Queensland Liberal Senator George Brandis this week lives up to the old adage that it's hard to think with the mouth open.
In the senate this week he took up a theme that has been aired by that other oxygen deprived hypocrite from the loony right, Andrew Bolt, with shrill accusations that The Greens are Nazis.
While the Greens are many things, and don't always represent the interests of organised labour, accusations that they are Nazis are pretty out there.
Especially coming from a man who propped up the Government's race-baiting children overboard claims and conspired in the SIEV-X cover-up.
He might do well to study the Nazis attitude to Trade Unions. An attitude that bears a remarkable resemblance to the policies prescribed by his own party.
This name calling is coming from the man who described John Kerr as 'the victim of the Dismissal', 'my beloved friend' and someone who 'marched always in the ranks of honour'.
Marched?!!
Staggered more likely.
Despite being a John Howard look-a-like Brandis is a Costello booster who has teamed up with shonky branch stacker Santo Santoro (remember the Liberal Party branch members who lived in China?) to further embarrass conservatives north of the Tweed.
He has also served a term as a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a high-powered conservative Washington think-tank has been credited with shaping Australia's new interventionist foreign policy, including the Federal Government's stance against North Korea.
He told The Courier-Mail that the institute was the first to abandon the notion of sovereignty in favour of "humanitarian intervention".
Then this low-life grub found time in his miserable life to stuck into Jim Cairns, but only after he died.
While Ruddock was denying that Australia's Pacific Solution involved 'Detention Centres' Brandis let the cat out of the bag by referring to them as such during the Senate inquiry into SIEV-X.
At the Senate inquiry Brandis repeated the now-discredited claims that asylum seekers used children to pressure the Navy.
"The peculiar evil of this case was that they weren't threatening to harm themselves, they were threatening to harm children, including according to some of these reports, children as young as two. Don't you think that ramps up the level of moral blackmail?" A breathless Brandis told the inquiry.
It's breathtaking that someone as morally challenged as Brandis can keep a straight face while he accuses anyone else of having Nazi sympathies.
Brandis also takes a keen interest in higher education, something that it appears he could benefit from.
"The independent report was a completely confected excuse," said Brandis of the SIEV-X inquiry.
What the hell does confected mean? Made into candy?
In his role as a member of the Senate inquiry into higher education the rather self important Senator Brandis felt unis should take their begging bowls over to private sector and stop bothering the government.
As one inquiry observer explained: " I thought private sector paid taxes too. I thought better unis meant better thinkers, workforce, execs, admin types; so better economy, more taxes, higher senators' wages - apparently enlightened self-interest not part of Brandis' job description."
Brandis is also got the Queensland Teachers Union in his wildly misguided sights. Unfortunately he could probably do with a bit of help from a few Primary School teachers himself. Check out the grammar on this latest attack on the Queensland Teachers Union: "The new funding system recognises the socio-economic needs of parent communities - and also that is fairer."
Back to school for you George, with remedial classes in History AND English.
Our morally and intellectually challenged Tool Of The Week may be right about there being Nazis in parliament, but the best chance he'll have of spotting one is when he has a shave in the morning.
Mrs McGoldrick said her family was "shattered" to learn the businessman had paid only $1800 of the $20,000 fine imposed over her son�s fatal fall from a Broadway, Sydney, building site.
The claim was made by CFMEU secretary, Andrew Ferguson, during a rally of 10,000 workers to honour another slain teenager, Joel Exner, and demand introduction of industrial manslaughter laws.
Checks with the office of NSW Industrial Relations Minister, John Della Bosca, confirmed there were no records of other payments towards the 2001 fine imposed by the Chief Industrial Magistrate's Court from either the businessman or his company, Advanced Roofing, which also traded as Tamworth Metal Roof Fascia and Guttering.
He was found guilty of failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare of his employees.
"Our family is devastated, we are back to square one," Mrs McGoldrick said.
"This is just so disrespectful. It is disrespectful of Dean, us and the law.
"We live in Tamworth. We know this man lives in one home with his mother and also has an investment property, although it might very well be in his wife's name.
"They own a business called Advanced Hair Supplies and he drives around in an LTD."
