Fwd (GLW): Articles about Victorian unions

[Alan Bradley <abradley1@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

>From Green Left Weekly, July 24, 2002.

Doug Camer0n's intimidation steps up
BY SUE BOLTON
The Federal Court will decide on July 22 or 23 whether to overturn the
suspension of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union's Victorian
secretary Craig Johnston. Johnston was stood down by the AMWU national
office on July 12, against the wishes of the state branch.

Johnston was quoted in the July 10 Australian Financial Review on as saying:
"I am of the firm belief that this whole episode is part of a political
campaign to get rid of [me]." Johnston will be banned from attending the
week-long AMWU national conference which begins on July 21.

He has been accused by the national office of "gross misconduct": but the
alleged "victim" of such behaviour has signed a statutory declaration
distancing herself from the charge and asserting that national officials
have attempted to pressure her to support it.

< The remainder of the article can be found at the Green Left Weekly website
 http://www.greenleft.org.au/current/501p4.htm >

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AMWU members defend union democracy
BY BEN COURTICE

MELBOURNE - "Why is the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union national
office attacking the Victorian branch?", AMWU state secretary Craig Johnston
asked a stop-work rally on July 17. Addressing around 5000 of his union's
members, Johnston answered his own question: "Because the national office
wants to take over [the 2003 round of enterprise bargaining] and do a deal
with the boss to sell you all down the river".

The AMWU national office forced Johnston to stand aside from his elected
union position in mid-July, after he was accused of alleged "gross
misconduct" towards a young female union employee. The alleged victim signed
a statutory declaration on July 16 explaining that she had been pressured by
the national officials to support the accusation. The declaration stated
that it is her "firm and clear belief" that the allegations are part of a
political campaign to remove Johnston.

< The remainder of the article can be found at the Green Left Weekly website
 http://www.greenleft.org.au/current/501p5.htm >






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