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Issue No. 191 15 August 2003  
E D I T O R I A L

Three Year Itch
The triennial ACTU Congress meeting Melbourne this week comes at the most difficult of times for the union movement, as the horror prospect of seven years of conservative government becomes an ongoing reality.

F E A T U R E S

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.

N E W S

 Public Backs Services Over Tax Cuts

 Seafarer Awards � Full Steam Ahead

 Sunnybrand Plucks Workers

 Call Centre Stink Over Time in Loo

 Reynolds Banks on Safety

 Workers To Back League Stars

 Witnesses Line Up for Test Case

 Unfair Legislation Dismissal

 Tax Office "Bites" Its Own

 Bosses Grab Massive Pay Hikes

 IR Staff Walk Over Job Cuts

 Government Kills Manslaughter Bill

 Rail Workers Spitting Mad

 Activists Notebook

C O L U M N S

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.

L E T T E R S
 Tom�s Tool
 Neighbourhood Watch
 MUA CD Launch
 Trainspotting
 The Remittance Man
WHAT YOU CAN DO
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Letters to the Editor

The Remittance Man


We have noted from afar, and with interest the continued provocations of your regular contributor "The Remittance Man" in his letters "Tom� Lessons" and "The Fifth Column" a brief epistle in which he effectively condemns the, The Teachers, the Member for Cunningham and the ALP Branch Stackers and rorters. This he appeared to do with complete impunity, until we read the letter "Tom in the Manger" by Greg Platt, who appears to be an official of the CPSU.

In his letter Greg also queried as to "What gave Tom the boot from his last ongoing job (and gave him so much free time to compose his Right-wing essays)". Is it possible that this provocative bludger, and professional "agent provocateur" still survives only on receipt of the "remittances' which were originally offered by his long suffering family as an enticement him to leave his birthplace , and create his havoc in someone else�s backyard.

But then what could one expect from an inbred, from a nation within a nation, who for six generations have continued to establish themselves through inbreeding, not only within the Pale, but without - through their continued occupation of land in the counties of Wexford, Wicklow and Carlow, this may also explain his obvious right wing views, which on occasion have been compared to the utterances of Cromwell prior to the sacking of Drogheda in 1649. This event giving rise to the only Irish blood in himself or his ancestry which perhaps explains the urbane comfort in the form of homilies offered some time ago to Paddy Gorman.

I am assuming that this is the same lad or perpetual snapper who was asked not to return to our school and sent on his way some 40 years ago.

Harriet Hopkins

Ireland


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