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Issue No. 312 23 June 2006  
E D I T O R I A L

Striking Out Rights
As Australian trade unionist prepare for the latest National Week of Action, broader consequences of the IR changes are becoming apparent. And they are not good for democracy.

F E A T U R E S

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.

N E W S

 Tooheys Orders a Blue

 Safety Standards Go East

 Libs Laugh At Sacked Mum

 Stoner's Cognitive Faculties Functioning

 Rail Workers Gagged

 Post Delivers Threat

 Elderly Face WorkChoices Assault

 Good Yarn Hits Cyberspace

 Business Buckets WorkChoices

 Hands Off Our Vital Stats

 Telstra Plays Tag and Release

 Multi Yanks Howard's Chain

 Nurses Reject Low Road

 Micks Bone Up On WorkChoices

 Activist's What's On!

C O L U M N S

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.

L E T T E R S
 More Proof
 Fire Up
 Big Dog
WHAT YOU CAN DO
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News

Rail Workers Gagged


Railcorp has seized control of staff days off, forbidding employees to do anything it doesn't approve of.

Last week, it warned two people it claimed had volunteered at the RTBU office that, in future, they must seek management approval.

The Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) delegates were sent letters saying they needed written permission to volunteer at the union's office on days off, or during their holidays.

RailCorp's secondary employment policy was attached to letters, which states work must not "involve lobbying RailCorp, any other agency or Member of Parliament, particularly if such lobbying conflicts with the interests of RailCorp".

It was just one of a range of activities Railcorp says it can bar staff from on their days off.

RTBU Secretary Nick Lewocki said threats against activists rights to lobby against injustice at work and in the community would not be tolerated.

Lewocki said members would not be intimidated from lobbying - including against RailCorp's secondary employment policy

"They came into the office to pick up a couple of flags and that's deemed secondary employment," Lewocki said.

"This is the most anti-union management I've experienced in 30 years as a union official."

Lewocki said RailCorp had previously fingered a man who was preaching at church under the secondary employment policy.


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