Unions allege that Dean McGoldrick, who had only been with Advanced Roofing 11 days, worked for a company that didn't supply scaffolding or safety harnesses.
The same allegations have been leveled against Garry Denson Roofing, the company that employed 16-year-old, Joel Exner, who died earlier this month. Exner was only three days out of Evans High School, Blacktown, when he lost his life at Eastern Creek.
Mrs McGoldrick hailed the ACT Government's determination to bring in industrial manslaughter legislation and called on other states to "display similar courage".
"If one useful thing comes out of this it will be that other parents don't have to go through the hell Tim and I have been through," she said.
"That's why industrial manslaughter is important. What deterrent is a $20,000 fine, especially when it turns out it wasn't even paid?"
The ANZ pleaded guilty in the NSW IRC, in court session, to failing to secure the health, safety and welfare of Brookvale employees and faces the prospect of a six-figure fine.
But FSU secretary, Geoff Derrick, suggested the bank had learned little from the Brookvale fiasco and flagged the prospect of further OH&S prosecutions.
"This prosecution revealed the arrogance of the ANZ," Derrick said. "It failed to pay proper regard to the health and safety of its workers or its customers.
"Unfortunately, the attitude persists. It refuses to disclose or consult on branch risk assessments even though it is legally obliged to do so.
"Related issues are still outstanding at other branches. We are actively investigating those suspected breaches.
"They are problems the court will have to resolve."
The court, this week, heard that on several occasions, between 1999 and the June 2002 Brookvale robbery, union representatives had written to the ANZ warning of specific security shortcomings.
Derrick told the court that union letters of February 5, 2002, and June 3, 2002, pointing out failings, later taken advantage of by the Brookvale bandits, did not even elicit acknowledgements from the ANZ.
The bank, which made a record $2.39billion profit this year, could be fined a maximum of $555,000 for its first OH&S offence. Second and future convictions carry penalties of up to $850,000.
Penalty in the Brookvale case has been reserved.
Revolutionary robot straddle cranes, championed internationally by Corrigan, have been implicated in at least two embarrassing behind-the-sheds incidents at Fisherman Islands Berth 7.
Photos of the indiscretions are known to be circulating but Corrigan, or his agents, have been successful, thus far, in preventing their publication.
Patrick has been trialling the un-manned straddles for 14 months at Berth 7, whilst using human beings to do the work in a more traditional manner at Berths 1, 2 and 3.
According to waterside workers, privy to some of the straddles' shennanigans, they have been getting up to no good.
On Monday, October 13, one of the GPS (Global Positioning System)-controlled contraptions, Automated Straddle 9, threw a wobbly, hurtling more than three metres past the electronic barrier supposed to mark off its territory. The giant robot crashed through a metal panel fence into the adjoining reefer area.
One week later, according to MUA Brisbane officials, two of the monsters had an altercation on the dock, at least one of the combatants limping away with with its cab stoved in.
But the union's South Queensland deputy branch secretary, Trevor Munday, says their biggest shortcoming is productivity.
"Productivity levels at Berth 7 are well below those of 1998 which Patrick used as an excuse to illegally sack our members with Federal Government support," Munday said.
Munday says the automatic straddles are only loading or unloading a third of the containers being turned around by workers at the company's other three berths. Robots are averaging about 70 movements a shift while their human counterparts do between 200 and 240.
"The attraction appears to be ideological," Munday said. "They say it cuts their labour costs but if the system actually worked it would be in use at terminals around the world that have greater movements than Brisbane."
An overseas stevedoring firm briefly operated an automated berth in Holland but the experiment was shut down several years ago.
Amenities for more than 20 security guards consisted of a bus shelter with a public toilet attached. Their drinking fountain was often urinated in, and the area was littered with syringes and beer bottles, leading to workers declaring the situation to be a health and safety risk.
William Telisczak and James Munday were singled out by Chubb and sacked after leading the campaign to improve amenities.
"The amenities were filthy, there was no other word for it," says Munday. "It sends a message to employers that they can't treat people like garbage."
Munday believes the outcome also sends a message to workers experiencing sub-standard conditions.
"You don't have to put up with it."
WorkCover issued an improvement notice early last year, and Chubb claimed to have purchased a demountable shed for the guards, but the alleged shed never appeared.
