E D I T O R I A L

Polls Apart
The tragic bombings in London may knock industrial relations off the front pages over the next few days, but it is unlikely to end the groundswell of opposition to the Howard Government's mad grab at workers' rights.

F E A T U R E S

Interview: Battle Stations
Opposition leader Kim Beazley says he's ready to fight for workers right. But come July 1, he'll have to be fighting by different rules.

Unions: The Workers, United
It was a group of rank and filers who took centre stage when workers rallied in Sydney's Town Hall, writes Jim Marr.

Politics: The Lost Weekend
The ALP had a hot date, they had arranged to meet on the Town Hall steps, and Phil Doyle was there.

Industrial: Truth or Dare
Seventeen ivory towered academics upset those who know what is best for us last week.

History: A Class Act
After reading a new book on class in Australia, Neale Towart is left wondering if it is possible to tie the term down.

Economics: The Numbers Game
Political economist Frank Stilwell offers a beginners guide to understanding budgets

International: Blonde Ambition
Sweden can be an inspiration to labour movements the world over, as it has had community unionism for over 100 years, creating a vibrant caring society, rather than a "productive" lean economy.

Training: The Trade Off
Next time you go looking for a skilled tradesman and can’t find one, blame an economist, writes John Sutton.

Review: Bore of the Worlds
An invincible enemy has people turning against one another as they fight for survival – its not just an eerie view of John Howard’s ideal workplace, writes Nathan Brown.

Poetry: The Beaters Medley
In solidarity with the workers of Australia, Sir Paul McCartney (with inspiration from his old friend John Lennon) has joined the Workers Online resident bard David Peetz to pen some hits about the government's proposed industrial relations revolution.

N E W S

Then There Were Three

Dad's Choice Goes AWAL

OEA Invokes Sgt Schultz

CFMEU Resists Standover Tactics

Tall Tales and Two

Corrine Throws Stones

Cardinal Adds Weight to Concerns

Bosses: Unions Beat AWAs

16 Hours to Recover Worker

Choice Gets Confusing

Attack Derailed In Qld

PM Pulls Rank On Ads

HT Lee Gravely Ill

Activists Whats On!

C O L U M N S

The Soapbox
State of the Union
Unions NSW secretary John Robertson lifts the lid on ‘The Nine Myths of Modern Unionism’

The Locker Room
Wrist Action
Phil Doyle trawls the murky depths of tawdry sleaze, and discovers Rugby is behind it all.

Culture
To Hew The Coal That Lies Below
Phil Doyle reviews Australia's first coal mining novel, Black Diamonds and Dust.

Parliament
The Westie Wing
Our favourite State MP, Ian West, reports from Macquarie Street that the Premier is all the way with a State Commission.

L E T T E R S

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Cardinal Adds Weight to Concerns

Cardinal Pell told the latest edition of The Catholic Weekly he was worried the Howard program would effectively push minimum wages down.

Cardinal Pell called on the Prime Minister to step back form his legislative program and allow time for consultation.

"We've had a long period of prosperity in Australia and I think that means that the necessity for radical change needs to be established," he said.

His statement followed downright opposition to elements of Howard's program from the National Council of Churches and representatives of the Uniting, Anglican and Catholic faiths.

Parramatta's Catholic Bishop, Kevin Manning, is urging Senators to consult their consciences before voting on Howard's new workplace regime.

"When the Federal Government has control of both Houses of Parliament, it is virtually impossible to prevent if from passing whatever laws it likes," Bishop Manning warned.

"At times party leaders declare a 'conscience vote' allowing members of their parties to vote, without repercussions, according to conscience rather than the party line.

"For the Christian politician, every vote must be a conscience vote."

In an open letter, the Bishop recalled a 1986 meeting between Parramatta factory workers and Pope John Paul 11.

He quoted the late Pope as praising Australia's "almost unique" system of workplace arbitration and conciliation.

The Pope said the system had helped defend workers' rights while taking into account the requirements of the whole community.

"I would hope in the new legislation, our cherished tradition of solidarity, mateship and fairness would not be dealt a blow in the name of productivity and profits," Bishop Manning wrote.

"The test of a workplace relations system is whether or not ordinary workers have safe and healthy working conditions, wages sufficient to support themselves and their families with dignity."

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005