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Shock and Awe
And so it has begun, the cartoon caricatures are locked in; the cowboy and the tyrant his father created, locked in an endgame that will trash more than the infrastructure of Iraq.
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.
Peace Marchers Warn Off Provocateurs
Monk Ignores Job Losses
Trade Warriors Turn to Water
Gap, Target Pay Sweatshop Dues
Firies Douse Insurance Blaze
Kennett Delivers $2m Gas Bill
Vials Sparks Security Scare
Buggers Hit Six
Rail Towns Win Jobs Reprieve
Telstra Dotty Over Witching Hour
Crow Eaters Choke on Waste
CSL Boss in Political Pickle
Lawyers Push Super Class Action
Fair Clothing Activists Take Stock
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.
I Miss Unions
Viva Le Imperialists!
The First Casualty
Righteous indignation
Dead Right
Calling All Libs
If George W Bush was an Australian Citizen...
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Labor Council of NSW
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IT Workers Alliance
Bosswatch
Unions on LaborNET
Evatt Foundation
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News
Rail Towns Win Jobs Reprieve
The Carr Government has moved to reassure rural communities that it has not entered a secret deal to hand over control of the state�s freight rail tracks to the Commonwealth.
On the eve of the State Election, Treasurer Michael Egan has written to rail unions promising to consider an independent report warning the deal could cost NSW half a billion dollars before he makes a final decision.
Under the proposal the Australian Rail Track Corporation would take control of NSW rural rail through a 60-year lease; paying the NSW Government peppercorn rent and undertaking to invest $872 million over the first five years.
But unions fear the Commonwealth would contract out track maintenance to increase profits, undermining safety and leading to the loss of up to 1500 rural jobs.
The report, by BIS Shrapnel, was commissioned by the Labor Council to determine whether the proposal met key public interest benchmarks.
Among the key findings
- the financial viability of the project was 'doubtful' with current costings understated by around $800 million.
- cost projections for track inspection, maintenance and minor works was at least a third below the estimated minimum required.
- the ARTC plan would lead to a substantial decline in employment, changes to manning and employment conditions, a shift from day labour to contract or sub-contracting and "(arguably) potential impacts on safety standards and the performance of the network.
In his letter, Egan denies rumours a deal has already been reached and no decision would be made until the evaluation process is finalised.
He says the evaluation will deal with issues such as the impact on job security, maintenance of the rail infrastructure and regional communities in NSW.
"All these matters are captured by the formal assessment criteria developed in direct consultation with the NSW Labor Council and rail unions," he says.
Background on the campaign
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Issue 171 contents
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