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I'm No Economist, But ….
I'm no economist, but there a few things about the national economic debate right now that I don't quite get.
Interview: Rock Solid
Bill Shorten gives the inside story on the Australian Workers Union's involvement in the Beaconsfield rescue.
Industrial: Eight Simple Rules for Employing My Teenage Daughter
Phil Oswald bought up his kids to believe in their rights; so when his 16-year old daughter was told to cop a pay cut she was never going to take it quietly.
Politics: The Johnnie Code
WorkChoices is encrypted deep in the PM's political DNA, writes Evan Jones
Energy: Fission Fantasies
Adam Ma’anit looks at the big business push behind the 'clean nuclear' debate that is sweeping the globe.
History: All The Way With Clarrie O'Shea
The WorkChoices Penal Powers are the latest in a long line of penal sanctions against trade unions, writes Neale Towart
International: Closer to Home
If Australia can forgive its debt to Iraq, why not to Indonesia and the Philippines, write Luke Fletcher and Karen Iles
Economics: Taking the Fizz
While the Treasurer has been popping the post-Budget champers, Frank Stilwell gives a more sober assessment.
Unions: Stronger Together
Amanada Tattersall looks at the possibilities of strengthening alliances between unions, environmental and community organisations
Review: Montezuma's Revenge
Tommy Lee Jones directs and stars in a film about racism and retribution, writes James Gallaway.
Poetry: Fair Go Gone
Employers in the land rejoice, for we are girt by greed.
 Grandmother Fights Fabrication Company
Bog Standards, Hanssen Exposed
Foxtel Channels Contracts
Telstra Dials Up A Shocker
Viva La Resolution
Smirk Boss Loses Control
Iemma Told To Change At Central
On The Tiles
APHEDA Offices Attacked
Vanstone Sits On Wages
PM Slap for Battered Women
"Spineless" Andrews Apologises
Howard Lags “Best Practice”
Harper's Bizarre Theories
Process Abused - Call Peter McIlwain
Activists What's On!
The Soapbox
The Beaconsfield Declaration
As the Prime Minister feted Brant Webb and Todd Russell, their colleagues were outside with a message to the rest of Australia. The Locker Room
Run Like You Stole Something
Phil Doyle observes that there are some tough bastards out there. Parliament
The Westie Wing
That fun-loving friend of the workers, Ian West, reports from the red leather of the Bear Pit. Education
Class Action
Phil Bradley draws the lines between education funding and the current skills crisis.
Her Honour Judge Judith Scheindler
Greens Are Good For You
Calling All Micks!
Coming Up Swinging
Belly's Bit
Mining For Gold
Blood Spangled Banner
Never To Be Repeated Offer
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News
Foxtel Channels Contracts
Pay TV installers will be at the mercy of John Howard's anti-union Independent Contractors Act following Foxtel's decision to extend contracts with installation companies by six months.
Foxtel's contracts with Cable installers Silcar (Siemens-Theiss) and ABB will continue until December, even though they were due to expire this month.
The move will see future contracts, believed to be with different companies, fall under the Federal Government's impending Independent Contractors Act.
CEPU Organiser Shane Murphy said it was a cynical ploy by Foxtel, which is jointly owned by Telstra, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp and Jamie Packer's PBL, to keep down the conditions of sub-contractors.
"Foxtel had a fright when subbies fought together during the last attempt to slash wages three years ago," Murphy said.
In 2003, sub-contractors - many retrenched employees of installation companies - were able to fight off an attempt by Siemens-Theiss and ABB to cut job rates by 20 per cent after turning to the CEPU.
But Murphy said the increased price of petrol and other expenses meant the pressure was on to have pay-rates kept up.
"Subbies are doing it tough and John Howard's laws will eliminate any rights they have left to seek a fair deal."
The Independent Contractors Act - due to be unmasked this month - is expected to deny contractors the right to be represented by unions; to declare dependent contractors independent, and to move them out of the jurisdiction of industrial instruments or industrial commissions.
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Issue 310 contents
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