E D I T O R I A L

The Dead Couple
The message from the ACTU�s Future of Work research is that the two theoretical frameworks for understanding work in the 20th century - �Harvester Man� and �TINA� are both dead.

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.

N E W S

Air NZ Grounds Mums and Kids

Unions to End Casual Affair

Carr Faces Acid On Job Security

Abbott Prescribes Dole for Mother of Six

Cole Batting Zero from Thirty Two

Labor Insider Makes Mess

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

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

L E T T E R S

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Labor Insider Makes Mess

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.

Lowy - who controls shopping malls in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the UK - is the target of International Justice for Janitors Day.

The US cleaner's' union - the SEIU - and the Australian cleaners' union - the LHMU - are working together in an unprecedented campaign to get thousands of e-mails sent to Mark Ryan calling on him to deliver decent working conditions to this largely immigrant and invisible workforce.

The e-mails are pointing out that while Frank Lowy, the Westfield boss, is celebrating 50 years of his success as an immigrant his workplace policies are doing little or nothing to help the latest wave of immigrants to make a go of it in Australia or the USA.

On Friday SEIU Cleaners Union members at more than a dozen US Westfield malls leafletted customers explaining the crisis in the lives of low-paid janitors caused by the tendering out policies of Westfield management.

And On Monday LHMU Cleaners Union members in several Australian states and territories will hand out information about how one of the richest men in Australia allows low-paid cleaners to be treated at his shopping malls.

Lowy has been keen to be seen handing out largesse over the last twelve months, as he celebrates his immigrant success story. He has just announced that he is pumping $ 30 million of his own money into a think tank on international policy. And in September last year he announced he was giving away his $ 11 million annual salary - all to mark his arrival in Australia as an immigrant ' with a small suitcase' 50 years ago.

The army of immigrant workers in the USA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK, who are the invisible battalions cleaning the ever expanding Westfield empire may wonder when some of this largesse will be shown to them.

These hard-working shopping mall cleaners, many of whom have left their homelands seeking a better life for themselves and their families, want the same opportunities to fulfil their dreams that Frank Lowy had when he started out in the 1950s.

To add your voice to the campaign go to: http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=16

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005