in city of melbourne elections, business owners get two votes (Patreon)

hey mates, above are some animated frames from a documentary about the Bendigo Street housing occupations that happened in Collingwood a few years ago. Bailey Sharp and I have been working on some animated segments for the film over the last while, maybe nearly a year!?
Bailey just cut together this beautiful reel highlighting some of the other stuff we've produced together over the last three or four years. If it isnt embedded at the top of this email, u can see if here. the song we used is by the coup, absolute banger.

Yesterday it was announced that the melbourne council elections are set to proceed as planned in October, in spite of the pandemic. there had been hopes in some parts of the left that it might have been postponed for a bit, since grassroots campaigns benefit from being able to have boots on the ground, and at the moment in melbourne we are not even able to letterbox. but anywaayyyy we still hav wiggle room for sure - Victorian Socialists are running candidates in several council electorates around Melbourne. they are running a volunteer briefing session this sunday if ur interested. and apparently theres only like a week left to enrol to vote or update your details.

Workers Art Collective has become a defacto art department for the Victorian Socialists election campaign. You can see several of our contributions on our Instagram page or on VS's website. This is a poster I finished for em recently:

my friend recently set up a facebook page called 'Unionise(d) Call Centre Jobs', which is intended to be a go-to spot for unionists to find work in unionised call centres with good pay and conditions, i think u shld be able to request to join if u want. i drew this pic for the group:

David Dungay Jnr's sister Christine is running a fundraiser in her brothers honour. there are 50 copies of this 'lest we for/get over it' risograph poster and a printed banner of the 'no permanent victories' piece available as part of their efforts.
You can bid on them here if u like / follow the main 'Justice for David Dungay Jnr' campaign here.

"David Dungay Jnr, a 26 year old Aboriginal man who was killed by corrective offices in long bay jail in December 2015 after he refused to stop eating a packet of biscuits." 

I made a Facebook page for my art stuff, definitely quite a grubby platform for a number of reasons, but its a good way to reach ppl, i suppose we cant leave them all to the joe rogans of the world hahah. I havent posted to it yet but im gonna get onto that this week and try and keep it updated pretty regularly. If u wanna click like on it i wld rly appreciate that since it currently hassss... zero likes lol https://www.facebook.com/wallmansam/ 

the New International Bookshop is presenting a talk by economist Guy Standing about his new book 'Plunder of the Commons: A Manifesto for Sharing Public Wealth'. drew the scrappy pic above to help spruik the event happening on Sept 8. 

pic of a socially distanced mass meeting at Officeworks Laverton distribution centre, just before stage 4 lockdown started. i had the pleasure of visiting the site with UWU to talk to members and delegates about their current efforts, in order to develop this poster for use across the different sites, in the lead-up to their strike this coming Monday. loved making this poster, even tho its a bit dry. comics can be pretty neat at encouraging people to engage with subject matter thats a bit fiddley or nuanced. i reckon ppl will look at anything with googley cartoon eyes for some reason.

“While many are struggling, business is booming for Officeworks, which has increased its profits by 41.5 per cent between 2015 to 2019 to reach $167 million. This has increased again during the pandemic and could not have been possible without the dedication of their workers. Since the company shifted to focus on online sales, the warehouse and logistics workers have been working harder than ever. We are seeking a wage increase and job security assurances that reflect the commitment workers have shown to Officeworks and the contributions they have made over the years.”
- Matt Toner, Director of Logistics, United Workers Union

This Monday, almost 300 Officeworks distribution centre workers will take a 24-hour stoppage across three sites around the country. Workers are also calling for community members to support their strike by not shopping at Officeworks, either online or in person, on Monday 24th August. Full press release here.

Heres the fortnightly Whats On section pulled together for the Workers Solidarity Bulletin. if theres any event ur involved with that youd like me to include lemme know, or if u wanna sign up to receive the bulletin in ur inbox u can do so here 

Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky: Film screening - TONIGHT
New critically acclaimed film: Steven Oliver looks at the arrival of the Endeavour through First Nations’ eyes, with humour and militancy.
8:30pm Thursday on free to air NITV

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly: Australian Union History in Two Parts.
Video recording of book launch and presentations
A Double Book Launch of Sam Oldham's ‘Without Bosses’ and Liz Ross's ‘Stuff The Accord!’. Scroll to 14min 50sec mark for start of event:
facebook.com/watch/live/?v=3273013676094911

How can we end oppression?
A Marxist critique of identity politics
Online event
Sunday 23rd August 18:00
facebook.com/events/2614017918865592

Southern Deadly Yarns: Bruce Pascoe - Online Author Talk
The first in a series of virtual events highlighting the work of First Nations authors.
Monday, 24th August 18:30
facebook.com/events/613715866213584

Red Ribbon Rebellion 167th Anniversary
The Bendigo Trades Hall Library & Archive committee will go live to talk about the Red Ribbon Rebellion which come to a head in Bendigo 27th Aug 1853. This will include some readings of stories and eyewitness accounts of the events leading up to and including the Rebellion.
Thursday, 27 August 2020 from 18:00-19:00
facebook.com/events/232409094669101/

Online forum: How the North East Link toll road will affect you
A forum with experts, community members and local activists discussing Melbournes’ North East Link tunnel from various perspectives.
Thursday 27th August  19:30
RSVP - claudia.gallois@foe.org.au

Online film fundraiser: Stingray Sisters
Fundraiser for Sue Bolton’s Moreland Council Election campaign
A highly-acclaimed documentary set in the remote community of Maningrida, Arnhem Land. Also Q&A with director Katrina Channells.
Friday 28th August, 6:30pm
trybooking.com/BKYIJ

Black Palestinian Forum: Countering Colonialism & Dispossession
Featuring Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) co-founder, Omar Barghouti with First Nations and Palestinian Australian speakers.
Saturday 29th August 19:30
bdsaustralia.net.au/black-palestinian-forum

Friends of the Earth - New Volunteer Session
Online Meeting
Tuesday September 1st 17:00
RSVP - phil.evans@foe.org.au

How to Talk About Climate Change: Online Talk
With Dr Rebecca Huntley. SEARCH event co-hosted by New International Bookstore
Wednesday 2nd September, 18:00
Register at nibs.org.au

Raising Peace: 100 Years of Peacemaking (Online event)
‘International Volunteers for Peace’ and ‘The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom’ both celebrate their centenaries this year. They have joined Independent and Peaceful Australia Network to celebrate.
21st September, exact time TBC.
ivp.org.au/raising-peace for more information

Build Our Future: Climate Justice & Jobs National Day of Action.
25 September - Nation wide
More information: schoolstrike4climate.com/buildourfuture

Online Rally: Defend the Right to Protest, Free the Refugees
Timed to coincide with landmark court case’s contest mention
Refugee Action Collective (Victoria)
Tuesday 29th September 08:30am
facebook.com/events/1160358304302556/

Voice. Treaty. Truth. Advocacy Course
Two day Online Course
Organised by the First Nations Workers Alliance and the ACTU
Running regularly from now until November
atui.org.au/voice-treaty-truth-advocacy-course

Tolpuddle Radical History School (Online lectures)
The Radical History School is part of the annual Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival (UK). Open and free to all, it is a great chance to learn more about radical and trade union history. Videos recorded July 2020.
tinyurl.com/yypnrcae

Blockade IMARC 27-29 October 2020
27th - 29th October
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC)
Blockadeimarc.com

thanks for the continued support! if anyone is struggling w lockdown n wants a chat look me up if u like <3<3<3