Help unemployed AUWU protestors pay police fines

POLICE QUASH UNIONIST CAR CONVOY, ISSUE $9000 IN FINES

On Sunday, NSW police launched a heavy-handed crackdown on a Covid-safe vehicle convoy of unionists and supporters in Sydney as it made its way to the Liberal party headquarters in the Sydney CBD. Unemployed workers were issued at least $9000 in police fines. 

The “Safe From Covid, Safe From Poverty” protest convoy was initiated by stood-down pool workers at Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre. It called for increased income support for stood down workers and the unemployed. It also demanded safer pandemic working conditions through paid vaccination leave and paid test and isolation leave for all workers. 50 cars with union members from AUWU, UWU, NTEU, MUA, IEU, HSU, RAFFWU, AEU, PSA, ASU, and MEAA, amongst others participated in the convoy.

Cars were stopped and at least 9 fines were issued. In contrast to the anti-vaccination protest on July 24, participants were wearing masks and did not leave their cars, avoiding any risk of transmitting the virus. 

Evan Van Zijl, the Sydney Coordinator of the AUWU, said: "The Liberals have been playing games with the lives of workers - forcing us to choose between safety and starvation.” “We need social security at $600 per week, disaster payments raised to a liveable level, and a vaccine roll out for all front-facing workers with better leave for testing and isolation.”

We're unemployed, underemployed, stood-down workers living hand-to-mouth on half the poverty line, and we need your help to pay these outrageous fines. Keep safe protest a legal right - don't let the cops price us out of the fight for Covid safety in and out of work!