the gay trade unionist newsletter of the nsw gay trade unionists' group PO Box 71, NEWTOWN' NSW2042
N0 8.
ISSN 157 - 0099
September: '79
• Nurses' Association · Pushes fol Conference
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The September issue of "The La.mp", the Nurses' Association, p.rried a 4 page Festival of Li 0hts "Total Child Care" is intended to ''paint a broad picture
journal of · the BSW spread to promote the Conference. The Conference of child abuse."
However, if the broadness of the "Lamp" article is an,thing to go by, the gay community can expect nothing less than a poofta bash". The FoL have invited special Detective Lloyd Martin from Los · Ancreles as well as well known anti-gay propagandists Janet Coombs and Dr Jean Benjamin to speak at the Conference. n!Phe Lamp" article quotes the work of Lloyd Martin at length. Jllart in and the Los Angeles Police Dept's "Sexually Exploited Child Unit" issue~ false statistics purporting to ahow that 70% of the dhild.ren molested 1n Los· Angeles were Ulille. In fae~ tile was 2~~, an d the LAP» Chief Gates, consequently admonished liar •
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Dr ·John Whitehall,
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the -author of · the article however 1 g1T•• ·-th• · impression that all child molestation is of young mai.es by older males, and most o1""'"this occurs putside the family. The tacts are: (A) 90% of all
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reported child molestations are committed by adult males on minor females. Most molestations of male minors are committed by men in close relationship to the Tictill as well by rr.en who molest children of both sexes. (1 ~2, .3.) (B) 75 - 85% of child molestations are committed by aaembers of the · family or friends of the victims. (1,2,3,4.)
He not only dishes up sensationalist tit-bits but adds the rejoinder "A middle aged woman was heard to say after hearing Martin's address 'I wa~ shocked. I've got to zet out of he re to get myself tog ether.• She was depressed: but also angry. Determined that these ~hi ngs should stop." Whitehall neatly equates sexual child abuse And homosexual child abuse and paedophilia and incites the "decent" read er to stand up and fight homosexual child abuse. 1'he average reader of the article still has many misconceptions about male homosexuals being child molesters, and this act of incitement will mean increased mental and physical abuse of homosexual nurs es . Free pubi'icity in a union journal is a ru-ajor coup for the FoL, but what of the responsibilities of the F.di tor?''The Lamp" is a journal of an Association which "promo tes i;he interests of all members in professional, educational and industrial matters" and "to remain non-political and non-sectarian". Publis:1ing inciting biassed material cle arly is at o1ds ~ith these aims, not to mention the professional e"thics of publishing un:f'actual material. What of the po li tieal implications of th-.? :FoL II coup"? It means that the trade union movernen-c is gjvlng official sanction to anti-homosexual bigotry. This is even more alarming when Rex Jackson, Ministe~. of You"th and Community Services will be opening the Conference and that tha :JSW Labor Coun1.:il will be represen-cea. kn0\·1ing t.hat the FOL are using them to give their cause legitimacy.
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REFEP.~S
1. "C~ild Abuse and Negl~ct~The Problem and Its Management". U~ Dept. of R.E.W., Natio nal Center on Child Abuse and Neglect H• .r-:. W. Pv.bJ.ication N0. ( OB:0) 75-30073. ' 2. "Oregon Stat a Dcp::,.rtment of Human. Resources Task Force on Sexual Preference." (1977) Pcrtland, Oregon. 3. "Protection of t:1e Child Victim of Sex Crimes Cammi tted ·.by Adults~ 11 ~merican Eumane Association, Vincent de }"'rancis ( 1965). 4. "~uman1st1~ Treatment of .:b"atr.er Daughter I::..cest'', by .Frank GJ..r.retto, in Helfer, R.E. (ed) "Child Abuse and Neglect. 11 (197 6) ra llenger Publications.
from 4 1i/A unions walked out in protest at an address to the WATradeu and Ls.bar Council on homosexual discriI!l. on the 5th June. ' .
Delegates
given
The address
was given 1 y ,Jeff Hayler, a rr.ember of the Aust. Social Welfare U~ion. In the address Jeff cited WAfigures of discrimination in employment against homosexuals to argue for union policy to gua .rantee right2 for homosexual members and to ·educate the ~ank and file to stamp out misconceptions about lesbians and gay m0n~
Mr J. Harding, explaining said ·that deba tes.
a ~tate erg.miser for the Federated Clerks Union pr~ss v:hy his union h~d '.talked cut in protest the iCU did not p2.y Council c1.ffiliati on fees for such to
th2
9owever, tr..e meeting continued and called on all unions in WA to SUP7Jort a joint CL?-u>- ASWU survey of unions and employ~rs on the problems £3cing homosexuals in the workplace.
