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Issue No. 203 14 November 2003  
E D I T O R I A L

Beyond the Workplace
The NSW union movement�s intervention this week into the debate over the future of public transport is an important step in redefining what unions are all about.

F E A T U R E S

Interview: Union for the Dispossessed
The Welfare Rights Centre's Michael Raper on 20 years of activism, the politics of punishment and how to make Australia egalitarian again.

Unions: Joel's Law
Building Workers have overcome powerful forces to push workplace safety back up the national agenda. But, Jim Marr writes, their "success" has come at an unacceptable cost.

National Focus: Spring Carnival
It must be spring: punting in Victoria, singing in South Australia, fighting in America. It�s all there in the national wrap from Noel Hester plus an Australian union movement rugby world cup class consciousness poll.

Bad Boss: Fina and Fiends
They sacked the job delegate, reinstated him after an IRC hearing, and sacked him again two weeks later. But that was just the beginning.

Industrial: The Price of War
Mass industrial action is brewing in Israel as the policies of the right-wing Sharon Government come home to roost, writes Andrew Casey.

Economics: Who's Got What
Frank Stilwell pours over the latest BRW Rich List to build a picture of the increasing gap between the haves and have-nots.

History: Containing Discontent
Racism against minorities has always been a stock in trade of politicans, writes Phil Griffiths

Review: An Honourable Wally
Most Australians probably look at our politicians and feel they could do a better job but when redundant meatworker Wally Norman gets the chance to find out he realises getting elected is a major hurdle, writes Tara de Boehmler.

Poetry: The Colours of Discontent
A thousand blossoms bloomed during the US President's spring-time colonial visit last month.

N E W S

 Hamberger Bad for Kids

 BHP Faces UN Sanction

 Hardie Shareholders Face Death

 Road Workers Swing Left-Right Blows

 Joy Battles Goode at ANZ

 Developers To Kick Transport Can

 ACTU Names Its Price

 Death By A Thousand Cuts

 Ban Holes Water Police Deal

 Cleaners Mop Up Contracts Mess

 Workers Entitlements Dumped

 Overtime Goes Bush

 Libs Push Lawyers Picnic

 Unions Set To Stand Up To Bullies

 Jack Thompson Headlines Launch

 Activists Notebook

C O L U M N S

The Soapbox
Bush's Faith-Filled Life
The President's conversion, 'sense of divine calling' and struggle with sobriety are subjects of a forthcoming book, writes Bill Berkowitz

Sport
The Not So Smart Money
Phil Doyle is sick of big money ruining grass roots sport, and he�s taking his bat and going home.

Politics
The Westie Wing
The ongoing challenge for Labor members of parliament is to make what the Premier calls the �creative partnership� between the Government and the union movement a reality, writes our favourite MP Ian West.

Postcard
Behind the Junta
Saw Min Lwin, Secretary for Trade Union Rights/ Human Rights for the Federation of Trade Unions Burma (FTUB), outlines the struggle for workers in his country.

L E T T E R S
 Burma Up In Smoke
 Super Solidarity
 Perils Of Pauline
 Put A PM On The Barbie
 Tom Holds Water
WHAT YOU CAN DO
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News

Overtime Goes Bush


The peak US union body is accusing George Bush of "taking America back 70 years" after the embattled president vetoed a bill that would have blocked his attempt to cut overtime pay.

Both houses of Congress responded to an AFL-CIO campaign appeal by rejecting Bush's attempt to cut overtime pay for 8 million American workers. Bush is refusing to withdraw his pay cuts and says he will veto legislation protecting overtime pay.

Bush's Labor Department could put the overtime pay cuts into effect as soon as January.

After both the Senate and the House of Representatives passed measures to block what the AFL-CIO has dubbed as "President Bush's overtime pay take-away" last month, a committee of members of both bodies hammered out differences between the two versions of the overtime pay protections.

House Republican leaders - working with President Bush's lobbyists - stacked the committee with legislators who support Bush's overtime pay take-away. Despite congressional votes to block the move millions of America's workers are likely to lose overtime pay protection soon.

The AFL-CIO is calling on American workers to lobby senators and U.S. Congress representatives, telling them "not to come home for the holidays without acting to protect overtime pay".

"The sweeping changes in America's work life President Bush is pushing will hurt millions of working families. Paychecks will be smaller. Work hours will be longer. Job quality will be worse," says an AFL-CIO spokesperson. "This is a sad moment in U.S. history. President Bush is taking America back nearly 70 years."


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