E D I T O R I A L

Re-considering The Accord
The twentieth anniversary of the Hawke Government�s election provides an opportunity to ponder the Accord�s historical conundrum: how at the moment of the union movement�s greatest influence did it suffer its greatest loss of members?

F E A T U R E S

Poetry: If I Were a Rich Man
Through a distortion in the time-space continuum, we have found a recording showing how people a few years into the future will deal with health care.

Interview: League of Nations
ICFTU general secretary Guy Ryder on the war, core labour standards and why Australia is an international pariah.

Industrial: 20/20 Hindsight
A retrospective analysis of the Accord is needed to help develop future strategies. Is it worth trying again? And if so, what would need to be different?

Organising: On The Buses
A new rank and file leadership team is standing up for the harried bus driver in the run-up to the NSW State Election

Unions: National Focus
A gaze around the country reveals some inspiring and innovative organising initiatives, a fruitful connection with young workers in South Australia and some typically robust industrial campaigns reports Noel Hester.

History: The Banner Room
On the eve of it�s refurbishment, Jim Marr ventures into one of Trades Hall�s best kept secrets; the room that houses relics of labour�s halcyon days.

International: The Slaughter Continues
Chilling new statistics from Colombia's main trade union confederation CUT: nine trade unionists assassinated in the first two months of this year.

Legal: A Legal Case For War?
Aaron Magner looks at the legal implications of the crusade of the Coalition of the Willing

Culture: Singing For The People
When there�s a struggle for social justice, when a war is brewing or rights are being eroded, the first ones to pen, paper and protest are often the folkwriters.

Review: The Hours
On the eve of International Women�s Day Tara de Boehmler follows the tale of three women who would rather choose death than a life devoid of personal choice.

Poetry: I Wanna Bomb Saddam
Scarier than Star Wars, the latest weapon to be deployed in the battle for Iraq is the Singing Dubya.

Satire: Diuretic Makes Warne's Excuses Look Thin
Australian cricketer Shane Warne today admitted that he was still feeling the after effects of the diuretic he tested positive to.

N E W S

Sacre Bleu � It�s �La Gong� Now

Mum Raises Labour Hire Bar

Investigate the Buggers

NSW Libs Madder Than The Monk

Kits Strike Terror into Govt

West Braces for Shelling

Executive Pay Under Senate Spotlight

Clean Energy�s Jobs Bonus

Zoo Workers Buck �Mercy Killing�

Canberra Firefighters Win Union Backing

Global Equity Under Spotlight

Aussie Workers Fight Indian Child Labour

Water on the Brain

Activists Notebook

C O L U M N S

The Soapbox
Workers Friend
Shock jock Alan Jones snubbed his Liberal mates to bucket the Cole Royal Commission and launch Jim Marr's book

The Locker Room
Boer Bore Boring
In the face of oppression Phil Doyle falls asleep in front of the TV

Guest Report
Dead Labor
The Hawke and Keating legacy is John Howard, Leonie Bronstein argues.

Seduction
Hands Off, Tony
John Della Bosca argues the NSW Industrial Relations System gives his State a competitive advantage.

Bosswatch
Groundhog Day
Another year, another round of corporate excess. Bosswatch returns from its summer slumber to find the same old dogs up to the same tricks.

L E T T E R S

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Nursing Home Concerns

I was just reading through your entire web sight and was amazed that people are actually allowed to stand up for them selves in the work place.

what Im about to say remember, Nursing homes hire the bulk of its Ains as immigrants.Mainly because they do not know their rights,they do not know anything other then how to give showers and change people take them for a walk and basic skills not requiring anything other then normal ADL's they would perfrom daily on them selves.They have no basic skills and most immigrants are either beginning to make a go in Australia so most are not only unaware they dont have to be treated this way and most have no real education and english isnt a required tool to shower walk and clean a resident in a nursing home.Some come because they are also supporting family members in countries they came from so they work from 6 30 am to 9 or 11 at night.I have seen it done over and over in one place in particular.Not only are they exausted but they often have injurys ,they out of fear DO not report.The boss will cut their hours and they then can"t support two or three families.Another issue,All do!