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. Melbourne CityMission Discriminates Against Gays '' An applicant for a job a~ a Res i dential Youth worker with the Melbourne City Mission, was turned down for the job after he stated that he was homosexual. During the course of interviews with tte Mission'"s Social Worker, and with conversations with members of the staff at the Mission .', the question was raised with the ap plicant, Tony Collins, how he was goin g to cope with a hostel full of "nubil~ young ladie~.~ Tony explained that t he issue of sexual overtures from t~e :it1i s was not a problem as he was ho~osexual. . . ) · · ·' . I
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Al though
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no job contract had been si gned: t h e Missio n Worker indicated to Tony that he was bein g g ive~ seriQUS consideration for tr.e positio n and t hat t _he formal offer of a j ob was a mere t~chnicality.
The Social Worker tol d Tony that "co mmunity attitudes approve of homos ex:uali ty'', and tr.at b ecause of this be possible to confirm t h e offer of t be job.
did not
ft mit;ht not
The fo l lowin g day the Superinten dent tol d Tony he was bei ng refused the job on the groun ds of h i s homosexuality. •
TID; AUSTrlALI,~N SOCI.8.L wELFA...--lE UNION
Tony approached his union, t~ e ASWUwhos e Industrial Vice President wrot e to t r.e Melbour~e City Mis sio r. about the ·complain t . No replies to this an d a secon c: letter have been received. BODIBS Tony lodged com1>lain ts wi tr . the Victoria n Anti i-Discr-im~11a:ti _on Bureau and t h e Victorian Comr:: i ttee on Di s criminatio n ih Employment and Occupation (The Federal Body). ANTIDI3CRHaNATIO~
The State body, stated that t r:ey were satisfied tha t cliscriminat i ,·,:: on the ~rounds of sexuality did occur, bu~ be cau□ e it ~ charter didn't inclu de homos exuality, t he y coul c n ot tak e t r.e matter furt h er and refe r re d the mat ter to Pr e~ier Earner f or his information. Tony ha s writ tc ~ t o t h e Pr e~ier as ki ng him to tak e action. Ee ha s n ot recei v ed a r ep ly as y e t. The Federal Body is s till 1nve s ti ,::a t i n ."; t he ca c e.
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COZ.:Ki.iliT Th e reason
Collins
t:te Melbourne
C::. ty Mis s.ion
gave for
a job was su pp os ed "c ommunity a ttitudes"~
refusin
g Tony rea ·son their ·
For thfs
gays are denied employment, or li've in fear of losing jobs - especially in areas like social welfare, nurs~ng and education. I n this are a the myth or child mol €stat1on is dragged out if not reason in it s elf, then the reason for public bigotry and community a ttitu d e s . The facts
are that child sexual abuse is pr~dominantly eom~itted males on minor females (90% of cases) and 57% of • Australians in 1978 supported equ a l t 'reat ment in 1,-?-wfor gays. On;l.y 30% of those polled were opposed to equal tre.atmen't -in · aaw : for gays. ·
by adult
VI~ORIANGAYTRADEUNIONISTS
Vic GTUG have tal_<:enup the case, · a."ld have beg-un a campaign of protest against tr :e Melbourne City Mission, a."l'ldagai~ .st the law which makes the Mission's . actlon · 1a.wful • . Copies . ·of a pamphlet on the Case, and all financial assistance can be obtained from and sent to: Vic GTUG, Box 3, 5l Victori a Street, CARLTONSOUTH30;3 ..
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ADBEmployment Policy K3i Anti-Discri~in &tion Boar ~ in a lett er to the N3J GTUG c~c.r,:es raise d at t:::e Au Du :ct 4 t :'. S er..ina r tb:i.t 1 t ~is cocr a ~es ''its e~ployees f=o~ be in: cpe n ubo Ut t~eir sex uality ...nc: romosexuali ty, and not to employ openly homosexual peop le. 11 "te
:-.c;l.s <.J.ns wered
.'.Hein, President ~:: ere i~· absolutely .·e cret . Nor does the \o ~osexua l peo ple." ;.aul 11
of tr .e JillB writes: no ' pressure' to keep one 's Board have c::. policy of not ·
sexuality e:-i:ploying
openly
Scottish Meeting onHomosexual Worker s SCOTLAND, September: Two da y schools for trade ir:::. being he ld in Octob er to ex.::::.rnine the rights .'1·ir: ga y men at work in Edinbur gh a~cl Gl.'.:>. sg ow.
union a ct ivists of lesbians
'.['he for::.a t appears similar to t r. e aCSPa : '.ational Meetin i on Homosexual Workers l:eld in Melbour :1e in Aur;ust. Ho-.\1 ever, each i s being organised by the 3ay coi.:r,;uni ty (T::e Scottich Homosexual J.i g hts Group) al thou t h tl 1e Zdinburgh am Di strict Trade s Council is s ;:ionsorir. ,, the school in Edinbur er. . Organise rs of tr.e two like , Are gays rea lly t rade union:: shown so hopes that these wil! issues lik e gay rights :policies.
