Friday, 10 December, 6.30 pm
LAUNCH AND PUBLIC FORUM
Introduction and launch: Brian Boyd (Secretary, VTHC), Dave Kerin (Co founder, Workers Solidarity)
Chair: Shirley Winton (Spirit of Eureka)
Reviving the union movement under the Gillard government
Dean Mighell - Victorian State Secretary, Electrical Trades Union
Joan Doyle - Victorian State Secretary, Communications Division, Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union
Adam Bandt - Greens MHR for Melbourne
Susan Price - NSW Vice President, National Tertiary Education Union
Peter Simpson - Queensland State Secretary, Electrical Trades Union
Saturday, 11 December
9.30-10 am Registration
10-11.30 Unions and the climate emergency
NOTE: members of collectives addressing topics for discussion in italic. One collective member will lead discussion on each topic. General discussion follows.
Facilitator: Jody Betzien - Industrial Officer, Victorian Branch, AMWU
Topics for discussion:
- Jobs and environment (breaking down union suspicion of environmentalism) - Sam Wainwright, Colleen Gibbs, Ben Courtice, Bronwyn Halfpenny
- How to create climate jobs - Dean Mighell, Matthew Wright, Joe Montero, Arthur Rorris
- Building links with the grassroots climate movement - Cam Walker, Luke van der Muelen, Mark Wakeham
- The role of social/cooperative production - Dave Kerin, T. M. B. Krishnan, Colin Long
12.00-1.30 Workshops
- Lessons of victories and defeats in fighting anti-union laws - Humphrey McQueen, Shirley Winton, Dave Kerin, Leigh Hubbard
- Fighting privatisation, building a public sector for sustainability - Peter Simpson, Dick Nichols, Luke van der Muelen
- Unions and the environment - the Green Bans - Jack Mundey, Verity Burgmann, Davey Thomason
- Winning left leadership in the unions - Craig Johnston, Chris Cain, Joan Doyle
- Organising among non-unionised workers - Anthony Main, Mel Gregson, Liz Turner
- Unions, socialists and local government - Steve Jolly, Sam Wainwright
2.30-4.00 How to build the fightback?
Facilitator: Tim Gooden - Secretary, Geelong Trades Hall Council
Topics for discussion:
- Tackling the ABCC - Industrial and Civil Liberties - Troy Gray, Shaun Reardon, Tony Mavromatis, James Brennan
- Lessons of Union Solidarity and Community Solidarity - Liz Turner, Emma Kerin
- Successful campaigns to strengthen unions - Chris Cain, Chris Spindler, Victor Jose
- Organising in the service sector - Margaret Gleeson, Lita Gillies, Richard Duffy
- Tackling the union movement’s link with the ALP - Dean Mighell, Kevin Bracken, Rob Durbridge, Andrew Irving
- Building alliances with other movements - Ian Bray, Leigh Hubbard, Sam Watson
4.30-6.00 Final Plenary
Facilitators: Sue Bull (OHS Trainer, Victorian CFMEU); Rob Durbridge (President, Search Foundation)
Adoption of proposals
