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Issue No. 188 | 25 July 2003 |
Solidarity Gets Sexy
Interview: As They Say In The Bible ... Industrial: Just Doing It Unions: Breaking Into the Boys Club Activists: Making the Hard Yards Bad Boss: In the Pooh Unions: National Focus Economics: Pop Will Eat Itself Technology: Dean for President International: Rangoon Rumble Education: Blackboard Jungle Review: From Weakness to Strength Poetry: Downsized
Gloves Off Over Workers� Rights Win for Victims of Rio Tinto "Blood Sport" League Players Join Union Team Kodak Chops Workers from Picture Stool Lady�s Stand Vindicated Nurses Seek Work-Based Elder Care High Tech Pokies Threaten Jobs
The Soapbox The Locker Room Postcard
Does This Make Me a Raving Trot? More on Bullies And More �
Labor Council of NSW |
Editorial Solidarity Gets Sexy
No blue singlet, no fighting words, no bully boy tactics; just committed and intelligent young Australians doing what they need to do to make their working life better. This is the good news that Workers Online sends out this week, workers from all facets of modern life recognising that the only way they'll achieve their goals is by working together. In recent weeks the actors have been a revelation. Industrial action from some of the most committed and articulate rank and filers going around, generating what must be the most widespread and positive coverage of industrial action in recent memory. A week later, Alliance members like Claudia Karvan took the free trade message into the nation's lounge room, driving home the message that without local content rules the cultural lives of us will be secret indeed. Meanwhile, as Reggie left the House triumphant wired workers were launching a campaign to end routine spying on their emails and net usage by bosses who confuse the information economy with a production line. Their prize tactic is to switch the Net nanny onto 'union' whenever a dispute is in the air; but it reflects a broader view of master and servant that plays no role in bringing out the best in workers. It is a sham that state Labor governments must step in to clean up. And bursting down the blind side comes the Rubgy League Players' Association, joining the NSW Labor Council pack at a time when the lustre has worn of the sweetheart deals of the Super League wars. The well-paid superstars are standing beside the up and comers and journey men to demand a decent deal for athletes, bringing in basic conditions and, importantly, training opportunities to an industry more used to looking at its workers as pieces of meat. Workers all, joining together and, in doing so, helping to redefine what a trade union is. And not a dinosaur amongst them. Peter Lewis Editor
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