3chools are inten di~G to look at questions discri: :.in&ted agair.r·t at work'? !."hy rave little interest':11 : .y s!lould they ': SHRG be di s cus sed within tte co n text of wider in society an d tl ··e develop:nent of union
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ACTU Congress 1979 At tr .e ACTU Congress in September, bot~ t~.e Am-;tralia.'1 Soc-ial f'le lf::ire Union anr. the KJvl Teachers' Federatior: r,ad ;.:oved tr .a t t:.e Disadvanta ged Min or ities Platf or□ inclu d e tr.e 11Disc ri :nination in the Workforce" resolution of the 1978 AC.:3PAConf Prence •. ,,tat hap.1-Jened? In short, it didn't ctr .er i terns on the agenda tr .a t tr.e t o t jscussin g , it will be referred d ealt with .
: t may well
come up. Alon ~' wi tr. numerous Congre ss di~ not rret arou:-ir. to the HCTU executive to be
have been fortun a te tr.at tte ;-!.otion ciif not there was proba b ly not enougL p·repc1l'ation dis cussion of the issues amongst the union movement for ffiotion to have had much chance of g etting ·wide support. .i.t seems
that
co: ' e up as or prio r the
:h e ACSPAmo~ion a~ prop?sed was probably not ideal - raising iss ues for discus s ion wl:1.ch tr.e r-en eral public mi,::r:t find controversia l ( 11horr.ose:xuali ty i~ not a s ickne .s~-") but w!'.ich ar e ~ot esseni;ial to our basic de :.:anr.s - a .,fair g o '' anc eoual treatnen-c. In future any :r.otionF probably r..eec to be rr,ore strongly oriented towards t~e basic industrial issue - tte rigt~ of ga ys at work.
·.STOP PRESS
Greg Reading.
THE ACTU CONGR~SS Tt.e fate- o.f ,;he .ACSPA motion may be deci ded at t i .e next mee t,inp: of GTUG on tr :e 21st Oct ober 2. 30 pm a t CAM} 33A G:-..ebe Pt ~ld, GlEB .2 Re nresen 1.atives of t i: e 1f.3WTF anc.! t .r.e AS\•/U will be invi ~ed. Its i mportant that YOU have a say!! '.L'OTaL Cl. ILD Cll.:1E '! -:•x Jack~on, Mi, i nter of You th and Coi:1:r.u ni -cy Se.cvices i;1 the NS-..1 -~.,ver ·nrnea"t, c oulc not; open t;:· e F oL Total <..: r.1.l d C2.re <..: e n f erer .t:e ·- to ~)res sin g ra·ior t:mgagericn t s . Tr.e full s tory in t te next GTU.
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ADBEmployment Policy 'i.e N.3,1/Ar.ti-Discri;:-iin~tion c:i.nswered cr.ar ;:es raised :~i s cot:rar,es "its employees ;..n c homosexuality, anc. not
Boa::--d. in a letter to the N.3./ GTUJ at the Aue:;u_ t 4 t i! Se ni nar tl:at it f.:-o:r. bc in::: c•;,en u.botit treir sexuality to em:;loy openly homosexual people.
:-!ctS
:aul Stein, President '' '!::-ere i~· absolutely ~ec ret. Nor does the
'·.amosexual
people.
of t~e iiDB writes: no 'pre ss ure' to keep one's Board have~ policy of not
11
sexuality eEploying
11
openly
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ScottishMeeting onHomosexual Wo rkers $COTLAND, September : Two day s c hools for trade i8 beinis held in October to ex~raine t he rights .~: 1c1 gay men at work in Edinburgh and Gl~ sgow .
union activists of lesbian~
'.f'r e for:: .a t appears
si:;iilar to t r.e .a.CSPa ::ationa l .Meetin ·~ on Bon,osexua l Workers i:eld in Melbour :1e in .Aur;ust. Ho•,vever, each is being organised by the ga y cor.:r.;uni ty (T::e Scottich Homosexual J.igh ts Group) althou t h the .Bdinburgb an c Distric t Tra des Counci l is sponsorir.. :_, the school in Edinbur t;r) . Organisers of tr.e two like, Are gays really trade union:= shown so hop e s that these wil1.. issues like gay ri3hts policies .
