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Issue No. 356 | 21 December 2006 |
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Issue No. 356 | 21 December 2006 |
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*****
There once was a time Monty Python was considered satire, but listen to the Bruce skit today and you could be forgiven for thinking it's a recording of the cabinet room.
One of the jokes is that everyone in Australia is called Bruce. The conversation goes thus:
"G'day Bruce!"
"Oh, Hello Bruce!"
"How are you, Bruce?"
"A bit crook, Bruce."
"Where's Bruce?"
"He's not 'ere, Bruce."
The Bruces, who comprise the philosophy department of the University of Woolloomooloo, are introduced to the new political science lecturer.
Michael, a "pommy bastard", will be teaching "Machiavelli, Bentham, Locke, Hobbes, Sutcliffe, Bradman, Lindwall, Miller, Hassett and Benaud".
"Mind if we call you Bruce to keep it clear?" says one of the Bruces.
One can imagine this is how Howard and his cronies discuss multicultural policy, if they discuss it at all.
Similarly, Howard's values test might go along the lines of the Bruces' rules for the faculty:
"Rule one: no poofters.
"Rule two: no member of the faculty is to maltreat the Abos in any way at all - if there's anybody watching.
"Rule three: no poofters.
"Rule four: now this term, I don't want to catch anybody not drinking.
"Rule five: no poofters."
You get the point.
Many make out that, Howard longs for a time when Australia was a simpler place - when blokes were blokes and sheilas were sheilas, and you'd stand up to God Save the Queen at the pictures before the feature.
The Toolshed disagrees. It would be too simplistic to think Howard actually believes in this nonsense.
Howard is in fact a post-modern artist and Australia is his canvas.
When he's finally done, I'm sure the critics will rave about his ability to combine elements of kitsch Australiana with a 19th century workplace.
We can see the reviews now:
"The concept of mateship, evoking ideas of community and togetherness is ambitiously ostentatious, with the bold khaki brushstrokes taking up much of the foreground.
"Yet this mono-colour tribute to Pro Hart acts as a diversion to what is happening in the background, which owes much to the harsh reality of Victorian England, or perhaps the inside of a Wal-Mart store."
Think about the way Howard approaches truth - the never, ever GST, the interest rate promise, children overboard and the AWB scandal (oh sorry, one of his mates cleared him of that one).
Only a dyed-in-the-wool post-modernist could take such a relative approach to the truth.
Similarly, his education policy, that schools should teach facts instead of mushy post-modernism is so rich with irony that it is straight from a post-modernists pallet.
And surely the most poignant example of his passion for post-modernism is simultaneously claiming to be the workers best friend while taking away their penalty rates, holiday rates, overtime, public holidays, weekends, minimum award rates, two weeks worth of holidays for an undefined "trade in", job security etc etc.
We can only hope the Pro Hart of politics is nearly finito.
We just feel sorry for the cleaning woman.
The massive sweeteners, set to net CEO Geoff Dixon, alone, $60 million, are key elements in a private equity takeover that would replace around $8 billion in shareholder funds with debt.
Dixon assured Australians nothing would change at the national carrier but the takeover consortium's own paperwork makes a mockery of that assurance.
One of the operations making up Airline Partners Australia, Allco, is specific in its presentation on the deal.
It predicts, under its control, Qantas' annual revenue growth would fall from seven to two percent while profit growth would leap from two to 25 percent.
The figures were prepared for Allco by Macquarie Equities Research, a division of another takeover partner, Macquarie Bank.
Analysts say the only way to deliver on that prediction is by slashing labour costs and services and, possibly, increasing charges.
The Airline Partners Australia proposal will deliver massive fees to financiers - hundreds of millions of dollars.
It would see Qantas delisted from the stock exchange to become a privately-owned company, with $10 billion of the $13 billion purchase price financed by debt.
The bid, headed by Macquarie Bank and US private equity operation Texas Pacific, has been structured to circumvent foreign ownership rules.
Unions, representing 37,000 airline workers, are urging the federal government to intervene on national interest grounds.
