Sydney, Australia Paper of the Anarcho-Syndicalist Network 50c Vol.35 No.3 (230) Dec. 2017 - Jan. 2018 NSW GOVT. PRIVATISATION OF STA BUSES WILL HAVE A DOMINO EFFECT ON THE NSW PUBLIC SECTOR! ONLY DIRECT ACTION ON THE JOB WITH COMMUNITY SUPPORT CAN STOP THE FALLING DOMINOS! Sydney Inner West Council Vs STOP on Bus Privatisation p.2 NSW Railway News p.3 State Transit News- flash p.4 New Insights on the Bus Privatisation Conspiracy p.6 Sydney Ferries p.7 Victorian Railway News p.8 Irish Rail News p.10 New Zealand p.11 Britain Today p.12 Anarchism & Syndicalism in Indonesia p.14 Book Review Corner p.16 News & Notes p.19 2 Rebel Worker I won’t comment on Mayor Darcy privatisation was reversed. The letter was Rebel Worker is the bi-monthly Byrne’s so-called opposition to published where, like the previous letter Paper of the A.S.N. for the propa- West-Connex but to remind him of his published on the subject, the specific ref- gation of anarcho-syndicalism in mentor Anthony Albanese’s response to erence to an invitation to Mayor Darcy Australia. two exact same questions prior to the last Byrne and local State member Jamie Federal elections. Darcy chaired both Parker were edited out by the paper’s edi- Unless otherwise stated, signed community meetings. The first at Balmain tor. However the original drafts were Articles do not necessarily represent Town Hall Albo said “An ALP Govt will “blind cc’d” to both Mayor Byrne and the position of the A.S.N. as a whole. not contribute one cent of Federal money State Member Parker. Separately a press Any contributions, criticisms, letters to West-Connex”. At the second meeting, release was forwarded to the media and or a week later in Rozelle at the Hannaford the Councils announcing the community Comments are welcome. Centre, in response to the same question, picket invited all politicians, community Albo responded “A future ALP Federal leaders and the commuting public.Again REBEL WORKER Govt will not spend a cent MORE on Bcc’d to Byrne and Parker. P.O. BOX 92 West-Connex”. Implied here...then the Please note that I personally emailed the BROADWAY 2007 NSW $$billions already committed by the Libs Mayor five times with a request for his E-mail: at the Federal level to West-Connex would presence at the first Leichhardt Depot Via Web Site www.rebelworker.org be honoured in the breach by a community picket against privatisation on SUBSCRIPTION RATES: post-election Shorten Govt if it had got up December 4th. I also visited the Federal against the Turnbull Liberals(2016). But Office of his former employer Anthony AUSTRALIA: $12 a year they didn’t. So Albo was spared the em- Albanese (who I believe have a hot line to OVERSEAS barrassment of double back-tracking on his mobile phone) to invite both Albanese $25 (Aus.) by Air his original pro-West-Connex funding at a M.P. and Mayor Byrne to speak at either $20 (Aus.) by Sea mail Federal level the previous election cam- Tempe or Leichhardt Depot on December Free to Prisoners paign(2013) which the Daily Telegraph 4th. I also invited him with the same invi- and other papers duly exposed. Being Supporters Subs. $40 pa tation across the roadway in Marrickville Albo’s 3 day a week employee in Marrick- Rd at State M.P. from the ALP Jo Haylen, Receives copies of RW & ASN ville...while he was supposed to be em- Opposition spokeswoman on Roads, Mar- Pamphlets as published. ployed in Leichhardt Town Hall as itime,Transport and Freight in NSW and Send to the above. Cheques should be “Mayor of Leichhardt” with rate-payers State Member for Summer Hill, only to be made out to Black Cat Media. money, lap-dog Darcy would have been told she was pregnant and could not at- tarred with the same hypocrite brush as tend. I then invited her to nominate a staff Albo, one suspects? But I will let those member to attend and to extend yet an- who are focused on the West-Connex other invitation to Mayor Darcy Byrne Inner West Council Vs campaign argue the toss about Darcy’s (via her ALP hotline). former Mayor credentials here...They The following Tuesday I attended the In- S.T.O.P. on fighting STA have the dirt, not me...apart for the ner West Council meeting at 6pm at Ash- knock-back of a full time campaigner on field Town Hall and gave out invitations to the issue from the first IWC all councillors (including the Mayor) via Bus Privatisation post-Administrator meeting...which Councillor John Stamolis (after the speaks heaps to Darcy’s sincerity? heavy-handed security guard told me you Bus Privatisation Morning Jefferson