
Issue No 84		16 February 2001

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

News

Newcastle Mill to be Union Project

This week's announcement of a new $2.8 billion steel mill for Newcastle was a slap in the face for the Howard industrial relations agenda, NSW Labor Council secretary Michael Costa says.

The Austeel consortium has asked the NSW Labor Council to help facilitate union agreements to cover both the construction and operation of the facility, which will bring an estimated 5,000 direct jobs to the Hunter.

Costa says the decision to work with the labour movement rather than opt for the Howard-Reith-Abbott model of individual contracts is a huge vote of confidence in the NSW system.

"I think we showed with the Olympics that a unionised workforce is the best possible model for managing major projects," Costa says.

"We have shown how an organized workforce can deliver major projects on time and on budget; we have also shown how an organized workplace is the most harmonious when the pressure is on."

He's congratulated the Carr Government for brokering the deal, which would send a lifeline to thousands of workers shown the door when BHP withdrew from the region last year.

"This is great news for the people of Newcastle, particularly former BHP workers who have found a new avenue for their decades of experience," Costa says.

"For our part, NSW unions are committed to ensuring this project is a success and delivers a world class facility to the people of Newcastle."

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Issue 84 contents

Interview: Life After Wartime
After ten years representing the interests of the labour movement in Parliament, Jeff Shaw is back at the bar. And loving it.

Legal: Why the Freeloaders Should Pay
Michael Costa explains why service fees are not only fair - they are economically rational.

Organising: Young Activists Bask in Union Summer
Sydney students have spent three weeks of their summer holidays experiencing on-the-ground work with unions.

Unions: Things Are Looking Up On The Dock
After six years as a call centre worker, Marios Ellas has joined the union movement. Here's his first impressions.

History: Trades Hall ï¿½ The Royal Connection
Republic, who needs it when we have the Trades Hall decreed by Royal Imprimatur? So tug your forelock as work commences to restore the building.

International: Greetings from Hong Kong
Chan Wai-Keung from the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions outlined the challenges facing Hong Kong workers.

Politics: One Nation - The Old Labor Link
The resurgence in One Nation in the WA election has the pundits again reaching for the tea-leaves. But are they pouring from the wrong pot?

Review: Elect the Ambassador
Labor frontbencher Duncan Kerr unveils his vision for a new international democracy.

Satire: Man Buys Big Issue for the Articles
A Melbourne businessman claims his recent purchase of the "Big Issue" was due to his interest in the magazine's editorial content.

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» Genetic Advances Spark New Privacy Issues

» Wentworth Twenty Emerge Victorious

» Racing Radio Makes Way for Workersï¿½ Voice

» Another Major Centre Takes Union Call

» Transport Passes Key Issue for Young Workers

» Shier Calls the Cops! - Fear and Loathing at the ABC

» BHP Contracts Battle Goes Back to the Coalface

» Newcastle Mill to be Union Project

» Government Must Lead on Casual Leave

» Della Ends Discrimination on Leave Entitlements

» Rural Safety Campaign Pays Off

» Mom Always Said ï¿½ Donï¿½t Break a Picket