::;chools are in te nc i:: r; to look at questions di s cri: ·.inated agair.f·t at work: Phy rave little interest': 'i#':.y should tr.ey '; SHRG be di s cussed within tl.e context of wider in society and tl-.e development of union
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ACTU Congress 1979 At tr.e ACTU Congress in Septemb er , both t: .e AuRt:r:ali::m 3oc-ial 1/e lfare Union a:-:.ri th e KJd Tea.chers' Federat ior: na d ;.:ovecl tr .at t:. e Di sad van taged Min orities Pla tf orr:i i!'lclu d e tr.e 11 Dis crimination in the Workforce" resolution of the 1978 AC.:>PA Co::-,fPrence •. .'f'ha t llap .1->e ned? In short, it didn't otrer i terns on the agenda tr .o.t tr.e to <is cussing, it will be referred d ea1t with . ! t may well have been fortunate J t s e ems t h at there was probably
come up. Alon ~' wi tr: numerous Con g:ress d ir not rret arou::-i.r. to the ~cTU executive t o be
tte ~.ot io;-i ri< 1 not not enougl. p'repc1ration disc ussion of the issues amongst the union movement for ffioti on to h a ve had much chan c e of getting 'wide support. tr.at
co: · e U:;? as or prior
the
The ACSPAmot i on as propose d was pro bably not ideal - raising issu e s for discussion wr.i c h tte r eneral public mi ,::t. t find controversial ("hor.:osexu a li ty i ~ no t a Gickne.s ~·") but w~.ich are ~ot essen'tial to our basic de :::anr. s - a "fair go' ' anc equal treatr 1ent. In future any :r.ot i or. f' probably r.eec to be rr:ore strong ly oriented towards t~e basic industrial issue - tte rigt"t of ga y s at work.
·.STOP PRESS
Greg Reading.
THE ACTU CONGR~SS
Tre fa t e ot· 'the ACSPA motion
may be decided a t t'. .e next !'!lePt-inp: of GTUG on tr :e 2 1st Oc-cober 2. 30 pr.i at CAMI' 33A G:-_ebe Pt ~le, GlEB .8 Reuresen t.atives of t }:e i:LiWTF and t r.e .aS\'IU will be invi -ieel . Its i mp ortant that YOU have a say!! 1
'.1.
0 1rsL
C1 ILD Ca~lE
'/ ""'{ Jackson, f.~i~.ister of You th and Cor:1:r.un i 'tY Se.cvices in the NS',1/ ·"'. vernn.e11 t, c o ul, no-i open -i:· e F oL Total Cr 1l c' Ca re C!. n fere n ee - t.o pressing r,rio r 1:mgager-.en t s . Tr:e full s tory in t!"e next GTU.
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Fl&HTIN& DISCRIMINATION :ASeries 1:NSWC'teeonDiscrimination in Employment & Occ upation INTROD~ TION
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Employment Discrimination Committees were established by the Federal Labor Government in 1973 on Australia's ratifica t i on of the I nternational Labor Organisation Convention No. 111 Dis crimination (Employment and Occupation) 1958. This Convention bans discrimination in employment on the grounds of: (a) Race, clour, sex , religion, political opinion , national extracti o~ and social origin, and (b) "sue~ other discrimi~ation, exc l usion or preference (ie. discrimination) which ha s the effect of nullifying or impairing equality of opportunity or treatment in em~loymen~ or o~cu pation as ~ay be determin ed by tte Member concerned after conRultation wit~ representatives of employers' anc wor '· ers' organisations, •• • • •• •• " In reply to an enquiry from GTUG, AC Jeffries, Officer of the 0ommittee, wrot e ;
acting
Executive
"Where a homosexual person feels they have be en discriminated against in employment or occu patio~, then tti s complaint is investigated on the grounds of sexuality . " So in Australia , in part (b) sexua l ity (homos exuality) is included , alon g with age, disability, nationality, personal attributes, criminal record, medical record, trade union a ctivities and educational qualifications .
WH O ARE ON THECOMM ITTEE?
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The Committee has an in dependent Chairman (sic) appointe ·d by the Minister for E~ployment and , Industrial Relations , and representatives of the Federal and State Gove~me~ts and the ACTU arid Employer : bodies •
FUNCTIONS .
