 |
Smells Like Community Spirit
Over the past view weeks Labor Council has been undertaking some focus groups to gauge community perceptions to unions. The result is a massive wake up call for those of us who want a union culture to survive into the 21st century.
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.
 Iranians Expelled Over Teen Affair
IR Promises Crash on Motorway
Telstra Pigs Out on Indian
Teachers Fight Casual Attitude
Superstars in EBA Showdown
Sink One with Billy
Abbott Asked to Consider Honesty
Printer�s Win Drink Stink
WorkCover To Take Robbery Seriously
Power Blackouts Expose Jobs Shortage
Qantas Woes Set To Soar
Sports Workers Walk
Bigger Money Player Equals Job Cuts
Indonesian Human Rights Appeal
Activists 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.
A Nice Letter
Tom�s History Of The World
Tony Is A Tool
|
| other LaborNET sites |
|
Labor Council of NSW
Vic Trades Hall Council
IT Workers Alliance
Bosswatch
Unions on LaborNET
Evatt Foundation
|
|
|
News
Iranians Expelled Over Teen Affair
Shipping agents are playing dumb over the deportation of two Iranian flag of convenience seafarers understood to have been rumbled in Port Kembla with forged documentation.
Industry sources say the pair was sent home last week before the Maltese-flagged, Teen, arrived at Portland, Tasmania, where agents refused to allow an ITF inspection.
Shipping agent, Jennie Jeal, was not forthcoming about either the deportations or the refusal to allow an inspection. Speaking from Tasmania, she refused to confirm or deny either situation.
ITF Australian representative, Dean Summers, was more informative but said the agent's inspection refusal had hampered his organisation's effort to get to the bottom of the Teen issue.
"The ITF understands two crew members were sent home on the basis of fraudulent documentation," he said.
The Teen is working the Australian coast under one of the Howard Government's contentious Single Voyage Permits, issued by Transport Minister, John Anderson. The permits allow foreign ships to avoid Australian laws and regulations, and have decimated Australian owned and crewed shipping.
The Teen issue blew up as the ITF revealed its Australian inspectorate had recovered more than $4 million in back-pay for ripped off Flag of Covenience crew members in the past year.
Summers said the recovery of exactly US$2,720,138 represented only the tip of an underpayments iceberg.
He said the three-strong Australian inspectorate, although backed by a network of union volunteers, could not hope to keep tabs on all the FOC shipping green-lighted by the Government.
"If the Federal Government is interested in stopping this exploitation it should not encourage FOC shipping," Summers said.
"As we sit here today there are people carrying Australian cargo around the Australian coast being abused and cheated. It's par for the course under the FOC system."
 View entire issue - print all of the articles!
Issue 193 contents
|