Acting AMWU national secretary, Dave Oliver, says Texas Pacific has "form" on leveraged buyouts.
He points to a "meticulously planned assault" on union members after it bought UK cater, Gate Gourmet, in 2002.
It initiated mass sacking at Heathrow Airport and brought in contract workers on vastly inferior wages and conditions. The exercise slashed 3000 jobs.
"There should be a national interest test," Oliver says.
"Qantas doesn't just employ tens of thousands of Australian workers. It provides crucial services for regional Australia, trains hundreds of apprentices and does defence work.
"Australia can't afford to put those things at risk.
"It appears they have inflated the price to get the deal through and they will want to recoup their money from jobs and services.
"At this point, the only definite winners are the directors who gave the go-ahead and will take multi-million bonuses for themselves."
Qantas unions are calling on the Treasurer, Peter Costello, to use his statutory power to impose stringent conditions on the takeover.
Workers at Nepean Hospital, the biggest workplace in the federal marginal seat of Lindsay have set up a campaign committee that this week presented NSW Premier, Morris Iemma with a petition of more than 2,000 signatures.
The Nepean Hospital group is running the first workplace-based Rights At Work campaign in Australia. With a 3000 strong workforce and hundreds of patients and their families moving through each week, the potential for campaigners is extraordinary.
"This issue affects the whole community and we're determined to do something about it," says nurse Jason Mullavey.
"If our award conditions were abolished we'd lose not only penalty rates, shift loading, pay and conditions but provisions governing reasonable workloads designed to ensure quality care for patients."
Servicing communities in marginal state and federal seats in Western Sydney, Nepean Hospital workers are also worried about what a Liberal-led state government will do.
"We've already heard they're going to cut thousands of public sector workers and hand over state IR powers to the Howard Government," says Linda Everingham in Emergency.
"As a working mum with two small children, I work weekends at the hospital to earn penalty rates that help pay the bills. Now I'm hearing my job is in the firing line and my wages and conditions could be cut."
John Robertson, secretary of Unions NSW says campaign committees like this one will be a key factor in the outcome of upcoming state and federal elections.
"Two thousand informed and trusted health workers having one on one conversations about the impact of these changes are going to touch many more people than John Howard and his million dollar ad budget ever could.
"These are regular hard working nurses, doctors, ambulance officers and other health professionals who have probably never done anything political in their lives but to them, this particular issue is just too important."
Despite a dubious safety record, John Holland completed the formalities when the Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Council brushed CFMEU calls for affected workers to be consulted.
National secretary, Dave Noonan, says the Comcare option is a "Trojan horse" that will lower safety standards across Australia.
"Comcare employs 32 safety inspectors nationwide. NSW Workcover, alone, has 310 inspectors, that tells you something about the different approaches.
"This is deregulation gone mad and, unfortunately, Australian families are likely to pay the ultimate price.
"Construction can be a dangerous industry and WA is booming at the moment. Comcare doesn't have a single health and safety inspector in the state. It covers Western Australia from Adelaide, thousands of kilometres away from areas like the Pilbara.
"This is part of a federal government move to lowest common denominator health and safety which is consistent with their approach to wages and conditions.
"The ultimate aim to put financial pressure on state systems so they reduce benefits for injured workers."
The amount payable to a paraplegic, for example, is around 30-40% less under Comcare than under Victoria's workers' compensation system.
Someone who loses a thumb and forefinger in a workplace accident, gets compensation of $66,000 under Comcare, against $114,00 in NSW and around $107,000 under the Victorian system.
Workers Online is aware of at least two serious injuries on John Holland building sites in recent months. A Newcastle worker lost an arm and a Western Australian suffered serious facial injuries.
Under state law, building sites are subject to regular health and safety inspections by WorkCover officials and building unions are entitled to do their own inspections if they have safety concerns.
Workcover officials regularly write out prohibition and improvement notices in a bid to prevent accidents happening.
Comcare, established to monitor conditions on white collar, public service jobs, is far less proactive.
Nationally, the move will allow John Holland to lock more than a thousand building industry-trained health and safety experts off its sites.
