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End of the Casual Affair
The Secure Employment Test Case that kicks off in the coming week in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission will be an important test of how far down the path of labour market deregulation we have travelled.
Interview: Terror Australis
The Howard Government has just discovered the nation's ports are a terrorist target. The International Transport Federation's Dean Summers has been warning them for years.
Unions: Graeme Beard's Second Dig
Hidden in the Australian Workers Union Sydney office is a mild-mannered industrial officer who once strutted the international cricket stage, writes Jim Marr.
Industrial: The Hell of Troy
On the basis of a couple of hours in the witness box, Building Industry Royal Commissioner Terence Cole described Troy Stratti as "credible". Six men who, together, have known the company director for the best part of 50 years beg to differ.
Organising: Miners Strike Gold
Traditional unions are rediscovering the power of grassroots organising. Paddy Gorman reports from the coal face.
Economics: The Accepted Wisdom
Evan Jones argues that economic policy making has been narrowed and rendered mechanistic and antiseptic.
History: Vicious Old Lady
Despite its Liberal leanings, the Sydney Morning Herald has never been shy of bashing unions, writes Neale Towart.
International: Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Thailand must end its crackdown on Burmese fleeing rights abuses in their military-ruled homeland, according to a Human Rights Watch report.
Review: War Unfogged
Want to go to war but not sure where to start? Look no further than Errol Morris' latest doco-drama for the definitive 11-step lesson plan, writes Tara de Boehmler.
Poetry: TAFE
A TAFE student struggling under the weight of fees shares his wordly wisdom
WA Bosses Duck for Cover
Static Hits Digital Revolution
Rising Sun Sets on Costello
Terror Telegraphs New Era
Dust Storm Greets Hardie
Psych Nurses Seek Safety
Work Bad for Your Health
Govt Lays Death Track
Howard Slugs Battlers
APHEDA Wins Award
Feds: Freedom Is Slavery
Free Trade Fun Day
Activists What�s On!
Postcard
A Voice for Peace
Palestinian trade union leader calls on militants to lay down their arms while the ICFTU protests harassment of Palestinian union leader. The Soapbox
The Double Standard Bearers
Nicholas Way argues that when it comes to collective action, the Howard Government has different views depending on whether you are a unionist or a small business. The Locker Room
The Fine Print
While the result mightn�t be everything, it does make the back of the newspaper more interesting, as Phil Doyle reports. Politics
The Westie Wing
Ian West crunches the numbers in Macquarie Street and finds virtue in deficit.
Tom is UN-Amazed
Organ�s Manslaughter Pics
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News
Static Hits Digital Revolution
Subscribers to Foxtel�s new digital Pay-TV service face 18-month delays after the operator refused to negotiate with disgruntled contractors.
The Pay-TV operator has been offering "self-installation" for subscribers, and even investigated paying couriers to perform the "migration" of existing connections to digital in order to bypass subbies.
"I can't see self installation working," says Communications Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) organiser Shane Murphy, who pointed out problems created by self-installation were already causing delays in having service connected.
Subcontractors are so incensed they have flagged expanding industrial action to include cable internet connection and even Telstra phone line maintenance.
Foxtel CEO Kim Williams refused to attend a forum designed to address the subcontractors concerns over inadequate rates.
Instead Foxtel has been supporting connection contractor BSA's attempts to avoid dealing with unions representing installation subcontractors.
"BSA will have to start to open the door for CEPU recognition or face increasing industrial turmoil in their business," says Murphy.
Subcontractors and their representatives have claimed Foxtel has shown favouritism to BSA as a result of its hardline stand by participating in BSA meetings with subcontractors that encourage an anti-union position.
This is in contrast with other contractors who are dealing with the subcontractors' representatives at the CEPU.
Recent industrial action by subcontractors secured increased rates in the order of 10% to 20% in some areas, although for some jobs, including satellite installation, there has been no increase in rates at all.
The CEPU is calling for future pay increases of "at least CPI or better" for subcontractors.
Subcontractors will be meeting again in May to consider their options, including further industrial action.
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Issue 218 contents
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