E D I T O R I A L

A Values Call
Opposition leader Kim Beazley has copped a bit of flak in the past week for his Aussie Values Pledge, but we reckon he got it at least half right.

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

From Comrades to CUBs

Workers Demand Right to Know

Flying Kangaroo Eyes Passage to India

It�s A Secret: Ballot Boosts ABC Campaign

Brake WorkChoices, NSW Urged

City or the Bush? It�s Telstra�s Call

Compo Rights a Burning Issue

2500 Get Coles Shoulder

Hardie Payrise Stiffs Victims

WorkChoices Reverse Somersault with Pike

Qantas Workers Ground AWAs

Latest Import: Childcare Workers

Let Tem Eat Cake!

Mugabe Thugs Mug Unionists

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

	About Workers Online
	Latest Issue
	Print Latest Issue
	Previous Issues
	Advanced Search

other LaborNET sites

Labor Council of NSW
Vic Trades Hall Council
IT Workers Alliance
Bosswatch
Unions on LaborNET
Evatt Foundation

The Charging Accountant

*****

David Gallop has copped a lot of flack since he took over the reins of the rugby league.

Many have asked what this corporate lawyer, who bares an uncanny resemblance to Michael Douglas's character in falling down, was doing in charge of the great working class game.

Certainly, he looks just about as far away as you can get from the mining towns of Northern England, where the game was first played.

He has been called a glorified bean counter - a mere stooge in the Murdoch-isation of the game.

Although Gallop shows less emotion than Phillip Ruddock on mogadon, the barbs must have been stinging.

What other reason could there be for his attempts to buy the players union?

He's obviously keen to prove himself a working class hero to the games loyal fans.

This kind of logic would work for a dalek like Gallop.

After all, this is a guy who judges the health of the sport, not on the passion of the players or the supporters or even the level of skill, but on Key Performance Indicators.

Clearly, with a geek like Gallop in charge rugby league is not safe from the workplace Americanisation.

Why not? Already league's rules have been changed to make the sport more like NFL.

How else do you explain the success of the Melbourne Storm this year?

They get away with forward passes - a feature of American football, running into the defence - a feature of American football, and slowing down the play the ball - a feature of American football.

In fact, the Storm is just another extension of the soulless octopus that is spreading its tentacles around rugby league, choking the dear life from it.

News Limited, Gallop, Melbourne Storm are the unholy alliance out to destroy rugby league.

Therefore, I implore all Tool readers to make a stand against this and join the Shed in barracking for the Dragons this weekend.

But if you can't bring yourself to do that, let's just hope Gallop is poached to rescue a sport he'd be more suited to.

I hear Badminton Australia is looking for someone.

Show Us YOUR TOOL! The most inspiring interpretation of this week's tool get's a souvenir edition of Ship of Tools. Deface the Tool of the Week, click the button above to post your artwork, fill out the form and send your entry in and we'll post the winners next week in the Tool of the Week Gallery.

Ship of Tools - All the tools in one shed!

Nominate a Tool!

  View entire issue - print all of the articles!

  Issue 325 contents

© 1999-2002 Workers Online
Workers Online is a resource for the Labour movement
provided by the Labor Council of NSW
URL: http://workers.labor.net.au/325/d_pierswatch_tool.html
Last Modified: 22 Sep 2006