Union marriage pressure
Members of retail union the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) have spoken out against their union leader’s opposition to same-sex marriage.
Presenting a petition of 83 signatures at a SDA Queensland branch quarterly meeting, shop steward Duncan Hart said SDA national secretary Joe de Bruyn’s staunch opposition to gay marriage did not reflect the feelings of its members.
“When I read an article about Joe de Bruyn’s comments I was so outraged, I decided I’m going to do something about this. I knew most people in the industry, and the place I work, don’t agree with this,” Hart told the Star Observer.
De Bruyn shared his thoughts following the ALP’s support of a motion from federal Greens MP Adam Bandt calling for MPs to canvas their constituents’ views on same-sex marriage.
“If I had been [PM] Julia Gillard this week I would have put the issue of gay marriage to the vote, killed the issue off once and for all and gotten on with the business of the real issues the ordinary person in the electorate cares about,” de Bruyn told the ABC.
Hart said SDA Queensland secretary Chris Ketter told last week’s meeting the union was taking its position on same-sex marriage because the issue is divisive and would not help Labor’s cause for re-election.
A motion on Ketter’s address was voted on and passed.
Hart said, however, he believes SDA members are not aware of the union’s stance and has called on other members to voice their opinion.
The SDA is Australia’s largest trade union and delegates make up a strong voting bloc at the ALP’s national conference.
info: SDA members can contact Hart at [email protected]
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Any other ALP local branch members want to get tgether to make a noise about this at the Federal Conference in Darling Harbour on 2, 3 & 4 December? let’d know : [email protected]
Kevin shouting at me “a talking snake married Adam and Eve”, because it felt right, is not convincing.
Marriage is not natural, and neither is religion. Hate, yes. You do have lots of that. A hospital is not natural, but I bet you want to go when your are really sick.
So get yourself up off the floor and get out of the “Terrible Two’s” tantrum. If “It’s wrong as Kevin said so”, is the best you can offer, then climb back into your stroller and think. You might just get rewarded with a lolly if you are a really good boy and behave.
same sex marriage is wrong. It is unnatural and a further lowering of our sense of morality. Today there is no “right” or “wrong” its whatever “feels” good! wake up people – same sex marriage is WRONG. In your heart you know this to be true.
The real scandal of the SDA is really that they aren’t really a union at all – they must be the only ‘union’ in Australia where the two employers, Coles and Safeway, actively recruit for them. They are pathetic, they push for wages rises below national minimums, and the latest ‘deals’ they push through actively cut penalty rates and worker entitlements.
They are a useless, employer funded career club for people to get ALP preselections, they do nothing for their members.
If the SDA were to dissolve tomorrow, wages in retail would rise considerably.
Join Workers Out! Trade Unionists for Same Sex Marriage Rights on Facebook here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Workers-Out-Trade-Unionists-for-Same-Sex-Marriage-Rights/179301315450142?sk=wall
Equal Marriage rights is most certainly a workers and a union issue!
not allowing same-sex couples to marry is a homophobic and bigoted law. It justifies every homophobe who wishes to bully a GLBTI person at work, and says , well their a second class citizen so its ok!
I’m so glad that Duncan and his workmates have begun to organise around this! Resigning union management says only this: that you quit without a fight! a letter from one individual is not a fight! this is why unions ARE so important because workers have MUCH more power collectively than otherwise!
The SDA is not supporting the views of many of its members, whom are overwhelmingly young (and the last poll suggests that 80% of 18-24yr olds support marriage equality) and I’m sure there are alot of glbti members as well!
solidarity to those in qld target! hope it spreads!
i am so impressed with the actions of duncan hart and his fellow target workers who signed the petition. The SDA is one of the most out of touch trade unions in Australia today and it’s high time their backward ideas are challenged by their membership. glbtiq rights are a trade union issue, and we want to force them to be on the right side of the debate and duncan hart’s actions are a great step in the right direction.
If my union secretary (I’m with the ASU) came out against gay marriage, I would resign my membership and also send a letter expressing my disgust with their bigoted and homophobic views – but I wouldnt just send it to the Union, I would send it to the media and the Labor party too. I work for a Union and I cannot understand how an organisation that supports equality in the workplace wouldn’t support equality outside the workplace too. Its time these right-wing Laborities learned they don’t belong in the Labor party – it’s because of the right-wing factions that Labor is now finding itself turned into a low brand version of the Liberal party and more and more traditional Laborities are turning to the Greens. It’s time true Laborities stood up against the right-wingers and got their party back.
Dave Canberra
I know we need a strategic approach, perhaps a ribbon day for equality, not just us but all who value social justice and inclusion. Every now and then someone does something with such pride, it inspires us all, it makes you think if this guy can do that, then what can I do.
There will be pockets of passion, where an individual out of frustration acts in a very human and emotional way. Whatever we do or do not do, it is used against us by those like Jo on a vengeful mission from his version of God.
I long for the ALP to be the Party of a Fair Go, and to stand for social justice for all Australians.
