John Passant

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Miniposts

The Greens: Opportunities for the Left?
The swing of 3.7 % to the Greens gives them almost 12% nationally. It offers the left an opportunity to argue our case with those who will become disillusioned with the Greens and their incapacity to fundamentally change anything. They support the profit system which is the root cause of our problems – climate change, war, poverty. They are unwilling to mobilise mass support in the streets for climate change, refugees, jobs. I hope I am wrong. However I made the same point about Obama before he was elected. I was right. (0)

Some questions for Abbott and Gillard
And when the boats keep coming (a good thing), and interest rates go up, and unemployment skyrockets, and GDP falls, and climate change wreaks more and more havoc on our planet, and the Taliban win in Afghanistan, what then? A retreat further into reaction and the politics of fear and attacking the victims even more? (2)

There is no red ink
‘In an old joke from the defunct German Democratic Republic, an engineer gets a job in Siberia. Aware of how all mail will be read by censors, he establishes a code with his friends: “If a letter is written in blue ink, it is true; in red ink, false.” ‘His first letter, written in blue ink, began: “Everything is wonderful: stores full, food abundant, apartments large and heated, movie theatres show films from the West – the only thing unavailable is red ink.” ‘ Zizek: The colour of truth. (0)

Tax the mining companies to keep interest rates down

One of the best ways to keep interest rates down would be to properly tax resource rents. Thanks for the forthcoming interest rate rises Julia and Tony and Markus, Tom, Twiggy and Clive.
(0)

What will socialism be like?
 There is a beauty in not having to rush to work but rather enjoy the morning at human pace, not capitalism’s pace. Holidays are what socialism will be like, I imagine. Minus all the democracy. (0)

Greece: what is happening?
Under threat of civil conscription Greek truck workers voted narrowly to return to work. Rhys Williams gives his thoughts.  

I don’t think this outcome actually constitutes a defeat. The level of struggle in Greece is increasing every day and the drivers’ vote to return to work was only taken due to the fact that the drivers feared that a continued strike would result in the Government’s civil conscription of drivers and use of the Armed Forces. Reports from the drivers seem to suggest that they are still incredibly militant and ready to strike again if needed. The drivers stopped their strike not out of defeat but because of tactical considerations. Other strikes are coming up in the next few weeks and I hear another general strike is planned. Workers in Macedonia , Slovakia, and elsewhere across the Balkans are also beginning to strike in solidarity with Greece and due to their own austerity measures . Interesting things are also developing in Spain, France, Britain and Germany. The fight back across Europe is entering a new phase. It is not, however, slowing down.
(0)

Unscripted?
So Julia Gillard is going to tear up the script and be herself. I can’t help but think this is a scripted campaign to be unscripted, probably the result of focus group analysis. (0)

Blood on Gates' hands
A headline from today’s Australian: ‘Wikileaks may have blood on its hands already, says Gates.’ What, unlike Gates and Obama? (1)

Election 2010: There is no choice - build a socialist alternative
I will be talking about the elections at the University of Canberra on Wednesday 18 August at 1 pm in 22 B 25 (ie room 25 on level B of Building 22 above the retro cafe). Election 2010: There is no choice – build a socialist alternative. (4)

Gillard's gender pay gap
Evidently Julia Gillard has the interests of working people and retirees at heart.  So I ask her to explain her role as Employment and Workplace Relations Minister and Deputy Prime Minister for almost 3 years in addressing the gender pay gap? Under Labor it actually increased to 18.2%. So apart from platitudes, what will Prime Minister Gillard offer to redress the imbalance and cut the gender pay gap to zero by 2013 if she is re-elected? Or could it be that such a policy would be too costly for her key supporters – business? So she will talk about equal pay for equal work but do nothing.  Add equal pay to the mining tax, climate change. WorkChoices Lite, the Australian Building and Construction Commission and many other examples of Gillard and Labor not being prepared to upset their real masters – the rich and powerful. (0)

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ACT Government workers – strikes can win

Posted by John, February 7th, 2010 - under ACT politics, CPSU, Community and Public Sector Union, Strikes.

Here in the Australian Capital Territory the local Stanhope Labor Government has offered a pay increase of 1.5 percent, which in effect a wage cut of 2 percent. [Kim Sattler from Unions ACT has pointed out the offer is now 2% in the first year and 2.5% in out years and that all 8 unions have rejected it. I have adjusted the figures accordingly and re-sent the updated letter below.]

The union has responded, not with talk about industrial action, but claims for free public transport. This is window dressing and the union leadership’s attempt to avoid at all costs any strikes against ‘their’ Labor Government.

Here is a copy of a letter I sent to the Canberra Times on the issue.
___________________________________________________________

The Community and Public Sector Union rightly thinks the ACT Government’s 2 percent pay offer is poor.  (Canberra Times Friday 5 February).

Core inflation is about 3.5 percent so the offer from the Stanhope Labor Government is in fact a real wage cut of 1.5 percent.

The CPSU is affiliated to the Labor Party (with its leader Stephen Jones soon very likely to move into the safe Labor seat of Throsby). 

The CPSU leadership argued for affiliation on the pretext of being able to influence the Labor Party in Government to treat its employees fairly.  With the ACT Labor Government offering a real wage cut of 1.5 percent, plus an ‘efficiency’ dividend of up to 1 percent, that strategy is clearly in tatters.

Affiliation was really more about creating career pathways for the CPSU bureaucrats.

I have a novel suggestion for the CPSU leadership.  Fight this Labor Party Government, not capitulate to it.

Strike for a real wage increase. 

Unlike sucking up to Labor, strikes can win. Maritime Union members at Total Marine Services struck recently and won 30 percent pay increases. That will flow through to other workers in the industry.

The CPSU leadership strategy of doing nothing means Labor wins but members lose. 

I have a question for the CPSU paid leadership. Which side are you on  – the Labor Party’s or your members’?

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