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Bright Sparks
Australia is facing a major crisis that could affect all of us in the decades to come, a shortage of skilled apprentices, tomorrow�s tradespeople who are the backbone of the economy.
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.
 Goons, Scabs in Desert Showdown
High Jump for Hardies
Task Force in Hiding
Court Cans Radio Bully
Trade Deal Muddies Water
Union Saves Kevin�s Bacon
CFMEU Bowls Howard Model
Mildura Bans Toxic Avenger
Breakthrough Saves 87 Positions
Two Million Jobs Traded
Death Halts Sydney Tunnel
Trainees Score $200,000
Apprentice Crisis Worsens
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.,
Left Holding The Baby
Tom On Alienation
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News
Trade Deal Muddies Water
Clean drinking water has emerged as the latest risk posed by the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement, with the deal taking away the powers of governments to regulate this essential service.
The Australian Services Union, representing employees in Sydney Water, says the FTA is designed to prevent governments from placing regulations on essential public services.
"The agreement would freeze the current regulations but ties the hands of future governments to deal with issues that may arise such as dealing with water shortages, threats to water quality and environmental safeguards," say executive president Sally McManus.
Under the agreement, she said, the US Government could intervene and prevent a state government from introducing laws affecting the people it governs.
"If, for example, the state government wanted to increase fees for high users of water, the US Government could veto the legislation," McManus says.
"The reason for these barriers is that the Free Trade Agreement is designed to open the way for future privatisation of state assets, where regulations are seen as an impediment to the free operation of the market.
"This is just one of the many crazy ways that the Howard Government is planning to trade off our national sovereignty"
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Issue 231 contents
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