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Podcast: 4PR - Voice of the People
Episode: Bob Carnegie’s BLHA talk on SEQEB Dispute
Description: Bob Carnegie, a working-class activist, discusses the 1985 SEQEB dispute in Australia, emphasizing its historical and personal significance. He highlighted the global economic context, including Reagan's anti-union policies and Thatcher's monetarist approach, which led to widespread de-industrialization.
In Australia, the Prices and Incomes Accord weakened union power, reducing union membership from 51% to 12%. The Electrical Trade Union's fight against subcontracting in the electricity industry sector led to the sacking of 1,007 workers and widespread blackouts. Despite the defeat, Bob Carnegie stressed the importance of resisting tyranny and injustice, quoting William Z. Foster on the value of fighting for working-class rights: "No strike or...