May Day, Paul Lucas, Australian Labor and class politics
May 3rd, 2010 by Mark Bahnisch | Published in Activism, Brisbane, Economics, Government, History, Industrial Relations, Masculinity, Policy, Politics, Queensland, Sociology | 48 Comments
In Queensland today, we celebrated Labour Day as a public holiday.
In the wake of the privatisation imbroglio perpetrated by the Bligh government, expectations were that solidarity between Labor and labour wouldn’t be at the forefront of the Brisbane May Day March. Anna Bligh, and I believe Treasurer Andrew Fraser, disappeared to North America, first purporting to show an interest in bionics, and then holding a ‘virtual Cabinet’ with the provincial government of British Columbia.
What these ventures have to do with anything is anyone’s guess. Commenters on the Brisbane Times‘ story correctly pointed out that Peter Beattie is already paid 250k a year to represent Queensland’s trade interests in North America, and that a ‘virtual’ meeting could surely be virtual for the Canadians, and in Brisbane for the Premier.
To his credit, Deputy Premier Paul Lucas fronted the march, but was met with the jeers which the State Labor crew richly deserve. Kevin Rudd kept his distance, preferring to march with the LHMU, a union well back in the parade, and concentrating on the Resources Super Tax in his address, an initiative I warmly welcome.
In a nutshell, the impasse of Labor politics, and the scissions the Labour movement has fallen prone to, is encapsulated in the events of this day.
It’s a longer story, but I’ve previously argued that (late) modern Labor’s political Janus face results from at least two factors: the corporatised economism of state politics, where slogans about jobs mask a wholesale surrender to business interests; and the weakening of the links between workers, unions and the professional political class.
John Quiggin has provided us with some reflections on Labour Day:
Among his thoughts, he argues:
The old-style politics of class (with the working class represented by male manual workers, gathered in large, naturally solidaristic workplaces) is no longer relevant to the great majority of Australian workers. That doesn’t mean that class has ceased to matter, but it does mean that workers experience class and power relationships more in terms of individual experience than as collective interactions between classes. So, in particular, unions need to be seen more as mutual aid associations that protect their individual members against exploitation and unfair treatment than as vehicles for the mobilisation of the working class. The kinds of legal changes sought to reverse the generally anti-union trend of past decades needs to reflect this orientation.
I think this underplays the degree to which the union movement, particularly as represented by the ACTU, has long practiced a broader class politics transcending trade and occupational union particularism. While I also think that class politics has to move beyond a masculinised workerism, and to take account of the changed social and cultural conditions of twenty first century Australia, I’m not sure things are so simple as John suggests, though he’s surely right that the casualisation of work and a host of other social and economic changes have individualised work relationships.
But I don’t think unions need to return to being essentially mutual benefit societies. They do have a role in building solidarity where there is none, though this role may have to include creating the conditions for more solidaristic workplace relations, through rethinking how unions can intervene in shaping the labour market itself.
I think there’s a great need to develop an approach which does respond to the fracturing of class, the refashioning of the workplace, and the naturalisation of expectations around insecure work. It’s something I’d like to do more work on, and will be writing further about, but it’s also something I think is well worth a preliminary discussion on a very fractured Brisbane Labour Day.
NB: My previous May Day post is here.
I was at the march today and I felt it was the most interesting (and best) march in years because there were a lot of people who were prepared to criticise the ALP very vocally. Anti privatisation unions were the most vocal but there was anger too from the nurses and teachers. At one point a group including railworkers, teachers and nurses were all involved in some very loud heckling and drowning out of Lucas’ speech.
Rudd got some minor heckling as did Burrows. Burrows was nothing but an apologist for the ALP and wanted to deflect every criticism of the ALP by bringing up workchoices. Won’t work forever guys. The panel on stage looked like they did not want to be there and the power felt like it was being taken from the politicians. The anger was unleashed for the entire duration of Lucas’ speech which no-one heard. If Bligh had been there I think it would have been ten times worse. I for one have long believed that no policians should speak at Labour day. As for the idea of the pollies welcoming the unions at the get. What a joke.
I hope to see more Labour days like this where sell out politicians are held to account for their treachery to the union movement and self serving career decisions. I really hope this is the beginning of the unions breaking with the ALP and seeing them for what they are. Careerists who go from young labor to staffer to MP to sell out MP.
