Union Songs

We've Drawn The Line

[to the tune of 'Walk The Line']

I keep a close watch on this pay of mine,
I keep my eyes on inflation all the time,
My face-to-face hours now, they are just fine,
Because they're fine, we draw the line.

Mike Costello's report, it is so wrong,
If you listen to that rat boy you'll be gone,
There was a time, Jon, when you were sincere,
Or, tell us Jon, was that veneer?

Our hours are already… nine to nine
To add to those … would only undermine
Come on down here, Jon,… and hear the facts
And put a stop to Mike's attacks

I keep a close watch on these friends of mine,
The teacher numbers that we have are fine,
You won't cut our numbers down this time,
Because they're fine, we've drawn the line.

------------------------------------

That's No Lie (a 'G'-Blues)

Son it seems it's a world of pain
It seems that the god of greed is in reign
Who cares how the Wheat Board peddles its grain
With kick backs or war threats, who cares, we'll go again

And son it seems that we gave up our rights
We gave them up without a fight
Our destiny we've given to a politician's dreams
He's peddling lies, it's not what it seems

Did babies really get thrown overboard?
Or weapons of destruction ever gather in hoards?
Do we really need to demonize our Moslem friends?
And does raising the flag at school make amends?

Son the bullies at school can't repent
They take their lead from peers and parents
And son, don't you know that a fish stinks from the head
If Johnny said "SORRY" then perhaps it all would end

But why do we look to politicians
To solve moral ills and social problems
Folks who are products of political machines
"If you can get away with it, it's RIGHT", well so it seems

Son now you know there's both a right and a wrong
You know deep inside if you are causing harm
And if you are so angry with all those lies
Then always speak the TRUTH and don't compromise

Only the truth will dissolve all the lies
Only the truth will put fear to flight
And when fear can no longer control your life
Then love will spread like a fire, and that's no lie
Then love will spread like a fire, and that's no lie

Notes

Many thanks to Mike Fitzgerald for permission to add these songs to the Union Songs web collection

"I am an Organiser for AEU in ACT. We had an extended dispute with Jon Stanhope and Andrew Barr (ACT Chief Minister and Minister of Education) though out much of 2006. We organized many stop work meetings (with 500-3500 attendees, depending on the type of stop work meeting) and sang most of the following songs, en masse, outside the ACT Legislative Assembly. The dispute was sent to private arbitration and settled when it was clear to the ACT govt. that the members were becoming energised by the stop works and numbers were increasing over the months, not decreasing, and that they quite a few members knew the songs so well that they could sing the songs without their song sheets!

Some songs; words and music written by Mike Fitzgerald. Some songs; words written to traditional / popular tunes by Bill Book and Mike Fitzgerald"

Find more works by Mike Fitzgerald in this collection

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union songs..........a selection by mark gregory