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Australian Pastoral
Now the US Australia Free Trade Agreement is signed, sealed and rubberstamped, we will see for ourselves who was right � those who argued Nirvana or those who warned of economic Armageddon.
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.
 Hardie Boycott Sweeps State
Vic Bosses Spit Dummy
Revenge of the Bank Staff
Young Workers Grounded
Stab Proof Undies Arresting
Carr in Cleaners Dust-Up
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!
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.
Tom�s Legal Advice
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News
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.
The State Government is promoting a plan to allow school principals to choose from two levels of cleaning standards - a basic standard would involve parents chipping in to clean windows, classrooms and playgrounds.
"While the Minister and his bureaucrats think this is a good idea the poll of 400 parents across the state shows that only three per cent of parents would definitely volunteer and 77 per cent would definitely not or probably not volunteer.
"Fathers - and parents who live in rural and regional NSW - are particularly hostile to this idea.
" Imagine it. A parent rushes home from work, has dinner, drops the kids off at footy training and then goes in to wash the windows in the kid's classroom," LHMU Cleaners Union Annie Owens says.
" No wonder people think it is unreasonable, the community is already complaining about the unfair work-life balance they are trying to maintain - now Bob Carr's Government wants to pile on more demands."
The poll completed for the LHMU Cleaners Union across NSW and involving parents in both primary and secondary schools, shows most parents are quite happy with the current standard of school cleaning.
The NSW LHMU Cleaners Union has launched a protest e-mail campaign to give the community an opportunity to voice their discontent about these cleaning contract proposals directly to the Premier, the responsible Minister, John Della Bosca and the Education Minister and Deputy Premier, Dr Refshauge.
Click here to send an email protest:
http://www.lhmu.org.au/lhmu/campaigns/nsw_cleaners/protest_form.html
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Issue 233 contents
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