Workers will gather outside the United States Consulate in Sydney to oppose the US bombing of Iran and highlighting the great cost to Australian workers.
The protest is organised by the Peace is Union Business coalition, which includes the National Tertiary Education Union, NSW Teachers Federation and the Maritime Union of Australia.
Unions have always had a crucial role to play in opposing war. Working people are the ones sent to fight wars, the ones whose public services are cut to fund them, and the ones who pay the economic price through higher costs and greater insecurity.
The US bombing of Iran is not only a threat to peace, it is also a direct threat to workers’ living standards. Australian workers didn’t choose Trump’s war and they should not be made to pay for it.
Quotes attributable to Dr Damien Cahill, NTEU General Secretary:
“Workers across Australia are being forced to pay the price for Trump’s illegal war on Iran. The war is driving up cost of living and interest rates and driving down living standards.”
Quotes attributable to Natasha Watt, Deputy President NSW Teachers Federation:
“Teachers work hard every day to educate and provide hope to their students against the backdrop of an increasingly unsettled world impacted by war, increasing military spend and the illegal military action by President Trump.
“All Wars Are Fought Against Children. Teachers well know the impact on the children and their families in our community who have close ties to countries where war and genocide are being waged. Many fleeing war-ravaged countries and displaced for years. It is appalling schools in the Middle East have been targeted by Trump and his collaborators.
“This worsening global instability and the subsequent increased burden of the cost-of-living crisis falls squarely on the families of all workers including teachers.”
Quotes attributable to Arthur Rorris, Secretary, South Coast Labour Council:
“Trump didn’t only bomb Iran he is smashing regional Australia as well. The workers of the Illawarra and every region in Australia are paying the price for Trump’s wars.
“Trump’s fingerprints are on every petrol pump, supermarket checkout, and mortgage rate rise in the country. He is enemy number 1 of the Australian worker.”
Quotes attributable to Warren Smith, Deputy National Secretary, Maritime Union of Australia:
“$380 billion is being wasted on war-fighting submarines designed to provoke conflict, when the same money could fund a nationally owned shipping fleet 250 times over – a fleet that actually helps us cope with the damage done by our warmongering US ally? \
“Real security comes from jobs, housing, food, clean water, education, health care, democratic rights and peaceful coexistence with the peoples of the region.”
