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Issue No. 233 13 August 2004  
 
F E A T U R E S

Interview: Trading Places
New ACTU International Officer Alison Tate cut her teeth delivering aid to developing nations through APHEDA. Now she is helping chart the global union agenda.

Safety: Snow Job
James Hardie has been drilled into our collective consciousness as a story of power, greed and immorality. It is also, as Jim Marr reports, a tale of human tragedy.

Politics: In the Vanguard
Damien Cahill reveals how neo-liberal think tanks have been at the forefront of the corporate assault upon trade unions and social movements in Australia.

Unions: Gentle Giant Goes For Gold
Don�t get between Sydney sparkie Semir Pepic and a gold medal in a dimly lit alley, writes Tim Brunero.

Bad Boss: 'Porker' Chases Blue Ribbon
Perfect Porker, Darren Vincent, brings a history of meat worker shafting to this month�s Bad Boss nomination.

International: Cruising For A Bruising
Europe�s big unions are bruised as they watch companies roll over some of their best-organised unionised workplaces demanding longer work hours � without any recompense, reports Andrew Casey.

History: Under the Influence
Was John Kerr drunk when he wrote and signed the letter dismissing Edward Gough Whitlam from the Prime Ministership in 1975? Geraldine Willissee investigates.

Economics: Working Capital
Where superannuation fits, where it fails and what we should we do about it. Neale Towart gives the tough answers.

Review: Fahrenheit 9/11
There's many a must see moment in Mike Moore's new flick but beating the propaganda machine at its own game wreaks havoc with wearied bullshit detectors, writes Tara de Boehmler.

Poetry: Bad Intelligence Rap
When Flood washed away the PM's sins, the truth was once again left high and dry.

Satire: Osama Bin Manchu
During a recent visit to an elderly relative in a nursing home, I was waylaid by an ancient gentleman who insisted I listen to what he had to say, writes Rowan Cahill.

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L A T E S T   N E W S

Hardie Boycott Sweeps State
With James Hardie boss Peter Macdonald facing the prospect of prison, unions are redoubling efforts to ensure his company can�t flick billion dollar liabilities to the taxpayer.

Unions, asbestos disease sufferers and MRCF, the fund established by James Hardie Industries, this week joined forces to urge the NSW Government to reject the company�s bid for a statutory compensation scheme. [full story]

Vic Bosses Spit Dummy
Victoria�s peak childcare group is trying to chuck workers out of the industrial cot to avoid the impact of a landmark work value case.

As the claim for a better pay deal for childcare workers reaches its endgame, the Child Care Association of Victoria is actively pushing AWAs as a way of dodging the decision. [full story]

Revenge of the Bank Staff
Commonwealth Bank staff defied intimidation to protest planned service cuts outside a meeting where their employer announced a $2.57 billion profit.

The move to silence staff followed revelations senior management had categorised staff as "nerds" or "turds". [full story]

Young Workers Grounded
Young drivers calling a special hotline are endorsing claims a curfew on P-platers will severely disadvantage young workers.

In the first day of its operation, the Labor Council hotline received 35 calls from angry youngsters who said the laws were unworkable and would jeopardise their employment and studies. [full story]

Stab Proof Undies Arresting
Stab proof underpants to protect police from knife attackers have won a Scottish university student a design award.

Niall Irvine came up with his idea after he realised that that although many police forces used stab-proof vests there was still a chink in their armour. [full story]

Carr in Cleaners Dust-Up
NSW public school parents are telling Bob Carr he shouldn't expect them to volunteer to clean schools if state government cuts back cleaning contracts in 2005.

In an opinion poll just completed 88 percent of parents said it was unreasonable to ask parents to help clean their children's schools. [full story]

ALSO MAKING NEWS

 Conflict Threatens Rail Safety

 Stats Lead Race to Bottom

 Spotlight on Olympic Stitch-Up

 Bomber Targets Canberra

 Casino's Gamble Backfires

 Choice in Truth Mix

 Activists What�s On!

email workers to a friend latest breaking news from labornet
Opening ceremony - clothing workers won't settle for silver while sportswear giants turn their products into gold.

E D I T O R I A L
The risk for Australia is that we become squeezed between the high-tech superpowers and the growing low-wage Asian economies; leaving us nothing but raw materials and tourism to trade in the global economy

The Private Service

C O L U M N S

Parliament
The Westie Wing
The Labor Governments in each State must take the lead to stop the abuse of corporate law in Australia in the absence of action from the Federal Government, as the Inquiry into James Hardie�s has highlighted, writes Ian West.

The Soapbox
Cleaners Deserve Our Support
It's time the state's cleaners were given some support, loyalty and long service leave, writes Chris Christodoulou.

The Locker Room
Half Time At The Football
Phil Doyle wants to have his pie and eat it too.

Tribute
Faithful Servant
Frank Mossfield was one of the labour movement�s quiet achievers. Former Labor Council secretary Michael Easson pays tribute.

Postcard
Lessons From East Timor
Just back from a study tour to East Timor, National Reserach Officer with the Construction division of the CFMEU, Ben Stirling, writes about the experience for Workers Online.


LETTERS to the Editor
 Tom�s Legal Advice

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