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The New Radicals
Many of us lament the fact the Labor Party has little these days to do with labour; some even whimsically remember how the Liberals were once liberal; but evolving world events are now putting a lie to that most enduring of political labels �the conservative�.
Interview: Machine Man
It�s regarded as the most powerful job in the Party, but new NSW ALP general secretary Mark Arbib wants to build a bridge with the union movement.
Unions: Testing Times
Unions are not opposed to drug and alcohol testing, but they do want to see real safety issues addressed, writes Phil Doyle.
Bad Boss: Freespirit Haunts Internet
FreeSpirit forked out a motza for a whiz bang internet presence then disappeared right off the radar � once it was nominated as our Bad Boss for May.
Unions: Badge of Honour
Surry Hills is home to one of the world�s finest displays of union badges thanks to Bill "The Bear" Pirie and a supporting cast headed by Joe Strummer, Mark Knopfler, George Benson, Annie Lennox and other seriously big noises.
National Focus: Noel's World
Shrill bosses bleat over minimum wage rise, union spinmeisters congregate in Melbourne and Tassie�s nurses take the baton from their mob in Victoria reports Noel Hester in this national round up.
Economics: Safe Refuge
A humanitarian approach to refugees and an economically rational one?? I�d like to see that. Frank Stilwell did, when he went to Young in NSW to look into the impact of the Afghan refugees on temporary protection visas who came to work for the local abattoir
International: Global Abuse
Amnesty International have joined the chorus against the violation of trade union rights in the former Soviet republic of Belarus.
History: The Honeypot
To the Honeypot come those individuals anxious to get their hands on instant wealth. So it was in the early days of Broken Hill, wrties Grace Hawes in this homage to the mining town.
Review: Death And The Barbarians
This new take on coming of age films focuses on the coming of death and the dignity and maturity it can inspire among those touched by it - though not always easily in the overcrowded Canadian public health system, writes Tara de Boehmler.
Poetry: Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
Resident Bard David Peetz uncovers some of the unfolding mysteries of talk back radio.
Why Cole is a Merry Old Soul
Fight Breaks Out of Schoolyard
Child Care for a Song
"Back Off" Call To Death Inquiry
Carr No Mussolini
Sweet Box-all for Ballot Bureaucrats
Unions Fire Up
Beattie Papers Over Stink
Glue Bullies Come Unstuck
Johnnie Tugs the Rug
Bank Jobs Under Spotlight
Federal Muzzle for Shareholders
Unions Earn $19 For Low Paid
Fashionistas Go Fair
Activists What�s On!
The Soapbox
Rethinking Left and Right Part 1
Dr David McKnight, from the University of Technology, Sydney presents a new frame for looking at the competing ideas within Social Democracy. The Soapbox
Rethinking Left and Right Part 2
David McKnight concludes the paper he presented to the �Rethinking Social Democracy� conference, in London, April 15-17, 2004. Sport
Out On A Limb
Phil Doyle becomes the first Australian journalist to state that the Olympics will be called off.
Politics
The Westie Wing
In the latest episode, Ian West explores what Disraeli called "Lies, damn lies and statistics". Postcard
Message from America
Searing snapshots from a landscape of uncertainty have plunged the Bush Administration into deeper crisis, writes WorkingForChange's Bill Berkowitz.
Howard The Chucker
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Evatt Foundation
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News
Beattie Papers Over Stink
Peter Beattie has wiped worker opposition to open a new printer at a Brisbane company which charges employees for toilet paper.
Members of the AMWU presented Beattie with a fresh roll of paper when he turned up to open Scanlon Print's new 10-colour printer at Virginia, this week, so he wouldn't have to dig in his pocket if he was caught short.
Print division secretary, Danny Dougherty, accused the company of avoiding award obligations and threatening violence against union officials.
It had, he said, also levied a $2 a week charge on employees for tea, coffee, milk, sugar and toilet paper.
The AMWU is urging the Queensland Labor Government to assess a company's workplace performance before providing personal endorsements and lucrative contracts.
Dougherty says Scanlon's employment practices helped it undercut opponents and shouldn't be rewarded by a Labor Premier. He estimated 80 percent of its work came from government contracts.
"Scanlon, to put it mildly, is a very difficult employer," Dougherty says. "We have successfully prosecuted it in the Industrial Relations Commission on a number of occasions and recovered significant amounts for employees.
"Many of their workers are forced onto individual contracts that are generally inferior to the printing industry award."
Dougherty said the $2 weekly deduction "to assist with expenses such as toilet paper, coffee, tea, milk, sugar, and other staff amenities" was clearly set out on page four of the Scanlon Printing Company Staff Guidelines.
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Issue 222 contents
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