E D I T O R I A L

The Politics of Security
Long before the Tampa sailed onto our political stage, politicians of all colours knew security was the hot issue in the electorate.

F E A T U R E S

Interview: Trade Secrets
Federal Labor�s trade spokesman Craig Emerson is on a mission to bring the shady world of trade talks into the open

Industrial: It�s About Overtime, Stupid
An overtime free-for-all is at the heart of Australia�s hours explosion and it's time to look at a cap on hours, reports Noel Hester from the ACTU�s Working Hours Summit.

Unions: Full Steam Ahead
After two weeks of rallies around the state, rural Rail Towns are making a stand for jobs and safety. Jim Marr reports.

Bad Boss: The BBQ Battle Axe
Manly restaurateur, David Diamond, is a shoo-in for this month�s Bad Boss nomination, leaving Workers Online looking for a good employer who can undo some of his damage.

Economics: Different Dimensions of Debt
Professor Frank Stilwell presented the big picture on debt policy at the Evatt Foundation�s Breakfast Seminar

History: Raking the Coals
Labour historians Rae Cooper and Greg Patmore explain why today�s organisers have much to learn from the lessons of the past.

History Special: Wherever the Necessity Exists
Rae Cooper tracks NSW union organising between 1900-1910 to argue that today�s activists should be looking closer to home for inspiration

History Special: Learning from the Past
Ray Markey looks at union membership growth in the 1880s & 1900s to argue that today�s unions must engage to grow.

History Special: A 'Cosy Relationship'
Barbara Webster looks at Rockhampton between 1916 � 1957 to debunk the �dependence� theory of trade union growth.

Politics: Regime Change for Saddam
Labour lawyer Jim Nolan looks at the challenge for the Left in the current geopolitical stand-off in the Middle East.

International: World War
Europe has suddenly come aflame with industrial action, Andrew Casey reports.

Corporate: Industrious Thinking
Neale Towart looks at the influence of German immigration on Australian industry policy in the post-war period.

Review: Jack High
Mick Molloy�s new flick Crackerjack tells the tale of a traditional bowling club struggling to stay afloat in an industry dominated by pokies, pokies and more pokies, writes Tara de Boehmler.

Culture: Duffy�s Song
Former Labor Council official Mark Duffy�s Sydney super band Sundial clocks in a bit of a corker.

Satire: A Nation of Sooks
The Strewth Institute's Tony Moore looks at the spate of defo suits and wonders if Australia has gone soft.

Poetry: Mr Flexibility
One of the key challenges facing unions, as the ACTU celebrates its 75th anniversary, is confronting the problems of increasing working hours and work intensity under the guise of "flexibility". Our resident bard, David Peetz, takes up that theme this week.

N E W S

We Paid Witnesses Who �Lied�

African Immigration Scam Widens

School Staff Block Parents� Pay

Yarra Operators Dodge Accident Probe

Financial Windfall in Radio Sale

Liza Fights For Her Stud

Vic Anti-Union Campaign Backfires

Car Workers Rev Up For Fight

Coles Myer Breaks Out Of Sweat

Police Sick of Being Kicked Around

Jobless Dumped on Drought Farms

Men Only Scholarships Hit Snag

Vale: Peggy Errey

Activists' Notebook

C O L U M N S

The Soapbox
Economic Migrants
A man - a worker - risks death by machine gun to escape what he is told is a 'workers' state'. He flees East Berlin through a tunnel, dug beneath a cemetery.

Awards
And the Winner Is �
It�s that time of the year when we honour the best. In the past week, both the IR Writers fraternity and ACTU have got in the act with more to come.

The Locker Room
More Post-Colonial Madness
Phil Doyle joins the fools and Englishmen out in the midday sun, and finds that it all comes at a price.

Bosswatch
Call Waiting
The Howard Government backs off its plans to privatise the rest of Telstra under market pressure. But it�s nothing like the pressure that former HIH directors are under.

