Issue No 63 | 21 July 2000 | |
Letters to the EditorFair Trade a Protectionist Smokescreen
: Fair trade appears to me to be nothing but disguised protectionism. The AMWU leadership, having capitulated to the untrammeled rule of capital over the last twenty years or so through devices such as the Accord, and as a consequence having participated in the destruction of jobs, now wants to redress their industrial failures by protecting profits (not jobs)through "fair trade". I also don't understand how tariffs on goods from developing countries actually help workers in those industries. If the workers of developing countries were crying out for developed countries to impose tariffs on the goods they make, then I would be prepared to listen. But that is not the case. The alternative to fair trade is to help the trade union and democratic movements in developing countries to win their demands. So the Australian trade union movement would be better off concentrating its efforts on supporting for example independent trade unions in China and striking workers in Korea, and making Australia a refuge for those in other countries persecuted for their trade union and other humanitarian activities. John Passant Kambah ACT
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Interview: Paul Keating's Big Picture The former Prime Minister is still painting on a broad canvass. He talks to Workers Online about the new economy, fair trade and political chi. Unions: War in the West Only six months after signing individual staff contracts, the gloss has worn off for some of BHP's Pilbara iron ore workers. Environment: Farmers Fudge DNA Dangers Farmers have missed the chance to have a meaningful debate into the use of genetically modified crops. International: 'Dot Union' Proposal on the Table ICANN, the global governing body of Internet domains, has released the following expression of interest in proposing a top-level domain for trade unions Economics: Edge of the Abyss Political economist Frank Stilwell argues that a constellation of events gives good reason to be worried about the Australian economy. History: Taming the Tigers Prominent labour historian, Dr Ming Chan, is visiting Australia to report on how workers are faring in the new Hong Kong. Review: Music is Crap It's already the second half of the first year in the new millenium. Who would have ever predicted a crisis in the popular music industry when we are at such an advanced stage ? Satire: Last Kosovars Found Behind Couch State Emergency Services personnel were called to a house in Brighton this morning, where the last five remaining Kosovar refugees have been found wedged behind a couch.
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