Dick Nichols

  • NTEU strike demands conditions, respect

    On September 9, more than 60 unionists picketed the University of New England (UNE) during the one-day strike called by the UNE branch of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).

  • UN Rapporteur agrees intervention is racist

    The Socialist Alliance was one of many signatories to a letter presented to UN Human Rights Rapporteur James Anaya when he arrived in Australia on August 17. The letter said “special measures” taken under the Northern Territory Emergency Response — or intervention — were racist.

  • Climate groups to form national network

    On August 17, the Network Working Group, formed out of the January Climate Action Summit, circulated its national network proposal to 300 climate action groups and networks that make up the grassroots climate movement. The groups have until September 18 to vote on the proposal.

  • Don't flog a dead horse, bury it

    As the Australian Labor Party holds its 2009 national conference, there’s an old union saying that’s never been more apt: if you don’t fight, you lose.

  • Unions NSW re-enters privatisation fight

    On June 25, 330 delegates from 19 unions covering public sector workers met in Sydney to launch Unions NSW’s “Better Services Campaign”. The launch marked the return of the peak body to the battlefield over privatisation and public services.

  • One lesson of an awful death: no to prison privatisation!

    In January 2008, in Western Australia, Aboriginal elder, highly respected community leader and grandfather Mr Ward died of heatstroke in an oven-hot prison van driven by employees of prisons operator Global Solutions Ltd, now taken over by Group 4 Securitas (G4S).

  • We have a planet to win

    Dick Nichols is a national co-convenor of the Socialist Alliance. This article is based on a talk to the April World at a Crossroads conference.

  • Power to the people campaign builds

    The successful April 18 “Stop the Sell-Offs!” public meeting of the Sydney Power to the People coalition (pictured) gave the campaign against the privatisation of NSW public services a strong boost.

  • Industrial action planned at Sydney university

    SYDNEY— University of Sydney members of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) have voted overwhelmingly for strike action in pursuit of a decent agreement with the university’s administration.

  • Time to stand up for refugee rights!

    The recent tragic explosion and loss of life on board an asylum seeker boat off Ashmore Reef has put refugee issues back near the top of the Australian political agenda.

  • Renewed struggles against privatisation in NSW

    The struggle against the privatisation schemes of the NSW government is beginning to revive. On April 2, an angry demonstration of prison officers besieged parliament house, protesting against prison privatisation plans.