Month In Review
Way Down
As Elvis might have said, if he had had a longer-term perspective �ooh, what a month it was, it really was such a month ��

L E T T E R S

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Activists' Notebook

UNIONS SEMINAR ON GATS

9 -10 DECEMBER 2002 - SYDNEY

VENUE: York Street Function Centre, 95-99 York Street, Sydney.

REGISTRATIONS TO: LESLEY TWIGGER, CPSU SPSF Group. Phone 02 9299 5655; Fax: 02 9299 7181;

Email: [email protected]

***********************

Fair Wear Rally

A reminder for all to come join our pre-Christmas festivities on the Tuesday 10th December at 12 Noon at Pitt St Mall. Tuesday the 10th december is International Human Rights Day!

We will be publicly naming those companies who have not signed the Ethical Clothing Code of Practice and are actively tying in Workers Rights as Human Rights into the message of the day.

Look out for "The Grinch That Stole Christmas" who will show up- ready to steal outworkers rights for decent wages and working conditions! Demand fair wages and conditions for outworkers this Christmas - come and stop the Grinch!

Your demonstration of support will not only add pressure to the Retailers to sign and comply with the Code of Practice - it will also go a long way to reminding the Government and industry as a whole that the community will not tolerate such an abuse of Human and Workers Rights in our society.

**************

Pluto Events: Sydney

Wednesday December 4 6.30 PM

Launch of Ghassan Hage's 'Against paranoid nationalism'

Gleebooks, 49 Glebe Point Road, Glebe

Philosopher and writer Ghassan Hage will talk about his new book 'Against Paranoid Nationalism' which examines the demoralising effects of the new culture of 'worrying' on white Australian politics. Ghassan Hage reveals a history of white paranoia and how this has been recently transformed into the present culture of Australian fundamentalism in the wake of Pauline Hanson, stalled

reconciliation with Indigenous Australians, the Tampa incident, border protection and the mandatory detention of asylum seekers.

Ghassan Hage believes there is an alternative to this damaged and shrinking society - an alternative to nationalist paranoia. His search is for 'a caring society' where people respect and care for each other.

'Against Paranoid Nationalism' is a sequel to his ground breaking 'White Nation'. Read more at:

http://plutoaustralia.com/news/1036622740_19043.php

Admission: Free

RSVP mailto:[email protected]

***********

Pluto Events: Melbourne

Saturday 30th November, 2.00pm

Comedy Club, 380 Lygon St Carlton

Guy Rundle in conversation with Max Gillies; Max Gillies the star of 'Your Dreaming' will talk with the writer of

"Your Dreaming' Guy Rundle.

'Your Dreaming' is the book of the popular stage show published by Pluto Press

Admission: $10/8.00

Some tickets still left at the door.

===========================

Sunday December 1 12.30PM

Launch of 'The Suicidal Church'

Caroline Miley's controversial book on the future of the Anglican Church in Australia will be launched by Archdeacon Phillip Newman at St John's Anglican Church 82 Clendon Road, Toorak after the Christmas advent service beginning at 10.00AM and following the parish

Further details: Caroline Miley: 03 9458 1058

**************

The Australian Fabian Society (NSW Branch)

Wednesday December 18 How to argue with an economist -

"How to Argue with an Economist: Debating the Value of the Dismal Science"

Upstairs Caf�, Berkelouw Books

70 Norton Street, Leichhardt

Using a provocative new book by economist Lindy Edwards, How to Argue with an Economist, this forum seeks to broaden political debate in Australia and questions the value of economics in every day life.

With special guest speakers:

* Lindy Edwards: Former Economics Adviser in the Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet, former Economics Adviser with Natasha Stott Despoja, Sydney Morning Herald journalist and author of How to Argue with an Economist: Reopening Political Debate in Australia. Ms Edwards is based at the Australian National University.

* Dr Steve Keen: Associate Professor of Economics and Finance at The University of Western Sydney and author of Debunking Economics: The Naked Emperor of the Social Sciences.

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005