"The employees requests were reasonable," says David McElrea, an Industrial Officer from the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Employees Union (LHMU). "Chubb never did anything until [the workers] took industrial action.
"This shows that you can take action to improve your conditions and the union will back you up."
The Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) described their lack of amenities as "a continuing and unacceptable situation".
"How can State Rail expect our people to continue working with the high morale needed in this stressful job when management and Chubb know about the conditions in the facilities they provide, they do nothing - but the guards get punished for striking," says Newcastle LHMU Secretary, Carmel Cook. "They were punishing the victim - rather than resolving the crux of the problem and showing a bit of respect to decent workers."
The AIRC found that Chubb did not have grounds for dismissing the guards and that it was a harsh, unjust and unreasonable course of action.
"At the time of the walkout the security guards were stood down after hundreds of union members walked off the job just before Easter, angry about the lack of amenities - and angry that after years of promises nothing had happened," says Cook.
Each of the sacked security guards has been awarded 10 weeks wages. Disgusted with the way they had been treated none of them wanted to be reinstated into their jobs.
Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) secretary Paul Bastian has lashed the move to shift the obligation onto NSW taxpayers as "an act of corporate bastardry".
In 2001 James Hardie Industries established a fund to compensate victims of asbestos related diseases; this fund now faces an $800 million shortfall and the company is refusing to guarantee future liabilities.
James Hardies claimed that the establishment of the fund - known as the Medical Research & Compensation Foundation' - would "manage James Hardie's asbestos liabilities and related litigation, compensate sufferers of asbestos related diseases and fund medical research to find treatments for these diseases".
At the time, asbestos victims and unions warned it was a dodge to try and avoid escalating liabilities. That position was set out in a AMWU letter to James Hardie Industries, warning the company could not duck its legal and moral responsibilities.
"I particularly remember the two spivs who turned up on behalf of James Hardie's to sing the praises of this wonderful fund," says Labor Council Secretary John Robertson. "They turned up with ready-to-go press releases we were supposed to endorse.
"We were very suspicious, and as it's turned out quite rightly so. This is an absolutely appalling situation. James Hardie has profited for many years by exposing workers to asbestos."
Media reports have put the bill for compensation for asbestos related diseases at $6 billion. The move by James Hardie is believed to be an attempt to shift the bill for compensation onto the public purse - forcing victims suffering from asbestos related diseases to go to the NSW state government for compensation.
The AMWU says the company knew the effects of asbestos and profited by tens of millions of dollar from continuing production but now wants the public to pick up the health bill.
It flagged the James Hardie campaign months ago when the company's insurer, Allianz, began sounding out politicians about changing compensation laws.
The AMWU has received support from the NSW Labor Council to conduct a campaign to ensure James Hardie and insurer Allianz meet their responsibilities to the victims of asbestos related diseases.
"It appears that James Hardie has deliberately contrived its corporate structure to quarantine itself from any legal action related to future compensation claims," says Bastian. "We are not going to tolerate that. We will continue to hold them accountable.
"The management of James Hardie either deliberately lied or has been grossly incompetent."
Asbestos is a deadly substance with its fibres known to cause lung cancer and mesothelioma. It was commonly used in the construction industry until the 1980's even though its risks have been known since the 1950's.
The call centre-advertising operation, employing 2200 Australians, made the extraordinary admission in a bulletin from national employee relations manager, Ray Harris, to all employees.
"I am delighted to advise you that the outcome is a very pleasing one for Sensis," Harris writes of a disputed Federal IRC decision. "The Full Bench of the AIRC found that: There is no duty upon Sensis to bargain 'in good faith' under the Workplace Relations Act."
Sensis runs call centres for Telstra in most states and describes itself as "an integral part" of the telecommunications giant. Its employees handle a range of duties including answering White and Yellow Pages inquiries.
Harris was commenting on a full bench response to a Sensis appeal of an earlier decision by Commissioner Smith that appeared to acknowledge the CPSU's right to a seat at enterprise bargaining negotiations.
Sensis has refused to recognise the union or allow it into negotiations, despite increasing numbers of its employees signing up as members.
CPSU officials say the Harris memo was "typically misleading" and underlines why employees are signing up for union representatation.
