E D I T O R I A L

Fair Weather Friends
This week’s decision by the Orwellian Fair Pay Commission may have surprised some with its seemingly generous quantum, but in doing so it also reinforced the union movement’s central criticism of the new wage fixing structure.

F E A T U R E S

Interview: Cowboys and Indians
Finance Sector Union national secretary Paul Schroder is standing between the big banks and a bucket of money.

Industrial: Seven Deadly Sins
Chris Christodoulou gives seven reasons why WorkChoices is bad for business

Unions: The IT Factor
The future of Australian IT looks grim as big companies lead the rush to India and China, writes Jackie Woods.

Politics: Bargain Basement
Simple principles of democracy underpin the ACTU's collective bargaining proposal, insists ACTU Secrteary Greg Combet.

Environment: An Inconvenient Hoax
Al Gore may be warning of climate breakdown, but what hope the truth when he's up against such a well-oiled machine? asks Paul Sheridan

Corporate: Two Sides
Bilateral trade agreements are a good idea – just ask the US multinationals. The rest of us should strongly disagree says Pat Ranald

International: Unfair Dismissals
Nearly 10,000 workers were fired for their trade union activities in 2005, an annual trade union survey shows.

History: A Stitch in Time
Neale Towart takes some lessons from female textile workers while considering the case for recognition ballots.

Review: The Wind that Shakes the Barley
A film charting the turmoil of the Irish war for independence against British occupation during the 1920s might seem an odd choice for top honours at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006.

N E W S

Unhappy Campers in Court

Gran Backs Beazley

Aunty Strikes at Lakemba Mosque

Boeing Clause Flies

Rissole Burns Joint Venture

US Workers Bush Whacked

Community Volunteers for Heavy Lifting

Gong Sounds for Rogue Uni

ANZ Banks on India

Hollow Victory for Low Paid

Life Education for Apprentices

Activists

C O L U M N S

Parliament
The Westie Wing
Ian West takes a walk around the backyard with the Prime Minister…

The Soapbox
Rise Up
Hugo Chavez's explosive address to the United Nations

Culture
The Fear Factor
A new analysis of the history of fear takes us from the war on terror all the way to the modern workplace.

L E T T E R S

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Life Education for Apprentices

CFMEU NSW secretary, Andrew Ferguson, announced the initiative at this week's opening of a wall that already carries the names of 116 people who have lost their lives in the Sydney construction industry, since 1988.

"We will encourage new entrants to our industry, especially apprentices, to visit our memorial. It should play an important role in educating them about the importance of workplace safety," Ferguson said.

Other speakers at the day of dedication included widow and mother, Andreia Viegas, Monsignor Robert McGuckin from the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta and Opposition Leader Kim Beazley.

About 300 people, including many who had lost family members, attended the ceremony.

Viegas told guests there should be "zero tolerance" for workplace deaths.

"Instead, we have a federal government bringing in laws that undo decades of good work on health and safety," she said.

"Every time someone looks at this wall I wan them to remember that no worker should die at 28 like my husband, Glen, did.

"No family should be forced to go through the pain and suffering that my family has.

"No children should have to grow up without a father like my son Corey and daughter Makayla now have to."

The wall was opened two years after Glen Viegas was electrocuted at a Wesfield shopping centre on the Central Coast. He cut through a wire after being told it had been disconnected at the power board.

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