Economics: IMF killer prescriptions

Among the International Monetary Fund (IMF) prescriptions for the Australian economy is a dose of GST tax increases. Australia beware!

In 2008 Cambridge and Yale university researchers observed that countries which received IMF loans between 1989 and 2005 experienced on average a 16 per cent spike in TB death rates after accepting the aid, followed by a 30.7 per cent dip after the loans were paid off.

The researchers found that the size of the loan was proportional to the mortality rate. Deaths rose 4 per cent for every year of repayment and 0.9 per cent for every 1 per cent increase in IMF lending.

Tuberculosis is a good test because it has long been viewed as a social indicator. When your society breaks down, tuberculosis rates rise pretty quickly, particularly death rates from TB. 

The IMF this year joined the European Union to lend Greece €110 billion when its economy nearly collapsed in the wake of the bankers' crisis. As a result, Greek civil society has faced huge stresses, because of conditions attached to the loan.

Demonstrators in The Hague respond to the call of the
European Trade Union Confederation for a day of protest against austerity programs

Public sector wages have been slashed, employment reduced, employment protection provisions demolished, pensioners' income reduced or capped, their pension age changed, sales tax lifted by 2 per cent and tiny public-sector bonuses abolished. Millions have been on strike, the Acropolis has been stormed and unrest continues to grow as cuts bite ever harder.

In 2008, the IMF approved a 23-month stand-by arrangement for Pakistan of US$7.6 billion. In return it required Pakistan to raise its power tariff by 24 per cent during the fiscal year in three phases - 6 per cent in the October-December quarter, 12 per cent in January-March and 6 per cent in the April-June period. A 4.4 per cent tariff increase was announced in October 2009,6 and an additional 13.6 per cent increase was implemented in the last quarter.

The IMF also demanded a rise in interest rates and high rates are now choking Pakistan's economy. Small and medium-sized businesses and farmers cannot afford credit and are often forced out of business. Pakistani farmers are forced to sell their land, leading not only to less productive agriculture but environmental devastation.

At present, Turkey is seeking an IMF loan to see it through the aftermath of the world bankers' crisis. An IMF delegation is in Ankara today to negotiate terms and conditions which are expected to include the country rejigging its tax systems, raising the level of personal taxation dramatically and reducing government expenditure.

In Britain the IMF has just praised the slash and burn economic plans of the Con-Dem coalition government's handling of the economy, saying that it is "on the mend."

Keep the IMF quacks away from any economy near you!

Oakeshott backs Grafton Telstra fight

CPSU: 27 September 2010

The CPSU has warmly welcomed the support of regional independent MP Rob Oakeshott in the campaign to save 108 Telstra call-centre jobs in Grafton.

CPSU Assistant National Secretary, Louise Persse said: "It is fantastic to see Mr Oakeshott join with staff, unions, community groups, the Chamber of Commerce and local politicians from a wide range of parties to stand up for regional jobs.

"We agree with Mr Oakeshott that it makes no sense to centralise this work to Brisbane and Melbourne.

"Telstra's plan to close the Grafton call-centre is a slap in the face for the local community.

"But it is also a warning for other regional call-centres. If you applied the same logic Telstra is using to close Grafton, call-centres in Lismore, Bathurst, Townsville, Moe and Ballarat would also be wound up," said Ms Persse.

Telstra is understood to be making a final decision about the future of the call-centre tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Mr Oakeshott's involvement today will be a boost to the growing community campaign in support of Grafton call-centre jobs. Action so far includes:

• More 6000 local signatures for a petition organised by Federal Member for Page, Janelle Saffin (ALP)
• hundreds of people attended a rally in Grafton on Saturday
• local businesses closed their doors at 11am today in an act of solidarity with Grafton Telstra workers.
• A Facebook page has been set up and now has 1700 followers

The CPSU is now calling on Federal and State politicians from all parties to follow Mr Oakeshott's and Ms Saffin's lead and stand up for regional jobs.

"The new political paradigm is happening right here, right now in Grafton. Local politicians from a wide range of parties are working together to save jobs. It would great to see the same commitment to regional employment at the federal level," said Ms Persse.

ACTU: Abolish ABCC

28 September, 2010 | ACTU Media Release

The departure of the head of the Australian Building and Construction Commission clears the way for the abolition of the ABCC.

The ABCC was set up by the Howard Government and has been an abject failure which has led to poorer safety standards in the industry, said ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence.

"Under John Lloyd the ABCC engaged in politically partisan behaviour that is inconsistent with its obligations as a statutory body," Mr Lawrence said.

"Mr Lloyd has constantly overstepped the line required of a public servant, making comments that betrayed the bias of both himself and the body he headed.

