Stick Together

Ballarat: In 1954, the location of monster meetings of miners and the Eureka Stockade.On December 3 2025, on a roundabout on Bakery Hill in Ballarat, now surrounded by new developments and multinational fast food chains, we hear some of the Eureka Australia Medal Award Speeches, as part of the 171st Anniversary of the Rebellion. These are lifetime awards presented by Reclaim the Radical Spirit & Ballarat Regional Trades & Labour Council (BTRLC), and stories from the medalwinners.Introductory words from:Dr Joe Toscano, MC and with Reclaim the Radical SpiritAngela McCarthy, Secretary of BRTLCMedalwinners:Dick Ryan, Seamens' Union of Australia - later the MUA;   'Don't ask what Unions can do you you, but what you can do for the Union'Eve Scarfe member of international peace brigades in Central America,   Medal was awarded in absentia - listen to her life story hereVasalia Govender, former HSR with Injured Workers Support Team,    On IWST, currently supporting 572 injured workers across Australia,Nancy Atkin, lifelong activist   With peoples' history: Vietnam War, 3CR Community Radio, Trade Union organising,Rev. Dr. Robert Stringer, retired Uniting Church Minister   Activist histories, his own journey into radical politics in the Pacific and campaigns. Head to www.3cr.org.au/eureka171 for more recordings from this day and to hear from other speakers, including Dr Anne Beggs-Sunter (Historian at Federation University Ballarat), Doug Stewart (longtime unionist BLF/CFMEU, liver transplant survivor) and medalwinner Ian Fullerton (CFMEU member, dedicated local community member & volunteer with the Soup Bus, Ballarat Trades Hall, and more).

Annie presents an analysis of the political ecosystem in which our unions exist, including the peak body (ACTU) and the Labor party, which was borne from the need to represent working class interests in parliament. She presents two case studies of unions that have been put into administration, with a focus on Labor Party political outcomes vs unions' core business - members' wages and conditions. We begin with a mini-review of the CFMEU Construction & General Division administration saga, since special legislation passed both houses of Parliament in August 2024 after a sustained legacy media smear campaign. The Red Queen approach of dismantling the CFMEU's core business via 'removed persons' in its delegate-organiser structure may be party of a larger politic, at the low cost of workers' lives and livelihoods.Next, recapping the cutthroat Game-of-Thrones style administration of the HSU/HWU and fear and loathing responses of some of the lowest-paid workers in that industry to a politicking leadership which landed the union in administration by June 2025. And in a whirlwind finale, we hear from HWU organisers, members, and supporters rallying in front of Parliament on 4 December as part of their 'Stand Together, Win Together' campaign, the culmination of months of hard work - a David and Goliath fight not just for wages n conds, but for the life of their union.

On this weeks episode of Stick Together host James Brennan brings you some reflection on the year of union struggle, union news and a case from fair work. We speak with James Crafti who has just been to fair work over an unfair dismissal case.

An interview with IWGB, Independent Workers of Great Britain, Organizer Rema talking about Pan-Africanism, Internationalism and the organization of gig economy workers. “Our revolution is not a public-speaking tournament. Our revolution is not a battle of fine phrases. Our revolution is not simply for spouting slogans that are no more than signals used by manipulators trying to use them as catchwords, as codewords, as a foil for their own display. Our revolution is, and should continue to be, the collective effort of revolutionaries to transform reality, to improve the concrete situation of the masses of our country.”― Thomas Sankara

Monash has been forced by the Federal Court to pay almost 1/2 million in unpaid wages to academics at Monash in a landmark settlement. We speak to Michael Ciaravolo one of the two lead applicants about the win in a court case sparked by the NTEU.We finish the program with a recognition of the International Disability Day. Workers who experience disability through work place accidents often have a hard road to walk. We hear one story from Danielle who has found balance after years of struggle.

"And here we are in L.ACity Hall's falling downThere is no escapeWhen a class war comes to townClass war, class warClass war, class warThis war, that warClass war, last war"- The Dils

On this week's episode host James bring you another episode of Stick Together with union news from across the country. And a recorded talk from Adam from Victorian Socialists about the equal pay campaign which took place across the country culminating in a victory in 2012. This campaign has some lessons for today's current fight within the community sector as the ASU and it's members again fight for their pay.

In this episode of stick together, new host Amy joins the team to interview Cecilia from Vahpa Pulse about the rank and file challenge to the merger of VAHPA with HACSU. Listen to learn about issues raised about the transparency and democracy of the VAHPA leadership. UPDATE! Since the recording off this episode the third petition to VAHPA leadership has ben apporved and an general meeting has been called to to discuss the merger.VAHPA members can attend the meeting on the 11th of Decemeber @ 11am Solidarity Hall at Trades Hall 54 Victoria Street , Carlton 3053.

Today's program looks at OH&S, work place safety, from a number of angles. Up close and personal, the broader lens of the class struggle and finally the importance of Unions in that struggle.

This week's episode of stick together brings you union news from across the country as well as an in-depth look at the social and community service sector. The ASU which covers workers in this field is fighting proposed changes to the pay structure for those on the SCHADS award. Host James Brennan speaks with the ASU's Phillipa Balk about these changes and the campaign to fight back.