[Muanet] Media coverage of WA 107 solidarity actions

[Chris Latham]

Dear members,

 

Below is some of the national news coverage of the protests in
solidarity with the 107 construction workers on the Perth-Mandurah rail
line who had their first day in court yesterday.

 

Chris

 

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http://au.news.yahoo.com//060829/21/10bq2.html
<http://au.news.yahoo.com/060829/21/10bq2.html> 
Tuesday August 29, 05:03 PM 

Union warns of long fight for rail project workers

The Western Australian branch of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and
Energy Union (CFMEU) has warned rail workers at the centre of a Federal
Court wrangle, the case is likely to drag on for months.

One hundred and seven workers from WA's southern rail project went on
strike earlier this year to protest against the sacking of their union
representative.

The workers now face charges for breaching a strike ban imposed by the
Industrial Relations Commission.

About 60 of the 107 workers appeared in the Federal Court this morning. 

They are the first to be tried under the Commonwealth's workplace laws.

Their cases have been adjourned until October.

CFMEU state secretary Kevin Reynolds says the union will fight the
charges to the next federal election. 

"Howard becomes a dictator, he gets control of both houses of Parliament
and decides as a dictator that workers are not any longer going to have
the right to strike and these guys aren't going to tolerate it without
challenging that," he said.

If the workers are found guilty, they could be fined up to $28,000. Mr
Reynolds says the union has set up a fighting fund to help them.

"With the support of the Australian trade union movement we'll raise
enough money right around Australia to pay it," he said.

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Workers hurl abuse in court

By Adam Gartrell
29aug06

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