Significantly, from March next year, Comcare-based companies will be able to block all union entry on health and safety grounds, under federal industrial laws.
Other large companies that have won federal government support to pull out of state OH&S systems include National Australia Bank, Linfox and Optus.
Frustration with political buck-passing and short-term fixes led the RTBU to commission “Moving On” from the University of Technology Sydney's Institute for Sustainable Futures.
The document challenges "old thinking" about public transport and puts up radical proposals for a user-friendly system that would define the region for the next 100 years.
Key propositions include ...
- dealing the federal government into investment, planning and delivery
- establishing a single transport authority, responsible to parliament, for implementing a cohesive, long-term infrastructure and public transport plan
- wider public consultation and participation in the planning process
- adopting full-cost accounting procedures that measure the social and environmental costs of competing transport projects
RTBU state secretary, Nick Lewocki, says commuters are tired of "visionless spin" that tells them they are better off with slower and fewer services.
"We've had 10 years of this government, a Transport Minister and an additional six ministers with transport responsibilities, but people in Sydney's outer suburbs and new developments still have few viable alternatives to their cars," Lewocki said.
"Moving On clearly identifies that Sydney's public transport system is marked by geographical and social inequalities.
"Commuters in western Sydney and developing areas have few options while those in wealthier suburbs have access to significant subsidised government services."
Lewocki says the report highlights the fact that an integrated system has become too big for state government, alone.
"We need to look at long-term solutions that involve federal funding and intervention."
The full Moving On blueprint is available at: http://rtbu-nsw.asn.au/campaigns/general/162_policy.html
Report Summary: http://rtbu-nsw.asn.au/campaigns/general/161_policy.html
The Finance Sector Union's site www.bankcheck.net.au lists every bank and every job that has been sent off-shore, as well as explaining what personal information would be sent with the jobs.
The site was launched as the Finance Sector Union posed tough questions to the AGMs of major banks including Westpac, NAB, St George and ANZ on their plans to cut local jobs.
With half of their shares owned by retail, rather than big institutional funds., St George is vulnerable to shareholder back-lash and were desperate to hose down the issue, despite having announced more than 100 jobs will be contracted out to IBM.
CEO Gail Kelly told the AGM that local workers would not lose their jobs, blaming a local skills shortage on its decision to move work to India; rather than the fact that workers earn under 25 per cent of the Australian minimum wage.
That didn't impress shareholders. "I don't want blood on my dividend cheques, through Australian jobs going overseas," one said.
FSU national secretary Paul Schroder says the BankCheck site will provide the public with the facts on off-shoring - which jobs are being sent offshore and what information is going with them.
"Thousands of Australian finance sector jobs are under threat of being off-shored to India where workers are paid as little as $100 per week," Schroder says.
"We also know from research we conducted that the public hates the idea - 82 per cent say they would consider changing banks if their bank sacked Australian workers and sent their information offshore.
The FSU is also calling for legislation requiring banks to inform customers when their personal information is sent offshore.
"The Government needs to force banks and other financial service providers, to disclose these details because customers have a right to know so they can make informed consumer decisions. In the meantime, we'll provide that right through this website. "
The surprise Christmas present was delivered, in person, by a Starlink boss who told disgruntled locals he was flying north to discuss their grievances.
The LHMU has stepped into the breach to back 10 trolley collectors who want to be paid for working extra hours.
"These people aren't union members but they are low-paid workers being harshly exploited," LHMU industrial officer, Geoff Hull, said.
"They have no income and their families face a pretty miserable Christmas."
The dispute blew up after Starlink, a nationwide trolley collection contractor, order its Darwin franchise to increase hours but refused to pay extra money.
Local collectors say they now work as late as midnight for an effective rate of $9 an hour.
They have no beef with their immediate employer who took over the service after a previous contractor shot through without paying his bills.
"The employer has confirmed the replacement workers are migrants but we don't know if they are on 457 visas or not," Hull said.
"It is a ridiculous situation, flying foreigner in to undercut workers already being paid below the minimum wage. If they are on skilled labour visas it is even more ridiculous."
