Huge crowds of CFMEU supporters brought activity in central business district Melbourne to a halt today with what has been described as a show of force. The protest was in protest to the recent federal court decision which placed part of the union under administration resulting in halt of traffic and disruption in public transportation.
The crowd of protesters wearing the bright yellow safety vests with safety harnesses for work wore extended for blocks; the colorful visuals while walking through the main street. Slogans demanding better wages, labor rights, and independence of the unions were also recited loud and clear and mixed with the concrete shadows of modern offices and businesses; the board and plastic signs properly brightened the gray views. This can be attributed to the fact that Melbourne has for long had records of supporting unionism and the large turn out in the demonstration was evidence of that.
Needless to say that as the protest was happening, Melbourne, which is always congested during the morning rush hour, turned into a complete disaster. The insurgent arterial roads into the city center were congested with the flow time increasing to 40 minutes. This was worsened by another head on accident in the northern suburbs of the city thus putting more pressure on the available road space. Social facilities were not left out either; trams and the buses were used to redirect the marching mobs.
This strike by CFMEU has occurred at the time when relations between unions and federal government have become rather strained. The recent years’ general decision to place certain parts of the union under administration has been looked at by many as an affront to the rights of the workers and the effectiveness of the unions in voicing for the rights of the members. Union officials have pledged to contest the decision fearing that it is a war on collective bargaining as well as workers’ freedom to be represented.
Even though the protest was generally non-violent, the number of people involved was a major problem for the police. There was police presence all through the event seeking to prevent any incidences that would be detrimental to the interests of businesses as well as people living in the area. Although the day was not a very convenient one for most people especially those who use public transport, there was a lot of feeling from the onlookers who complained too much but at the same time seemed to have pity with the union.
Large numbers of protestors were present during the CFMEU protest which overshadowed other stories that unfolded in Melbourne such as the Hannah McGuire affair. The accused accused of the murder of the 23 year old woman whose body was retrieved from a car which had been burnt near Ballarat in April was produced in court today. It has captured the state of Victoria, and today’s court hearing was an important match in the legal battle against the case. Latest information provided with more drama in the court has revived concerns of the society about the case and has also provoked concerns on gender and violence against women.
In another incidence that has transformed the community’s sorrows a man was chocked to death due to road anger in Melbourne Suburbs. The victim was described as a loving father who became killed in what the police are calling a needless shooting. This sad occurrence has therefore prompted concerns regarding more measures towards averting reckless driving and enhancing safety of all the residents of Melbourne on roads.
In the midst of the day’s events one could turn to what happened in Melbourne, inner northern suburb. People in that area have stood with the owners of the shopping center after a daring theft of a life-sized bear statue. The statue, familiar to many as “Sparkly Bear” was sawn with an angle grinder which left many people in the area broken. The police have taken up the case of theft, whereas the people of the area have shown their grief and concern for the shop owners of the affected shopping centers.
At the twilight of the day, Melbourne is perfectly located on the crossroads of workers’ justice, law enforcement, and social togetherness. The protest that was conducted by the CFMEU is a vivid example of a long-standing tradition of unionism in the city and the ongoing discussions around the AU workers ‘rights issue. At the same time, some developments in the show are the progression of the Hannah McGuire case As well as the tragic road rage incident they reveal social problems of the city.
My response is that the Sparkly Bear statue theft is also significant even though it occurred to a considerably smaller scale than the rest of the situations that developed in Melbourne throughout the day; it is also related to the question of local monuments and municipality relationships in Melbourne’s multicultural districts. All these various struggles and narratives this city embodies and enacts signifies its lasting attributes as an activistic, community-oriented cultural heartland of the Australian continent.
