May Day March Sydney, New South Wales Sunday 4 May 2014

MAY DAY MARCH SYDNEY 2014

And this is what it is all about! Workers, families, people of all ages, all cultures coming together to march with a number of different causes and a good representation of unions both state and federal. And not a politician to be seen...

This photograph is self explanatory, the tories destroying an inner city community because having workers living in prime real estate sticks in their craw. Dollars over community, peoples lives and another nail in the coffin of our supposed egalitarian, "we honour our battler's" myth-as long as they don't occupy saleable land at Miller's Point that is.

 As on every year for the past five years I choose to march with the Maritime Union of Australia-the MUA. This is in part with my seafaring connections of my Geordie ancestors, my father and brother. And I am proud to be associated with their history of struggle. They have had their fair share of fights, lock outs and achieved good working conditions for their members. I take my hat off to the oldies in the MUA, some of them  must be over eighty and they still march and one led the chant all the way down George Street. And our flag bearers seem to be getting younger, it can only be good for the future. It was a great day, the sun shone, the whole street outside the State Parliament rippled with flags.  I reckon, with the Abbott government, the turn out this year was at least double if not triple last year. Good to see the Health Service Union out in force claiming back the pride stolen from them. As always the Fireys pipe band was a joy to march behind.

Then there was this mob below attaching themselves to the side of the march-what did they stand for? No less then White Australia for the Australians! Please...give us a break...

Ukip clones? Party for freedom?

After a bit of banter they were seen off following a confrontation with a group of anarchists. Got to love them (the anarchists-not the drongo's in white) and the Socialist Action kids. They are never afraid to put a foot forward on issues around racism, workers and human rights. The anarchists in their dirty black and red gear, legs like pipe cleaners are a formidable and battle hardened bunch of activists. But the fascist freedom party or what ever they call themselves  like Ukip in the UK, really, they were not worth the energy spent on them and their narrow focus of the world; they miss the point of this march and were there because it was their right to associate and stand where ever they chose. They had bottle mind, four of them at a march of five thousand plus, many of our unionists are tough roosters. But in case they did not get the message it is the International Workers Day. 

All causes, Kurds, Syrians, Turks, Kurds, Iranians, Chinese, Koreans...the list is endless



And I can't go past this gentleman here with his wheelie walker and his heartfelt sign. Advertising Malcolm Fraser's book and I like the sign's poetry.

Likewise, this year the only attacks from the onlookers was a man so out of it he was having difficulty standing. The tragedy is it will be people like him, he looked as if he was sleeping rough, are the very people this Government will remove any vestige of a safety net from.


Reflecting on the march and these thoughts I owe to the Greek organisation from Marrickville. Thanks for the conversation brothers and sisters. What Abbott and Hockey are about is introducing the austerity measures used in Greece, Portugal and Spain. They reminded me, in Greece they cut the workers to the bone. Out went wages, conditions, pensions, sick leave, holiday pay, permanent jobs. Ability for all people to access universal health care, education, housing (Millers Point comrades!) In came the casualisation of labour, astronomic youth unemployment and a bleak future for the majority, most who were already doing it tough. They told a story that summed up the heartlessness of this approach. The introduction of tolls on all major roads, now people cannot afford to get back to visit their villages. Another smashing of real community infrastructure-the family structure and the ability to feed the roots of where you come from. And who has benefited from the austerity measures? The same Fat Cats that caused the shit to hit the fan in the first place. Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey's cronies. And they have the gall to attack us workers for asking too much...they want us all "to share the pain"-in their case of supporting their expanding bellies and groaning pockets.

And just for the record, this morning only SBS on line seems to have covered this march. They say there was over 7000 of us there. Sounds about right. Good photograph and reasonable story. So enjoy the pictures I took, it was a great day, thanks comrades and remember 

WORKERS UNITED! WILL NEVER BE DIVIDED!