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Issue No. 234 20 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 Chiefs Dodge Findings
James Hardie shareholders are being asked to rubber stamp executives� latest compo bid without access to Jackson Inquiry findings about their possible misdeeds.

Asbestos sufferers and unions are demanding that the company postpone shareholder meetings, including the AGM, set down for the week before David Jackson, QC, makes his findings public on September 21. [full story]

Virgin Wants Them Young
Flight attendants asked to sing and dance during job interviews to demonstrate their "Virgin Flair" are taking the airline to the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Board.

The group of eight attendants, some experienced ex-Ansett employees, argue they were rejected by Virgin Blue because they were "too old and ugly". [full story]

RTA Counts Cheapie Cost
The RTA�s commitment to low-price contractors backfired when 20 workers downed tools, this week, to protect themselves and the public from deadly asbestos.

The safety standoff halted progress on a new busway out of Blacktown in Sydney�s west. [full story]

Miners Trump Rio Gold
Five Queensland miners have returned to work after a six-year battle against Rio Tinto.

The Industrial Relations Commission found the five were unfairly dismissed from a central Queensland coal mine in an act of "victimisation" by the company. [full story]

Suits Star in Big Steel
Bluescope Steel is carving around $1000 a year out of employees retirement nest eggs while plonking more than $200,000 into its American CEO�s superannuation account.

The company, which has just posted a record profit of $584 million, has been warned that industrial action will escalate unless it improves its attitudes to super and redundancy. [full story]

Boffins Back Sweatshops
Treasury boffins have been caught trying to scrap rules that would prevent government departments doing business with sweatshops.

Unions this week blew the whistle on the bean counters after it was discovered that NSW Treasury had unilaterally abolished a range of procurement codes consistent with ALP policy. [full story]

ALSO MAKING NEWS

 Tony Winner Bags an Ernie

 Bush Fires Up

 Kiwis Unfriendly, say Aussie Bankers

 CPSU in Pay Cut Territory

 Brains Over Buns Claim

 AIG Backs "Cowards"

 BHP Makes A Killing

 Schools Fight for Equity

 Activists What's On!

email workers to a friend latest breaking news from labornet
Tooheys Advertising won Gold at this year's Ernie Awards for Sexist Behaviour thanks to an ad featuring a bunch of Wallaby supporters holding up this banner at a game.

E D I T O R I A L
While the Prime Minister�s penchant for the porky finally appears to be catching up with him, perhaps the biggest lie of his leadership remains largely unchallenged.

Holier Than Tool

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
 Howard Minor Goes Bush
 Dummy Spitting
 Tom Relieves Himself
 Optimism
 System Screws Workers

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