SP Newsletter No.170
Protesters were lucky to escape with their lives this morning as two trucks driven by an aggressive employer rammed a community protest in the Melbourne suburb of Kilsyth. In full view of the police, a senior manger of the Elliott Group drove a semi trailer through the crowd.

The semi trailer side swiped a police car causing minor damage. But four protesters were left clinging to the front of the truck fearing for their life. Unable to either move out of the way, or get off the truck, they were forced to hold on whilst the driver took off reaching speeds of up to 60 km per hour. The frightening ride was only stopped by pursuing cars that stopped the truck over 2 km away.

Whilst driving through the crowd the boss had also opened his door and kicked at least two protesters from the cabin. The demonstrators has discussed with the police when they arrived at the Kilsyth plant and told them that they wanted to protest peacefully and hand workers and truck drivers leaflets as they came in and out. The police had agreed to this saying that it was a democratic right to protest.

After the incident one police officer told protesters that the driver was a “dangerous fruit cake”. Other police officers told protesters that they would be charging him with at least assault and leaving the scene of an accident. They were also considering the more serious charges of dangerous driving and using a vehicle as a weapon.

The protesters we demonstrating against the Elliot Group, who owe workers thousands of dollars in lost entitlements. The company has refused to pay 48 maintenance workers in the Latrobe Valley who have been locked out and sacked by Elliot Engineering (trading as MEC).

The lock out began in September last year and has now been going 33 weeks. It was triggered after unions took protected industrial action against the company during a dispute over a new enterprise bargaining agreement. MEC was placed into administration and the employees who refused to return to work under Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) were later sacked. Under the ‘Work Choices’ legislation, because there was a transmission of business, MEC does not legally have to pay out what was accrued by the previous owner.

One of the former employees, John Scholtes, said outside a recent court case that “the workers would continue their protest at the gates of MEC until they received their full entitlements. We are still here protesting until we get what’s owed to us.”

Join the Socialist Party

If you agree with what you have read in our newsletter or on our website you should consider joining SP. The Socialist Party has branches in Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle and Perth as well as members and supporters in all other states. We are involved in trade union work and student work. We also run community, anti-war and environmental campaigns. But most of all we want to build a party that will fight to overthrow the capitalist system. We fight for socialism - a system that will bring an end to wars, poverty and environmental destruction. For more information about joining in your area contact the SP National Office. 0396399111

SP subscriber List

Become a supporter of SP today! Join our subscribers list - only $20 per year or $10 concession. You will receive our newspaper ‘The Socialist’, delivered to your door every month, and our email newsletter every week. You will also know that you are supporting a party that is at the fore of the fight back against Howard and against capitalism. Contact the SP National Office now on 0396399111 to join the list.

The Socialist

Issue 33 of SP’s monthly newspaper ‘The Socialist’ is out now! Readers can pick up a copy at our regular street stalls, from our National Office or by joining the SP subscriber’s list. This month’s paper features articles on APEC, nuclear power, Rudd vs Cameron, Melbourne University, Onesteel, Venezuela, a report from our councillor in Yarra, and a centre page spread on the public housing.

SP now on My Space!

My Space is an online forum for networking. You can use it to chat, share photos, videos and journals. SP is using it to promote our party and meet people interested in socialist politics. Check out our site here

Regional Activity

Victoria

The SP Melbourne Branch meets every Wednesday 7pm at Trades Hall in Carlton South. 1st Floor Corner of Lygon & Victoria Streets. This week the Melbourne branch will be discussing the events of France 1968 and the 10 million strong general strike. All welcome.

May Day drinks in Melbourne

Friends and supporters of SP are invited to May Day drinks with the Socialist Party at the Napier Hotel in Fitzroy. (210 Napier St, corner of Moor St) Saturday 5th May from 7.30pm (the following day come march with us on the annual May Day March, 1pm from Trades Hall). There will be a $100 cash prize raffle as well as bottles of wine to be won. The raffle will be drawn on the night. If you cant make it contact the office to get your tickets for only $5 each.

New South Wales

To find out more info or to join SP in Sydney contact Gary - 02 9728 7727

To find out more info or to join SP in Newcastle contact Samantha - 02 4968 1545

Western Australia

To find out more info or to join SP in Perth contact John on – 08 9402 0728

Please note childcare is available at all SP meetings but only by prior arrangement please call ahead first.

News links just a click away –

Portugal: Liberty-day leads to police repression against anti-fascists
By Jonas Van Vossole, Alternativa Socialista, CWI Portugal, Lisbon
Click here

Ireland: Socialist Party takes on the political establishment
By Stephen Boyd, Socialist Party, Dublin
Click here

Pakistan: Musharraf hangs on while poverty and oppression multiplies
By Tony Saunois, CWI Secretary, London
Click here

Get Active - Join the fight back, Get Militant - Join the Socialist Party
The Socialist Party is the Australian section of the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI).
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This entry was posted on Friday, May 4th, 2007 at 3:31 pm and is filed under Australian news and analysis, Socialist Party news. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.