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The Sins of Our Fathers
The James Hardie story unfolding before the NSW Government Commission of Inquiry is not about business, it is not about politics, it is not even about the law.
Interview: Power and the Passion
ALP's star recruit Peter Garrett shares his views on unions, forests and being the Member for Wedding Cake Island
Unions: Tackling the Heavy Hitters
Tony Butterfield became a State of Origin gladiator at the unlikely age of 33. Even that, Jim Marr reports, couldn�t prepare him for the knock-down, drag-em-out world of modern IR.
Industrial: Seeing the Forest For The Wood
Proposals to flog off NSW�s forests have raised eyebrows and temperatures amongst some of the key players reports Phil Doyle.
Housing: Home Truths
CFMEU national secretary John Sutton argues for a radical solution to the housing affordability crisis.
International: Boycott Busters
International unions have issued a new list of corporations breaching ILO sanctions to do business in Burma.
Economics: Ideology and Free Trade
The absurdities of neoclassical economic assumptions has never stood in the way of their being trotted out to justify profiteering and attacks on the rights of citizens. The AUSFTA is the latest rort we are supposed to swallow, writes Neale Towart.
History: Long Shadow of a Forgotten Man
Interest in JC Watson's short time as Labor's first Prime Minister should not detract from his more substantial role as Party leader, writes Mark Hearn
Review: Chewing the Fat
As debate rages in Australia about Fast Food advertising, Julianne Taverner takes a look at a side of the industry that Ronald McDonald won�t tell you about in Supersize Me.
Poetry: Dear John
Workers Online reader Rob Mullen shares some personal correspondence with our glorious leader.
 Noose Tightens on James Hardie
�Payback� in Mildura
Beware of Expensive Imitations
Death Law on Tassie Books
Boss Goes Off Prematurely
Goats Clip Security
Vale Frank Altoff
Gnarly Break Hits FoC
Forgecast Reneges on Millions
Workmates Back Whistleblower
"Thuggery" from AIDS Chiefs
Keystone Cops In Timber Town
Waste Work Binned
Activists What�s On!
Politics
The Westie Wing
As the NSW Labor Government sells its first budget deficit in nine years, the real concern for the union movement is the devil in the detail, especially when it comes to procurement agreements, writes Ian West. The Soapbox
Rubber Bullets
Labor's IR spokesman Craig Emerson launches a few characteristic salvos across the Parliamentary chamber The Locker Room
Tears After Bedtime
Phil Doyle says that it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye Postcard
Postcard from Vietnam
APHEDA's Hoang Thi Le Hang reports from the north of Vietnam on a project being fund by Australian unionists.,
Supersize Hypocrisy
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News
Keystone Cops In Timber Town
Timber bosses spent a night outside in freezing conditions in a ham-fisted attempt to disrupt industrial action.
Workers Carter Holt Harvey, Oberon, have labelled their managers "Keystone Cops" after they began industrial action over safety and a move to a "living" wage.
Twenty of the 100-plus workforce walked off the job last Thursday night forcing management to work through the night to maintain the plant.
The strikers were told to leave the plant; fearing a lock out they refused, instead moving to the lunchroom. Management then began to follow the workers and union representatives around the plant. When workers move to the warmth of their vehicles disgruntled managers maintained their watching brief in sub-zero temperatures.
Management's attempts to intimidate their employees were shrugged off by the workers, with the entire workforce backing the industrial action.
Workers were told they were to shut the plant down after they had begun strike action, and were to start the plant up again before the strike finished.
"They told the members to work for free while they were on strike," says Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union, Timber division organiser Adam Lincoln. "Unqualified management and staff kept the plant open in what is a potential breech of safety procedures."
Safety at the plant has been under the microscope following revelations last year that inadequate management of hot oil had turned the mill into "ticking time bomb".
The CFMEU says meetings with company representatives are scheduled for early this week, with mass meetings to follow if there is no positive response from the company.
Workers at the Carter Holt Harvey mill are seeking an increase of 4.5% a year over the next two years.
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Issue 229 contents
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