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Issue No. 248 26 November 2004  
E D I T O R I A L

Australian Idols
It was a week for the little people as Casey won Australian Idol and Rebecca beat the railways. In entertainment and politics it was a young woman from the burbs who ran rings around the pros.

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.

N E W S

 Helicar Fingers Victims ... Again

 Rabbits Sick of Clover

 What a Banker

 Pack Up and Go Home

 Pratt By Name

 Horror at the Hacienda

 Women Wiped for Bush Jobs

 Veteran Fights Bullet

 Tunneler Survives Death Trap

 Bathurst Three Face Court

 Chullora Cuts Struck Out

 Bully Breaks Heart

 Southern Cross Flies High

 Activists What's On!

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.

L E T T E R S
 Regarding Pee Poles
 Pee Pole Shame
 Latham Is A Scapegoat
WHAT YOU CAN DO
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News

Chullora Cuts Struck Out


Chullora printers struck for four weeks to transform an assault on casual workmates into a victory.

AMWU members at McPherson's Printing held up the distribution of Telstra phone books after management announced plans to slash jobs and cut casual rates by up to $5 an hour.

When FOC, Mark Aubrey, put his signature on the enterprise agreement, last week, it not only preserved wages and entitlements but included a breakthrough clause extending redundancy to casuals.

Aubrey admitted his workmates had had to concede four jobs but said that was "much better" than the wholesale cuts McPherson's had originally been chasing.

The company had hit them with claims to eliminate half the casual positions and do away with agreed staffing levels and consultative mechanisms, altogether.

"I wouldn't say it was a complete victory but it wasn't far from it," Aubrey said.

"The preservation of jobs was the most important thing we achieved, followed by keeping our terms and conditions.

"Our people were strong but we had to be. The clawbacks the company wanted were unacceptable. I wouldn't have wanted to have stayed under their conditions


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