"Any pretence of fairness was long discarded under Mr Lloyd’s tenure. His legacy will be an ordinary building worker, Ark Tribe, facing the prospect of jail simply for exercising his right to silence.

"The end of his term today is an appropriate time for the Government to begin abolishing the ABCC, which is one of the final remnants of WorkChoices still standing."

Mr Lawrence said a report by the International Labour Organization earlier this year found that the ABCC was likely to be in breach of a number of international labour standards, including freedom of association, the right to organise and collective bargaining.

"Industrial laws are intended to protect the rights of workers, not undermine them," Mr Lawrence said. "The priorities of the ABCC should be to strengthen workplace health and safety in the building industry, and to stamp out dodgy contractors who avoid their obligations to employees and to the tax system.

"But overwhelmingly, the ABCC has investigated and prosecuted workers for exercising their rights rather than employers.

"Both the injury and fatality rates in the construction industry are much higher than for all industries – the death rate is twice that of the rest of the workforce.

"In the year to date, an appalling 17 construction workers have been killed on the job.

"And just last week, there were reports of migrant Korean tilers being worked to death by unscrupulous employers who hire illegal workers. But again there was silence from the ABCC.

"The ABCC has wasted millions of dollars while health and safety in the industry has not improved. There should be one set of laws for all workers, regardless of the industry they work in.

"The Federal Parliament must vote to abolish the coercive powers that impinge upon civil liberties and the right to be members of a union."

28 September: World Maritime Day

The Maritime Union of Australia has urged all Australians to recognise today (September 23) as World Maritime Day, as designated by the United Nations.

The Maritime Union of Australia National Secretary and President of the International Transport Workers' Federation Paddy Crumlin said the MUA would mark World Maritime Day this year by

• celebrating 2010 as the Year of the Seafarer
• urging the federal government to implement its shipping and seafaring revitalisation package
• highlighting the worldwide campaign against piracy
• and commemorating the 65th anniversary of union bans in support of Indonesian independence.

Mr Crumlin said the MUA would officially celebrate World Maritime Day next Tuesday (September 28) with a march across Pyrmont Bridge in Sydney and a ceremony at the Anchor Memorial outside the Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour.

The MUA has invited Hanafi Rustanda, the Indonesian Seamen's Union/International Transport Workers' Federation Asia Pacific chair, and Gary Yusuf, the Consul General for the Republic of Indonesia to the celebrations.

Mr Crumlin said while World Maritime Day was a time to reflect on the progress of the industry in Australia, it was also a time to pay attention to issues such as piracy in the Asia Pacific region, and the development of the Federal Government's shipping policy.

"While World Maritime Day is being marked in London with the handing over of a 920,000-strong petition to end Somali piracy, we also need to recognise that we have a real problem right here on our doorstep," Mr Crumlin said.

"In recent months we have seen a spate of attacks on shipping in the Asia Pacific which marks the unfortunate return of piracy in our region.

"The MUA is also looking forward to working closely with the Federal Government, and Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese in particular, to develop their shipping policy which was announced during the election campaign."

Mr Crumlin said he was heartened by comments from Ms Teresa Hatch, the Executive Director of the Australian Shipowners Association, who said the shipping policy would be 'an exciting new chapter to reinvigorate a vital Australian industry'.

Program for World Maritime Day celebrations on Tuesday, September 28, 2010

12 midday: Assemble Pyrmont Bridge (Cityside)
12.30: Jazz band leads march across Pyrmont Bridge to the Anchor Memorial outside the Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour

Speakers include:
Mary-Louise Williams, Maritime Museum
Ian Bray, MUA
Paul McAleer, MUA
Hanafi Rustanda, Indonesian Seamen's Union/ITF Asia Pacific chair
Gary Yusuf, Consul General, Republic of Indonesia

Wreath laying
Food and refreshments

Latest Election Results!

SMH September 11, 2010

One upshot from this election result is that for the first time in a very long time, millions of Australians are able to say that they know how many members there are in the House of Representatives and how the numbers fall among the 150 men and women elected to that chamber.

Governments are made and unmade on the floor of the House. As for the national vote, all seats are decided on preferences, not primary votes. On Thursday, Labor overtook the Coalition on the progressive count. At 5.30pm yesterday, Labor was on 50.09 per cent of the vote - 22,000 votes ahead of the Coalition.

It's not the final total, of course, and the difference is trifling when you consider that almost 12 million votes have been counted. But it seems to have become an accepted fact, because Liberal frontbenchers keep saying it, that the Coalition attracted more votes than Labor and thus has a moral right to power.

At this stage, the Coalition has fewer votes. Does it matter? Well, the truth should matter.