the _modern unionist
GA'/ I\
TE~ i1.11. Y N.w·,10l.i:,T 'l 1.r.R G.1.• ' 'l'ri.B N.::irl GAY T:~D.:. U~:IG ;-.I JT3 ' GROUl-' Nm ,B.c;R 6 •
• CO~BCUT FIGETING! ! ! ! !
CALL FDRAN ACTUGAYRIGHTS POLICY The Annual General i·.eeting of the Australian 'i'heatrical and Amu sement Employees Association in f,:arch called on the ACTU to adopt a pos itive gay rights policy at its Bie nnial Cong r es s in :,elbo urne thi s year. 'l'he moti on was worded: •
111'hat
the
A'l'A~A calls
1. Cppoaition
grounds
2. Su pp ort
upon the AO'l'U to ad opt a policy on the
to di s crimination in employment of sexual orientation,and ,
of:
for law refor m which would repeal all antihomosexual legislation and ou tlaw discri ~i na tion against homosexual s ."
DMC'SDRAFT POLICY In a letter on the 9th of April , GTUG infor med the ACTU of its desire to s e e a gay ri gh t s policy adop t ed at the ACTU Congress in depte mber . A copy of t h e ACJPA Anti - discrimination ~otio n was enclosed. The Pre s ident re pl ied, tel l in g u s t ha t our letter had been referred to the Disadvantaged r-:inori ties Co::1mi ttee. He also requested that; "t he co mriittee g ive c on sideration t o your proposal in their draft pol icy which wil l go b efo re the ACTU Congress i n Se ptember . 11
NEXT MEETING !!
at ~d ., GLEBE
SuN.CAY 2 0 TL L;.,Y 2.30PJV i
CAMP 33A Glebe
Point
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ACSPAResolution Here is a copy of the r::a jo r ga y ri ghts ACSPA Nationa l Confer ence. I t s printed D.• 15
decision of the 1978 for your reference.
DI~ CH.11·.Il ....l T ION lN THE v/O!t K.FORC~.
"That fi gh tin g unju s t employer s and withi n task for ACSPA in its recognisin g th a t such task as an i ndu s trial
di s crimination aga i n s t wor k ers by t }1e wor k place be accepted as a major soci a l action an d i n du s trial activities, a ta sk will be as much an educational acti on one.
That dur i ng 1978-9 1LC JP A wor k with groupr : re pre s enting those who are di s crimin a ted a gainst, - n amely women , blacks gays , the handicap ped, migrants , t h e you ng and the old in order that knowledge and skills may be developed to enable union s to be effective i n de f endin g th e human rights of al l t heir member s .
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That AC.:3 PA ur ge it s affiliate s t o re-examine their own a pp ro oriate policie s concerni ng discri mination as it affects their own member s and as k t : em to con s ider permitting or encour ag i ng cauca s es of discriminated against wor k ers in t hei r unions to make representation to the union. That in relation to di s crimi n ation a gainst homosex ua ls , ACSPA declare its op pos ition to disc r imination i n employment on the ground s of se xuality ru1d:i) opp ose the vie w t hat h omosexu a lity i s a sicknes s ; ii ) c alls for t he repeal of al l a ntih omosexua l le g islation; iii )su pport s th e de mand for le g i s lation to outl a w di s crimination a g~ in s t ho mos exu a l s , and further more t hat .1CSI'A convey thi f; view to t he .L. CTU and a s k i t t o con s ider a doption of the s ame policy."
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TheNCCDiscovers RedPlot! News \/ee kl!, the pu blication of t h e righ t wing press ure gro up J.'ati onal C vie Council, has ju s t di s co v ered that gay s in trade union s are g ettin g organi s ed, and , pr edict a bly , bla mes t his on the "recruit men t effort n by the extre me l eft". ·:ews ~/eekly (7 /2/ 79) qu otes our letter s en t t o John Ducker invitin g hi m to open t h e ill-f a ted ~arch Conference, which al eo included a copy of our c on s titutio n . ~pecific nlly it quoted our a im to "work in li as on with other oppre s sed groups , women 's group s , ab ori g in a l and et hr..ic 11 • To whic li News Weekli, at it s 1'lib er a l '' bPs t , r epli e f' : "While t he r e are grou p~ in th es e ca te gorie s wr ic r- ar e worthy of s upp ort f ro m c onc e r ned in d ivi duul s , the l ane ua g e u s ed s tron gly s ugg es t fl it s left-wi np ori en t a tio n" . (Than ks t o Vi ctor i an ~;a y 1'eac herr ; an d St ude nt s for
s pottin r this!)
FOLiies The Festiv al of Light have geared th ems elves into a ctio n again s t g ay teach er s . 1'11th ty pi cal FCL efficiency , member s are in s tru ? ted t o lob by the ..SW Teacher s Federation , and the Yremier. 1~ seemu to the FOL that th~ recent gay ri ghts policy of the Federation, may s way .-Iran to re pea l the present laws a gain s t homos exual a ct s and accept the reco mmendation s of t he Anti- Discri mination Boar d !!!! !! !