I was at the march today and I felt it was the most interesting (and best) march in years because there were a lot of people who were prepared to criticise the ALP very vocally. Anti privatisation unions were the most vocal but there was anger too from the nurses and teachers. At one point a group including railworkers, teachers and nurses were all involved in some very loud heckling and drowning out of Lucas’ speech.
Rudd got some minor heckling as did Burrows. Burrows was nothing but an apologist for the ALP and wanted to deflect every criticism of the ALP by bringing up workchoices. Won’t work forever guys. The panel on stage looked like they did not want to be there and the power felt like it was being taken from the politicians. The anger was unleashed for the entire duration of Lucas’ speech which no-one heard. If Bligh had been there I think it would have been ten times worse. I for one have long believed that no policians should speak at Labour day. As for the idea of the pollies welcoming the unions at the get. What a joke.
I hope to see more Labour days like this where sell out politicians are held to account for their treachery to the union movement and self serving career decisions. I really hope this is the beginning of the unions breaking with the ALP and seeing them for what they are. Careerists who go from young labor to staffer to MP to sell out MP.
The fracturing of the working class? We still all sell our labour power. And in fact viewed globally the class that sells it labour power to survive is now the majority class. That looks not like a fracturing but a strengthening.
The fracturing of the working class? We still all sell our labour power. And in fact viewed globally the class that sells it labour power to survive is now the majority class. That looks not like a fracturing but a strengthening.
@2 – Sure, John, but note the difference between a ‘class in itself’ and ‘class for itself’ in Marxist analysis. It’s consciousness and organisation which is key, and ideologically, there’s less awareness that those of us who sell our labour have something profoundly in common, and less solidaristic relations within the working class. It’s not anything new in class analysis to point to the way that the working class is fractured by capital and culture, and if anything, it’s something that globalisation has accentuated – at least in the advanced economies.
It was really the revisionists in the German SDP who believed that a majority of the population being working class (in the sense of being on one side of relations of production) would necessarily translate into anything in the political and social realms. Marx, himself, was under no such illusion.
@2 – Sure, John, but note the difference between a ‘class in itself’ and ‘class for itself’ in Marxist analysis. It’s consciousness and organisation which is key, and ideologically, there’s less awareness that those of us who sell our labour have something profoundly in common, and less solidaristic relations within the working class. It’s not anything new in class analysis to point to the way that the working class is fractured by capital and culture, and if anything, it’s something that globalisation has accentuated – at least in the advanced economies.
It was really the revisionists in the German SDP who believed that a majority of the population being working class (in the sense of being on one side of relations of production) would necessarily translate into anything in the political and social realms. Marx, himself, was under no such illusion.
… to Minister to merchant banker, lobbyist, director of development company, “trade commissioner”, etc, etc.
… to Minister to merchant banker, lobbyist, director of development company, “trade commissioner”, etc, etc.
Re Spana@1 and Kim@4, has this never not always been the way of the world?
If you’re an effective pollie, you obviously have some mad skills at broking conflicting interest groups and very good networking chops.
I’d much rather more people in the private sector had experience of the public sector than vice-versa.
Obviously some hedges should be erected, starting with a pollie’s public register of interests extended into at least three years after office – otherwise they lose their Parli Super.
Re Spana@1 and Kim@4, has this never not always been the way of the world?
If you’re an effective pollie, you obviously have some mad skills at broking conflicting interest groups and very good networking chops.
I’d much rather more people in the private sector had experience of the public sector than vice-versa.
Obviously some hedges should be erected, starting with a pollie’s public register of interests extended into at least three years after office – otherwise they lose their Parli Super.
Also
“trade commissioner”,
The Victorian ALP Government’s head business representative on the US West Coast is an ex Liberal pollie. And Victor got the job because he’s a smart bundle of energy and a brilliant schmoozer/networker – political talents cheerfully harnessed by all concerned – and he’s doing a bloody good job of it.
Mind you we are talking about Victoria, where left or right, we’re all in it together and united by one overriding goal – to fuck over NSW and QLD. We seem to be doing alright so far.
