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Issue No. 182 13 June 2003  
 
F E A T U R E S

History: Nest of Traitors
Rowan Cahill uncovers a ripping yarn that could redefine the way we look at Australian involvement in World War II.

Interview: A Nation of Hope
Former PM Bob Hawke bemoans the demise of industrial relations but takes heart from the prospect of peace in the Middle East

Unions: National Focus
Noel Hester reports on a soap star rebellion, Howard�s plans to renuclearise South Australia, more historical atrocities in the north, the redundancy test case plus more in the monthly national wrap.

Safety: The Shocking Truth
It�s every power worker�s worst nightmare � and it happened to Adrian Ware. In a flash of voltage, his life changed forever, as Jim Marr reports.

Tribute: A Comrade Departed
From Prime Ministers to wharfies, the labour movement paid tribute to Tas Bull this week. Jim Marr was among them.

History: Working Bees
Neale Towart looks at a group of workers who got sacked so their boss could keep making the Bomb.

Education: The Big Picture
The NTEU�s Dr Mike Donaldson and Tony Brown join all the dots in the current debate around higher eduction.

International: Static Labour
Ray Marcelo argues there�s another side to the recent furore over Telstra�s use of cheap Indian IT contractors.

Economics: Budget And Fudge It
Frank Stilwell argues that Peter Costello�s latest budget plumbs fiscal policy to new depths.

Technology: Google and Campaigning
Labourstart�s Eric Lee argues the latest weapon for campaigning could be the humble search engine.

Review: Secretary With A Difference
Looking for a new job can be hard enough, without having to worry about sadomasochistic bosses and the threat of being spanked for forgetting to cross your �t�s, says Tara de Boehmler.

Poetry: The Minimale
The Labor Party leadership is in the news again, inspiring our resident bard David Peetz to song

Satire: Howard Calls for Senate to be Replaced by Clap-O-Meter
John Howard released a controversial policy statement today, arguing that the Senate be abolished in favour of a device measuring noise from the gallery of the House of Representatives.

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L A T E S T   N E W S

Air NZ Grounds Mums and Kids
Air New Zealand is battling three new mums at Sydney�s International Airport over claims to family-friendly working hours.

One, ticketing agent Carolyn Dean, is so determined to work hours that allow her to look after 14 month-old, Jesse, she will see the company in the federal Industrial Relations Commission on Monday. [full story]

Unions to End Casual Affair
The ACTU has staked out its agenda to address the collapse in secure employment, identified in ground-breaking research showing that one third of the workforce will be casual by 2010.

Legal triggers for casuals to win permanency, a new Work Family Test case and tax incentives for the low-paid are key planks in the platform ACTU secretary Greg Combet will take to this year�s ACTU Congress. [full story]

Carr Faces Acid On Job Security
The NSW Government�s commitment to improving worker rights will be tested when NSW Labor Council targets the public sector in its Secure Employment Test Case.

After sitting on recommendations to regulate casuals and labour hire for more than two years, the government will now have to respond to the same claims, as an employer. [full story]

Abbott Prescribes Dole for Mother of Six
If Tony Abbott had his way Lynn Cunningham would be forced to look after six kids and a disabled husband from social welfare payments.

Cunningham says that Abbott�s Termination of Employment Bill, which seeks to bring unjustified dismissal under restrictive federal provisions, would have cost her her job at Lipa Management Services. Instead, when she was unfairly sacked, her union, the NUW, won reinstatement by taking a dispute through the NSW IRC. [full story]

Cole Batting Zero from Thirty Two
None of the 32 cases used to justify the establishment of the multi-million dollar Building Industry Task Force has resulted in court action, much less a successful prosecution.

Task Force director, Nigel Hadgkiss, confirmed that after investigations by his officers not one of the cases referred by Building Industry Commissioner Terence Cole had been forwarded to prosecuting authorities. [full story]

Labor Insider Makes Mess
One of former Prime Minister Paul Keating�s most important apparatchiks is the target of an international campaign to improve wages and conditions for shopping centre cleaners.

Westfield shopping mall cleaners across the globe are angry that Mark Ryan�s Labor credentials are not helping them win more job security and better working conditions, now that he plays right-hand man to shopping mall king Frank Lowy. [full story]

ALSO MAKING NEWS

 Dust Busters � MUA Sails into Allianz Fight

 Security Forces Come Out Firing

 Women�s Centre Faces Ideological Jihad

 Varsity Casuals Win Wage Increase

 Fortress NSW Protects BHP Workers

 Pharmacists Seek Jobs Medicine

 Iranian Textile Workers Sewn Up

 Unique Union �Uni Partnership

 Activists Notebook

email workers to a friend latest breaking news from labornet
�The fact is that Australia�s economic prosperity in recent years has been built on the back of inequality and the intensification of work. Economic risk has been shifted directly onto employees� - Greg Combet.

E D I T O R I A L
TINA flashed her eyelids and the Harvester Man keeled over in the face of financial deregulation, privatisation of public assets, contracting out of core services and the growth of global corporations.

Weapon Of Mass Deception

C O L U M N S

Politics
It�s Our Party
Long time union watcher Nicholas Way looks at the changing dynamics between the industrial and political wings of the labour movement.

The Soapbox
Grass Roots
In his Maiden Speech, new MP Tony Burke argues that the ALP�s union links are nothing to be ashamed of.

Media
Opinion Forming Down Under
Evan Jones condemns the mainstream�s media coverage of the War on Iraq and the damage it is doing to our national psyche.

The Locker Room
Location, Re-Location!
It�s all fun and games until someone loses a club, writes Phil Doyle


LETTERS to the Editor
 Costa Must Be Crazy
 Saharwi Struggle
 Vinegar Hill
 Tom's Toons

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