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Shipping companies using COVID to attack working conditions

The following, written on 11 September 2020,  by Paddy Crumlin, National Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), is about the attempt of shipping companies, especially Shipping Australia, to attack the union and working conditions under the cover of Covid-19. This is going on right now. The union has adopted a strategy to campaign with the minimal disruption to the wider community. But the situation remains tense. Shipping Australia is trying to put out that union action on the job is causing too much disruption and are undoubtedly pressing their political mates to act against the union. But Paddy Crumlin explains, it is their actions that are causing the problems.

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Julian Assange’s fourth day at the Old Bailey

Binoy Kampmark (The Australian Independent Media Network 11 September 2020) covers the fourth day of the resumed Julian Assange extradition hearing at London’s Old. The judge had been refusing Assange an adjournment because of a risk to his health and even life. Then the prosecution asks for an adjournment because one of the lawyers needs a mobile phone charger, and another may have been exposed to Covid-19. The prosecution gets a short adjournment, until the start of this week. This has underlined the sinister nature of the heating.

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