Also
“trade commissioner”,
The Victorian ALP Government’s head business representative on the US West Coast is an ex Liberal pollie. And Victor got the job because he’s a smart bundle of energy and a brilliant schmoozer/networker – political talents cheerfully harnessed by all concerned – and he’s doing a bloody good job of it.
Mind you we are talking about Victoria, where left or right, we’re all in it together and united by one overriding goal – to fuck over NSW and QLD. We seem to be doing alright so far.
About 10 days ago on local ABC they assumed Bligh would do a runner and ran a talkback session giving away a prize for the wittiest excuse she could use.
About 10 days ago on local ABC they assumed Bligh would do a runner and ran a talkback session giving away a prize for the wittiest excuse she could use.
Yeah, Nabs, but that’s the point. Queensland has oodles of these trade commissioners squirreled away all over the world, and to what real purpose other than a zero sum interstate game? It’s a bipartisan racket – they appoint former Liberal MPs here too.
Don’t know what it’s like in Victoria, but the revolving door between Ministerial Office and private sector pay off is really getting to be far too big a joke here in the Sunshine State. With the current round of privatisation madness, you can almost see the Ministers polishing up their cvs, should cvs actually be required (Cf. Mike Kaiser). It’s a scandal in the truest sense of the word.
Yeah, Nabs, but that’s the point. Queensland has oodles of these trade commissioners squirreled away all over the world, and to what real purpose other than a zero sum interstate game? It’s a bipartisan racket – they appoint former Liberal MPs here too.
Don’t know what it’s like in Victoria, but the revolving door between Ministerial Office and private sector pay off is really getting to be far too big a joke here in the Sunshine State. With the current round of privatisation madness, you can almost see the Ministers polishing up their cvs, should cvs actually be required (Cf. Mike Kaiser). It’s a scandal in the truest sense of the word.
@Brian, I bet no one thought of bionics!
I’m just picturing the development – via Queensland’s mad science skills – of a Labor Bot complete with hard hat which could deliver all the unconvincing Bligh lines with true robotic insincerity.
@Brian, I bet no one thought of bionics!
I’m just picturing the development – via Queensland’s mad science skills – of a Labor Bot complete with hard hat which could deliver all the unconvincing Bligh lines with true robotic insincerity.
Kim, they certainly didn’t. There were some good entries but maybe you could have won a magnificent gift of something or other from the ABC Shop!
Kim, they certainly didn’t. There were some good entries but maybe you could have won a magnificent gift of something or other from the ABC Shop!
“…and to what real purpose other than a zero sum interstate game?”
Joking aside, the right ex-pollie in the right place is very useful. And Victor Perton has really put together some interesting and productive links between California and Victoria.
And look, I hate to harp on about this but I speak from some knowledge here in that the pollie/big end of town/citizen pressure group nexus in Victoria is really not quite like all the other states.
Exhibit A: Regardless of what you think of Jeff Kennett, can you really imagine any other gung-ho right pollie from any other state pulling a total Jimmy Carter out of office.
Exhibit B: Bracks politely resigning because he genuinely missed time with his family.
Exhibit C: Seeing John Cain and Jeff Kennett together carefully and gently helping an aging Dick Hamer out of his car for a pro-diversity rally.
Exhibit D: Brumby and Ballieu together respectfully listening to Sir Gustav Nossal’s footy tips until Kevin Sheedy broke it up by saying “You’re full of crap as usual Gus.”
No really, Victoria does have a certain political culture which is not quite like all the other states. There is still a genuine sense of civic common good held here by many of our playas. The first few decisions made by the first Victorian Parliament were to approve the secret ballot for all elections (first parli in the world to make it so), build a great library and create an university.
Mind you, it would have been a lot more interesting if one of the original names proposed for Melbourne had stuck. Batville!
“…and to what real purpose other than a zero sum interstate game?”
Joking aside, the right ex-pollie in the right place is very useful. And Victor Perton has really put together some interesting and productive links between California and Victoria.
And look, I hate to harp on about this but I speak from some knowledge here in that the pollie/big end of town/citizen pressure group nexus in Victoria is really not quite like all the other states.
Exhibit A: Regardless of what you think of Jeff Kennett, can you really imagine any other gung-ho right pollie from any other state pulling a total Jimmy Carter out of office.