While conceding that the AIRC had ruled it did not have the power to force Sensis to "bargain in good faith" they say the Commission has ruled that Sensis must formally recognise the CPSU.
The full bench decision, they argue, was procedural and has handed the substantive argument back to Commissioner Smith for a decision.
The ruling, confirming that there is no "good faith" requirement on parties to bargaining, however, has fired-up ALP Workplace Relations Shadow, Craig Emerson.
"The Howard Government's laws allow large, profitable employers like Sensis to ignore the wishes of their employees to be represented by a union," Emerson said.
"The Full Bench decision notes that federal laws contrast with those of countries like the USA, which contain a clear requirement that employers must bargain in good faith."
Emerson called for immediate law reform in the area and confirmed Labor would introduce a private members bill requiring parties to bargain in good faith.
The action for "unspecified damages" - against eight workers, four sub-contractors, the CFMEU and its Victorian branch secretary, Jane Calvert - stems from a 1999 union picket at Seaview Ridge, inland from Apollo Bay.
Even though police were in attendance, and no charges were laid, protesters say the picket, mounted by timber workers and community members, amounted to unlawful imprisonment.
The Supreme Court has set aside 50 days to hear an action, described by CFMEU forestry division president, Trevor Smith, as a threat to the whole trade union movement.
"If this action is successful it will set a precedent and lead to all unions and workers, defending their rights to work, being the subject of litigation," Smith said.
"It is a clear attempt to bankrupt and intimidate workers through extensive litigation. If is succeeds it will be exploited by employers and the Howard Government to further erode working conditions."
Attempts to mediate a settlement, using public figures like Greens senator Bob Brown, have been fruitless.
Smith urged litigants, including a paid Wilderness Society organiser, to consider the ramifications of their actions on growing political co-operation between the working class and Green movements.
Workers Online understands that some named defendants were not even present at Seaview Ridge on the day in question. It understands the defence will argue protesters were offered a police escort from the area at any time they wanted to leave but turned it down.
The claimants are expected to contend the picket blocked Seaview Ridge Rd and prevented them leaving. None claims to have suffered financial loss but they allege the action resulted in cuts, lacerations, pain, suffering, anxiety, stress, fear and a "dimunition" of their ability to enjoy the bush and wilderness experience.
One of their number says, that in order to escape, he borrowed ill-fitting shoes that resulted in tropical ulcers, cuts and blisters which took months to heal.
The case is expected to begin on October 6.
The club, with the backing of Clubs Consulting (a division of ClubsNSW), is set to introduce a draconian Drugs and Alcohol policy that seeks to punish staff rather than address genuine safety issues over the issue of impairment.
"Fatigue is an area that many industries overlook," says NSW Labor Council Secretary John Robertson. "Increasingly it is an issue as employers use it as a tool to discipline people. They should be counselling people who may have a problem and not using it as an excuse to punt people."
The move also flies in the face of recommendations art the recent NSW Alcohol Summit.
The Policy would enable the Pelican Flat RSL Club to conduct testing of employees, with'under the influence of alcohol' defined as being in excess of 0.05 prescribed concentration of alcohol.
The NSW Liquor branch of the Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU) has slammed the move, describing it as an "encroachment into our members rights" and a "misuse of Occupational Health and Safety Committees".
"It is the intention of this Club to use the Alcohol Policy as a disciplinary tool against our members and we are very concerned that the Club industry will seek to carry this policy into other Clubs throughout the state," says LHMU Liquor Division State Secretary John Barry.
"The fight has only just begun,' says Graham Kelly of the United Services Union. "Whilst the state government has kept its promise that now needs to be followed up."
"John Anderson now needs to keep his promise to make available $2.9 million in GEERS funding."
The Minister for Local Government, Mr Tony Kelly pushed through changes to the Local Government Act to meet conditions outlined by the Federal Government.
Deputy Prime Minister and local Federal MP, John Anderson, put a number of conditions on the State Government before he would pay the workers' entitlements, even though payment under GEERS is discretionary. GEERS is the Federal governments scheme to protect some employee entitlements in the event of a business going bankrupt, as happened with Mudgee Abattoir.
Anderson has gone on the record as saying that without the legal obstacles payments could come through in as little as four weeks.
