E D I T O R I A L

Justice, Applied Liberally
To think, Phillip Ruddock used to be a liberal.

F E A T U R E S

Interview: Australia�s Most Wanted
The ACCC is the latest state agency to turn its guns on the construction union. National official, Dave Noonan, discusses the implications.

Industrial: The Fox and the Contractor
With new laws looming for �independent contractors�, Foxtel subbies have had the carpet pulled from under their feet, writes Nathan Brown.

Unions: Industrial Wasteland
A group of inner-Sydney veterans appear to be working to strip their families of retirement incomes. Jim Marr records their desperation.

International: Two Bob's Worth
German and British workers are participating in business decisions while WorkChoices locks Australians out of the conversation, writes Anthony Forsyth.

Economics: National Interest
John Howard claimed that interest rates would always be lower under a Coalition government than under Labor, Neale Towart crunchess the numbers.

Environment: The Real Dinosaur
Economic ignorance remains at the top and the critics are oblivious says Sol Power

History: Only In Spain?
The experiences of self management during the Civil War have been the one positive factor to come from that tragic event, and the Mondragon Cooperative Corporation thrives today.

Review: Clerk Off
Nathan Brown draws solace from some fellow social misfits.

N E W S

Boss Gives Dad the Finger

Amber's Law Pulps WorkChoices

Westfield Flogs Good Deal

Building Workers Spooked

Bankers to Train Assassins

Astroboy Blasts Off

First Global Deal Docks in Germany

Bans Stop the Press

Deportation for Pay-To-Work Tradesman

Telstra in Bush Bloodbath

Boss Punts Assaulted Teen

Ballots Stuffed By WorkChoices

Howard in a Spin

Extras � The Waterfront.

Activist's What's On!

C O L U M N S

Legends
Westie Wing
MLC Ian West ventures beyond Macquarie St and into the desert of the eco rats.

The Soapbox
Testing Times
Former RLPA secretary and Newcastle Knights prop, Tony Butterfield, fires up over dawn raids.

Obituary
Dare to Win
The union movement has lost an inspirational leader of working men and women, writes Jeana Vithoulkas

Fiction
Tommy's Apprentice
Chapter Two - Tommy�s Tale.

L E T T E R S

WHAT YOU CAN DO

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Building Workers Spooked

Workers Online understands some of the 107 construction workers charged with striking illegally, in support of a sacked delegate, recognised two Building Industry Commission officers, at the rally, dressed in �Howard Out� t-shirts.

WA CFMEU secretary, Kevin Reynolds, said his union was investigating the claims.

"We have heard those reports but we are not making any comments," Reynolds said. "They may have been there to support us, although it seems doubtful.

"We wouldn't be surprised by anything these people did. However, we believe you should have hard evidence before make you make allegations against people."

The Commission has been given sweeping coercive powers and a multi-million budget to push Canberra's anti-building worker campaign.

Its predecessor, the Building Industry Taskforce, secretly recorded people at work and its methods were criticised by judges in the Supreme and Federal courts.

Former Taskforce boss and Commission 2-I-C, former federal policeman Nigel Hadgkiss, laid charges that could result in $28,600 fines against 107 rank and file workers from the Perth-Mandurah rail project.

The Taskforce asked the court to force all defence summaries to be filed within a fortnight and for the ability to undertake substituted services. It claims it still can't find more than 30 of the people it wants to charge.

Justice Nicholson adjourned the case until November 1.

Last Tuesday's court appearances sparked widespread defiance of federal anti-strike laws.

Between 2000-3000 supporters rallied in Perth while thousands more marched in Sydney, Melbourne, Wollongong and Newcastle.

Internet solidarity campaigns have been overwhelmed by supporters from Australia and overseas.

The UK-based LabourStart website reported 3800 messages of support for the Perth 107 within 72 hours. Site operators said large numbers of messages were being received from Norway, Canada, Ireland, the UK, US and New Zealand.

Meanwhile, a solidarity site being operated by the ACTU achieved its target of 5000 messages within 48 hours of going online. The ACTU extended its target to 6000 and had recorded 5450 message, complete with email addresses, last Thursday.

To add your name, visit:

http://rightsatwork.com.au/campaigns/supportthe107

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Last Modified: 04 Sep 2006