Solidarity Breakfast

Saturday 7.30 - 9 am

Trade union and rank and file activist show, covering industrial current afffairs, union issues and other news from the labour movement.

The Saturday morning timeslot has a proud history of coverage of union issues and industrial disputes. Preceded by the Strikeback Show, the Saturday morning presenters have included trade union leaders, activists, radical intellectuals and ratbag troublemakers – sometimes all four!

Solidarity Breakfast provides activist union news and information about industrial disputes. It also provides space for discussing the state of our workplaces, our unions and the labour movement in Australia and across the globe.

Serious coverage is broken up with 10 minutes of satire by Kevin Healy, with “The Week That Was”.

Join us at 7:30AM each week. And for your turn on Talkback call in on 9419 0155 at 8:30AM. No need to even get out of bed!

Presented by Peter Goodyear, Lisa Farrance, Carlene Wilson, Michelle Reeves, Anthony Main and Denis Evans.

Talkback Comments

“Thanks for another informative show.”

“Where else can we discuss these things? Like where our unions are going wrong and what we need to do about it. We don’t discuss this at work anymore.”

“You lot talk a load of rubbish!”

2007 Guests have included

Dean Mighell, ETU
Michelle O’Neil, TCFUA
Humphrey McQueen, labour theorist
Sara Charlesworth, labour researcher
Gary Foley, indigenous activist
Martin Kingham, CFMEU
Joan Doyle, Posties’ Union
Dave Kerin, Union Solidarity
Ann Taylor, President VTHC
Steve Dodd, AMWU
Unite, New Zealand
Rosemary Kelly, Medical Scientists Association
Jamie Doughney, left economics academic
Danielle Archer, Young Unionists Network
John Parker, Gippsland Trades and Labour Council
Liz Thompson, Fairwear Campaign
Tim Gooden, Geelong Trades and Labour Council

Contact solidarity.breakfast.radio@gmail.com

CRAM Article June 2007: Solidarity Breakfast Profile

Broadcast each Saturday morning from 7.30 to 9AM, Solidarity Breakfast is presented by a team of eight. In November 2006 veteran broadcasters Denis Evans, Peter Goodyear, Anthony Main and Jiselle Hanna were joined by new recruits Lisa Farrance, Carlene Wilson, Michelle Reeves and Katherine Neil.

The collective experience of the four new presenters includes union activism in the secondary and tertiary education sectors; IT; student affairs; and in campaigns for international solidarity. Two presenters also have a background in youth radio.

Solidarity Breakfast continues a tradition of covering industrial disputes, as well as debating current issues in the union movement. It has a bias in favour of the rank and file, but also works with trade union officials to promote support for union campaigns and around disputes, occupational health and safety standards and the so-called ‘WorkChoices’ legislation.

Combining interviews with commentary on current, industrial affairs and a half hour segment of talkback Solidarity Breakfast also has time for a welcome ten minutes of much needed satire, with The Week That Was by 3CR talent Kevin Healy.

Talkback highlights have included the assessment of the 30 November 2006 Industrial Rights Rally at the MCG. Overwhelmingly listeners felt that the Victorian Trades Hall Council could have improved attendance by not focussing on the 2007 Federal Election, by ensuring workers were able to take time off work to attend, and by putting out a call for stopwork action.

Stories covered so far in 2007 have been varied. John Parker, Secretary of the Gippsland Trades and Labour Council, was interviewed in support of 50 workers locked out of their jobs for simply wanting a continuance of their current union-negotiated conditions. Elliott Engineering, having recently taken over from Skilled Engineering, proceeded to break up the company, separating off a $14 million fund of workers accrued entitlements from a new labour hire section, which then employed the workforce. By thus abusing WorkChoices and Corporations Law the company has effectively stolen the $14 million in entitlements from the workforce. At the time of print, the workforce is still locked out and requires solidarity and financial support. Call John Parker on 0419 747 756 to offer assistance.

Dave Kerin of Union Solidarity spoke to Solidarity Breakfast about the Port Campbell dispute. Armed with John Howard’s new anti-worker legislation, Woodside – a multinational company that reported over a million dollars in profit last year – has sacked union members and OH&S reps. Work has been given to non-union companies, which has resulted in terrible safety standards. Check www.unionsolidarity.org for updates.

As part of an International Women’s Day special, Solidarity Breakfast spoke to Sarah Charlesworth, a senior researcher at RMIT University. Sarah presented the latest research on declining equality of wages and conditions for working women and the increasing pressures of both part and full-time work.

Labour Historian, Humphrey McQueen, gave Solidarity Breakfast a sober analysis of how far we’ve (not) come since the battles for the 8-hour day, reminding us that even maintenance of 8 hours – something many of us no longer have – does not prevent increased exploitation and intensification of work. He finished though with an inspiring message about the continuing struggles of the working class around the globe.

Finally, Ray Jackson of the Indigenous Social Justice Association introduced a fiery discussion on the continuing campaign for a fair trial in the Civil Courts, over the tragic death and suspected murder of TJ Hickey in Redfern in 2004.

Solidarity Breakfast is always lively – we like controversy! But more importantly, it provides a space for trade unionists to organise, talk, debate, assess the current state of the union movement and gain support for local disputes.

By Lisa Farrance, on behalf of the Solidarity Breakfast Team