Action updates
Tax Pickets
Community and Public Sector Union members in the Tax Office have completed a second round of part-day stoppages in protest at management's plans for compulsory redundancies.
The strikes occurred between September 23 and 25, with different states striking on different days. Pickets were held at each office in the morning, the strikers returning to work at noon.
Woodchipping protest
MANJIMUP — A protest was held in the southern WA town of Manjimup on September 25, demonstrating public outrage over the recent announcement that CALM (the state department of Conservation and Land Management) and Bunnings are negotiating a new five-year woodchipping supply contract.
The WA Forest Alliance, the Wilderness Society, and the Conservation Council are holding a meeting at the Perth Town Hall October 2 at 7.30 to help direct public attention and outrage to constructive action. It will include guest speakers, slides and information.
Student underground
PERTH — There was something different on WA high schools this week besides the usual exams and end-of-term panic, as Student Underground's first Perth edition for 1997 was released.
Student Underground is intended to be a voice for high school students interested in fighting for social change; it contains details of the major actions and events coming up. Resistance members distributed copies on several high schools last week and received a good response.
One irate principal made threats about the "illegality" of distributing information to students. Despite this, future issues are planned.
PSA staff strike
ADELAIDE — Industrial staff employed by the Public Service Association walked off the job for the rest of the week at lunchtime on September 25. They were protesting against the dismissal of a fellow industrial officer.
The PSA charged the industrial officer with gross misconduct, but the staff argue that a fair and just process has not been followed and that some political assumptions are being made about the officer. The staff have demanded reinstatement of the officer, and are concerned that the use of inappropriate grounds against one industrial officer could set a precedent for others.
Art school sit-in
HOBART — Around 100 students held a sit-in for two hours at the University of Tasmania School of Art on September 24 to protest against the closure of the school's paper mill.
The mill, which has been operating for 16 years, is the largest and best-equipped facility for paper-making in any Australian university. In February it was temporarily closed for health and safety reasons, and it is now threatened with permanent closure due to federal funding cuts.
Students barricaded the administration building with screwed-up newspaper to illustrate that without the mill they were unable to recycle paper. They also signed a large postcard to be sent to federal education minister Amanda Vanstone. The September 25 Hobart Mercury quoted School of Art head Lorraine Jenny supporting the students.