Stick Together

This week we interview Linda and Austin from the ASU about the situation for laid off workers at the Geelong Regional Library. You can support laid off casuals at the Geelong Library by contributing to their Go Fund Me campaign here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-outofwork-geelong-regional-library-staffLater we have a chat with RAFFWU secretary Josh Cullinan about changes to the Fast Food Ind...

Tim Sullivan talks about the launching of the new library at Bendigo Trades Hall and Tilde Joy interviews JB Hifi workers and RAFFWU members about their fight to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

We follow a tribute to Jack Mundey with a win for part time workers at McDonalds and a feature on the #NoConcessionsNTEU campaign against proposals by the NTEU national executive negotiated behind closed doors with Universties Australia and the Federal Government beginning in March with the onset of the covid-19 virus. The National Framework the NTEU national executive wants to take to the members...

May 1st was May Day and workers all over the world stood in solidarity with each other. We hear what people have been up to in Melbourne and some very inspirational words from local workers. 

Tuesday 28 April is International Workers Memorial Day. Last year outside Victoria Trades Hall I found myself quite overcome by the sadness and individual horror of the death of our working comrades who never returned home from work some fateful day. This year with Covid-19 severely restricting large gatherings of people the memorial went online. These memorials were held all over the country and...

We follow up disputes on the wharves, how migrant workers are faring and how RAFFWU workers are demanding a safe work place at JB Hi Fi

Last week we heard from the voices of workers and refugees trying to keep their head above water during the covid-19 pandemic. Over the past week the Federal Government has put to parliament the $130 billion package of public funds to keep 6 million people technically at work during the pandemic. There are lots of things going on in regards this wage subsidy and workers rights which may make sense...

Loads of news about how workers all over the country are standing up for their rights at work and an unemployment crisis. Peter Arndt talks about the work of the Queensland Community Alliance on the ongoing wage subsidy campaign. Marcus Banks talks about the group Unionists for Refugees and what they are doing to support refugees and asylum seekers, particularly during this uncertain time.

The ACTU is calling for a two week payment for all workers, what ever their status, if they are unable to go to work during the Covid-19 virus. What about the issues of climate & inequality. Can we afford to have the covid-19 virus be used to worsen these growing emergencies?

Australia is in lock down, Deserted streets, empty supermarket shelves, stage & picture theatres shut down, concert & festivals cancelled, galleries and libraries closed. Workers are facing the prospect of self isolation for up to fourteen days to contain the spread of the Covid – 19 virus. At the front line the causualised workforce made desperate by low wages, no conditions and the prospect of h...

This has been an important week for workers internationally and locally. In Victoria and Tasmania we celebrate the first eight hour day victory as our Labour Day on Monday March 9th. This was a world first and as legend has it stone masons working on Melbourne University in 1856 downed tools and walked from from work site to the next advocating and gaining support for the idea of eight hours work...

Leading up to the recent fires there was an acrimonious fight going on in Victoria around the role of professional fire fighters and the volunteer status of the CFA. It would be fair to say that the Liberals characterised the campaign to extend the coverage of the United Fire Fighters Union members – the professional fighter fighters – as an attack on volunteerism. We hear from Peter Marshall the...

The Ensuring Integrity Bill aiming to put Unions on the chopping block and the universal introduction of the cashless welfare card including for old age pensioners. 

The Federal Government defunding Aboriginal Organisations while giving WesFarmers $15.6 million for an employment scheme they probably should be doing anyway. Is this a legitimate use of the funds in the Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS)?

Today we go to the murky machinations of the Federal Governments move to privatise our Visa system and hear from Grill’d workers standing up against the use of trainee-ships to screw young workers out of an honest days pay for an honest day’s work.

In a battle for community versus corporate profit Tram drivers in Melbourne say no to part time contracts. Yarra Trams and the workers are in a battle over such part time contracts that the workers see as the demise of their job security and the very culture of service and safety that under pins public transport. Yarra Tram sees profits.

The CEO of Siemens Australia talks about smart cities and what the '4th industrial' is about.

Dave Kerin talks about his work in building the local co-operative model of business for a better future. Peter from Red Gum Cleaning Co-operative talks about his lived experience within a workers' cooperative

This program looks at regional jobs.  Jobs that pay properly with conditions and Sound like a pipe dream? Actually it is serious business and there has been a Senate inquiry into the issue especially for the folk who live outside the cities. I spoke with Emma Dawson, Chief Executive Officer of Per Capita a Labor think tank who gave a presentation to the Senate Select Committee Inquiry into Jobs fo...

The fires across NSW were predicted by scientists and fire fighters. We speak to Leighton Drury secretary of the NSW Fire Brigade Employees Union who calls again for planning and funding for the present and future fire danger. Arthur Rorris secretary of the South Coast Council describes how the workers are footing the bill for this fire devastation. The load needs to be shared and planning needs t...

Eureka Rebellion was a formative working class battle against unfair legislation and moneyed interests and the State control of working people and their dreams. We bring you the Eureka story as celebrated on this its 165th Anniversary.

Hero or criminal? The Julian Assange case has become a clear case of press freedom as he waits in the Belmarsh jail in England detained while the Americans to apply for his extradition for espionage. Where does Australia sit? Where does press freedom stand? If you wish to write to Julian Assange in his darkest hour the following address will get the message through:Mr Julian AssangePrisoner #:A937...

Today we bring an extended interview with Lyndsey Jackson director of the campaign Not My Debt following the landmark challenge and win by Deanna Amato with assistance from Victorian Legal Aid against the Federal Government’s automated debt collection system fondly called Robodebt.

Today we talk to Melissa Donnelly from the CPSU the Community and Public Sector Union about the shock announcement by the Federal Liberal National Party Government to cut the number of Federal Departments from 18 to 14.

This week new laws passed the Victorian parliament making industrial manslaughter a crime. We speak with the head of the VTHC's OHS unit about the new laws - what do they mean for bosses and workers, how could they save lives and how do they compare with laws in other states. We also explore the OHS concerns and hazards confronting workers, volunteers and members of the public due to the ever grow...