Exhibit B: Bracks politely resigning because he genuinely missed time with his family.
Exhibit C: Seeing John Cain and Jeff Kennett together carefully and gently helping an aging Dick Hamer out of his car for a pro-diversity rally.
Exhibit D: Brumby and Ballieu together respectfully listening to Sir Gustav Nossal’s footy tips until Kevin Sheedy broke it up by saying “You’re full of crap as usual Gus.”
No really, Victoria does have a certain political culture which is not quite like all the other states. There is still a genuine sense of civic common good held here by many of our playas. The first few decisions made by the first Victorian Parliament were to approve the secret ballot for all elections (first parli in the world to make it so), build a great library and create an university.
Mind you, it would have been a lot more interesting if one of the original names proposed for Melbourne had stuck. Batville!
And also I remember when LP used to be fun. Now it’s all serious young insects earnestly and humorlessly discussing issues over which they have no influence, control or even interesting insights. Like reading a junior Whip’s daily brief.
It used to be about the chicks with guns, nude haiku blogging on whisky, is the Pope Catholic?, the coven in full flight, poetasting playoffs and other steamy socio-cultural-sexual shit.
The kinda place where even Birdy occasionally got through the bouncer and onto the dancefloor.
And also I remember when LP used to be fun. Now it’s all serious young insects earnestly and humorlessly discussing issues over which they have no influence, control or even interesting insights. Like reading a junior Whip’s daily brief.
It used to be about the chicks with guns, nude haiku blogging on whisky, is the Pope Catholic?, the coven in full flight, poetasting playoffs and other steamy socio-cultural-sexual shit.
The kinda place where even Birdy occasionally got through the bouncer and onto the dancefloor.
Be interesting to see what happens to May Day once the Libs get back in. I’m not looking forward to it. At the tail end of Howard myself like many others of my peers were working longer and longer hours.
Worked well until my body gave out. Looks like I’ve rested up long enough to get ready for the next round.
Be interesting to see what happens to May Day once the Libs get back in. I’m not looking forward to it. At the tail end of Howard myself like many others of my peers were working longer and longer hours.
Worked well until my body gave out. Looks like I’ve rested up long enough to get ready for the next round.
Damn it Nabs, and I was going to make a serious comment, too …
Cleans feelers, raises middle and rear left leg, scuttles under discarded photo of Emma Peel
Damn it Nabs, and I was going to make a serious comment, too …
Cleans feelers, raises middle and rear left leg, scuttles under discarded photo of Emma Peel
Nabakov @ 11: “Mind you, it would have been a lot more interesting if one of the original names proposed for Melbourne had stuck. Batville!”
Being founded by Batman is why I always refer to Melbourne as “Gotham” (quite apart from the excellent gargoyles and belfries). And I suspect that I’m not the only one…
Nabakov @ 11: “Mind you, it would have been a lot more interesting if one of the original names proposed for Melbourne had stuck. Batville!”
Being founded by Batman is why I always refer to Melbourne as “Gotham” (quite apart from the excellent gargoyles and belfries). And I suspect that I’m not the only one…
Mark, on a serious note, you make the point about “the weakening of the links between workers” without the corollary. The cult of the individual is promoted to undermine our social and communal tendencies, it is a game played with distinction in the workplace by managers looking to get ahead. It is promoted in the world because it is a vehicle that drives consumerism…”I need this” or “This is mine”.
Isn’t Queensland home to largest population of fruit bats?
Mark, on a serious note, you make the point about “the weakening of the links between workers” without the corollary. The cult of the individual is promoted to undermine our social and communal tendencies, it is a game played with distinction in the workplace by managers looking to get ahead. It is promoted in the world because it is a vehicle that drives consumerism…”I need this” or “This is mine”.
Isn’t Queensland home to largest population of fruit bats?
@16 – dave, on my reading, the corollary is there in the post.
@16 – dave, on my reading, the corollary is there in the post.