Dave I fully agree yes vote the bigot/s out. Please believe me I wasn’t attacking the brave men and women who signed or organised the petition I was offering a word of advice and caution. As a member of the ALP and a proud gay man I want to see my party take the lead at beat the bigots and homophobes at our next National Conference. After which the law can be changed, to do this we must act strategically from time to time.
What we can’t afford to do is give these unholy *>k0kkmd’s and inch because they will take it and beat us around the head with it time and time again. Never forget its people like de Bruyn who were deeply reluctant to close the Office of The Holy Inquisition. Tragically they believe they are doing (their) Gods work when they attack us insult us and allow people to discriminate against us.
Love the sinner hate the sin just how sick and hypocritical is that?
Dave Canberra
Jo would not change if he had 500,000 members sign a petition. The only way to get rid of him is vote against him, and get a campaign together. Get rid of delegates that do not support Same-Sex Marriage.
It is good to watch any ALP Conference he attends and the people yelling abuse at him. Most of the Unions support Same-Sex Marriage. He has pissed off so many people on so many social justice issues.
Not In My Bed Room
I understand the person who got the petition is a Target worker, and got his co-workers etc together who are in the Union. This was a terrific effort.
Hundreds of thousands of people will go to Mardi Gras under the theme of Same-Sex Marriage. This will add to calls for equality.
Sorry but there’s a lesson that needs to be learnt 83 signatures is insufficient to make it worth while presenting a petition to someone like Joe de Bruyn. In fact it is almost certain he will use this small number against you/us saying it is minute and clearly unrepresentative of the majority of his members. His next move may well be now to organise his own petition in support of the unions hard line stand and have it passed around by a few of his church mates.
Worse yet de Bruyn could use such a petition against us on the floor of this years ALP Conference. If you haven’t got the numbers learn to harass and embarrass your enemy from the sides until you do have the numbers then use them without compassion.
NB It always pay to know your enemy before launching a direct assault on his front line.
What does marraige rights have to do with a trade union.
The sole purpose of a trade union is to protect the worker. To ensure everyone is paid, has a safe place to work etc.
In other words, who gives a poo about how he feels about SSM.
The only ‘inherent gay issue’ that any trade union has is…
…ensure all gay people get the same pay for the same days work
…ensure the workplace is safe and free from bullying for all workers, this includes a safe workplace for gay people.
Should a trade union refuse to support those points, I would be there waving placards right beside you. But if it is all about the private views of the union leader, then that is ‘not inherent to the job of being a trade union leader’.
TO DAVE, I will say thanks for that bit of information about the said union. While I would say it does sound negative, it would only matter if this meant they would no longer protect the gay worker while they are at work.
TO ROB, why would you want to hurt the employer. The only one you will hurt is the ‘open minded employer’ so open mined that they are very happy to have queer staff in their store. And yet you want to smack them hard with something that had nothing to do with them?
The only way you would send a message to a trade union is to not pay union fees for a year, or to resign from the union. Or even better to set up your own trade union to compete against them.
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Must I close this post with the point of ‘only 83 signatures in Queensland’. What very small portion of the workplace would that be?
So there really is not a lot of support in what I would expect to be a very popular union.
Perhaps we should have a national day of action where every gay, lesbian, transgender, queer (etc.) and supporter calls in sick.
I wonder how many businesses, especially those in the retail sector, would struggle without their “gay” staff?
Ben is right, lobby, make noise, sign petitions, raise hell. If you are a member you have every right to be heard. Make them understand what social justice is, and make them value you and your contributions.
They only have power over you if you let them have.
The President of the Shop Assistants Union President, Greg Donnelly is now a member of parliament. He always speaks against support for same-sex relationships and families.
There are so many gay and lesbian shop assistants – please, get active and involved, sign petitions, raise it with your delegates, make a noise!
The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association has been run from the Vatican for years. It has reflected the conservative values of the Pope, and not the Australian people, or many members, and it looks to me like the Union Preseident Joe de Bruyn has stacked the Union with conservative Opus Day members of the Catholic Church. It is a bit rich for the SDA to say they know what ordinary Australians think, it suggest we are not ordinary, they only know what the Pope thinks if you ask me. They are out of touch, beyond comprehension, and lost reality many years ago when they chose the Catholic Church, over union members on a whole range of social justice issues from what I have read over and over.
When Labor was in a much better position, under Kevin Rudd, the SDA did not support Civil Rights either, and blocked Same-Sex Marriage. It is propaganda to say it supports the Governments Position and will not do anything before the election, because you know after the election what the real Julia will say!
Remember it was this Union that got Kevin Rudd to spend millions getting an Ambassador to the Vatican that cost Australian Tax Payers. Why have an Ambassador to a faith?
The real question is not about Same-Sex Marriage, but why is a Union that is meant to represent you is taking orders from the Vatican? Why are they telling you who you can marry? You will never meet the Pope or Joe de Bruyn. It is not their bloody business what you do in your life. The SDA is clearly a Union that does value Civil Rights or know what they are, it only values the hate of the Pope.