"Our first priority has always been to make sure that the workers got what they were owed," says Tony Kelly. "Now it's time for the Federal Government to pay-up!"
Tony Kelly said that while the situation was not ideal, the NSW Government had made sure that the Federal Government would cover the workers' entitlements.
"We can't give them back their jobs, but at least now the abattoir workers and their families can have a decent Christmas," says Tony Kelly.
Graham Kelly was also interested in amendments that would allow the Minister for Local Government to make financial orders on councils.
"This puts Mudgee and Rylstone council on notice," says Graham Kelly. "We will be meeting with the Minister on November 3 to explore options to seek the balance of money owed to Abattoir employees under their statutory entitlements."
Mudgee and Rylstone Councils were two of the councils that made up the county council that owned the abattoir, which went bust earlier this year owing $5million in employees entitlements.
In the 12 months to October last year there was a 30% increase in the number of people killed in truck accidents on NSW roads.
"Unless more is done to reduce the pressures and demands being placed on truck drivers to met impossible client deadlines at the cheapest possible price, however, we face the grim prospect of even more deaths this year," NSW Transport Worker's Union State Secretary Tony Sheldon said today.
Driver fatigue continues to be identified as the major cause in almost 25% of truck related accidents. 30% of drivers working in the long distance industry consistently report they resort to illegal stimulant use to stay awake behind the wheel.
"Transport industry clients continue to force drivers to work longer, harder and faster to meet their impossible demands, taking no care or responsibility for what is happening on our roads. At the worst end of the industry, even some prominent industry operators, are actively encouraging drivers to breach driving hours, speed and resort to illegal stimulant use."
"To reduce the number of people being killed in truck accidents on our roads WorkCover needs to immediately commence an investigation into [the Macksville] accident and all other fatal truck accidents on our roads."
Recommendations to adopt an enforceable code of practice for the industry including, sustainable rates of pay, and chain of responsibility provisions to make clients accountable also need to be implemented.
The news comes as North Coast councils, politicians and communities are to lobby the Federal Government for funding to fast-track upgrading of the Pacific Highway.
Coffs Harbour Mayor Jenny Bonfield says the double fatality just north of Macksville highlights how dangerous the road has become.
"We need this highway done up immediately," says Bonfield. "It's a disaster."
Teachers are taking this action to highlight their concerns that the TAFE fee increases in 2004 will place additional financial burdens upon students. Students will also be required to pay additional hidden charges to cover the cost of amenities and materials.
TAFE students' and teachers' anger culminated in a rally outside State Parliament on Wednesday 29 October.
"Students are angry that the increases in TAFE fees proposed for next year will mean that many of them will be paying triple the amount they have paid this year. A Diploma will cost students from the start of next year $1000. This cost will be higher than that charged in almost any other state in Australia," says Linda Simon, Secretary of the TAFE Teachers Association.
"We are asking Mr Egan to walk a week in our shoes," says Kathryn Peberdy, a student from Seven Hills. "I am currently on Austudy & live off $300.10 each fortnight. I will no longer be able to continue to study."
"Egan needs to slip out of the Versace loafers and slap on some thongs and walk with the people. What might seem like nothing to him is a lot of money to us," says Jessica Mills of Western Sydney Free TAFE.
Fight Goes To Industrial Relations Commission
Meanwhile, the State Council of the Teachers Federation met last weekend to consider progress in the teacher's salary case.
"Teachers are angry that the state government has failed to honour commitments given before and after the last state election. The government is attacking the teaching profession, delaying the salaries case and holding the Industrial Relations Commission to ransom," says NSW Teachers Federation President Ms. Maree O'Halloran. "As a consequence teachers may be forced to take further industrial action this year."
In contrast to the Government, the Catholic Education Commission is not contesting the work value of teachers in a seperate Independent Education Union case.
"In that case the teacher witnesses are not being cross-examined and an Agreed Statement of Facts has been produced about the significant, positive contribution and work value changes by teachers." Says Ms. O'Halloran.
Workplace safety, employee rights and appropriate work practices are explored in the play, which is proving to be a hit with audiences across the state.
"the target audience of this play, young workers and people just entering the workforce, is very important," says NSW Labor Council Secretary John Robertson. "We need to use all the tools available to get our story out."
