Unions and Labour organising in Asia - audio interview

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Interview with Greg of the Australia Asia Worker Links group that highlights ongoing struggles and conflicts in Asia and seeks to build practical solidarity and support.

While making my way through the historical giant of the Melbourne Trades Hall (the oldest in the world)  and continuing series of anarchism in Australia and labour history, I caught up with Greg from the local anarchist communist group. A long term trade union activist, Greg has spoken in Dublin and Belfast before and is currently involved in the Australia Asia Worker links group that not only highlights ongoing struggles and conflicts in Asia but also seeks to build practical solidarity and support.

According to their activity report for 2012, there has been an upsurge in class struggle with ‘another massive strike in India with tens of millions of workers taking part. Solidarity actions were held all around the region including Melbourne. Workers in Indonesia were once again on the offensive with almost 3 million taking part in a general strike in October around minimum wages, entitlements and against outsourcing and contracting out.  In China, it is estimated that in 2012 there were around 400 major illegal strikes.’ Struggles such as these show how international solidarity can strengthen our movement. As workers in the globalised capitalist economy, organising actions at an international level is our strength.
 
Australia is in many ways an Asiatic country given its locations. One quarter of Australians are born overseas with around 7% from Asia, so I began by asking Greg the role and importance of AAWL, and some of the activities it engages in; and radical currents emerging in the continent. We also discussed the Melbourne anarchist bookfair, the history and present anarchist movement in Australia to the wider labour movement regarding the issue of asylum seekers. 

 

Unions and Labour organising in Asia - interview with Greg of Australia Asia Worker Links by Workers Solidarity on Mixcloud

 
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UnionLabourOrganisingAsia.mp310.1 MB