Red Report Back - Week Ending 19/06/2022
Bussies Down Wheels at Keolis Downer
Members of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) went on strike last week in Newcastle over a dispute regarding low pay for bus drivers in the region. Workers at the privatised operator Keolis Downer initiated the 24-hour action to push management to accept the demands of workers as wages decline in the face of runaway inflation.
The RTBU is pursuing a 7 per cent pay increase over two years for bus drivers, something the union sees as more than reasonable considering the increased pressure on stagnating wages in the workforce. President of the Tram and Bus Division for RTBU NSW Daniel Jaggers called out management for passing on the blame to the NSW government and its contractual limitations, saying the issue can be addressed regardless.
“We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, if Keolis Downer says it can only pay what the government provides then Minister David Elliott needs to readjust the government contracts with private operators and stop punishing drivers for their [NSW Government’s] privatisation bungle,” Daniel Jaggers said.
The privatisation of assets such as public transport in Australia continues to bring issues for everyone except the bosses and the government. As services are cut, working class people who rely on public transport suffer the most. As conditions and wages decline with the privatisation and casualization of the workforce, it is the workers that run these vital services that suffer twofold. Public services should be in public hands, run for the wellbeing of the public. Not in the hands of greedy CEO’s that care only about maximising profits. Union strong!
Assange to be Extradited
The US has finally won victory in its relentless campaign to punish an individual for daring to blow the whistle on imperialist war crimes. After a 10 year effort, the United States finally received approval from the United Kingdom to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
More than a decade ago, Assange was a key part in releasing nearly 500,000 documents that catalogued the war crimes of global capitalism in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. As such, he has been a prime target for the warmongering vultures of international capital.
In 2020, a judge ruled that extraditing Assange to the US would be “oppressive” due to the risk posed to his frail mental health. However, that decision was overturned after the US appealed in exchange for a handful of non-binding ‘assurances’.
The saga of Assange shows the lengths that the capitalist powers will go to against those who shatter the illusion they have built with their money, arms and propaganda. Julian Assange burst their bubble by showing the world their actions. His pursuit shows not just the thuggery of these powers, but the fear and fragility that permeates their entire existence. Their lies can only go so far. #FreeJulianAssange
Fascists Conduct Pre-Emptive Raid on Climate Activists
Australia’s fascist police state took the chance to flex its authoritarian muscles in the north-west of Sydney last week. In the build-up to their planned actions in June, climate activist group Blockade Australia were staying at a site near farmland in Colo, where police had kept them under covert surveillance.
Unfortunately for the coppers, they were easily spotted by the activists, who were not easily fooled by a posse of white guy with three-quarter shorts, shit tattoos and sunglasses hanging around train station gates Members of Blockade then allegedly ‘ambushed’ the officers they stumbled across by letting the air out of their tires, an incident that police representatives said made officers ‘fear for their lives’.
Their cover blown, NSW Police decided to act. Early on the 20th of June, 100 police officers, including armed squads in camouflage, a helicopter and multiple police dogs descended on the 30 activists. Seven members of the group have been charged with offences, including assaulting or hindering police and property damage offences.
Many have criticised the pre-emptive raid for the concerning overreach of police powers and overuse of resources against a group of non-violent activists that have yet to commit a crime. If only the police employed the same zeal against those who murder unarmed indigenous children in the middle of the night. That would be easy; they’d just have to handcuff themselves.
This raid is a concerning development in the creep towards full blown fascist authoritarianism in this country. If a group of non-violent climate activists that block bridges for a few hours at a time are subject to the state changing laws to criminalise protests as well as throwing its full weight behind armed action against them, it sets a chilling precedent for what happens to those who dissent. The Australian government is slowly casting aside the illusion of a democratic society. It’s time to organise and fight back.
Karrinjarla Muwajarri - National Day of Action
On Saturday the 18th of June, events were held all over Australia in response to calls from the Yuendumu community following the acquittal of Zachary Rolfe for this 2019 murder of Kumanjayi Walker. All across Australia, people marched to call on the government to acknowledge and enact the demands of the Yuendumu community.
The full list of demands, available here, call for sweeping overhauls and reforms to immediately address the entrenched racism and injustices in the Northern Territory legal system. The campaign by the Yuendumu community and Warlpiri Elders for justice has received widespread endorsement and engagement, something the community hopes will be sustained as the coronial inquest into the death draws closer in early September.
While the ACP recognises the limitations of reforms in addressing the underlying issues of institutionalised racism in Australia, we also recognise that some benefits can be won to improve the material conditions of the working class. We must work to prevent every black death in custody by all the different means available to us. We must hold politicians, cops and other representatives of the state accountable, and highlight their flaws and limitations at every opportunity we are able to.
We must break down the veneer of validity that the state has built for itself and its agents. These people are not some all-powerful, all-knowing gods. They are just cowards and thugs working together to protect their own interests. It is only through solidarity that we can fight back. #justiceforwalker
Renters Stand Up Against Eviction
Last week, the South East Queensland Union of Renters found itself facing off against the thugs of the Queensland Government. With the help of the Queensland Police Force, they attempted to evict a member of the union who is a disability pensioner living in public housing.
In compensation for being kicked out of his home, the tenant was offered three months of temporary accommodation in a hotel where he would be subject to twice-weekly inspections, unable to cook and be required to have weekly meetings with management. On top of these onerous restrictions, he also had to pay 50% more rent that before!
As a result of these shameful actions, members and supporters of SEQUR held solidarity pickets to prevent the state’s eviction attempts. A large crowd of supporters, combined with a Supreme Court injunction delaying police action to 3pm on Monday 20th, successfully stopped an attempted eviction by police. Once again, supporters of the working class rallied to block police action from evicting David, meaning that the police will now have to get a new warrant of eviction.
This whole saga perfectly highlights the shameful state of housing in Australia. State and business interests are working together to reap maximum profit from the property market, while public housing for workers is destroyed and the most vulnerable in our society are thrown onto the streets. Nevertheless, the actions of SEQUR, and the broader public support they have received, has highlighted that when workers organise, they can fight back against the unjust repression of the capitalist system. Solidarity with our comrades at SEQUR. Touch one, touch all.