"We need to tell people what unions have done and that unions are still very much relevant."
The play comes from the efforts of the Newcastle based Workers Cultural Action Committee. Its project manager is Steve Wilson, known in Newcastle as Mr Mayday, for his lively celebrations on the international worker's day.
"We make art work," says Wilson. "We bring together unions, working people and the community. We involve communities and articulate clearly the community's ideas and aspirations and build community networks."
Wilson believes that culture is an effective tool for unions to communicate their messages.
The Workers Cultural Action Committee is keen to promote its work amongst trade unions and other interested organisations.
For more information contact the Workers Cultural Action Committee on (02) 4929 7287, or email [email protected]
The Workers Cultural Action Committee website can be accessed by clicking here
Carr told a five-strong delegation he was aware of the opportunities the sector provided for many immigrants and women.
"These are jobs that need the protection of good unions," Carr said. "Immigrant cleaners in the US have trouble getting the security of unions in their workplace and we can't afford to have that happen here.
"I am very conscious of the importance of the contributions our cleaning staff make. Students have the right to study in a clean environment."
Cleaners are also circulating a petition around schools and parents, urging state government to allocate sufficient money to ensure hours aren't cut further, and to fully preserve entitlements.
Emina Mahmic, a member of the delegation that visited the Premier, started cleaning more than 30 years at Carr's old high school, Matraville.
Mahmic outlined to Carr the issues behind the LHMU's Keep It Clean, Give Us Time campaign, and said she was encouraged by his response.
The meeting with the Premier was one of dozens being held with state MPs to push the campaign.
Patterns of Union Joining in New Zealand: Causes, Characteristics and Consequences.
Results of the NZ Worker Representation & Participation Survey
Professor Peter Boxall
University of Auckland Business School
Do New Zealand workers join unions for ideological or instrumental reasons?
Is there an unsatisfied demand for union representation in New Zealand?
What are the consequences for NZ unions as they strive to increase membership levels?
This seminar reports findings from the New Zealand Worker Representation and Participation Survey conducted in January and February this year by Peter Haynes, Peter Boxall and Keith Macky. One thousand New Zealand workers were surveyed about their experience of work, including their felt and desired levels of influence over a range of issues and their attitudes to union representation.
Date: Monday, 3 November 2003
Time: 12.00pm - 1.20pm
Venue: JG Seminar Room 119, 1st Floor,
John Goodsell Building, UNSW
For more information contact Marie Kwok on 9385 7156 or [email protected]
Volunteering in Palestine: an Information Evening
6-8pm, Tuesday November 4th
1st floor conference room,
Unity House 79 Stirling Street, Perth
Two Western Australians - a union Organiser and an International Solidarity Movement activist - will share their recent experiences volunteering in Palestine.
Internationals perform an important role in bringing people's attention to the tragic suffering of Palestinians under Israeli occupation.
Please direct any questions to Rodney at [email protected] or (08) 9322 1384. or to Pat at 93610186 and at [email protected]
Fairwear!
Is your organisation involved in merchandising? Do You Buy clothing to sell with your message? Do You Know if the workers making those clothes are receiving their legal wages? If you want to Be Sure that the clothing you sell is being made for fair wages, under fair conditions then this is the training for you.
Fair Wear is providing a free training day on how to get your clothing supplier accredited to the Homeworkers Code of Practice. This code was developed by the Textile/Clothing Union together with representatives of the retail and manufacturing industries. The code is a self regulatory system that monitors the production chain from retailer to outworker to ensure legal wages and conditions. Some outworkers have been paid their Award entitlements for the first time as a result of the accreditation process.
Once accredited, suppliers can display the No Sweatshop label: a sign of sweatshop free production. As organisations you have the power to demand companies you source from commit to sweatshop free conditions, and through demanding accreditation you can be directly involved in improving the conditions of outworkers in the Australian clothing industry.
Fair Wear is calling on all NGO�s, charitable organisations and community groups to get behind the No Sweatshop Label and get their suppliers of T-shirts, windcheaters or any other garments, accredited to the Homeworkers Code of Practice.
