E D I T O R I A L

Coming to the Party
The coming NSW ALP State Conference marks an important moment in the changing relationship between the political and industrial wings of the Party.

F E A T U R E S

Interview: Crowded Lives
Labor frontbencher Lindsay Tanner talks us through his new book on the importance of relationships and why politics is letting the people down.

Activists: Life With Brian
Work by men like Brian Fitzpatrick is exposing new Australians to old truths. Jim Marr reports

Industrial: National Focus
A showdown looms in Cancun, Qantas gets bolshie, casual and lazy in its response to aviation challenges, and long festering disputes fester on in Victoria and Tasmania reports Noel Hester in this national wrap.

Unions: If These Walls Could Talk
Trades Hall is preparing for a major facelift but first, Jim Marr reports, it must bid farewell to the colourful bunch who have populated its dusty corridors in recent years.

Economics: Beating the Bastards
Frank Stilwell looks at some of the proposals for building a fairer finance sector.

Media: Three Corners
So its come to this. Four Corners, one of the world's longest running television programs is now under pressure from an ABC Executive that is less cultural visionary than feral abacus.

History: The Brisbane Line
Percy Spender was Menzies' foreign minister, but, Neale Towart asks, was he also prepared to serve as Prime Minister in a Japanese controlled Australia?

Trade: The Dumping Problem
Oxfam-CAA helps set the scene for this month's World Trade Organisation in Cancun.

Review: Frankie's Way
In The Night We Called It A Day Frank Sinatra learns 'sorry' Down Under is a loaded word and refusal to say it when due will lose fans in important places, writes Tara de Boehmler.

N E W S

Violence: Rail Workers' Hot Spray

Corporate "Branch Stack" in Court

Entitlements: Ball in Carr’s Court

Asbestos Prospect for Home Buyers

"Stand Over" Claims at Hilton

US: Iraq on the Block

Sheeps Of Shame

Teachers Applaud TAFE Backdown

Council Delays Sweat Shop Action

Monk Aims Muscle at Unis

Cobar Beats Off CBH Assault

Sign Here For Reconciliation

Workers Denied Home Loans

Casual Approach No Holiday

Activists Notebook

C O L U M N S

The Soapbox
Staking Our Territory
ACTU secretary Greg Combet argued for a fairer Australia in his keynote address to last month's ACTU Congress.

The Locker Room
Seasonally Agisted
Spring is a season when a person’s thoughts turn to…horse racing. Phil Doyle reports on the fate of nags and folk heroes.

Housing
Beyond the Block
We are wild about the people who live in The Block but not too interested in those who are on the streets outside, writes Michael Rafferty.

Politics
The Westie Wing
Workers friend Ian West MLC, reports form the Bearpit about a project to raise awareness about trade unionism amongst young people.

Postcard
The Awkward Squad
Paul Smith meets one of the new generation of British union leaders who is taking the ball up to the Blair spin team.

L E T T E R S

WHAT YOU CAN DO

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Taxi!

Dear fellow workers,

I would like to raise the plight of the continuing struggle of Qld Taxi drivers to be reconised by a Qld Labor Government who three years ago promise to change the necessary acts of parliament to give Qld cabbies basic conditions & working rights with QRIC protection as the independent empire in contractual disputes.

Alas after continuing lobbying by the Qld Taxi driver's Association inc. we are still waiting.

We are talking about a cabbie who bearly takes home $6.50 per hour in the hand and has to work 65-70 hours per work to take home $45.00 less the the lowest award paid worker gets for a 38 hour week.

Qld Cabbies recieve no Super,No Sick Pay, no Holiay Pay No Long Service Leave No Qld Work Cover, and have to pay half the daily fuel and up to $8.80 per shift insurance levy.

The Taxi Investor/Owners & Taxi networks have lobbied the Qld Labor Government, after Government reconmendations came down in favour of the Cabbies to have all the reconmendations refered to yet another committee that they have successful stacked in the their favour.

I am asking every Australian Worker,Union and the Australian Public to email,write or Fax their local member in Qld or outside Queensland, the State Transport Minister Mr.Steve Bredhaurer & Industrial Relations Minister Mr.Gordon Nutall & The Premier Mr.Peter Beattie to pass all reconmendations of the Taxi drivers Workplace Health & safety & wages & Conditions Review.

THE QTDA INC. WOULD LIKE YOU TO SHAME THE BASTARDS INTO SUBMISSION, fancy a Labor Government siding with the right wing Torries of starving Cabbies & their Families, it should be a day of national shame, I am ashamed to say that I am a paid-up member of the ALP and Local Branch President. I didn't ever dream I would see the day when every day Aussies struggling to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads would ever have the door shut on the face by a Labor Government.Ben Chiffely must be turning in his grave.

Thankyou Comrades for all support.

Kind regards,

Michael Powell

State President,QTDA Inc.

State President ALP Branch Oxley/Corinda,QLD

Vice presid

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