E D I T O R I A L

Double Jeopardy
As more examples of the human misery that is WorkChoices comes to light, the Howard Government is constructing a devious defence strategy that further erodes the independence of the public service.

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

All Work and No Pay

Peking Ducks Safety Regs

MPs Face Super Clean-Out

Gas Man Won't Say What's Cooking

Crane Boss Lifts Her Profile

World Bank Hollers for Marshalls

Pork Choices

Medibank Sale Looking Crook

Radio Rentals Off Air

Finger Man Gives For Sale Sign

Libs: Lay Off Our Oppressor

Cleaners Mop Up a Big One

15 Percent All Round - Super!

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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Cleaners Mop Up a Big One

Global giant ISS has signed up to the LHMU's 'Clean Start' principles, meaning it won't allow its contractors use WorkChoices to drive down wages and conditions.

Contract cleaning is seen as one of the industries most vulnerable to a WorkChoices assault and the LHMU's strategy of targeting property managers is part of a global strategy being driven by the US-based SEIU.

" This is a wonderful step forward," LHMU national secretary Jeff Lawrence says.

"ISS is the market leader in Australia and is showing the way by honouring the Clean Start: Fair Deal for Cleaners principles for high cleaning standards, collective bargaining and decent work for cleaners in Australia."

Among the beneficiaries of the deal are cleaners from 34 nations working in the 41 storey Renzo Piano building in the Sydney CBD.

But Danny Nemer, born in Lebanon, and his 33 other colleagues from Nepal, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Thailand, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Brazil and many other countries, are just happy that this agreement defends their $16 an hour wage from further erosion and gives them real opportunities to campaign for better and safer jobs.

" We think we should have the same rights to a fair go and the good life as many of the people who work on the floors above us," Danny explains as he talks about the successes of the Clean Start: Fair Deal for Cleaners campaign.

Danny has just got back from Lebanon having escaped the Hizbollah-Israel war with his family in a dangerous overland trip to Damascus.

Job security delivers new opportunity for young immigrant family

" That was really scary. That was insecurity," Danny Nemer explains to his workmates.

" But I tell you I was extremely happy to come back to work and find out that all our campaigning has resulted in a win which delivers job security for me and my young family."

The Clean Start: Fair Deal for Cleaners campaign was launched last April.

For more details go to http://www.lhmu.org.au/lhmu/campaigns/Clean_Start/

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Last Modified: 08 Sep 2006