David Rood
December 22, 2008
http://www.theage.com.au

INTERNATIONAL students in Victoria are regularly underpaid, face other exploitation in the workplace and are increasingly given misleading information by offshore student recruiters, a State Government inquiry has found.

The report into the welfare of foreign students, to be released today, reveals widespread flaws in the treatment of students and warns a lack of accommodation threatens the growth of the lucrative market.

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Hello Everyone,

With the collapse of freemarket financial structures across the planet, our government sees fit to guarantee the safety of banks but not the durability of infrastructure like TAFE to ensure that Australia is skilled for this century.

Well, apart from industrial action and other forms of reaction to both the State and federal Government’s myopic perspective on TAFE I believe that we can do something more.

The community expects TAFE staff to protest the changes and it expects us to go on strike. With our current wage struggle DET management is threatening to take away our conditions (even to take away 4 weeks leave) using the grounds of “community expectations”. Let’s face it, the non teacher will think it is reasonable to only have 6 weeks annual leave(compared to their 4 weeks leave) and for teachers to teach more hours because they do not know what it is like to be teachers and what is involved in our profession. The Government knows this and it will use “community expectations” to make out that we are “greedy”. Never mind that our DET boss was just given an automatic 4% increase without any demonstrated productivity gains. So, our battle is in the perceptual arena, it is a Public Relations exercise. We need to gain the support of the community for both the wage claim and the survival of TAFE.

I believe that TAFE has an amazing pool of talented and highly skilled people who teach and train the community but who can easily direct these talents and skills to produce a mega spectacular “Event”.

Not only do we have them now but we also have retired teachers and students who have graduated who will be more than pleased to be able to use their skills to save TAFE.

This “Event” can include performances by musicians, poets, artists…it can include “free” culinary delights, installation experiential pieces, demonstrations of stuff we do, Information Technology media presentations using the latest equipment. This Festival for TAFE can draw upon our expertise and skills in so many areas. Obviously we can ask our students to assist.

We can use TAFE equipment to do this…it will be our way of procuring the “means of production” for the community. After all we are Public Servants and our masters are the Public.

For the Event to have an effective impact it would have to be done not only in Newcastle but also in other centres like Sydney and preferably across the country…simultaneously. This way we can use the communications technology to connect live with the other centres in the country.

You can imagine the impact that this would have in the media. We can coordinate the web side of things as well and maybe make some connections with other educators across the world. Teachers and supporters from the community can tell Australia and the world about TAFE and why restructuring it out of existence is bad for all of us.

Anyway, everything I said above are just ideas floating about in my skull. I’m sure that if we want to do something we can come up with some amazing stuff.

Please don’t think “yeh, great, where’s the money coming from ?” because I know from experience with other projects I have been involved in, that the funds and stuff will come if we know what we want and have the passion to fire it up. Money and stuff follows energy passion and love for what we do and hope for.

So, how about it? Are we just going to roll over and let TAFE be destroyed or are we going to fight with all of our imaginative force and creativity to save TAFE for our community?

If you are interested in this idea let me know by private email still.seeking@gmail.com and if there is enough interest we may light the fuse….

Visit http://save-tafe-festivals.blogspot.com/ and leave a comment.

all the best,

steve g
TAFE TA Peace Officer
Hunter Institute, TAFE NSW

From Privatise TAFE (articles), 2008/12/18 at 2:38 PM

This is an action note from the Clean Clothes Campaign. JusAct has been highlighting the plight of trade union as well as church workers in the Philippines. The two issues are most often interelated…
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Since we reported on the arrest of labour lawyer Remigio Saladero on October 23, 2008, the Philippine authorities have issued arrest warrants for 71 other labour and human rights activists.

They are being accused of murder and attempted murder for allegedly taking up arms against the government and attacking police forces in an ambush in Mindoro province in March 2006. The accusations are based on a statement of one witness whose testimony is highly questionable and no investigation has taken place. Six activists have already been arrested and the others may be seized by the military police at any moment.

