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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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News

Yarra Seamen Take Border Stand


A tense stand-off involving a Canadian shipping magnate and 17 seafarers could decide the future of the Australian shipping industry.

Crew on board the CSL Yarra have been denied food and other supplies by the ship's owners as the stand-off at Port Pirie enters its third day with ship workers refusing to lower the gangway.

Despite winning an injunction against CSL plans to reflag the ship and crew it with Ukranians, the workers have been told to leave the ship on full pay.

Maritime Union of Australia national secretary Paddy Crumlin says that the 17 workers on board are refusing to leave, fearing they will be replaced by Ukrainians straight away.

Crumlin says the owners, CSL, are now attempting to starve the workers off before re-flagging the ship in the Bahamas and employing foreign crew on inferior wages and conditions.

"CSL has denied our members a long-term future, now it is trying to deny them basic necessities such as food," Crumlin says. "Our members, though, are standing firm in defence of their jobs, Australian shipping and the integrity of the national coastline."

Illegal Immigrants?

Crumlin has also called on the Howard Government to intervene as a matter of urgency to secure the long-term future of Australian seafaring.

"We suspect that the federal government has been more than just an innocent by-stander in this affair," he says.

In particular the unions want Transport Minister John Anderson to answer three questions:

- Have the Ukrainian seaman who will take the Australian jobs been granted access to Australia?

- If so, under what visa conditions?

- What dealings did the Howard Government have with CSL before it made the decision to de-flag and de-crew.

"This smacks of another conspiracy to break Australian shipping," Crumlin says. "It started on the waterfront, but we are determined that it will not end at Port Pirie."

Ongoing Action

Meanwhile, the Australian Workers' Union whose members work for the

company chartering the CSL Yarra, Adelaide Brighton Cement, has made a

pact with the MUA, with top-level meetings considering support for the embattled crew.

And supporters of the Yarra workers will rally outside CSL's head office in Sydney at 619 Pacific highway, St Leonards on Monday, May 6, from noon.

The MUA will also lobby the Canadian Government over the behavour of CSL, a company controlled by Canadian Trade Minister and Prime Ministerial aspirant, Paul Martin.

CSL purchased the Yarra from the Australian National Line when the former Labor Government privatised the line.


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