are not allowed to hand out information to I wrote a letter to the Inner-West Courier individual councillors prior to or at coun- I just wanted to make sure that you were in November on behalf of STOP announc- cil meetings...another one of Mayor Darcy aware that Cr Byrne moved a Mayoral ing we would be mounting community Byrne’s limitations on free speech at Minute in October opposing bus pickets at all Sydney STA Bus Depots Council meetings...along with “fill in a privatisation. I drafted the letter to the commencing on Monday December 4th form if you want to ask a question or make Minister myself and we are chasing them 2017 between 8-9am until the Transport a statement...24 hours for a reply. Minister Constance policy on bus He also continues to stand in complete op- See Page 18 position to WestConnex, as he did prior to Amalgamation. A copy of the Mayoral Minute is included ASN APPEAL below. Regards The Anarcho-Syndicalist Network requires suitable Kate cost effective Permanent premises. A$750,000 is Addendum sent Sunday 17/12/17 urgently sought to buy premises for The proposed Rebel Worker Anarcho-Syndicalist Media Centre. To Kate Walsh, Media and Communications Officer at In- ner-West Council...to be forwarded to the Please make out Cheques to Black Cat Media & Send Mayor and other Councillors...with the to P.O. Box 92 Broadway 2007 NSW. original correspondence Kate... 3 Rebel Worker N.S.W. RAILWAYS NEWS ists between those workers on the buses The Facilitation Clause should be struck EBA, What Agreement? and ferries and those charged with the day out of the agreement altogether. As it cur- to day running of trains. It’s a case of rently stands, the clause, if included in the Never before have we needed a more ac- “Never the Twain Shall Meet”. Agreement, would allow management to tive rank-and-file movement in our un- That’s why it has been easy to get rid of bring in workplace change without proper ions than now. With privatisation Booking Clerks, Cleaners, Station Man- consultation and without fair compensa- looming on all fronts, not just on the agers, Duty Managers and the like. Guards tion. The union believes that the current buses, but the whole of the rail network and drivers may have cared, but they never proposal will cut them out of negotiation and workplace agreements limiting were organised to be part of a much larger for workplace change. All management wage rises to two and a half percent P.A. industrial campaign. They never cared would have to do is hold a ballot to bring over the last decade, something drastic enough. Once again sectional interests as about the changes they needed. Seeing that needs to be done. well as self preservation was the driving no workplace change has been positive The Leadership of our unions seem to be force. Likewise many station staff counted over the last few decades I don’t see why clutching at straws and has run out of themselves lucky when they saw others, we need to accommodate this clause at any ideas. The latest Enterprise agreement in rather than themselves, on the chopping level. Let’s not give them this right. New South Wales rail is a prime example block. We know that in the future these changes where they are bereft of solutions to com- My question is Why? When management will pave the way for privatisation if they bat management’s onslaught. The filing of has more tools in it’s armory than ever be- go ahead. How many of the current perma- a dispute in relation to management “fail- fore, why are we not bringing the whole of nent jobs will just disappear into the ing to bargain in good faith” with the Fair our industrial workforce to bear on out- privatisation ether. Metro Trains on the Work Commission shows that they are ig- Bankstown and Epping noring the real force that they have with Chatswood line will em- the membership. Do we really believe that ploy fewer station staff management would bargain in good faith, than at present. Also ever? Are Managers not to just out to fur- guards are certain to be ther their careers and to save money for the cut from the “driver New South Wales government? They’ve only” operation that never given a s*** about workers in all the Metro Trains uses. In the years that I’ve worked there. So why future even the jobs of would they listen to a bunch of union dele- train drivers is precari- gates when there is so much more at stake ous. for them. Unionism is not about niceties, If you are unlucky it’s about getting the best deal for mem- enough for your job to bers by members.