HOW brave police were to smash the Occupy Melbourne camp, tackling students and aged hippies. Meanwhile a Laverton business begged for similar help to clear a violent picket, which the Supreme Court had ordered lifted…
OK, so Bolt (Missing … one fowl swoop, Herald Sun, November 28, 2011) may have a point about “hippies”, picketers, and the (eminently reasonable) police preference for assaulting the former category of citizen.* That said, he fails to note two, rather important facts. First, police did attempt to break the picket, and in doing so seriously injured one picketer. Secondly, the picket — unlike Occupy Melbourne — had the support of the labour movement, and was intended to address — again, unlike Occupy Melbourne — some very specific, and very serious, grievances.
Finally, regarding Bolt’s attempt to portray the battle as being one between a struggling small business and violent unionists, Godfrey Moase provides a much more detailed account of the forces ranged against the super-exploited workers @ Baiada in Lessons from the #baiadastrike about the 1% (Godfrey’s Blog of Claims, November 27, 2011), while Dorothy Parker carves up Bolt’s Sydney-based comrade Miranda Devine (who makes very similar claims) in It’s Sunday, and time for a roast chicken dinner, and Miranda the Devine, who deserves a decent roasting … (November 27, 2011).
As for the socialists…
Communist League (CL) : Poultry workers strike in southeast Australia (The Militant, December 5, 2011)
Socialist Alliance (SA) : Baiada workers celebrate victory (November 26, 2011)
Socialist Alternative (SAlt) : Baiada workers claim victory (November 22, 2011)
Socialist Party (SP) : Baiada workers win strike (November 28, 2011)
Solidarity : Baiada workers win victory over bullying bosses (November, 2011)
More news from the CPA, CPA (M-L), RSP and SEP as it comes to hand.
And on the other hand: Who’s in charge? Management’s right to manage under scrutiny, The Editor, VECCI blog, November 24, 2011.
*Note that the pathetic figure of today’s stereotypical hippie should not be considered synonymous with the hipster of history.
