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

WHAT YOU CAN DO

	About Workers Online
	Latest Issue
	Print Latest Issue
	Previous Issues
	Advanced Search

other LaborNET sites

Labor Council of NSW
Vic Trades Hall Council
IT Workers Alliance
Bosswatch
Unions on LaborNET
Evatt Foundation

Come Clean – Insurance Giants Challenged

Announcing an affiliates meeting which will prepare submission to the Carr Government, Labor Council secretary John Robertson suggested insurance giants had pulled a massive con job.

"They are crying poor but continue to make massive profits every year," Roberson says. "No action has been taken by any Government to measure their claims and it's about time that happened.

"Before Governments move to cut payouts insurance companies should be told to open their books.

"Most people think insurance companies want to make money through charging premiums but run away from the responsibilities they have undertaken.

"If their claims are true, they would be prepared to open their books and let us see the facts. They won't do it, of course, because they know, and we know, it would expose them for the frauds they are."

After last year's cuts to workers compensation, regulations winding back liability payouts would weaken the positions of injured workers, employed by labour hire companies or contractors, in situations where their employer was not the negligent party.

The AWU, CFMEU and LHMU all told Labor Council their members would be adversely affected by Government proposals.

CFMEU state secretary Andrew Ferguson summed up the feeling when he said any change to liability access, or payment, must exclude employment-related injuries.

"To do otherwise is to further attack the rights of workers in the event of serious injury. Moreover, to water-down public liability in such instances is to remove the financial incentive on principal contractors and owner-occupiers to be attentive to safety," he warned.

  View entire issue - print all of the articles!

  Issue 131 contents

© 1999-2002 Workers Online
Workers Online is a resource for the Labour movement
provided by the Labor Council of NSW
URL: http://workers.labor.net.au/131/news5_con.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005