One law for all- Free Ark Tribe

Sydney Branch secretary Paul McAleer at the rally

Ark Tribe is a construction worker from South Australia facing six

months prison. He has been charged with not attending an interview with

the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC).

Ark was working on the Flinders University site in Adelaide. Conditions

were so bad that workers drew up a petition calling for safety

improvements, on a handtowel. It took an intervention by the union and

the state government safety regulator to get the most pressing problems

fixed and finally, after several days, things began to get back on

track.

One by one workers from the site were called before the ABCC. The

penalties for those who don't cooperate with ABCC investigations are

frightening - fines of up to $22,000 for things like stopping work to

make sure workers are safe and jail for up to 6 months if you don't

answer their questions.

Even the police don't have the powers the ABCC have. In Ark's words, "If

I've done something wrong, I'm prepared to cop it, but I won't be

treated unfairly." We need to get the Rudd Labor Government to get rid

of these laws, before another construction worker faces jail.

MUA Members joined other unions in support of the CFMEU calling for the

release of Ark Tribe and the abolition of the ABCC. In Sydney the Annual

Veterans AGM was adjourned and the veterans attended joined by National

Officials, Branch Officials and many current Sydney branch members.

Get more info on Ark and the ABCC at the Rightsonsite website

More photos of MUA at the Sydney rally by Paul Garrett