The LHMU is offering advice and hopes to set up a web presence where locals can offer the trolley collectors moral and financial support.
Hulls said Starlink had refused to negotiate and the collectors were taking their grievances direct to big retailers in the centre who had "some affinity" with the local community.
The practise came to light after the AMWU rescued three ripped-off Filipino welders after they were sacked by Brisbane labour hire outfit, Dartbridge Welding.
Branch secretary, Andrew Dettmer, revealed the office, established by the Prime Minister to police and promote his individual contracts, had registered AWAs binding the men to Dartbridge Welding without even checking their authenticity.
"These men met in Manilla with the head of Dartbridge Welding and signed short statements. Now we find that Dartbridge filed AWAs in their names and attached those statements.
"The OEA rubber stamped the AWAs without any checks whatsoever. These men had never seen the AWAs that were supposed to govern their terms of employment.
"They had no freedom and no choice but that didn't matter to the OEA."
In Manilla, the men were told they would receive the minimum rate for "guest workers" on controversial 457 visas of $41,850 a year, plus time and a half and double time for overtime.
But the secret AWAs, provided for massive deductions from those salaries, leaving them with around $300 for 55-hour working weeks.
"These people were grossly exploited and the OEA made it possible," Dettmer said.
He claimed that two families, in the Phillipines, were facing criminal investigations because they had not been able to honour post-dated cheques after Dartbridge punted their bread winners.
The AMWU has found alternative employment for the Filipinos and launched actions on their behalf in the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commission.
The men claim to have been dismissed after joining the union.
Several compatriots are still on Dartbridge's books and the AMWU is considering seeking a federal court declaration that would invalidate their current AWAs.
The carpet giant is appealing to the IRC full bench against two decisions by individual commissioners that its non-negotiated AWAs are "not acceptable".
Meanwhile, the TCFUA will seek a federal court ruling that proposed employment contracts are "unlawful" because the only alternative on offer is the sack.
The actions of new Feltex owner, Godfrey Hirst, blow Howard's assurances to Australians out of the water on at least three counts.
- in a taxpayer funded advertising campaign, Howard promised existing conditions would be "protected by law" for 12 months after a business takeover. Godfrey Hirst has ditched the existing collective contract and is refusing to honour its redundancy provisions for staff who don't accept AWAs.
- Howard's whole WorkChoices campaign was based on the notion of "choice". Feltex workers aren't even being given the choice to honour a negotiated contract that doesn't expire for another nine months.
- Howard promoted AWAs by promising workers would be able to negotiate contracts that met individual circumstances. Individuals at Godfrey Hirst were served up one-size-fits-all documents and given no right to negotiate on any of their contents.
TCFUA secretary, Michelle O'Neill, says the WorkChoices assurances were "completely untrue".
"There was no protection for these people when the company was sold out from under them, none at all," she said.
"And they are being given no choice about AWAs - either their content or whether or not to accept them."
O'Neill estimates long-serving staff stand to lose as much as $100,000, on redundancy alone, if they refuse to sign Godfrey Hirst's documents.
In a corporate manoeuvre becoming familiar in Howard's Australia, receivers last week flicked off the Feltex assets to Geelong-based Godfrey Hirst and left employees in an insolvent shell.
O'Neill says the 320 staff have been "magnificent", sticking together and fighting for their agreement to be honoured.
They have voted unanimously to reject the AWAs and called on Godfrey Hirst to cease dealing in "unacceptable threats".
Workers have sent "flying carpets" around Geelong and Melbourne retailers to take their case to the public.
Last week a "flying carpet" landed outside the ANZ's Collins St headquarters to remind bankers of their role in the dispute.
Feltex receivers were appointed by ANZ which is its largest creditor.
"Today was the day but now I think that next week will be the finish. It's ok, after all I did lose two months because of rain damage," Birgitte, Unions NSW's artist-in-residence since September 2005, says.
The 20-metre-high mural was commissioned by Unions NSW's Neale Towart and Secretary John Robertson to celebrate the achievements of the union movement and show the human face of the long struggle for fair pay and conditions.
