action on Sydney trains. What does it mean for these workers and workers in general. We get an over view from Sally McManus the Secretary of the ACTU the Australian Council of Trade Unions. #Abolish Australia Day was the call from Aboriginal march leaders at the enormous rallies across the country.  We speak to unionists in Melbourne who joined the 30,000 strong gathering in Melbourne's centre on January 26th.

Faced with a recalcitrant government and management failure to negotiate, NSW rail Workers have called the first network-wide strike in almost 20 years. We speak with NSW State Secretary of the Rail Tram and Bus Union about the dispute.We also bring you the story of more than 200 Fijian baggage handlers who were locked out before Christmas last year and the international campaign launched to support them.

This week we pop back in time to the year 2000. On this summer special of Stick Together we catch up with Max Ogden to talk about Unions 2000, a temporary super union which organised, negotiated and proudly presented the Best Olympics Ever! in Sydney 2000.Part two, a re-run of interview with Zoe Angus (MEAA Equity Section Director) on the screen industry’s fight of their lives. The “Make It Australian Campaign” and content laws on aussie tellies. ACTU Banks Sre Not Super- Tell your Story: https://www.australianunions.org.au/banksarenotsuperSupport Oaky North Workers: https://oakynorth-cfmeu.nationbuilder.com/Support Esso Workers: http://www.amwu.org.au/supportessoworkers

Revenue problems for Turnbull Government. Their answer- attack Social Security. We investigate this failing Federal Government.

As maintenance workers at the Victorian site off the Bass Strait gas field sit coming up to 190 days in a protest at the front gates over cuts in wages and conditions Esso is in lock step with Govt and the courts proving Sally McManus Secretary of the Australian Council of Trades Union’s mantra that the rules are broken.

This week on the show we return to our feature from July about international stevedoring company ICTSI. Their international record of poor industrial relations and union busting has continued - this time in Papua New Guinea and here in Australia at Webb Dock. We speak again to ITF Campaign Director, Shannon O'Keeffe about how their campaign against this international giant is progressing.

Will Tracey assistant secretary of the MUA speaks about the Web Dock Melbourne dispute: what happened and finally a victory in a dispute that looks like many of the anti union anti worker behaviour that has been a hallmark of 2017.Finally we talk with Josh Cullinan the Secretary of the newest Australian Union the Retail, Fast Food Workers Union (RFFWU), after it’s first year of operations.

This week Stick Together brings news from The Melbourne Docks. A peaceful community assembly has taken residence outside the Victoria International Container Terminal (VICT) at Webb Dock in Port Melbourne after a casual employee was denied shifts following taking action against management over workplace bullying and harassment. The community has taken up the fight sending a very clear message; Touch one, touch all. Then, later on the show, we speak with Brett Edgington from Unions Ballarat about one of the most present symbols in our movement, the Eureka Flag.

This week in addition to your weekly wrap of union news, we look at how unions were involved in the QLD state election campaign. We speak with the Secretary of the Queensland Council of Unions about their campaign and how it dealt with the question of One Nation.  We also speak with Not4Sale campaign co-ordinator Stuey Traill about the campaign to keep public assets in public hands.Extended interview with Ros McLennan available here.Extended interview with Stuey Traill available here.

Today we are featuring the ground breaking grass-roots work being done by the National Union of Workers. The NUW had two enormous wins this week – not only did Woolworths warehouse workers win a 4% pay rise but the Union’s work on fair pay and conditions in the fresh fruit and vegetable supply chains in Australia have also borne fruit in a separate agreement with Woolworths going into Christmas. The NUW campaign started with organising at the grass-roots. We hear from some of those migrant workers who became worker champions of the Union.