Jenny Long, Sydney
At a September 2 meeting to set up a campaign to free jailed Victorian union militant Craig Johnston, around 25 activists made plans for a protest against the Victorian government, which successfully pushed for Johnston's suspended sentence to be overturned in favour of a jail term.
National Tertiary Education Union activist Susan Price, also the candidate for the Socialist Alliance in the seat of Sydney, told Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly that the campaign would aim to persuade trade unionists to take a stand against the jailing. She condemned the increasing criminalisation of union activities under the Coalition government.
The campaign has made its first priority the production of a fact sheet on Johnston, as his case is far less well known in NSW than Victoria, to be accompanied by a poster and petition campaign outside a range of worksites and in social movements. This will be followed by a protest planned for September 24, and a public meeting. The group will next meet on Thursday September 9, 6.30pm, at the Gaelic Club in Devonshire Street, Surry Hills.
From Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly, September 8, 2004.
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