E D I T O R I A L

Cry Freedom
If there's a common thread running through this week's issue, it's the continuing crisis faced by workers around the globe confronting the practical reality of Free Trade.

F E A T U R E S

Interview: Cross Wires
Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance chief Chris Warren surveys the fluid state of the Australian media.

International: Two Tribes
As the Middle East burns, Andrew Casey shines a light into one of the world's darkest corners.

Activists: Beneath the Veil
A young Afghani woman has travelled to Australia to put a human face on the suffering of her people - and her gender.

Unions: Terror Australis
When push comes to shove, it appears the Howard Government is more scared of the Maritime Union than Osama Bin Laden, Jim Marr reports.

History: A Labor Footnote To The Royal Funeral
Stephen Holt reports that an intriguing Australian connection has been overlooked amidst the supposedly blanket media coverage of the end of the Bowes Lyon era.

Economics: Private Affluence, Public Rip-Off
New Labour's enthusiasm for business is matched only by its lack of business sense, as the private finance fiasco shows.

Review: The Great Hall of the People
In an extract from the latest issue of Labor Essays, the ARM's Richard Fidler looks at the symbolism behind the Republican debate.

Poetry: Waiting for the Living Wage
The Living Wage Case was heard this week. The workers� voices in this poem have been adapted from the evidence presented by low wage earners to the living wage case.

Satire: Israel Recruits NAB To Close West Bank
Israeli security forces have successfully enlisted the expert help of the National Australia Bank to close down the West Bank.

N E W S

Baby Company Punts Netball Mum

Dairy Workers Win Global Breakthrough

Treasury Modelling Backs ACTU Claim

Bank Nabs Huge Sales Targets

Come Clean � Insurance Giants Challenged

May Day Jam and Toast

Job Security Win For Cabin Crew

Workers Gear-up For Pollution Fight

Shuffling The Deck On The Yarra

New Push On Workplace Crime

Super Child Care Win

Doubts Over Ettalong Wharf Funding

The Sane Monk Stands Down

Fabians Debate Refugees

Activists Notebook

C O L U M N S

The Soapbox
Unions and the Web � Where to Now?
Peter Lewis argues the time has come to revisit how trade unions interact with workers and how the Web could be the catalyst for such a change.

The Locker Room
Free To Where?
Parents with kiddies who play a bit of sport will have noticed the escalating costs associated with their kids being involved in sport.

Week in Review
The Joys of the Chop
Workers come and workers go, right? Well, it�s the way of the world but while some get stiffed, others are stuffed with obscene amounts �

L E T T E R S

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Workers Online - Aoteroa

Dear Sir,

I have on occasions read your newspaper and am impressed with your stands against racism.

It is obvious from the efforts made to ensure that the Refugees which have landed on your shores are as welcome as a spring daffodil.

Do you treat your indiginous population with the same kindness.

In New Zealand we Maori are still treat as second class citizens , and denied the same rights as the European invaders e.g. The Scots and the Irish barbarians used by the English to do their dirty work.

It was less than 50 years ago that we were severley beaten for speaking our own language in school. My uncle , who grew up with his Grandmother , who only spoke Maori was beaten daily until he learned to speak enough English to please an obviously racist teacher.

My mum , never had shoes until she was sent to Nelson to work on a tobacco farm , at age 12 and got the cast offs from the farmers daughter.

When she went to school in winter , they hopped from cow pat to cow pat to keep their feet from freezing , this is in her own land.

It is just gear to see that your first nation peoples , do not still need to live like us.

If we still had a strong trade union base Aoteroa , our plight might be better.

Is it any wonder that our mortality rate is that of a third world country , our youth commit suicide , through despair effort they have an opportunity to taste live and our men are set to prison for being themseleves.

We need a publication like yours in New Zealand to defend the weak and downtrodden.

The"UTU" IS STILL ALIVE IN THE HEART OF THE MAORI.

Forgive my spelling , it was the European education..

Tame Teke

Ed's Reply: The NZCTU is planning a version of Workers Online wvwn as we speak ....

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005