Birgitte calls the mural a "time wall" as it chronicles milestones in the history of the union movement such as the 888 campaign for 8 hours work, rest and sleep.
The people included are a cross section of the millions of workers who have taken up tools or served their community over the last few hundred years. Towards the rear of the time wall is a woman holding her teachers certificate and represents the liberation of women, Birgitte says.
Disaster struck Birgitte's work mid-year when constant rain broke through her waterproof cover and soaked the mural. Birgitte watched despairingly as whole sheets of pain fell from the walls.
But dwelling on the past is not what Birgitte's work is about and she continued to focus on finishing the mural and its important message of the future, which is reflected in the young faces, full of hope for what lies ahead.
Supporters marked the 100th day of his one-man vigil outside Botany Cranes with a rally on December 14 at which Unions NSW launched a petition for the restoration of unfair dismissal rights.
Unions NSW secretary, John Robertson, opened the campaign with praise for Hemsworth's courage and commitment.
The long-standing union delegate was sacked, after 40 years service, when he objected to Botany Cranes moves to shift OH&S obligations onto individual drivers.
Because the company employed less than 100 people, Hemsworth had no access to unfair dismissal rights.
He and the CFMEU have turned down offers to go away, insisting on full reinstatement.
He says he has been buoyed by public support and has no intention of moving.
"Unfair dismissal rights are basic," he says. "Without them, the whole situation is stacked in favour of employers who want to drive unions out of business.
"They've been given a free hand to take away the livelihood of anyone who stands up for their workmates.
"It's wasn't until I was sitting here that I realised how important that was, and I've had plenty of time to think."
He backed the Unions NSW petition and urged people to sign.
"We know this government isn't interested but it is just as important to keep the pressure on the Labor Party," Hemsworth said.
Hemsworth is taking Christmas off with family and friends and will return to active duties on January 8. Building workers have bought the family a Christmas hamper.
Supporters can visit his picket at 3-5 Excell St, Banksmeadow, or pass their views direct to Botany Cranes at:
Ph 9666 6366; email [email protected]; or by fax on 9666 3601.
Aboriginal Hostels Ltd management is refusing to negotiate a new collective contract and insisting that workers sign secret individual contracts.
The organisation provides temporary accommodation and associated services to indigenous people and is a major employer of Aboriginal workers.
The non-negotiable about-face came after Aboriginal Hostels had negotiated three collective contracts with the employees' union.
"They've made it clear that, despite the wishes of employees, management will not have another collective contract," LHMU rep Tim Ferrari said.
"They've made it clear their position is not-negotiable. It seems to come straight from their bosses in federal government.
"We have repeatedly tried to contact the AHL board but it refuses to sit down and talk with the workers' union."
The LHMU will contact Aboriginal and Torres Straight Island leaders to ask them to support the workforce's call for negotiations on a collective contract.
National secretary, Graham Bird, suspects Commonwealth attempts to get states to sign off on a new meat industry regime are a direct response to a report Amanda Vanstone has been sitting on for six months.
The Minister has ducked challenges to release departmental findings into allegations that a Murray Bridge abattoir imported non-skilled Asians to work for hundreds of dollars below negotiated rates.
Now the industry wants unskilled labour to be reclassified as skilled work by the stroke of a pen.
It also seeks to dodge existing requirements on employers to pay return airfares and health insurance for imported workers.
Commonwealth proposals have been kept away from worker reps, while Canberra seeks backing from state governments.
Meat Industry Council boss, Kevn Cottrill, says 30 meatworks want to bring in another 1000 workers.
Bird says the proposals flow from Vantstone's secret report.
"There's not much doubt about that. Their investigations have found that what we have been saying is factual but they don't want to admit it," Bird said.
"We haven't been shown the new proposals but, from what we've heard, they tighten up earnings and hours of work but don't have any meaningful enforcement mechanisms.
"And that's the whole problem with this government's guest labour program. The practice doesn't match the theory because they don't enforce the rules."
He said Murray Bridge was a case in point. The report, forwarded to Vanstone, showed the system was being rorted but hundreds of guest workers were still employed there and no penalties had been imposed.
