
Issue No 92		20 April 2001

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

The Locker Room

And The'yre Racing!

By Chris Christodoulou

It could only happen in The Gong. The South Coast Labor Couincil turned their Easter Monday race meet into a workers compo protest.

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When the South Coast Labor Council organised to sponsor their first inaugural Race Day at Kembla Grange some three months ago no one had any idea that the major theme of the Race Day would be focussed on our campaign to stop the State Government's proposed Workers Compensation changes.

It was an historic Easter Monday for punters and unionists alike. Gone were your typical corporate sponsors advertising around the ground, hob-knobbing it with the horse owners and sashing the winning horses. In came the political adds albeit focussed on John Della Bosca and his Workers' Compensation changes, unions promoting their services, and, of course own own share of hob-knobbing it with horse owners and sashing the winning horses.

Over 600 were at the track a good share of these union members who were given free entry. The line-up of races made for good reading and good causes although my success in punting took a severe nose dive when I ventured away from my comfort zone at $1 each way to bet $5 each way on a horse called Souvlaki who ran second last. I did have some success in the betting ring when in the LHMU Injured Workers Handicap I couldn't go past backing the outsider "Advisory Council" for a place. It came in third and paid a handsome dividend. Maybe John Della Bosca should back his own Workers' Compensation Advisory Council on changes to Workers' Compensation rather than some of his minders.

All in all it was a great day and certainly not one lost on the government of the day. Call me paranoid, conspiratorial or just imaginative but how is that on the first inaugural South Coast Labor Council Race Day dedicated to stop Della's Workers' Compensation changes WorkCover decide to do an unannounced site inspection of the track that morning. Don't forget it was a public holiday too! Give us a break Della.

Anyway here's to a great race day. See you all next year.

SOUTH COAST LABOR COUNCIL RACE DAY

Race 1 C+BUS Handicap

Race 2 Super Home Loans Handicap

Race 3 Mike Dwyer Memorial Handicap

Race 4 LHMU Injured Workers Handicap

Race 5 TWU Handicap

Race 6 Save Workers' Comp. Handicap

Race 7 STA Super Handicap

Race 8 2KM "The Workers Voice" Handicap

Race 9 The Della Bosca Plate

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Issue 92 contents

Interview: Beyond the Accord
Simon Crean cut his teeth in the trade union movement, now he's gearing up to run the economy.

Politics: In Defence of Della�s List
The proposition that trade unions should ask members of the ALP for a commitment that they uphold Party policy should hardly be controversial.

Corporate: The Real Rorters
The unspoken sore of the WorkCover Scheme is non-compliance by employers. None more so that in the construction industry, as this CFMEU paper details.

Legal: In the Real World
Lawyer Ross Goodridge exposes the defficincies in the new medical assessment guidelines for workers compensation by looking at real case studies.

International: The Docklands and Global Labour
Ma Wei Pin and Jasper Goss recount how the struggle of a group of Indonesian hotel workers effected a lucrative Melbourne contract.

History: Sweatshops in America
Since the dawning of the Industrial Revolution, many generations of Americans have toiled in sweatshops.

Unions: Losers Never Start
At the end of her six week vigil, Grenadier delegate Michelle Booth gave her heartfelt thanks to the trade union movement.

Review: Working Classes: Global Realities
The Socialist Register 2001 looks at class realities and the lives of workers in the new century.

Satire: Democrats Change Leader
The Democrats have a new leader after belatedly discovering that Meg Lees had become the second Democrats leader in a row to defect to another party.

» Costa To Join Della�s List

» Compo Campaign Gathers Steam

» Della�s List: Dissident MPs Targeted

» Day of Mourning to be Compo Focus

» Small Steps in Negotiations � But Hard Yards Still to Come

» Important First Step for E-Mail Privacy

» Outraged Cleaners Continue AXA Axings Protests

» Grenadier Picket Ends � But Legacy Lives On

» Entitlement Dramas in Health and Printing

» Nurses Still Waiting on Olympics Bonus

» IRC Delays Hit Eight Month Barrier

» Claims of Dirty Tricks Conspiracy at Mobil

» Sydney Water Workers On Strike

» MUA Rides Anti-pollution Wave

» Governments Urged On Child Slavery

» Time To Act on Pay Discrimination

» Construction Union Supports Folk Festival

» Activists Notebook