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Issue No. 245 05 November 2004  
 
F E A T U R E S

Interview: The Reich Stuff
Robert Reich has led the debate on the future of work � both as an academic and politician. Now he�s on his way to Australia to help NSW unions push the envelope.

Economics: Crime and Punishment
Mark Findlay argues that the present psychological approach to prison programs is increasing the likelihood of re-offending and the threat to community safety.

Environment: Beyond The Wedge
Whether the great forestry divide can ever be overcome or whether it is best sidestepped for the sake of unity and sustainability in other areas is up for debate, writes Tara de Boehmler.

International: The End Of The Lucky Country
Linda Weiss, Elizabeth Thurbon and John Mathews show us How To Kill A Country

Safety: Tests Fail Tests
Nick Lewocki from the RTBU lifts the lid on the shonky science behind RailCorp testing

Politics: Labo(u)r Day
John Robertson lets fly at this years Labor Day dinner

Human Rights: Arabian Lights
Tim Brunero reports on how a Sydney sparky took on the Taliban and lived to tell the tale.

History: Labour's Titan
Percy Brookfield was a big man who was at the heart of the trade union struggles that made Broken Hill a quintessential union town writes Neale Towart.

Review: Foxy Fiasco
To find out who is outfoxing who, read Tara de Boehmler's biased review of a subjective documentary about corrupt journalism.

Poetry: Then I Saw The Light
Brothers and sisters! Praise the Lord! Brother George has saved the White House from an invasion by infidels, writes resident bard David Peetz.

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L A T E S T   N E W S

Unions Dump Labor
The Labor Council of NSW will change it�s name because it holds confusing, and sometimes negative, meanings for a generation of younger workers.

Endorsing the new identity, �Unions NSW", secretary John Robertson said the decision was based on research, including focus groups of young workers and election exit polling that found less than half of all union members voted for the ALP. [full story]

Shearers Brush Woolly Mammoths
Shearers are being advised to give big, dangerous rams a miss while farmers refuse to have the beasts sedated.

AWU state president and long-time shearer, Mick Madden, issued the advice as the National Farmers Federation dug in its heels against calls to have rams, as big as 170kg, sedated for shearing. [full story]

Girls Should Be Short Changed
Parents are being advised to give daughters less pocket money than sons, by the Equal Opportunities Commission of Victoria.

The exhortation is contained on a new poster prepared by the organisation in response to ABS figures that show Australian bosses still value women at only 85 percent the rate of men. [full story]

Sydney Turns Down Volume
The CFMEU and Labor councillor, Verity Firth, are working to deliver Sydney residents respite from the noise and dust of the city�s building boom.

Councillors will vote on a ground-breaking move to shut down construction sites over seven long weekends every year, next week. [full story]

Staff, Trees Weather the Blame
Long suffering Sydney rail users face further disruption as workers look to industrial action to avoid being scape-goated for the system�s problems.

"They�ve blamed wet weather, hot weather, cold weather, windy weather, trees and train drivers," says Nick Lewocki from the Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU). "The only people left to blame are the passengers. [full story]

Visy Paper Folds
Visy Industries agreed to a single national agreement, incorporating industry standard wage rises, hours before AMWU members were due to walk off 13 sites around Australia.

The packaging giant, headed by billionaire Richard Pratt, agreed to fold two existing EBAs into a single document, featuring annual wage movements of 4.75 percent, at 11th hour talks in Melbourne yesterday. [full story]

ALSO MAKING NEWS

 Minister Rides Collie

 Offshore Embassy for Families

 Workers Unplug Power Cuts

 Silverwater Offers Porridge

 Environment Wiped Out In Dubbo

 Justice Eludes Kariong Staff

 Nelson Flags Another Raid

 Five Steps to Sanity

 Activists What's On!

email workers to a friend latest breaking news from labornet
Mental health nurse Toby Raeburn was on hand for this week's launch of the Mental Health Workers Alliance

E D I T O R I A L
... this symbolic change provides an opportunity to recast unions in NSW .

Late Running Tool

C O L U M N S

The Locker Room
In Naming Rights Only
Phil Doyle has Gone to Gowings

The Soapbox
Homeland Insecurity
Rowan Cahill tells us how the Howard Government�s appointment of Major-General Duncan Lewis to head up the national security division of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has received little critical comment, until now.

Parliament
The Westie Wing
New proposed legislation in NSW provides a vital window of opportunity for unions to ensure they achieve convictions for workplace deaths, writes Ian West.


LETTERS to the Editor
 Too Young
 Let's Start A New Party

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