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

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It’s A Secret: Ballot Boosts ABC Campaign

Where unions could previously organise a strike on the strength of a show of hands they must now hold a secret ballot of members, a strategy designed to undermine union solidarity. In this case, it backfired.

"All credit to John Howard, we've actually been very much empowered by the secret ballot," said Graeme Thomson of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU).

The CPSU and the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA), who cover 2,500 ABC employees between them, each conducted secret ballots through the Australian Electoral Commission as required by new industrial laws.

Unions had to provide details of their memberships to the AEC, to be matched with employment records held by the ABC. Forms were sent to union members' homes, completed in secret and returned.

The results were unequivocal. Both ballots had return rates of over 75 percent, with over 90 percent of returns voting 'yes' to the 24-hour strike.

While the logistics of confirming union members' details - some of which hadn't been updated when members changed job or address - were a headache, the results were brilliant, said MEAA's Mark Ryan.

"With a show of hands arrangement you can always be accused of just attracting union and rabble and intimidating people, but this is a genuine, government-endorsed strike. It gave us the moral high ground."

Thursday's strike attracted a strong level of support around Australia, with very few staff reporting for work and managers going on air to maintain a skeleton news service.

The results provided for some horrendous broadcasting, and would strengthen the hand of unions as they continue to campaign for a new collective enterprise agreement, Thomson said.

Management has offered a sub-inflation pay rise of 3 percent, partly funded by cuts to existing penalties and allowances.

"People are really annoyed, it's a feeling of betrayal, it's a statement that their management don't value them," Thomson said.

"Rates of pay at the ABC have seen a 16 percent reduction in real terms over the past 10 years."

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Last Modified: 22 Sep 2006