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The Secret Life of Us
The fact that casual workers are too scared to come forward and testify about the need for job security seems to prove their basic point � no matter how long or how well you work, you can never feel safe in your job.
Interview: The New Deal
US union leader Amy Dean expands on her agenda to give unions a real political voice
Unions: In the Line of Hire
Unions have lobbied and negotiated in a bid to stem casualisation and insecurity. Now, Jim Marr, writes they are seeking protection through a formal Test Case.
Culture: Too Cool for the Collective?
Young people are amongst the most vulnerable in the workforce. So why aren't they joining the union, asks Carly Knowles
International: The Domino Effect
An internal struggle in the biggest and strongest industrial union in Germany IG Metall has had a devastating wave effect across not just that country, but also the rest of Europe, writes Andrew Casey.
Industrial: A Spanner in the Works
Max Ogden looks at the vexed issue of Works Councils and the differing views within the union movement to them.
National Focus: Gathering of the Tribes
Achieving a fairer society and a better working life for employees from across Australia will be key themes at the ACTU's triennial Congress meeting later this month reports Noel Hester.
History: The Welcome Nazi Tourist
Rowan Cahill looks at the role Australia's conservatives played in supporting facism in the days before World War II.
Bad Boss: Domm, Domm Turn Around
Frank Sartor might have shot through but Robert Domm still calls the IR shots at Sydney City which pretty much explains why the council is this month�s Bad Boss nominee.
Poetry: Just Move On.
Visiting bard Maurie Fairfield brightens up our page with a ditty about little white lies.
Review: Reality Bites
The workers, united, may never be defeated but if recent episodes of Channel 10 drama The Secret Life Of Us are to be believed, this is not necessarily a good thing, writes Tara de Boehmler.
 Tough Women Draw Line at Sacking
Witness Protection Urged on IRC
Max Swings Axe at Safety
Sick Twist in Drug Testing
Sacked Mum Goes to the Top
Cuts Sour ADB Birthday Bash
Howard Enlists Russians for Military
Vic Workcover Invests in Worker Misery
Public Hole in Power Shortage
Whistleblower Sacking Sparks Zoo Walkout
Truckie With Conscience Wins Back Job
Indigenous Labour honours Tobler
Asbestos Blocks Liverpool Road Works
Activist Notebook
The Soapbox
Fighting Words
Craig Emerson gave what could be the most spirited Labor spray in a decade to the NSW Labor Council this month. Here it is in all its venom. Education
Out of Their Class
Phil Bradley argues that Australia's education system should not be up for negotiation in the global trade talks. The Locker Room
The ABC of Sport
Phil Doyle argues that the only way to end the corporate madness that is sport, is to give it all back to the ABC. Postcard
Locks, Stocks and Barrels
Union Aid Abroad's Peter Jennings updates on the situation in Burma, where the repression of democracy is going from bad to worse.
Bullies in the Ranks
It Is Still About The Members Isn't It
Tom's Purpose
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Labor Council of NSW
Vic Trades Hall Council
IT Workers Alliance
Bosswatch
Unions on LaborNET
Evatt Foundation
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News
Public Hole in Power Shortage
The Carr Government could regret its decision to sell of the planning arm of Pacific Power, with revelations this week of the need to increase the state�s energy capacity.
With projections that some areas of the state could face black-outs, the Electrical Trades Union has questioned the wisdom in privatising Pacific Power Internaitonal last year.
ETU secretary Bernie Riordan has called on the government to plan for increasing energy needs and maximise the existing network by investing in staff and equipment.
Roirdan says the proposition that the private sector could run the energy grid was rejected in 1998, but that advocates of privatisation were still driving government policy.
"Michael Egan needs to swallow his words and concede that the government needs to build more power stations," Riordan says.
"PPI shouldn't have been sold off because we know that only the public sector can build the sort of infrastructure we need for a secure energy supply."
More Staff and Resources
Riordan says that much of the reporting this week has missed the basic point that the current system is not operating at full capacity.
One of the reasons for this is that a massive number of workers have been taken out of the industry - since 1989, the workforce in the NSW energy industry has dropped from 22,500 to just 11,000
Meanwhile, since 1997, $2.7 billion has been returned as dividend to the NSW Government - money that could have gone into upgrading the substations and better resource the maintenance of these facilities.
"The good news is that because unions blocked moves to privatise the industry in 1998, we can now deal with the energy shortfall as a community, rather than relying for private companies to do the work for us," Riordan says.
"This puts NSW in a substantially better position than states like Victoria, where the profit motive now rules supreme."
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Issue 189 contents
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