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Issue No. 134 03 May 2002  
E D I T O R I A L

The Hijacking of May Day
Unionists watching the shambolic and violent affair that was the M1 protest could be forgiven for wondering what has become of the traditional workers' day?

F E A T U R E S

Interview: Youth Group
Federal Labor's youngest frontbencher, Nicola Roxon, on how the ALP can win back the hearts and minds of the young.

History: Back To The Future
As building unions put old animosity aside, Neale Towart looks at the history of the 'demarc' - and the steps taken to avoid them.

Industrial: On the Street
Jim Marr looks at the human cost of Treasurer Peter Costello's refusal to fund a pay rise for community workers.

Unions: The New Deal
Adam Kerslake outlines the importance of the ground-breaking pact between unions in the building and civil construction industries.

Legal: The Police State Road
Rowan Cahill argues that the Howard Government's new anti-terror laws carries echoes of a more sinister past.

Women: What Women Want
When 300 ALP women from around Australia converged on Canberra for the National Labor Women�s Conference they had more than quotas on thier minds, Alison Peters reports.

Politics: Street Party
Paul Howes looks at how May Day was celebrated around the Globe by those involved in trade unions and those who are not.

International: The Costs of War
Ariel Sharon is facing growing pressure from Israeli unions over the conduct of his war on Palestine, reports Andrew Casey.

Review: Songs of Solidarity
It had rock, grunge, pop and rap. The May Day union anthem song contest had everything, including an element of surprise thanks to competition winner Swarmy G.

Satire: Bono Satisfies World Hunger for Preachy Rockstars
U2�s lead singer Bono has launched a daring solo mission to end the world�s hunger for rock stars who use their high profiles to crap on self-righteously about charitable causes.

Poetry: Woomera
Divide and rule, that age old tactic...the lips of defence personnel inexcusably sewn to dehumanise an imaginary threat, the lives of asylum seekers incomprehensively dehumanised so as to defend a threatening image.

N E W S

 Yarra Seamen Take Border Stand

 War on Terror Targets Unions

 Year Zero for Building Unions

 Kinkos Copies Anti-Union Script

 Nike Told to Shoosh on Sweatshops

 Rapper Wins Wobbly Anthem Prize

 Technicians Take Aim At Canon

 Unions Target Labour Hire Bidding War

 Rally Targets Tight-Arse Costello

 Councils To Be Audited On Language Allowance

 Scope For Payback In Privacy Limitations

 Heavyweight Push For Medibank Private To Stay Public

 What About Dad? - TWU

 East Timor MPs Question Timor Gap Plan

 Artists' Union Bans Voice For Peace

 Activist Notebook

C O L U M N S

The Soapbox
Maurie on May Day
PSA supremo Maurie O'Sullivan had them in the palms of his hands when he delivered the traditional May Day Toast.

The Locker Room
Impractical Punting
Most of life is six to five against. That is, unless you know a Packer or a Waterhouse. Phil Doyle expands.

Bosswatch
Show Me The Money!
It may be May Day - but life in the banking industry has never been sweeter - unless you're in the gambling caper.

Week in Review
Two Bob Each Way
The double standards of modern life have left Jim Marr scratching his head.

Tool Shed
Border Insurgent
Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson has blockaded himself into the Tool Shed this week for opening Australia's borders up to flag of convenience ships with Third World crews.

L E T T E R S
 Doctors in the Bush
 M1 Open Letter
 Julian Online
 May Day Debacle
 Mothers Day Musings
 Greetings From Canada
WHAT YOU CAN DO
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Letters to the Editor

Julian Online


Firstly, I would like to congratulate and thank all the people responsible for contributing to and publishing Workers Online. It has quickly become my conviction that those Australians who don't read it (i.e. most) will never understand the important issues that are continually reshaping our society.

As a member of the Labor party residing in the third safest Federal Liberal seat in Australia (Bradfield) it is of course impossible to get a proper cross section of views from my immediate neighbours.

However I do my little bit by publishing a modest website www.julianchancock.com in which I try to reveal as much as possible of what is really going on in this, the lucky

country, and to provoke people into looking beneath the

superficiality and bias of the mainstream media.

Currently I am concerned that Simon Crean, while I think he has done an excellent job in ensuring public awareness of the fraudulent behaviour of the Howard Government, might push the Labor Party into eternal oblivion if he continues to pursue his current policy of weakening the Trade Unions' role in the party.

Already some unions have cut off their support for the Labor Party. There has been talk by some Trade Unionists of forming a separate party. If this were to happen, and if people who voted for such a party did not direct their preferences to the Labor Party, then Australia and Australians would be at the mercy of the lying, unscrupulous Fascist Liberal Party.

Julian Hancock


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