Bird challenged the industry's core claim of a debilitating labour shortage.
"Works that paying union negotiated rates and have good conditions can get workers," he said.
"There are one or two exceptions, in very isolated places, but the companies leading the charge for guest labour are those using AWAs to slash the pay and conditions of Australians."
A Local Man
With Tony Barry as Ben Chifley
A play dedicated to Theo Barker (historian) and John Clayton (actor and strong unionist).
From train driver to Prime Minister, Ben Chifley has long been regarded as an icon of the Australian Labor Party and now noted author, essayist and playwright Bob Ellis is bringing his life to the stage.
A Local Man is the story of the last days of Ben Chifley's life and is set entirely inside Chifley's home at 10 Busby Street, Bathurst.
Written by Bob Ellis and Robin McLachlan, the script is more personal than political, although dividing the personal from the political in a life such as Chifley's is no easy task. The role of Chifley is being played by film, television and stage character actor Tony Barry.
The meticulous research of Ellis and McLachlan becomes apparent as Chifley (Tony Barry) speaks of the bitter frustration of being used as slave labour by his Grandpa on a property at Limekilns until the age of 14. However, it not until Chifley becomes politically active that his passion is really aroused.
The emotional depth of Barry's performance is astonishing, most notably when he talks of the bitter internal feuds of the Labor Party and when reminiscing on his marriage to Elizabeth.
If Labor Party propaganda is what the audience is hoping for, you will be sorely disappointed. Rather than propaganda, A Local Man offers rare and brilliant insight into the personal life of a war - time leader and a man passionately involved in the daily struggles of Australians.
In an age where government is increasingly sly in its dealings with the people, this is a refreshing story of a prime minister who often wrestled with his conscience, his emotions and his faith.
The next A Local Man performance will be held at the Trades Hall Auditorium, Sussex Street, Sydney, Monday 14th, Tuesday 15th, Wednesday 16th, Thursday 17th and Friday May 18th, 7.00pm. This play has a strong and affectionate monologue that is an effective portrait of the private man behind the iconic political figure. Tickets are $20.00 each or $15.00 for a group booking of ten or more for an ALP, FEC, SEC or community fundraiser.
For information about ticket sales, email [email protected] Food and refreshments on sale.
All proceeds to the Your Rights At Work Campaign
Peter,
I read your editorial, and sort of got hit for a six. But I understand exactly what you are saying, and wish you and your future well. Workers Online was a whole new ball game for me; I didn't have a clue about this online stuff before the Joy Dispute, but covering that opened up a new world, for which I am grateful. I seem to have filed some 80 or so pieces over the years to WO, and a variety of feedback I've had and seen indicates that WO reached a wide and diverse audience. I am proud to have been a part of a great idea, a pioneering initiative, and a bloody good bit of labour movement journalism.
with some sadness, but also with understanding, I note the end of Workers Online, of which I have been a reader, and contributor to, over the years. As an historian, I hope that Unions NSW will keep Workers Online archived online and accessible to researchers in the years ahead. The e-journal has become a souce for researchers of various kinds; I have notcied a large amount of footnote and text references in academic articles and books to the journal in the areas of IR, political economy, labour history, politics.
In the best traditions of labour movement journalism, Workers Online not only was part of its times, it also helped make them. The likelihood of the journal becoming of more interest to researches, will, I am sure, increase.
Rowan Cahill,
President,
Sydney Branch,
Australian Society for the Study of Labour History.
Dear Peter,
Congratulations on your acheivement over the last seven years.
I am sorry to hear Workers Online is passing but I am sure you have weighed the pros and cons, as your editorial outlines.
You have brought two much needed qualties to the labour movement - imagination and creativity.
And you have constantly reminded us what the original ideals of the movement were all about: human values in support of average Austrlaians.
Bravo to you and Workers Online!!
David McKnight
Although I understand completely your reasons for consigning 'Workers Online' to the 'dustbin of history', I will very much miss it, as I am sure many many scholars, readers, politically-orientated persons, etc will.
I have used workers online to keep abreast of political/industrial issues and in the work I am currently doing - just finishing the writing of a thesis and book on the struggle for equal pay.