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Take action now!
Go here
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Venue: 375 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, 12:30pm
When: THIS Friday 19th December

We are gearing up for our action on Friday, outside the RICH outlet, 375 Brunswick St, (near the corner with Rose St).

The action will start at 12:30pm, this Friday 19th December.

Bring your best singing voices, and join FairWear in delivering a lump of coal to this very naughty clothing company, and singing our unique brand of Christmas carols, in honour of sweatshop workers and outworkers.

See you there!

Liz Thompson
FairWear Victoria Campaign Co-ordinator
Level 3, 130 Lt Collins St, Melbourne
Tues-Thurs
Ph:(03) 9251 5270
F:(03) 9251 5241
mob: 0421 979 694

www.fairwear.org.au

Being fifteen I am at the target age of many fashion labels, so to get my concern through I started writing letters to some of the major labels I believed were responsible, and the results were interesting. Most of the companies were very vague and evasive, not answering. I have decided to create this group so that people can get together and discuss their opinions and solutions to the ethical clothes problem.” Shona Forsyth has set up a similar campaign on Facebook. So far the Myspace site has 109 members and there are 310 members on the Facebook site.

Read this article and find out:

Working flat out – the child labour behind your Egyptian cotton sheets

They work 10-hour shifts in 40C heat for 20 pence a day. Their job? Picking the cotton that makes the world’s finest bed linen. Dan McDougall reports on the scandal of Egypt’s child labourers …

There is an alternative. Also check out the clerical dog collar shirts made with Fairtrade cotton (we are promoting this as part of the Holy Hardware campaign).

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12th december, 4.00 – 7.00 pm
Federation Square

The Congolese Community of Victoria Inc, with the support from Mission Australia, Caritas, Victorian Multicultural Commission and Federation Square, will hold the CONCERT FOR THE CONGO to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and call for urgent action by the Australian Government and the United Nations.  The CONCERT FOR THE CONGO will bring the rhythms of Africa to Federation Square ands celebrate Congolese music and culture with local Congolese artists and drumming classes.  The Congolese Community of Victoria Inc welcomes the Australian Government’s announcement of $5m in aid assistance to the crisis and its commitment that Australia needs to increase and enhance its commitment to the countries of Africa and to play its part in the peace and security of DRCv.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions has been welcomed as a “humane and historic victory” by the World Council of Churches (WCC) General Secretary Rev Dr Samuel Kobia.  Commenting on the signing of the convention in Oslo, Norway today, Kobia congratulated the more than 100 signatory countries and reiterated the need for states that have not yet done so – including the United States, Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and Zimbabwe – to “sign and support this timely arms control and humanitarian initiative”.

The full text of the WCC general secretary comment on the cluster munitions convention

Granting Immunity for Hate Attacks – Orissa State, India

December 2008
In October we issued an action regarding a wave of attacks committed by Hindu extremists in the north part of India against the local Christian community. This followed an appeal from the Church of North India, a partner church of the Uniting Church in Australia, for support from the Uniting Church and other churches in the face of the attacks.

It is reported that at least 67 Christians were murdered in the violence. These victims included:
•    Rasananda Pradhan who was murdered in Rupagaon, near Chakapada on 24 August. He was a paraplegic and could not escape to the forest with the other villagers.
•    Rajni Majh, a worker at Pamdampur Orphanage in Khuntapali village, Padampur and several children were burnt to death on Monday 25 August. Rajni was dragged outside, her hands were tied together and she was thrown onto a fire.
•    Gopana Naik of Badimunda village.
•    Kamalini Naik (seven months pregnant) and her one year old son.
•    Pastor Samuel Nayak (45 years old) a Seventh Day Pastor at Bakingia village of Raikia block was murdered on the 26 August. The attackers also set his mother on fire, murdering her. His wife went to Raikia police station, but the police failed to register the case.
•    Jaka Digal (aged 35) of Petangia
•    Gopa Naik (aged 40) of Mandakia
•    Abhimanyu Nayak burnt alive on 29 August in Kandhmal
•    Pastor Akbar Digal who was beheaded for refusing to become a Hindu
•    Pastor Matthew Naik from Kanbagiri

There continues to be worrying reports that the government of Orissa State, where most of the violence has occurred, is failing to take appropriate action to bring those responsible for the violence to justice. There are also allegations that the Orissa Government is hindering investigations that the Federal Government of India is attempting to carry out into the case in which a nun was raped and also into the burning of orphanages. The Orissa Government has stated that there will not be any compensation for churches that were attacked and destroyed by the violence.

