
Issue No 107		17 August 2001

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News

Ripped Off Workers Start Election Push

The NSW Labor Council has launched its campaign to elevate the issue of workers rights - including the protection of entitlements - to the forefront of the upcoming federal election.

The materials - including 100,000 fliers and hundreds of videos will be distributed around workplaces in NSW, as well as other states.

The campaign was launched on Thursday by Labor's IR spokesman Arch Bevis at the Bond's clothing factory at Wentworthville.

They revolve around the theme "Ripped Off" comparing the reality of working life, with John Howard's 1996 pre-election promise that "no worker would be worse off" under a Howard Government.

Labor Council secretary John Robertson says the materials will be an important way of sparking debate within their workplaces about how they have been let down by

Candidates Briefed on Worker Priorities

The launch coincided with a special meeting of the Labor Council, where the all Labor Candidates from Sydney electorates were invited to be briefed on the unions' industrial priorities.

These centre around:

- the failure to provide comprehensive protection of workers entitlements

- the spread of individual contracts

- and the weakening of the powers of the Industrial Relations Commission.

"We want to ensure that Labor candidates are aware of these concerns and what we believe should be the appropriate response from government," Robertson says.

"The Prime Minister has signaled he wants to make industrial relations an election issue - we say bring it on."

Those ALP candidates who attended were:

Laurie Ferguson (Reid), Robert McClelland (Barton), Christine Hawkins (Hughes), John Murphy (Lowe), Adam Searle (Macquarie), Daryl Melham (Banks), John McShane (Mitchell), Fran Tierney (North Sydney), Trish Moran (Robertson), Frank Mossfield (Greenway), Kelly Hoare (Charlton), Nicole Campbell (Bennelong), Ben Carpentier (Mackellar), Meg Oates (Macarthur) and Jennie George (Thorsby).

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Issue 107 contents

Interview: What's The Deal?
Labor's IR spokesman Arch Bevis explains how a Beazley Government will rebuild our broken system.

E-Change: 2.3 The State of the Union
White hope or white elephant? The future of trade unions is by no means guaranteed in the networked society.

Industrial: Into the 21st Century
ACTU President Sharan Burrow looks at the landmark deal delivering workers 12 months paid maternity leave.

Unions: The Black Hole
Jim Marr goes inside Stellar to discover the human cost of a management philosophy that says: you are on your own.

History: The Age of Dissent
The Sydney Branch of the Australian Society for the Study of Labour History has organised a Conference on Social Protest Movements and the Labour Movement, 1965-1975.

Media: ABC and the Knowledge Nation
Tony Moore looks at how the national broadcaster's fortunes are closely linked to the Knowledge Nation Agenda

International: Brazilï¿½s C.U.T. - When Big Is Beautiful
The CFMEUï¿½s Phil Davey drops in on Brazilï¿½s equivalent to the ACTU, the Central Unica Dos Trabalhadores (CUT).

Satire: Bracks Disputes Cabramatta tag
Victorian Premier Steve Bracks has called for a national council to decide on a location for Australia's drug capital.

Review: Globalisation Is Globalisation
In an extract from his book, Christopher Shiel argues that the official Australian perspective on globalisation is strikingly narrow.

» Labor's Entitlements Pledge: Trust Will Remain

» Ripped Off Workers Start Election Push

» Stellar Out of Line: Hamberger

» Itï¿½s a Record! Longest Ever Bank Queue

» Still No IR at ABC Radio

» Qantas Threatens Bangkok Workers

» WorkCover Report Delayed Two More Weeks

» Unrest in Hospitals Over Contracting Out

» Paid Baby Leave Sparks New Family Push

» Nurses Pay Action Hots Up

» Costello's Couriers March to Canberra

» 'Man Who Worked Too Hard' Wins Back Job

» Soldiers Suffer Dodgy Bog

» Union Backs Call For Safety Review

» Cleaner Wins Annual Leave Rights Dispute

» Tip Top's Not the One

» Flying High: Airport Guards Scoop Cash

» Union Presence At Big Indian Community Fair

» Activists Notenbook