Stick Together

Today's program catches up with the senate inquiry into the exploitation of workers in Australia on work visas. The inquiry has been travelling the continent collecting information about the 7/11 wages scandal and finding that when you lift a rock you never know what other unsavoury things you will find. But first the history making agreement in Port Kembla between Bluescope and steel workers

Hundreds of thousands were inspired by Jeremy Corbyn's socialist insurgency in UK Labor. Yet more are excited by Bernie Sanders' call for a "political revolution against the Billionaire Class" in his socialist campaign for USA President. Revolutionary socialist Kshama Sawant scored a historic victory for working people by being re-elected to Seattle City Council. What about Australia? How do we begin rebuilding working class politics here? Crucially, what do young people think about politics today?

Several weeks ago, The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) and the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) began talks about a possible merger in order to create a militant mega union. Shortly afterwards, the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union (TCFUA)  also began to be involved in the talks. Are we on the verge of seeing the rise of the One Big Union in Australia? Joining us for the show will be Dave Kerin, the project-officer of EarthWorker Cooperative and a former activist with the Builders Labourers' Federation and the CFMEU, and Liz Ross, a long-time union activist, labor historian and the author of "Dare To Struggle, Dare To Win".

Chafta has made its way through Parliament and is on its way to the Senate. The ETU are still fighting for workers jobs and public safety. Kahlani Pyrah who fought the bosses at Grill'd with her fellow workers and won talks at SALT conference; Tim Gooden tells all about the Geelong Major and that sexist T-shirt.

A jam-packed episode full of stories of workers' struggle, unity and fight for social justice. We will cover the National Union of Workers' Fluro Fightback, featuring Van Badham, Father Bob McGuire and Gary Maas. We will interview SDA activist Duncan Hart about his latest appeal to the Fair Work Commission in protest to the deal between the union and Coles management to cut penalty rates. We will also talk to a member of the MLDC 3 about the wildcat strike at the WoolWorths distribution center back in August. We will finish off with an update from the National Tertiary Education Union Victorian State Secretary, Colin Long, about a series of victories they've had in the last few weeks!

Mega resources corporation Glencore is sacking workers and reducing production at its zinc mine at the McArthur River in the Gulf of Carpentaria and leaving an environmental mess. Is this the future for Australian mining? Unions came out to support Refugees on Sunday Oct 11 and Tim Gooden from the Geelong Trades Hall talks about how he helped secure economic security for a young Tamil Refugee's family after he did not survive the trauma of Immigration Department moves to return him to Sri Lanka.

7-eleven wages scandal; Tram & Train strikes diverted when Yarra Trams & Metro negotiate; Vocational teachers to strike at RMIT over insulting offer in wages increase and reduced conditions.

We will be covering the latest stories of workers' struggles from around Australia and the world. We'll highlight the recent action by United Voice Victoria to defend penalty rates. Also joining us for the show will be Craig Kelly, the Assistant Secretary of AMWU  Victoria Branch, to discuss the latest protest against Transfield and a broader campaign for refugee rights within the union movement.

Comments on Malclom Turnbull as new PM and the affect on IR policy by Ged Kearney; Build a Better Future door knocking campaign; Hands off Australia Post protest 12 Sept; CPSU strike at international airports for resolution of pay and conditions dispute.

Together with Godfrey Moase, the Assistant General Secretary of the National Union of Workers, we will be discussing the aftermath of Tony Abbot's demise and the way forward for the union movement now. We will also bring updates regarding the RTBU Victoria's fight for fair wages and conditions.Finally,we will explore the revelations of the exploitation of 7/11 workers and the union strategies required for fighting back against it. Anthony Main, the General Secretary of Unite will be joining us for that.