
Issue No 28		27 August 1999

News

SOCOG Eyes Wide Shut on Games Gear

A shroud of secrecy has enveloped the production of Sydney 2000 uniforms after Games organisers abandoned a plan to send Board member Anna Booth to inspect factories in the Pacific.

The move follows media reports that a key games sponsor Pacific Dunlop - who has subcontracted the production of uniforms offshore - had lobbied against the trip arguing an earlier visit by SOCOG officials had given the Fiji, Malaysia and Indonesia facilities an "excellent" report

But unions say they are not happy with aspects of the initial report, which purports to evaluate whether production complies with the Licence Goods Code of Conduct, struck between the ACTU and SOCOG.

The report does not even name the companies that Pacific Dunlop are using, meaning there is no means to verify the SOCOG report.

Labor Council senior industrial officer Chris Christodoulou says the report is in parts both superficial and heavily reliant on what the employer has told the SOCOG official.

For instance, the report for one Malaysia factory states: "their HR Department clearly stated that the country abides by the labour laws of Malaysia and that they were proud of their humanitarian approach to the staff."

And the issue of Freedom of Association appears to have been misunderstood, with no mention of the right to belong to a trade union or the rights of unions to organise in those factories. Instead, the report runs a standard line for several factories that: "there is no compulsory unionism. Employees negotiate directly with the employer".

And under the heading of "Fair Wages" most of the companies assert they pay above the industry rates, but there is no mention of what those rates actually are.

Christadoulou says the Labor Council has requested that SOCOG bring together the monitoring committee associated with the Code of Conduct to see whether they can find a way through what is increasingly becoming a very difficult issue.

"We understand that SOCOG have limited resources to investigate alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct, but we can help overcome this by requesting union officials in these countries visit the sites and provide us with a genuine report on the working conditions.

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Issue 28 contents

Interview: Talking Turkey
A full transcript of an important interview with the Minister for Workplace Relations, the Hon Peter Reith.

Politics: What Reith told the ILO
Workers Online has recevied a transcript of roving statesman Peter Reith's talk to the ILO in Geneva. This one's not satire.

Unions: What the Workers Said
Actor Di Smith was one of nine ordinary workers who addressed this week's rally. Here's what she had to say.

International: Cancelling the Debt
Sign this Jubilee 2000 email petition now and tell the world's most powerful leaders to cancel the unpayable debts of the world's poorest countries by the year 2000.

Environment: Greens, CFMEU call for Action on Ceiling Dust
Residents and workers, associated with houses damaged in the freak hail storm that hit Sydney earlier this year, may have been exposed to harmful levels of toxic materials found in the ceiling dust of the damaged buildings

History: Eveleigh Railway Workshops celebration
Former workers and their families from the historic Eveleigh Railway Workshops in inner-Sydney are holding a picnic reunion and folk music festival on the site this Sunday.

Republic: Does the Republic Need a President?
It seems inevitable that Australia will eventually become a republic but do we need a president?

Satire: Liberals May Need to Sell of More of Telstra
'We're running low in key marginals,� says Alston

Review: A Kind of Violence
Extracts from Yosi Berger's new book, telling the real stories behind workpalce safety.

» Shock New Stats! Readers Desert Newspapers

» Surfing the Wave

» Vizard Smokescreen Clouds Computer Deal

» Youth Wages: Is Bevis a Butthead?

» Which Bank Harasses Sick Workers?

» SOCOG Eyes Wide Shut on Games Gear

» Scully Uses Reith First Wave Against Rail Workers

» Reith Building Blitz Hits Bum Note

» Entitlements Focus Shifts Back to Woodlawn

» Fresh South Coast Ballot Called

» "Big Drum Up" For East Timor

» Eric Lee Public Forum

» Guest Report

» Sport

» Trades Hall

» Piers Watch

» Vizard: Net Content Is Vital

» No, No, No to MSN Model

» The Vizard deal. Is it another great deal for you!!!!???

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