Many thanks and serious congratulations and commendations for the great work you have done vis-a-vis workers online and best wishes for the future and all new ventures.
Every good wish,
Dr Jocelynne A Scutt
Dear Peter and Staff,
It is with sadness I read that this is the last issue of Workers Online.
Thanks for all the good work of keeping me in touch with the issues that effect real Australians who live in the real world rather than in an ivory tower in Johnhowardnowhereland.
I wish you all the best for future endeavours.
Sharon Rea.
Given that eight years is the maximum time a successful US President has to rule the Free World, we can't complain about our innings. In fact, looking at Australia's political situation at present, fixed terms seem like a pretty good idea.
So it is with some pride and a little sadness that we draw stumps in this our final ever issue of Workers Online.
It was an experiment worth pursuing, one that was conducted with the full backing of the NSW union movement and support from affiliates, both local and national.
As some of the offerings in this issue show, Workers Online has served its role in charting the fortunes of the movement, as well as trying a few things that may have influenced that story.
Eight years is a long time in politics; from internal schisms to the united front of Rights at Work; the Ansett collapse to the James Hardies win; the picket of State Parliament and the rise off the Sky Channel hook-up.
In eight years we have witnessed the professionalism of unions campaigning that today sees TV ads and branded logos delivering a consistent political message.
Eight years is a long time for a nation: from global terror to Tampa; independence for East Timor but not for us; from border protection to 457s, our national schizophrenia laid bare.
In eight years we have seen two ACTU secretaries; Labor governments triumph at a state level around Australia; five federal Labor leaders (one twice, two ACTU presidents and two NSW premiers, and two Labor Council/Unions NSW secretaire. We have even seen our sponsor change its name.
Of course there has been one constant - the Howard regime; a regime now facing up to its own hubris after attempting to kill off the union movement.
Why not hang around for the ride? Simply put, I am convinced we can do better work behind the scenes, not flagging our punches online; but backing in our troops in what will be the most significant ground war in a generation.
As for any final deep insights, only this: the most significant journey we have charted is that of the Labor Party back to its roots.
Eight years ago the ALP was embarrassed of its union pedigree; in 2002 it actually voted to trim them back; and at election after election the union strategy was to keep quiet like an embarrassing relative.
Howard was never fooled though - as soon as he had control of the Senate he took aim at the ALP's heart with laws designed not just to kill off unions but to eradicate their historical legacy.
And in doing so, he forced the ALP back to its base; not willingly but reluctantly, as it began to dawn on the machine men that the campaign for working rights was cutting to the quick of the Australian psyche and ending forever the faux partnership with Howard's battlers.
And state government after state government got re-elected on IR, for once with a clear brand in the public mind - the party that stands up for workers.
And now it is federal Labor's turn, to win the future by re-connecting with its past. Because that is what the punters really want - a voice that is their's.
*****
Before signing off there a number of individual to thanks - principally Michael Costa for getting the thing going; Michael Gadiel for nursing it through its early days and John Robertson for keeping it going and Neale Towart for continuing to find petrol to put in the intellectual tank, way after my well had run dry.
A whole bunch of talented people lent us their insights and imagination over the years - in no particular order: Noel Hester (who also edited for a few months); Labourstart's Eric Lee, Andrew Casey, Paul Howes, Mark McGrath, labour historian Rowan Cahill, Frank Stilwell and Even Jones from Sydney University's political economy department.
And the EMC team led by Jim Marr but also including over the years Phil Doyle, Nathan Brown, Jackie Woods, Tara de Boehmler, Tim Brunero, Rachael Osman-Chin, James Gallaway, Nathan Brown, Paul Sheridan and Lucy Muirhead.
For me Workers Online will always be one of the highlights of my working life, a time when I got the privilege to be the voice of the movement. It has also given me the platform that means I now have my dream job, working with this movement of great, committed Australians to pursue the politics that I know, in my heart, are right.
Thanks to all our readers for your support too; I hope you agree it was a worthwhile project.
Peter Lewis
Editor
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