Mark’s analysis is sound. The core of blue collar male unionism was shattered by the export of Australian manufacturing sector jobs that commenced in the late 70′s and continued unabated for the next decade and a half or more. The absence of a physical community of workers, literally self identifying as the working class in factories where we used to gather, undermines the possibility of positive class consciousness. Moreover, even class residential communities are themselves not as bounded and solidaristic as they once were – shattered by freeways and dotted with monolithic supermarkets. There is no way back from this and it is difficult to imagine how to construct an effective class politics in these conditions. The class no longer generates much of a class culture to give expression to common experience. Maybe we are all anarchists now.
Mark’s analysis is sound. The core of blue collar male unionism was shattered by the export of Australian manufacturing sector jobs that commenced in the late 70′s and continued unabated for the next decade and a half or more. The absence of a physical community of workers, literally self identifying as the working class in factories where we used to gather, undermines the possibility of positive class consciousness. Moreover, even class residential communities are themselves not as bounded and solidaristic as they once were – shattered by freeways and dotted with monolithic supermarkets. There is no way back from this and it is difficult to imagine how to construct an effective class politics in these conditions. The class no longer generates much of a class culture to give expression to common experience. Maybe we are all anarchists now.
Kim @9: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/may/03/charlie-brooker-cameron-brown-clegg
Kim @9: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/may/03/charlie-brooker-cameron-brown-clegg
Anthony, we are not anarchists now. We are merely programmed producers and consumers who enable the rich to get richer!
Anthony, we are not anarchists now. We are merely programmed producers and consumers who enable the rich to get richer!
For all you middle class radicals who don’t know your(?) social history, Spana’s rhetoric is a variation on traditional Labor Movement discontent. I’m not passing judgment.
Though personally I would like to keep a major progressive electoral force in this country for the 21st century that wasn’t to the Right of the US Democrats party organisation. I always thought the late John Button was woefully wrongheaded in sugesting the ALP should disaffiliate from the union movement, as he really was earnest in that belief and not just letting off steam.
I can’t fathom why anyone who says they want the best for either party or union movement would be serious about that.
Anyway, where is our high profile Labour Day march in Victoria? It’s just another Carlton arts and craft fair down here.
Interesting that Labour Day in Victoria was originally held in May for purely organic, local reasons—the first eight-hour day ruling was passed during that month by the colonial government. I see your Queensland Labour Day was originally in March, then was moved to May 1st to conform with the Yurpean’s event (ironically our Labour Day was moved in the other direction, from May to March.)
Mark, these revisionists you mention are the 1860s ones, right?
For all you middle class radicals who don’t know your(?) social history, Spana’s rhetoric is a variation on traditional Labor Movement discontent. I’m not passing judgment.
Though personally I would like to keep a major progressive electoral force in this country for the 21st century that wasn’t to the Right of the US Democrats party organisation. I always thought the late John Button was woefully wrongheaded in sugesting the ALP should disaffiliate from the union movement, as he really was earnest in that belief and not just letting off steam.
I can’t fathom why anyone who says they want the best for either party or union movement would be serious about that.
Anyway, where is our high profile Labour Day march in Victoria? It’s just another Carlton arts and craft fair down here.
Interesting that Labour Day in Victoria was originally held in May for purely organic, local reasons—the first eight-hour day ruling was passed during that month by the colonial government. I see your Queensland Labour Day was originally in March, then was moved to May 1st to conform with the Yurpean’s event (ironically our Labour Day was moved in the other direction, from May to March.)
Mark, these revisionists you mention are the 1860s ones, right?
Seems there may be some splits in the ALP ranks judging by the news today. A few MPs urging a rethink on privatisation. Perhaps there are a few nervous ALP MPs who fear what is looking like a real threat and that is an ALP defeat. Perhaps there will be some more rumblings about Bligh and a move on her leadership. Who knows.
Seems there may be some splits in the ALP ranks judging by the news today. A few MPs urging a rethink on privatisation. Perhaps there are a few nervous ALP MPs who fear what is looking like a real threat and that is an ALP defeat. Perhaps there will be some more rumblings about Bligh and a move on her leadership. Who knows.
@21 – Nickws, yep, those revisionists.
@21 – Nickws, yep, those revisionists.
DavidG@20: I’m a white colonial middle-class anarchist. Thanks for asking.
(credit to Shona Laing for the concept)
DavidG@20: I’m a white colonial middle-class anarchist. Thanks for asking.
(credit to Shona Laing for the concept)