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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?
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.
 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
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.
Re - Core/Non Core promises.
Strangers in the House
Nursing Home Concerns
Catholic Tastes
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News
Executive Pay Under Senate Spotlight
The ACTU has called on the Howard Government to bring company directors' and chief executives' salaries into line with shareholder and community expectations.
ACTU President Sharan Burrow told a hearing of the Senate Economics Committee Inquiry this that there are no rules at the top end of town.
"The Howard Government has been standing idly by as the corporate greed of its business friends continues to flourish," Burrow says. "Meanwhile it does everything it can to deny low paid workers a decent wage increase."
When the Minimum Wage Case begins later this month, the government will argue against the ACTU's modest claim of $24.60 a week for 1.7 million workers.
Meanwhile average annual remuneration, excluding retirement benefits, for Australia's top 1OO CEOs increased by 38 per cent to $2 million, 44 times average weekly earnings, up from 34 times average earnings in the previous year, and amounting to a weekly pay rise of $10,567.
"In the current climate, Tony Abbott's counter-offer of $8.70 a week after tax, or 85 cents adjusted for inflation, is an insult to hard-working Australians," Burrow says.
In its submission to the Senate Inquiry, the ACTU has recommended the following amendments to the Corporations Amendment (Repayment of Directors' Bonuses) Bill 2002:
- Requiring boards of public companies to establish remuneration committees comprised of independent directors;
- Requiring all options packages to be subject to performance benchmarks which are disclosed to shareholders;
- Requiring performance benchmarks to be applied to all bonuses or other payments exceeding $40,000 in a year where the recipient's base remuneration exceeds $100,000;
- Removing tax deductibility for that portion of remuneration packages which exceeds $1 million.
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Issue 169 contents
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