There have been allegations from the All-India Christian Council that “People are being offered rewards to kill, and to destroy churches and Christian properties. They are being offered foreign liquor, chicken, mutton and weapons. They are given petrol and kerosene.”

There are media reports (The Australian 20 Nov 2008) that Hindu extremists are threatening to launch a fresh wave of violence starting on Christmas day.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Write polite and respectful letters to (a letter to India will cost $1.40 using a stamp with ‘International Post’ on it):

Dr Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India
Room No 152
South Block
New Delhi, 110001
India
Salutation: Dear Prime Minister

Smt Pratibha Patil
Honorable President of India
Rashtrapati Bhavan
New Delhi, 1100001
India
E-mail: presidentofindia@rb.nic.in
Salutation : Madam President

Shri P. Chidambaram
Minister of Home Affairs
Ministry of Home Affairs
North Block
Central Secretariat
New Dehli 110 001
India
Salutation: Dear Minister

Her Excellency Mrs. Sujatha Singh
High Commissioner of India
The High Commission of India
3/5 Moonah Place
Yarralumla, ACT, 2600
Email: hc@hcindia-au.org
Salutation: Your Excellency

Points to make in your letter:

•    Express concern at the attacks that were made against the Christian community in Orissa state from the end of August and through September that resulted in at least 67 murders and tens of thousands of people being forced to flee their homes.
•    Welcome the announcements by the Indian Federal Government to put an end to such attacks and to provide assistance to those who have been forced to flee their homes.
•    Express deep concerns at reports that the government of Orissa State is hindering investigation into identifying those responsible for the attacks.
•    Request to know how many people have been arrested in relation to the violence, how many have been brought to trial and how many have been convicted.
•    Ask that the Federal authorities investigate the murder of Swami Laxmananda through an independent Supreme Court judge, noting that the murder of Swami Laxmananda was used as the excuse for the attacks on the Christian community despite the fact that Maoist guerillas claimed responsibility for the murder.
•    Express concern at reports that extremists have threatened to launch a fresh wave of attacks starting on 25 December and ask what steps are being taken to prevent the carrying out of such criminal activity.
•    Ask that the Indian authorities take immediate and effective action to provide all necessary support to people who have been forced to flee their homes to ensure their health and well-being and to provide them with adequate compensation to rebuild their homes.
•    Ask that relief agencies and Indian churches be allowed free access to provide humanitarian relief to those who have been forced to flee their homes as a result of the persecution they have been subjected to.
•    Ask that Indian authorities provide adequate protection to allow people to return to their homes in safety and to protect these people from further attacks.

Also write to:

The Hon Stephen Smith
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Parliament House
Canberra, ACT, 2600
Salutation: Dear Minister
Points to make in your letter:

•    Welcome the approaches the Minister and the Australian Government have made in response to the wave of violent attacks against the Christian community in Orissa State and other parts of northern India in the period from late August through September.
•    Express concern at reports that extremists have threatened to launch a fresh wave of attacks starting on 25 December. Ask that the Australian Government urge the Government of India to take all necessary measures to prevent such attacks.
•    Request to know if Australia has raised any specific cases of Christians murdered in the violence in Orissa and if it has been able to identify if anyone has been arrested and brought to trial over any of the murders that occurred.
•    Express concern at reports that the State Government of Orissa is hindering investigations into identifying those responsible for the wave of criminal violence against the Christian community in that state.

Also – see easy online action

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