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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
Vanstone Sits On Wages
Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone is backing the use of foreign workers to keep down Australian wages.
In the wake of controversial plans by a WA builder to import 170 overseas workers, Vanstone confirmed the guest worker scheme was about holding down union pay rates.
"(Some parties) are opposed to the recruitment drive because it opens up the industry to other pools of employees, which undermines the unions' ability to exploit high wages amid the skills shortage," the Senator told the West Australian newspaper.
Her comments echo those of Gerry Hanssen, the builder who has been given the thumbs up to import 53 Chinese and Filipino guest workers. He says guest workers are used to undermine conditions and wages won by union members.
Hanssen, who has applied to import more than 100 more "guest workers", has admitted he will pay them less than half the current going rate.
Hanssen's administration manager, Dick Smith, told ABC radio another attraction was that foreign workerers did what they were told.
"I'm not saying they're of a lower level of intelligence or anything like that," Smith said. "It just seemed that they could do one task and not want to do something different until they were told to do something different."
The Federal Government and business groups have previously been coy on the issue, defending skilled visas on the basis of companies' inability to find skills in Australia.
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Issue 310 contents
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