CANBERRA — On May 10, 4000 primary, secondary and Canberra Institute of Technology teachers participated in a stop-work meeting followed by a rally outside the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The ACT branch of the Australian Education Union (AEU) argued that teachers in Canberra should receive the same pay as their New South Wales counterparts, rather than several thousand dollars less. This has been resisted by the territory ALP government.
The half-day strike was organised due to the lack of progress after 16 months of negotiating an industrial agreement. The government is offering teachers a 15.5-18.7% salary increase over three years. But this would leave ACT top-of-the-scale teachers at least 0.5% behind the equivalent NSW rate. A July 1 NSW salary increase will further increase the gap.
The mass meeting voted unanimously for a motion that includes rolling stoppages from May 26 to 28. Another mass meeting, strike and rally is scheduled for June 16.
A motion calling for teachers to strike indefinitely in a few weeks until the government concedes to the teachers' demands was lost.
AEU ACT branch secretary Clive Haggar told the rally that the union would not wear a drawn-out dispute such as that experienced during Kate Carnell's former Liberal government.
James Caulfield
Flotillas of Hope sets sail
On May 14, 150 people farewelled the Flotillas of Hope flagship Eureka from Sydney Harbour, as it embarked on a one-month voyage to highlight the suffering of the asylum seekers still imprisoned on Nauru.
The rally was addressed by the Eureka's four crew members, as well as federal Labor MP Tanya Plibersek, Greens Senator Kerry Nettle, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Refugee Action Coalition member Bruce Knobloch, Afghan refugee Riz Wakil and Lebanese Muslim Association director Keysar Trad.
The rally raised $1000 towards the cost of the voyage.
Flotillas of Hope organisers received a letter on May 7 from Nauru's secretary of justice, Denzil Seneviratne, which stated: "The entry into or presence in Nauru of a prohibited immigration is unlawful and is guilty of an offence and liable to a penalty of a fine not exceeding A$3000 or imprisonment for one year or both.
"It should be understood by anyone who seeks to visit Nauru that they will not only break the law but face considerable danger. Nauru is a remote and isolated island. It is surrounded by dangerous reef and shark-infested waters. There are no search and rescue facilities on the island of Nauru and medical facilities are limited."
On May 11, the governments of Nauru and Australia signed an agreement under which Australian Federal Police will be sent to the island — in advance of the Flotillas of Hope's arrival — to help with "law and order".
Organisers of the Flotillas project have since been told their boats will be impounded if they try to reach Nauru.
Sarah Stephen From Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly, May 19, 2004.
& Michelle Brear
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