ONCE AGAIN. A SERIOUS, DETAILED COMPREHENSIVE ANSWER TO THE
QUESTIONS I HAVE POSED ABOUT THE D.S.P. LEADERSHIP'S SUPPORT OF THE
MORE MODERATE GROUP IN THE WEST AUSTRALIAN E.T.U. ELECTIONS, WOULD BE
NICE.

I have received a fairly large collection of the written in support
of both factions in the WA ETU elections, and I've got more on the
way from Western Australia.

The glossy full colour propaganda produced by the more conservative
Recharge group that the DSP is supporting, is difficult to reproduce
on the web. I've chosen two A4 black & white photocopy-type leaflets
which catch something of the flavour of the conflict, one from Bill
Game, and one from the forces attacking Bill Game.

My challenge to the DSP leadership is, examine the two leaflets
carefully, and tell me who the left wingers are in this situation.

Obviously, electoral material on either side is unlikely to express a
full or perfect programme, but surely these two leaflets give some
basis for forming a judgement as to which group is more left wing.

In other union elections in which the DSP has been interested, like
the recent CPSU elections, the DSP have put up on the Green Left site
reams of the election material of the group they support. Why not put
up, on the Green Left site, some of the material from the Recharge
group you support in the West Australian ETU, to give readers
something of the flavour of the appeal to members being made by the
group you support.

For the time being, the two leaflets I'm posting here, give some idea
of the flavour of this conflict.

-Bob Gould



It's time to get rid of…
Bill who?

Under Bill Game's failed leadership the ETU Division of the CEPU has
plummeted from 9,000 members to 3,900. And it's little wonder when
you consider the following...
-You rarely see him on the job or in the workplace and members
are now calling him Bill WHO????
•He never works on Mondays. And that's a fact. He has a long
weekend every weekend.
•And when there is a public holiday he only works three days a
week.
•He has sacked good organisers in favour of office johnnies who —
like him — rarely visit members in the workplace.
•And he keeps moving our union offices further and further away
from our members. We were once centrally located but now he's moved
us out to Balcatta. We'll be in Geraldton next!
Bill Game has done far too much damage to our union. And if it
weren't for the dedication and hard work of blokes like Les
McLaughlan, Peter Carter, Jim Murie
and Ian Gill, the ETU/CEPU would be in even worse shape than it is.
We can no longer afford a State Secretary who's favourite song is

`TELL ME WHY I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS'.

Tell Bill Who? His Game's Up!
Elect: Les McLAUGHLAN, Peter CARTER, Jim MURIE, Ian GILL and the ETU
RECHARGE TEAM
This leaflet has been circulated by concerned ETU Members


Workers' First!
Reject the `Recharge' group's grab for control of the Union
The word recharge implies something has run down or needs re-
vitalising.

Bill Game: fought the Hamersley litigation defence against constant
cynicism and negativity from other union leaders and members of
McLaughlin's faction, and was finally thanked by the ACTU for saving
the situation including the backsides of 3 other unions. The recharge
team offered no viable alternatives other than joining in with the
other unions. What a disaster that would have been? The success in
this matter was achieved by Avon Lovell's investigative work coming
from his experience as a journalist.

Bill Game: is prepared to expose ALP treachery against workers whilst
others do not want to upset the ALP. The McLaughlin faction want to
take the union back into the ALP and have indicated this at State
Council and Officer's meetings.

Bill Game: has continually tested and probed labour hire. He fought
for and included Skilled Engineering and Drake as respondents to the
Award.

Bill Game: initiated rank & file committees in Perth, Kwinana and the
lift industry which built up and slowed down depending on the work
situation in the industry. These committees regularly put issues to
the State Council for consideration. Les McLaughlin and his faction
have reduced this to occasional ad hoc meetings in Kwinana only and
no business comes to State Council. They run the contracting section
of the union as their own fiefdom. Check the State Council minutes.
In fact contracting, the biggest section now brings little to State
Council.

Bill Game: initiated training and recruitment of members who
indicated an interest in future organiser's positions. Bill trained 3
current organisers. McLaughlin and his faction stopped this Aespite
Bill raising this at Officer's meetings and State Council. They don't
want potential competitors threatening their jobs in elections.
McLaughlin's faction includes a candidate for organiser with
absolutely no experience as an organiser, who is expected to operate
in an arena where our members face litigation.

The McLaughlin faction claims industrial officer Avon Lovell went to
Thailand and attended the Police Royal Commission on Union pay. This
is not true. Avon lost about $17,000 in wages during that
period, yet his work could have fitted within the Union's human
rights objectives. His agreed unpaid work in these matters benefits
all West Australians including our members and their families. The
Shadow attorney General Peter Foss, stated that the Police Royal
Commission was going nowhere until Avon provided evidence that has
led to many exposures. Avon has done invaluable work for our members
and is without doubt the most innovative industrial officer our union
has ever had. Les fails to report that it was Avon s brilliant work
in the Industrial Commission that saved the Contracting Award
redundancy clause, one of the best base conditions in the industry.

Bill Game: achieved the only totally controlled union training centre
in WA, which provides discounted quality training. Bill's efforts
were constantly frustrated by McLaughlin's negativity and pessimism.
Les McLaughlin: argued for big, powerful cars for organisers.

Bill Game: argued for smaller, cheaper cars and threatened to take
the issue to a vote of members before Les backed off.

Bill Game: raised his concern 4 years ago that Jim Murie did not
function as an Assistant State Secretary and was not capable of
leading this union in the future. Murie was assigned the job at an
officers' meeting to design a future management plan for the union,
and could not do so. He remains an integral part of McLaughlan's
faction. How can you get any `recharge' into that, or claim they are
going in new directions when they couldn't come up with a `battle'
plan in nearly 4 years?

Bill Game: has always had a `battle' plan. The Union has always had
excellent direction. Bill and the Union have fought at legal,
Commission, industrial and grass roots levels with outstanding
success. As the old adage says: "If it `aint broke, it don't need
fixing!"

Bill Game: inherited a deficit in the union's finances, inherited the
$1OOm Hamersley litigation; inherited the Court-Kierath 1st, 2nd &
3rd wave attacks on unions and workers: the worst possible time to
take on the leadership of a union. Despite this, under his
leadership, focus and drive, the Union today is in surplus, free of
draining litigation, and in the forefront of the daily battles in the
workplace, Commission and courts. We are today recognised as a tough,
intelligent and successful union under Bill Game's leadership.

Bill Game: has enemies amongst some politicians and union leaders who
resent his outspoken and successful defence of workers.

Give him your support.