Where: Labor Council 377-383 Sussex St Sydney. Executive Board Room, Lvl 9
When: Wednesday 5th November. 9am - 12.30
Contact: Dez Karlsson;
ph: 9380 9091
fax: 9380 8159
mob: 0403 128 013
Paying for Private Profit seminar
Evatt Breakfast Seminar - November 11
Location: Macquarie Room, Quality Hotel (formerly the Southern Cross Hotel),
Cnr Goulburn and Elizabeth Streets Sydney, opposite the Goulburn Street
Parking Station, and a short stroll from both Central and Museum railway
stations.
Time: Breakfast will be served from 7.30 am, the seminar will commence at
8.00am & finish at 9am precisely.
Cost: $14 (includes breakfast)
RSVP Evatt Foundation: [email protected]
NSW Labor Film Night - 'The Contender'
A presidential political thriller. After the Vice-President dies in office, the President decides it's time for a woman to take the job. Senator Laine Hanson gets the nod, but Republican leaks and disinformation threaten to derail her campaign.
'The Contender' (rated M) stars Jeff Bridges, Joan Allen and Gary Oldman.
Come and enjoy this Oscar nominated film & then enjoy some refreshments with other Party members.
6:00pm for 6:30pm start on Tuesday 11 November
Theatrette, State Parliament, Macquarie Street, Sydney
$20 / $15 concession (bookings essential)
Light refreshments will be served after the movie.
For more information please contact Paul Sekhon on (02) 9207 2000 or email [email protected]
*You must be a Party member to make a booking
Trading Australia Away?
Anthony Albanese MP and Grayndler ALP presents "Trading Australia Away?" - a public forum to debate the important issues of free trade and globalisation.
7.30pm to 9pm Thursday 13th November, 2003
Marrickville Town Hall, 303 Marrickville Road, Marrickville,2204
Guest Speakers are Senator Stephen Conroy (Shadow Minister for Trade, Corporate Governance, Financial Services and Small Business), Pat Ranald
(Convenor AFTINET) and Doug Cameron (National Secretary AMWU).
Contact Shane McArdle on 02 9564 3588 or [email protected]
Australian Fabian Society (NSW Branch) and Gleebooks present
Crowded Lives - A New Agenda for Social Sustainability
Lindsay Tanner , Federal Labor Communications Spokesperson discusses his new book, Crowded Lives, which argues that relationships need to be at the center of government policy.
Dr Ariadne Vromen, Lecturer in Government,University of Sydney
discusses the family/work/public life pressures on people and the
changing political participation of young people.
Dr David McKnight, left activist and Lecturer in journalism, UTS,
discusses the conservation of the human in progressive politics.
Where: Gleebooks, 49 Glebe Point Road, Glebe
When : 6pm for 6.30pm, Monday 17th November
Concluding at 8pm
Entry Fee : $10/$5 Fabians and concession
To book phone Gleebooks on 96602333 or [email protected]
About Crowded Lives, published by Pluto Press
HEAR! Shadow Attorney General Robert McClelland MP on Howard's IR agenda
and Industrial law experts from Turner Freeman Solicitors on recent IR changes and what they mean
FREE! all welcome
Meeting room
Newcastle Trades Hall Council
Devonshire House
406 King Street Newcastle West 2302
5 pm Thursday 20 November 2003
refreshments served
call 02 4929 1162 or email [email protected] to register or make enquires
In response to Habib Malik's letter on the subject of child labour, it must be noted that many international development agencies and NGOs do not support the position that all child labour must be eliminated.
They acknowledge that the situation for many is not so simple as choosing between work on the one hand, and school and play time on the other. The real choice for many may be, for example, between work and starvation, therefore income from work may be welcomed by both the child and his/her family.
Development agencies also recognise that not all child labour is exploitative, nor is it necessarily incompatible with school and play. As with most things, it is preferable to find a balance and this may be possible, especially if labour laws can be strengthened to ban exploitative child labour, and provide protections such as a guaranteed education, limited hours or work and minimum rates of pay for children engaged in work that is suitable for them to perform.
Mr Malik's position on the subject, while a worthy long-term goal, is simply not possible or even desirable at this time due to poverty caused by war and corruption in the Third World, and the West's unjust trade and debt rules, environmental vandalism, and stinginess with foreign aid.
