Pauline Hanson’s screening in Melbourne of the reactionary film A Very Progressive Movie was challenged when cinema workers walked off the job and joined an anti-racism rally.
The film has been described by Crikey as depicting the “most blatant, harmful expressions of racism, ableism and transphobia we had the displeasure of witnessing”.
Hanson was at Village Cinemas in the Crown Casino complex on 29 January for two screenings of the movie, to raise money and support for One Nation as part of a nationwide tour.
But the screenings were almost cancelled as members of the United Workers Union at the cinema voted the day before to cease work over health and safety concerns.
Management agreed to cancel the event but were overruled by national cinema management, who insisted the film would be shown.
On the day, UWU members ceased work with some joining a rally called by the Refugee Action Collective outside the venue.
Senior cinema management were left to serve soft drinks and popcorn—a job they did badly.
A cinema worker told Solidarity, “We had a cease to work put in place for the people working that function, so they sat in our staff areas during the cease to work [or joined the rally].
“That’s for the protection of our workers, we had queer people working this event and no one else wanted to work it, so it wasn’t safe for anyone to be there, especially around racists.
“My message is unionise. Get in touch with your union. You have rights as a worker, if you don’t feel safe reach out.
“Our team are incredible, there are 120 of us and all of us are opposed to this. If you have this camaraderie you can make things happen.”
Short notice
More than 200 people attended the rally at short notice, including a contingent from the state public service union, the CPSU SPSF, and other unionists.
The rally heard speakers from the Refugee Action Collective, the Greens, Students against War, Free Palestine Coalition Naarm and the Human Rights Law Centre and a worker from Village Cinemas.
A statement from a delegate at Crown Casino and a statement from the Assistant Secretary of the Victorian branch of the Australian Services Union were read out.
A RAC activist told Solidarity, “We circulated the event through our networks, scrambled to establish a broad platform of speakers, and handed out 1000 leaflets at the Invasion Day rally on 26 January to promote the event.
“Mass leafleting brought us into contact with workers at Village Cinemas who were furious that upper management was allowing hundreds of racist and far right supporters to come into their workplace—especially as many workers identified as queer or people of colour, making them targets of Hanson’s hate.
“The fact that RAC had called a rally gave workers inside more confidence to stand up to Hanson, her far right supporters and their own management.
“With One Nation riding high in the national polls, in second place behind Labor, we need to continue to mobilise in broad numbers against Hanson.”
