Re: ...but I write this reeling

[hariette@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (hariette spierings)]

>Comrades
>
>I have just returned from the picket, rally and march and sit in that have
>followed the Oz uni lecturers strike here in Brisbane.  I do not know yet
>how big the protests were in Sydney and Melbourne.
>
>In Brisbane we got a crowd of about 3-4000.  Not bad but not fantastic.  The
>events were tightly controlled by the NTEU (Tertrary education sector union)
>They put much store on unity with the vice chancellors who are also opposing
>the planned govt cuts to higher education.  However my union missed the
>opportunity to make the links with the blue collar unions who are also  in
>struggle against this govt.  In fact the waterfront unions (longshoremen)
>offered to send members to help our picket line, but our chief union leader
>said "No thanks.  We do not need you."  So we lost a great opportunity to
>build the links between all those who must fight back against the Tories.
>
>Still there are signs of militancy.  The building workers marched in their
>thousands yesterday.  Next week the Public Service unions will demonstrate.
>But no one is building the unified struggle.
>
>There was a sit down and teach in of a kind after the main rally here in
>Brisabne.  All us old radicals wheeled ourselves out and we got to talk to
>about 300 of the most radical of the students. Ah age shall not wither it,
>nor the years condemn.
>
>I spoke for about 5 mins and denounced the evils of capitalism (for a
>change!).  Mind you I did not mention the word "crisis" once.  So this list
>has taught me something.
>
>Curiously the police stood back and watched but did not move in even though
>we were blocking a main city street.  Perhaps they are uncertain what to do
>at this stage.
>
>In any event we must try and build a mass movement that is out of the
>control of the union and Labor Party bureaucrats.
>
>Not easy!  But  there was a good feeling at the rally today.  After it was
>all  over we headed off to the pub. Hence the title of this post. (BTW can
>anyone spot the classical reference?)
>
>regards
>
>
>Gary
>


Hello Gary:

I think you deserve most sincere regards for your actions and those of your
comrades and also solidarity in your endeavours to develop your struggle
along class lines for a movement that in Mariategui's words works for unity
"to accomplish the common historical duties of developing class
consciousness and class sentiments, to sow and propagate class ideals and
ideas of renewal, to rescue the workers from false institutions that claim
to represent them; to fight repression and the corporative (fascist)
offensive, to defend the organisation, the press and the tribune of the
class"  "Historical duties that will merge and combine our roads in the
course of their accomplishment".

There is no doubt that when the class moves the bourgeois tremble! I wish I
could have been there too!


Adolfo



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