ing these kinds of hours place other nurses at risk for higher injuries because they often cant carry their work load .But often it is ignored and you just have to put up or shut up

I work for a place now that has dreadful issues with employers treating their employees with disreguard to any rights or dignity a person may have. They dirrectly discriminate towards any race if they feel the need to do so.Its with in the nursing home industry. Most management can yell for no reason in front of other employees making false accusations and it be dirrectly their fault but refuse to admit they are in the wrong but yell and say humiliating things and you are shocked and stand there and cry in fron of everyone.I have had my boss pull my hair saying it needed to be cut. And I had short hair and most girls always look nice there.I take pride in how i present myself at work.And it wasnt a nice guesture and I was shocked I didnt turn around and hit her as hard as she pulled it and she was serious.Alot of us have had our bosses make up rules for one employeee and another for another employee who may have the same request.We have had our bras snapped from behind because it wasnt the "right color" and it was not our choice for the uniform top which she decided upon.We have had our bosses change rosters whith out notice,we have worked short as in one section with 15 patients needing high care attention and our boss say if you dont like it leave.And of course when you do that, you have neglected a person in your care which could be an offence.Which would be carried with you for the rest of your life.Dirrect OHandS issues ignored on our safety in those kinds of respect.

If you get injured its worse.They call you at home wanting to know where you are at at all times.If you werent home at the time they called they would say where have you been why havent you told us where you are going.They ask you to call your doctor and have you caome back to work.And most all injures are serious ones when your injured and you cant but they continue to call and make you feel you will loose your job.And in may cases you are told if you dont tell your doctor you are able to return to work and more planely put if you dont come back now..you wont have a job.Some gilrs have had the boss show up at their homes seeing if they are genuinely ill.This HAS happened.One girl crawled on her lounge room floor to answer her door to find the boss of this nursing home there.Yes,at her door.She had a work cover certificate covering her as she had fell in the bathroom and hurt her ankle and it was in plaster.There have been girls with Xrays and MRIs prooving serious injury and they have been called and told to return to work.They have also been told their doctor isnt competent.They have been denied medical treatment forcing them back into the work force still injured and they work until it comes to the point where they can't and then most always behind closed doors told they either get better or they will no longer support your injury.Most often told its costing them a fortune to get your injury fixed when they have been denied treatment at their request from their insureance company so you will give up and leave injured for the rest of your lives.The general public who bring in their family members for care have no Idea what the Ain's of australia endure.We give the primary care to their family members and at a cost to our own lives and most always never told thank you by the management who do these things to their primary care givers.

Im saying something because most Ains need to work,they dont want to take mony off the governemt to support them at home doing nothing.Ains are paid the least wages for the work they do.Its hard enough .But to have bosses who have no reguard for the workers and their needs is so hard.No one can ever immagine.I wish some one could come in undercover and see what REALLY happens to employess.No one will believe what I am writing but I can tell you along with about 70 people I know of who can say yes this has been happening for a very long time but there is nothing we can do.Our boss has stated many times I know everyone.If you get injured or because of your injury you will never have another job.Its almost like a silent way of saying keep your mouth shut or else.Last but not least one place has a rewards system..it wasnt started like it sounds.It started out as people who dont have an injury there is a reward to have holidays, but when people tried to voice what they felt it changed but we all knew it is dont report injury and you might be lucky to have a 3 day holiday.But to look at this rewards sheet and what you had to do inorder to acheieve this reward, it was unrealistic and they choose who gets it.And its the favorites in their work place who have rules one way for them and another way for the rest.Like i said, most people wouldnt believe it, but Ains know.And I wish we all could come together and fight how Ains in nursing homes are truly treated.

I have said what Ive had to say.I hope others who may view this can come forward and say so too.This IIIS happening and I wish I knew the steps to prevent employers from treating people this way because they "CAN".

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005