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Issue No. 234 20 August 2004  
E D I T O R I A L

True Lies
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.

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.

N E W S

 Hardie Chiefs Dodge Findings

 Virgin Wants Them Young

 RTA Counts Cheapie Cost

 Miners Trump Rio Gold

 Suits Star in Big Steel

 Boffins Back Sweatshops

 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!

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.

L E T T E R S
 Howard Minor Goes Bush
 Dummy Spitting
 Tom Relieves Himself
 Optimism
 System Screws Workers
WHAT YOU CAN DO
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Letters to the Editor

Dummy Spitting


We refer to your article headlined "Vic Bosses Spit Dummy" and we are concerned about the continued and deliberate mis-interpretation of our article and the denigration of CCCAV not only by your organisation but as a consequence by the Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations,Craig Emerson who

has done so with impunity under parliamentary privilege.

As you are obviously uninformed, Victorian Children�s Services employees, besides Local Government, are covered by the Children�s Services Victoria

Award 1998 (Federal Award) and the Health and Community Service Industry Sector Minimum Wage Order - Victoria 1997.

It is the latter employees� wages, conditions and career paths that the CCCAV, through the employer members, seeks to improve by suggesting the

adoption of AWAs. Nothing to do with the Federal Award work value case currently being considered by the AIRC.

How does this pejorate the working conditions of employees covered by Section 1A of the Worplace (sic) Relations Act 1996?

Furtermore the pay rise increment fixed in the AWA is for 2.5% per annum, not over 3 years as you incorrectly report.

How can your organisation continue to get it so wrong?

Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) provide employers and employees with

an opportunity to develop flexible pay and conditions that suit their particular circumstances and acknowledge the industry's requirement. AWAs

can also help employers to attract and retain skilled workers, and reward them according to performance.

AWAs are formal agreements made directly between employers and individual employees under the Workplace Relations Act 1996. Unlike informal

agreements, an AWA can override award provisions, provided that the total terms and conditions of employment under the AWA at least, pass the �no

disadvantage test�. Our Framework does precisely that.

Had you and Mr Emerson taken the time to read through the Victorian Children�s Services Framework Agreement available from both our website and

that of the OEA such an inexperienced interpretation might not have occurred.

As a media outlet, lack of research and verification of issues before reporting, is incompetent, unacceptable and unforgivable.

We request that a retraction and apology be published on your website.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Regards

Frank Cusmano

Victoria


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