Chris Connors
Industrial Manslaughter legislation is a legitimate entitlement of workers. Whilst any workers are being killed on Australian workplaces there is a requirement for saunctions such as industrial manslaughter.
The ACT Legislative Assembly currently has a bill before it providing for industrial manslaughter. If passed the bill should provide the catalyst for other jurisdictions in the country to introduce similar provisions.
As India is looking to extradite the former managing director of Union Carbide for the Bophal disaster then Australian governments should have the courage to introduce basic industrial protections for their citizens such as industrial manslaughter.
Rohan Goyne
As a walking miracle, I have on occasions been vilified for my witnessing as to the powers of Faith in Christ, and on occasions been categorized as being a fundamentalist Christian, but I make no pretensions as to being without sin, my only desire is to attempt to live as Christ, not be him.
What I can claim, is unlike the disciple and later Pope Peter - is never to have denied my friendship, with Jesus, and it would appear that many in the Federal ALP , have either a similar belief or they are now not walking on water but treading it in the hope that they will reach shore before they drown.
Rumor has it that this new found faith is now being tested in the seat of Lindsay, as they attempt to emulate the Miracle of Lazarus by once again wheeling out Councilor Bradbury as the ALP Candidate for Lindsay.
I think the ALP may have overlooked a few difficulties, Lazarus was not required to compete with Jackie Kelly, the current member, and he had only lain in the grave for four days.
Of course as a loyal member of the party, I will participate in this resurrection, conditional on � That I not be required to perform CPR on the corpse.
Tom Collins
That's right $1800: the amount the employer responsible for the death of another teenager, Dean McGoldrick, three years ago, has paid for sending him to his death.
That figure has exposed the problems in the current law - a system of fines that allows individuals to hide behind a corporations law that allows companies to dodge their debt by liquidating and rising like a Phoenix to continue business as usual.
It has also exposed a judiciary that sees nothing wrong with locking up drink-drivers who kill, but draws the line at company executives with QCs who say sorry.
And it has exposed a state bureaucracy in WorkCover that exhibits all the finesse, forethought and follow-through of a subbie who sends a teenager onto a roof without a harness.
In short it has exposed a vicious cycle of employers who cut corners, courts that see this as acceptable and government that is not prepared to take on the Top End of Town.
While 10,000 building workers have made a noise about this pathetic state of affairs outside NSW Parliament this week, the response from inside the gates has been a deafening silence.
The Minister for Industrial Relations (now, ironically, known as 'Commerce') has taken the Sir Humphrey option and ordered a number of reviews of the system, while the Premier has ruled out legislating to make industrial manslaughter a crime. As for the Opposition, what Opposition?
The resistance of the Carr Government to the simple proposition that employers must take personal responsibility for workplace deaths is bewildering, particularly when compared with its hairy-chested rhetoric on most other aspects of the criminal code.
There is no way you can legislate against genuine accidents but you can - and should - put in place penalties for conscious acts and omissions that lead to a person's death.
The Premier's argument that there is already a crime of manslaughter in the criminal code is disingenuous - police will attest to the fact that without a special crime that links criminal sanctions to the management of workers, there is no prospect of a successful employer prosecution.
Moreover, Bob Carr knows better than anyone else that the deterrent value of specific crimes and their vigorous enforcement do lead to behaviour change To use his own words, that's what 'zero tolerance' and 'carefully crafted laws' are designed to achieve.
Special laws on gangs, knifes, guns, sexual assault are all heralded from the rooftops, but when it comes to addressing behaviour that leads to a fatality every single week, this Law and Order Administration seems to have run out of steam.
There have been attempts to bring in similar laws in the past, the Victorian Upper House blocked such a package in the Bracks Goverment's first term, while the ACT Legislative Assembly is currently considering a similar proposition.
But to date they have all fallen over, because of a lack of political will, and the shrill influence of the business lobby.
Until politicians are prepared to apply the same laws to businessmen and company directors that they apply to teenage gangs, the carnage will continue, along with the feeling among many workers that there is no one in politics taking a stand on their behalf.
Because to argue that there should not be criminal sanctions for workplace deaths is to argue that workers are somehow worth less than other people. And that's an offensive argument, as offensive as $1800 for a life.
Peter Lewis
Editor
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