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16 October 2003
Contents:
- Not too late to send in signed endorsements on USFTA!
- Don’t be BUSHWACKED. Protest against the USFTA at Sydney anti George
Bush rally 19 October
- Canberra USFTA rally 27 October, 12.30pm. Come if you can!
- WA events 16 to 24 October
Free Fair Wear Training, Sydney, 5 November
1. Not too late to send in signed endorsements on USFTA!
We’re having a great response to our call
to endorse the statement of concerns about the USFTA. Both organisations and individuals
can sign. Although the original cut off date was 17 October, we can still accept these
signed endorsements now, and will launch the statement at the time of the next round of
USFTA talks. So now is the time to get them to us!
Individuals: Can sign on the website here or on the hard copy. If you need
more copies contact AFTINET, we can fax or
mail them to you.
Organisations: Need to endorse a hard
copy and either mail or fax it to us with the organisation’s details. We can send you
copies if you need more.
When they are signed send them to AFTINET as
soon as possible. Try taking copies to events you are attending, and please circulate them
amongst your networks!
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2. Don’t be
BUSHWACKED. Protest against the USFTA at Sydney rally 19 October
George Bush is coming to Australia next week.
Give him the welcome he deserves at this Hoedown!
When: Sunday 19th October, 2pm to 4pm.
Where: Prince Alfred Park, Sydney (walk
south from central down Chalmers Street)
Come and express yourself about the USFTA!
Speakers:
Sharan Burrow (ACTU) will speak on the USFTA.
Andrew Wilkie will also speak.
Comics and entertainment including CNNNN,
Paul Capsis, Bertie Blackman, Ends n’ Means
Creative ridicule competition: $100 reward
for best placard and display.
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3. Canberra USFTA
rally 27 October
The next round of USFTA negotiations will take
place in Canberra in the week starting 27 October. Come to a lunchtime rally at 12.30 pm
at Parliament House Canberra to voice your concerns about these negotiations, which
threaten Australian social policies, such as reference pricing in the PBS, and local
content rules for film and television. The agreement will reduce the capacity of
government to regulate and give much greater rights to multinational corporations.
Where: Parliament House, Canberra
When: 12.30 pm, Monday 27 October
Speakers: Doug Cameron (National
Secretary, AMWU), as well as Senators George Campbell (ALP), Kerry Nettle (The Greens) and
Aden Ridgeway (Democrats). Plus a speaker from the Arts!
A bus has been booked for a return trip from
Sydney to Canberra. Tickets cost $25.00. Contact George on 0412 704 426 to make a booking.
George is also coordinating car pooling for the journey from Sydney to Canberra and back.
Come along and bring your banners and signs:
make your voice heard about this agreement, which is due to be signed at the end of the
year.
For further information contact Louise
Southalan at AFTINET on (02) 9299 7833 or email lsouthalan@piac.asn.au
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4. WA events 16 to 24
October
(a) AUSFTA: Lessons from Canada and the NAFTA
Experience
When: 16 October, 5:30pm
to 8:30pm.
Where: 4th floor conference room, Unity House, 79 Stirling Street, Perth.
More info from Rodney Vlais on (08) 9322 1384 or at no_fta@planet-save.com
(b) Stop Bush Rally.
Rally with thousands of others around the
country to demand: Troops out of Iraq; No Free Trade Agreement; Break the Bush/Howard
Alliance
When: 23 October 5pm:
Where: Forrest Place, Perth.
More info: Phone 9218 9608. www.nwawa.org
(c) A number of talks in Perth by Andrew
Hewett, Executive Director of Oxfam Community Aid Abroad (Australia) about his recent
visit to Guatemala, the World Trade Organisation meetings in Cancun, Mexico and his field
visit to Southern Africa.
When: 21 to 23 October
Where: Several locations in Perth
More info from Tarsha Hall at Oxfam CAA on 9371 7844
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5. Free Fair Wear Training,
Sydney 5 November
Fair Wear is providing a free training day on
how to get your clothing supplier accredited to the Homeworkers Code of Practice. This
code was developed by the Textile/Clothing Union together with representatives of the
retail and manufacturing industries. The code is a self regulatory system that monitors
the production chain from retailer to outworker to ensure legal wages and conditions. Some
outworkers have been paid their Award entitlements for the first time as a result of the
accreditation process.
Where: Executive Board Room,
Level 9, Labor Council, 377 to 383 Sussex Street, Sydney.
When: 9am to 12.30pm, Wednesday 5
November.
Contact: Dez Karlsson; dkarlsson@awatw.org.au ph: 9380 9091, fax: 9380
8159, mob: 0403 128 013, www.fairwear.org.au
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