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Action updates

ADELAIDE — Official unemployment in South Australia has now reached 12% — the highest in the country and the highest since the 1933 rate of 18%. More than 86,000 people are out of work, with the young hardest hit. Most other states recorded slightly lower unemployment in April, but SA lost an average of 150 jobs daily. While the Bannon Labor government admits that it must accept some responsibility for the downturn in SA industry, it has not introduced job creation schemes.

BRISBANE — The newly elected organiser and Brisbane secretary of the Transport Workers Union, Hughie Williams, addressed a Â鶹´«Ã½ Forum on the future of trade unionism on May 7. "Trade unions have serious problems. The number of people joining unions is declining", said Williams. "I can identify the ACTU as one of the problems. They don't ask us, they tell us what to do. But the other problem is that the rank and file are not active enough to change the unions."

• Protesters met the US nuclear-powered submarine USS Chicago in silent vigil when it arrived here on May 6 as part of the commemoration for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea. Greenpeace spokesperson Phyllis Campbell said, "We're trying to bring to people's attention that there might be a nuclear powered or armed submarine here."

• Agustin Lopez, a leader of the communications union of Cuba, and Manuel Montero, a member of the Cuban Workers Council, addressed a public meeting here on May 7 to explain the need for renewed international solidarity with Cuba in the face of increased US pressure against their country. Lopez and Montero also spoke to meetings of trade unionists, gave greetings to May Day functions at the Resistance Centre and the Celtic Club and spoke at a meeting of Latin American groups sponsored by the 500 Years Committee.

HOBART — More than 150 rallied to demand adequate funding of women's studies at the University of Tasmania on May 7. Enrolments for the subject have doubled each year since 1989, without a corresponding increase in funding. So far, the increased demand has been met only through voluntary extra teaching by lecturers and students. The rally also called for development of an undergraduate major and postgraduate program; at present women's studies are taught only as a second-year unit. Speakers included academics, students and opposition MHA Fran Bladel.

• Fantastic Sex Facts was well received at Elizabeth Matriculation College and St Mary's School on May 3-4 despite expressions of horror from city councillor Darlene Haigh and the presence of a police paddy wagon. Students signed a petition calling for the Tasmanian government to reverse its decision not to allow condom vending machines in Tasmania's senior secondary colleges (years 11 and 12). Resistance's stalls are a part of a national protest campaign against the withdrawal of federal funds for the Sex Fact's predecessor, the Fact and Fantasy File.

MELBOURNE — A total of 1622 copies of issue 53 of Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly were sold by members of the Melbourne branches of the Democratic Socialist Party and Resistance. This was the best street sales result yet for the paper in Melbourne, and congratulations are due to all who participated in the magnificent effort. Top seller was Jason, with 127 sales. This figure doesn't include the sales by other GLW supporters and organisations, sales in newsagents and shops, or subscriptions, so the number of readers of GLW in Melbourne has already climbed to a very impressive total in 15 months of publication.

PERTH — A spirited picket opposing sanctions against Libya was held outside the US consulate May 6. Protesters handed out hundreds of leaflets pointing out the lies and distortions in regard to the Lockerbie air disaster. Perth Democratic Socialist Party secretary Frank Noakes told protesters that Bush may try an attack on Libya in the wake of the US riots, in a bid to regain some of his lost credibility.

SYDNEY — About 250 red flags appeared throughout the business district on May 1, drawing attention to May Day. The display was organised by Resistance, which also produced several colourful posters highlighting relevant issues and organised a soup kitchen outside the Ultimo DSS office. About 1000 people participated in the Sydney march and rally this year.