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To attempt to resolve by conciliation , ·Q_omplaints of discrimination in employment and occupation which come to the attention of the Committee. (2 ) To e~deavor to change comffiunity attitu des towards employment discrimination so that di s cri minat ory policies and practices will come to be seen as unacceptable to the Australian Community . (1)
HOw DO YOUlnOCESS A COMJ:'LAINT? (1) Cont act
the Committee.
Commonwea l t h Government Centre, Chifley Square, SYDNEY. GPO Box 2725, SYDNEY. 2001 TEL: (02) 239 . 3459 (2) a nd put your complaint in writing. authorise the Committee to investig
You must also a te the complaint .
(3) The Co~rnittee then looks at your complaint wr.e ther discrimination ha s occured.
(4) The Committee to try
and decides
then uses its "influ ence and g ood offices to resolve the complaint."
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(:5) .Fai l i ng th i s , the
ca s e i s ref erre d to the National Com.-,ittee. Aga i n , if t he y ar e s at is fied that dis cri mi na ti on ha s occure d , parti es i n t he diso ute a re in vit ed t o :r.eet wi th the Car ;· .i t tee , and the pro c es:3 of c on ci l iat ion again t a kes plac e . · ·
( :;) Fa i lin: ~ tr.i.s , a re r,ort
L- = se'.1.t t o t he Min i s t er. fo r Employm ent an d I nd us tri a l Relati ons who may decide t o t a bl e t re r ep or t i n Parl i amen t, '' t o:;e t he r wit h co m::ie!1 t s as he may con si d er to be desir able an d a ppro pri a te."
• come-outfighting I!
C~ ay TradeUnionists? 'l'rl £ NSW GAY TRADE UNIOMISTS' GtlOUl' is
a non-party-political gro up of gay trade unionists working in the gay community and in th~ trade union movement. ~. Making ~he trade union movement aware of the special problems of working lesbians and gay men, 2. Assisting trade unions and employee associations support members discriminated against because of their homosexual -1ty, 3. Helping the Gay Community realise the importance ot unions an ~ employee associations to defend their rights and change community attit~des. ·
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IF THIS BOX IS TICKED,
YOUR SUMCB.IPTION/MEMB&SHIP
IS DU~
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SEND TO: GTUG. P08ox71,Newtown. NSW 2042 Name •••••••••••••
Address/
Phone No.
Onion
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he mbersh1p PttEE
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Trial
$10
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Offer ·••••
Subsckiption
to The Gay Trade Unionist
( One copy of the latest
issue
o! ''GTu··i
:4EXTMEETING I Ju nda y OCTOB ~
2 1st , 2. 30~m at
33a Glebe Po i nt Rd ., GLEBE.
$3
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AGENDi~
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Thes e meetings will cov er: 1 . Se tti ng u p gay tr 2de ur .ic •n cauc ·11ses, 2 . How to best def en c a &;a ? '10r·ker discr i min a ted against, 3. Worki ng out 0ur de meu1d a 2.n rl pr i ori tie s, 4 . How do we best communicate t l1e spe ci al pr oble ms of working l e sb ia n s an d gay mea t o th ~ t r ade uni on move ment, 5. Probl ems face d by gay ~igr ant workers , 6 . Cont a ctin g wo.,:k in g les bian s a n d eay men in tr. e country, ~ Publ isr.ing our "E'ir; r.t 5.ng Discrim i nation" r e source material, • A NSv/ Trad e s and Labo:i:· Cot 1 n cil Res earcl: Pr oj ect on Homosexual Dis cr i mi nation??
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Gay1-radeUnionists? TEB NSW GAY Trl.A:CE UN10~~I.3TS ' G1{0UP
i s a no n -party-political
group
o£ ga y tr ade unionists working i n the gay co mmunity and in the t ra de uni on movement, 1 . Makine the t r ade union movement a ware of th ~ special problems of work in g l esbians and ga y men, 2. Assi sting t rade unions and emplo ye e a s s oc ia t i ons sup port membe rs di s cri mi n ated against because of t heir homosexual -i ty, 3 . Help ing t he G2..y Conimunity re alise t he importance of unions and empl oy ee associations to defen d t hei r ri ghts and change communit y a tti t u.des.
SEND TO : GTUG , PO t:3::lx,-·,, Newtown . NSW 2042 Name •••••••••••••
Addre ss /
·
Phone No • • •••••
: • •.••••.
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............ ............................................... . Members hip $10 . ... Subscxi ption to The Gay Tra de Unionist $3 •• Union -
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Tri al Offer
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i s sue o~ ''GTU")