2006 must be the Year of building United Front against Howard
We enter 2006 with the worst industrial laws for over 100 years. The Howard Government's WorkChoices legislation stringently controls every aspect of union activity and creates many legal opportunities for employers to slash wages and conditions.
Howard's big business supporters have finally achieved the legislation of their dreams and 2006 will be littered with examples of exploitation.
As we enter 2006 we already know that the more the public learns of the harsh reality of this legislation, the more support there is to throw out this biased Government and its wretched legislation.
We know that there is a growing determination within the broad Austra-lian community to fight these repres-sive new industrial laws. An estimated 546,000 workers and supporters turned out to take part in the ACTU's National Day of Protest on 15 November to draw their line in the sand with the Howard Government. This was the largest in-dustrial protest in the history of Aus-tralia and those who attended the more than 300 rallies and meetings demon-strated that Australian workers would not be cowered by last minute employ-er threats to sue workers who exercised their democratic right to participate in the protest.
There are few unions throughout the world who have faced the intensity of attacks members of our unions have been subjected to. Our experience has taught us that we are at our strongest and most successful when we engage the community in our campaigns.
In 2005 the maritime, mining and energy unions supported and sponsored a broad campaign to inform the community of the Howard Government's vicious proposals. Under the banner of the ACTU, all unions have supported multi-million dollar advertising campaigns, which have proven extremely effective. In 2006 this will continue, as will an equally important campaign to galvanise union members for the tough times ahead.
Throughout 2006 maritime, mining and energy workers will be confronted with employer bargaining strategies seekingtomoveworkersontoindividual contracts and remove conditions. If there is a drop in economic activity, there is no doubt there will be a direct attack on our members wages.
2006 will be a year in which every member of the Union has to stand up and be counted. Every member of the Union has to remember that every single right, condition and benefit we have today is the sum total of more than 100 years of struggle by workers who preceded us in our industries. Everything we have today was fought for. Nothing was ever given freely by the bosses.
The MUA and the CFMEU Mining and Energy have been put to the test before in some of the most brutal battles of the 1990s. Everything that employers are entitled to legally pursue under Howard's new laws were pursued by the employers in Patrick's, Rio Tinto and the many other struggles we were involved in. The issues haven't changed, employer tactics have simply been made legal.
Our Union Executives are convinced that the discipline and pride shown by our members in the last decade well equips us to meet the challenges ahead.
Howard and his Government are desperately hoping that the unions campaign will run out of puff before the next federal election. That is not going to happen.
Throughout 2006 we must all work towards the development of a widespread mass movement against the Howard Government.
Workers rights will not be resurrected nor will conditions be restored, unless the Howard Government is thrown out in the 2007 election.
We have to help build a broad community United Front to make sure we achieve this.
Our unions are absolutely committed to weathering the storm in 2006 and putting the Howard Government to the sword in 2007.
CFMEU Mining & Energy National Executive
Tony Maher, Peter Murray, Reg Coates, Andrew Vickers, Wayne McAndrew and Ian Murray.
MUA National Executive
Paddy Crumlin, Jim Tannock, Mick Doleman, Rick Newlyn, Robert Coombs, James Boyle, Mick Carr and Mick Wickham.
 |
| Articles |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Rebuilding Australia after the boom |
|
|
|
|
 |
March 2009
The years of constant rapid growth in the mining industry have
finished. Significant job cuts are being announced. The world’s
financial system continues to be in turmoil - but it's not all doom and gloom, finds General President Tony Maher.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tony Maher on SkyTV's Eco Report |
|
|
|
|
|
9 February 2008
Tony Maher was interviewed on by Willessee on SkyTV's Eco Report regarding carbon capture and storage technologies and cleaning up the emissions of the coal industry.
|
|
|
|
|
|
UN Climate Conference, Bali |
|
|
|
|
|
14 December 2007
President Tony Maher had the honour of representing trade unions worldwide when he addressed the UN Climate Conference in Bali, Indonesia.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mythbusters in the Mining Industry |
|
|
|
|
|
19 July 2007
President Tony Maher's speech to a Recruitment and Retention in Mining Conference:
Mythbusters in the Mining Industry
Will Employee Rights see off the Mining Boom?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tony Maher videos on John Howard and climate change |
|
|
|
|
|
March 2007
The union has made use of the video-sharing website YouTube to present two short videos by Tony Maher, General President. The first recounts the long history of attacks on mineworkers by Prime Minister John Howard. The second is on the continuing role for coal in a world combating climate change.
|
|
|
|
WorkChoices & the future of unions |
|
|
|
|
|
20 November 2006
Speech by Tony Maher, General President, to the IQPC Industrial Relations Summit in Sydney.
"No doubt some will say that the next election will be a referendum on whether or not unions have a future. "
|
|
|
|
|
|
What is the future of work safety? |
|
|
|
|
|
20 October 2006
Tony Maher speaks to the IR Society of Victoria about the disaster at the Gretley Colliery nearly 10 years ago and considers the future of work safety.
|
|
|
|
John Maitland's retirement |
|
|
|
|
|
17 August 2006
With John Maitland’s retirement we pay tribute to the last of the original architects of the CFMEU.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Work Choices? What do I really think about it? |
|
|
|
|
|
Tony Maher, General President
Address to the NSW IR Society, 5 April 2006:
"I’d like to thank John Howard for Work choices. It has reminded people
in the labour movement why we were formed, what we stand for and why we
hate these Tory bastards so much." |
|
|
|
Book launch: Lockout |
|
|
|
|
|
12 April 2006
"Nothing reveals the huge imbalance in power between capital and labour as sharply as a lockout."
Launch of the book “Lockout” by Jim Comerford.
Speech to Northern District delegates and retired mineworkers, Cessnock, NSW
by Tony Maher, General President, CFMEU Mining & Energy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Howard’s grab for coal Long Service Leave is highway robbery |
|
|
|
|
|
Tony Maher, August 2005
For coal mineworkers in Queensland, NSW, WA and Tasmania, Long Service
Leave entitlements are covered by our federal Coal Mining Industry
Award. It has been so since coal miners broke through as the first blue
collar workers in 1949 to win this entitlement.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Union Gears Up For Long Term Campaign |
|
|
|
|
|
Tony Maher, June 2005
The union is preparing for a campaign lasting at least 6 years to fight
for workers rights and a system of fairness throughout the community.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
