E D I T O R I A L

Fixing the WorkChoices Mess
While the Rights at Work campaign has galvanised opposition to the Howard Government�s WorkChoices legislation, the debate about what sort of system should replace it is just hotting up.

F E A T U R E S

Interview: A Life And Death Matter
Macquarie Street and Canberra are squaring off over safety in the workplace, NSW Minister for Industrial relations, John Della Bosca, explains what's at stake.

Unions: Fighting Back
When John Howard's building industry enforcer started threatening people's homes, one couple hit the road. Jim Marr met them in Sydney.

Industrial: What Cowra Means
The ruling on the Cowra abattoir case highlights the implications of the new IR rules, according to John Howe and Jill Murray

Environment: Scrambling for Energy Security
Howard Government hypocrisy is showcased in its climate change manoeuvring, Stuart Rosewarne writes:

Politics: Page Turner
A new book leaves no doubt about whether the faction came before the ego, Nathan Brown writes.

Economics: The State of Labour
The capacity of the state to shape the political economy and thus improve the social lives of the people must be reasserted, argues Geoff Dow.

International: Workers Blood For Oil
A new book by Abdullah Muhsin and Alan Johnson lifts the lid on the bloody reality of US backed democracy for Iraq's trade unions

History: Liberty in Spain
Worker Self-Management is good management. The proof in Spain was in Catalania, Andalusia and continues in the Basque Country, as Neale Towart explains.

Review: Go Roys, Make A Noise
Phil Doyle thought he'd find nostalgia, but instead Vulgar Press' new book, Maroon & Blue is a penetrating insight into the suburban mind under stress.

N E W S

Spin Bowls Fair Pay

�Battler� Liberal on Safety

Radio Rentals Launches Hit

Under the Pump

Privacy Goes East

Which Bank Tossed Out of Court

Mum Lashes Feds

Sack Boss a Loser

Let's Fly AWA

Star City Bangs Wages Drum

Prof Offers AWA Lesson

Howard Stands By His Men

Wife Miscarries After Attack

Activist's What's On!

C O L U M N S

The Locker Room
Ruled Out
Phil Doyle plays by the rules

Fiction
Tommy's Apprentice
Chapter One - Tommy and "The Boy"

Politics
Westie Wing
Ian West wonders what might happen if the NSW Coalition actually did win power next March at the State elections.

L E T T E R S

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Love Me Slender

There's a rumour going around Australia that Sol Trujillo is doing his job as the chief executive officer of Telstra for "love".

Yep and Mary's my sister and Bob my dead uncle.

Mr Trujillo has just announced that thousands more of the public telephone boxes located in crucial spots for use in emergencies and for everyday use by travellers, tourists, the homeless and other people unable or unwilling to own a mobile telephone, are systematically being disconnected.

The red boxes which have provided a sense of security for parents whose children travel long distances to school are all being removed.

And let's not forget it was Telstra that wanted to get rid of providing discounted telephone services for the around the clock "lifeline" call centres.

There is no such thing as "free love".

Of the 50,000 Telstra employs Mr Trujillo's plans are to get rid of 25,000 within five years or so.

The government regulator, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, have

been unsuccessful in negotiations with Telstra that would provide for the maintenance of standards and competitors bring able to access the monopoly owned cable infrastructure at reasonable prices.

It was not good luck or new ideas that made Telstra a billion dollar profiteer.

Telstra shareholders are taking a class action following reports provided in the second half of last year that showed nefarious practices including the non-disclosure of the true state of affairs in the company.

What's love got to do with running a Telco that scoffs at the general populus?

Mt Trujillo's message is clear. Australians will never be allowed the Telco services that have been readily available in other countries for years unless Telstra can continue to hold onto the ways to rip off competitors and ultimately all consumers.

Indeed, there is no sound of that nebulous stuff called "love" running down any cable copper networks anywhere in Australia.

Gorillas may be lustful but they do not love.

Kathryn Pollard, NSW

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URL: http://workers.labor.net.au/320/letters1_love.html
Last Modified: 18 Aug 2006