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NSWTeachers Federation Policy The J an/Feb newS:letter carried the bac kground to the Federation's Sexual Discri mination Resolution pas s ed at the Annual Conference Dec. 20 1978. This policy was f orwar ded t o t h e ACTU's Disadvantaged ~inorities Committee,and will have so me bearin g on any draft polic y t hat woul d be drawn up for the Sept. Congre s s. The policy is ai med at combatti ng di s cri minatio n on 3 grounds. sex, s exualit y and marital st a tus. DIS CRIMINATION: The policy and remain of their sexuality, s ex and relation s hips be re sp ected
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affirm s the ri ght of staff to enter in the teachin e profession re gardless marital s tatu s ,and that personal in promotion,posting and transfer s ~
COKBATTING SEXUALDl SCRH',I NATION: The Federation reco gni s ed its responsibility to fight sexual discrimination in the cla s sroo m by: 1) Removing sexist,anti-homosexual and other bias,includin g the assumption of universal heterosexuality from curricula courses counsellin g practices and personel s election. 2 ) Providing n on-sexi s t counter-sexist resources. ) Examining in a critical light,the bias of sexist and anti3 homosexual material where its use is unavoidable, 4) Providing information on s exu a lity in teacher trainin g and in-service courses,libraries an d j ournal s , 5) Ackn owled gin g th a t homosexual teac he r s had a necessary and valid part to play in sex education of staff,students and parent s . THE GAY T.cACHERAND THE LAW: The Federation called for the repe.al of all anti-homosexual laws,the end of entrapment techniques,and t he amendment of the Anti-Discrimination Act to cover sexuality,and to ap ply to student s ,teachers and educational in s titutions. WHATTO DO: The Federation has informe d the relevant bodies of its decisions and called for their implementation. It will also work in liason with the Aus tralian Teachers Federation,the ACTU and the NSWLabor Council,to formulate policies against sexual discrimination.Future award s will forbid homosexual discrim.
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This policy is aimed specifically a t t h e gay teacher,and her/his relationship with Education Depart ment,the Law,and her/his students,and it is heavily orientated toward teaching as a profession. However, as a guide for your own union's policy,this establishes a gay members ri ght to employment,and calls for the repeal of all anti-homosexual laws and the implementation of legislation to outlaw di s cri mination .
ATFVictory
The 59th Annual Conference of t he Australian Teacher s Federation held durin g Dec. 1978 pa ss ed two i mport ant motions. I. PRIVATE LIVES : Passin g a motion in relation to di s ci~linary procedures,the Federation declared t hat there should be "no unnecessary concer n with the private lives of teachers" - Of cour s e whatever is a necessary concern is still up in the air! II.
RI GHT8 OF TEACHBRS: These fear s may be allayed by a deci s ion later i n t he conf er en ce to amend the ATF Charter of Work ing Condition s in or der to pr ovi de for an end t o di s cri mination ba s ed on sex or s exual preference.
_ DAYS OF OUR LIVES - A SHORT ou11 ·
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1. Who do you tell you're gay? Why don't you let everyone know? 2. Are you afraid to talk to other gays at work who are openly gay? 3. Do you hesitate to be physical with your workmates? 4. What do you say when workmates ask, "are you marrie<i?'' (followed immediately with "any girl/boyfriends?) 5. How do you explain your lover when ~/he visits you at work? 6. Do you get flustered about questions about your living arrangements? 7. Do you speak and act the same way at work as you would at home or a t"play"? 8 . Do you wish gay activists would keep quiet because it makes people wonder about you? 9. Would your union defend you if you were dismissed on the gr ounds that alcoholism,absenteeism, etc. may be the direct result of your treatment as a homosexual? 10.Would you raise the issue of gay rights at a union meeting? 11.If you were being victimised for being gay - would you let the union know the full details, or would you "go quietly"? 12.Are you afraid to be involved in a gay organisation , or be seen at a gay demostration? 13.Do you receive the same considerations at work as a heterosexual , lets say if your partner is ill?
14.DO YOUCONSIDERGAYRIGHTS, OR DO YOUCONSIDER YOURSELF AN IRRELEVANT IciSUE? GTUGwelcomes responses
from and your friends to this in the form of stories, anecdotes , etc. With these we can make the union movement aware of the relevance of gay rights •
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Even in acceptin
g environments
"coming out"
is a brave
step.
CONTACT US: G.T.U.G., PO Box 71, Newtown 2042
A WORD TO GAYS ·W-ORKING or not ... gaytrade
the
Unionists·group
is working in ttiegayCommunity, listening to your problems at work ~ and helping overco~e _t_hese. -
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a.bou..tG:T.U.G .,
I would. lLke to know more
m~address
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p.o. box 71~ TOv\TN204
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