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Interview: Public Defender
The CPSU's Stephen Jones has confronted the Howard Government's IR agenda at close quarters.
Legal: Craig's Story
An inquest in western NSW is a cautionary tale of the use of AWAs, writes Ian Latham
Unions: Wrong Way, Go Back
The WorkChoice legislation sends Australia down the wrong economic road by smashing the instittutions that have made it strong, argues Greg Combet.
Industrial: WhatChoice?
The Howard Government has shown itself to be the master of illusion, writes Dr Anthony Forsyth
Politics: Queue Jumping
The changes to industrial laws, betray a new vision of Australian society, writes James Gallaway.
History: Iron Heel
Conservative governments using laws to take away basic civil rights. It's nothing new, writes Rowan Cahill
Economics: Waging War
When was the last time you heard an Australian politician talk about incomes policy, asks Matt Thistlethwaite
International: Under Pressure
The push for UN intervention in Burma is intensifying, following a report by Vaclav Havel and Bishop Desmond Tutu into slave labour.
Poetry: Billy Negotiates An AWA
More and more people are meeting Billy, the hero of page 15 of the WorkChoices booklet, including our resident bard, David Peetz
Review: A Pertinent Proposition
Nick Cave's "Australian western" touches on some themes still relevant today, Julianne Taverner writes.
The Soapbox
Men and Women of Australia
What makes a perfect speech? Michael Fullilove has scoured Australian history to find out. The Locker Room
The Hungry Years
Phil Doyle gets the feeling we�ve been here before Culture
From Little Things
Paul Kelly's song about the battle for land rights misses one important character, writes Graham Ring Parliament
The Westie Wing
Ian West takes a look at Public Private Partnerships, and wonders if we should all just drink rum�
Terror Laws
It was poetic really, the WorkChoices legislation, all 1,000 plus pages of it, introduced into Federal Parliament this week under the cloak of terror.
 D-Day For Political Rights
Bosses In Sack Race
�Choice� By Decree
Howard Barges Into Workplace
Della Grounds Boeing
Wal-Mart Sees the Light
Libs Chicken Out
Shame Ships Filch Fish
Multis Line Up to Cheer
Feds in Dock
Santoro Waves Red Rag
Activist's What's On!
We're Next
Australia, 2005
Truth in Advertising
Investment Advice
What a Woman!
It's Not Pretty
Screwed
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Poetry
Billy Negotiates An AWA
More and more people are meeting Billy, the hero of page 15 of the WorkChoices booklet, including our resident bard, David Peetz
If you haven't read it yet, this is what The Government says about Billy, to make us all enthusiastic about WorkChoices:
"Billy is an unemployed job seeker who is offered a full-time job as a shop assistant by Costas, who owns a clothing retail store in Canberra. The clothing store is covered by a federal award. The job offered to Billy is contingent on him accepting an AWA.
The AWA Billy is offered provides him with the relevant minimum award classification wage and explicitly removes other award conditions...
The AWA Billy is offered explicitly removes award conditions for public holidays, rest breaks, bonuses, annual leave loading, allowances, penalty rates and shift/ overtime loadings...
Because Billy wants to get a foothold in the job market, he agrees to the AWA and accepts the job offer"
So how did Billy negotiate his AWA with his new employer? We reprised again an old Cole Porter tune, "Who wants to be a Millionaire?", to find out.
'Who wants to have a little work?' "I do!"
'Who wants to toil hard, not to shirk?' "I do!"
'Who wants a job that has all the mod cons?'
"With all the mod cons!
Hey man! Right on!"
'Who has their loyalty to pledge?' "I do!"
'To a firm on the cutting edge?' "I do!"
'Who wants to have incredible pay?'
"I do!" 'Then you should - sign this AWA!'
"Who wants to pay penalty rates?" ' I don't!'
"Who wants to give their staff meal breaks?" 'I don't!'
"Who wants to pay annual leave loading each year?"
'Leave loading each year?
Not while I'm here!'
"Who wants to pay for overtime?" 'I don't!'
"Who wants to give me what is mine?" 'I don't!'
"Who offers more than minimum wage?"
'I don't!' "Why should I - sign this AWA?"
'Who wants to get cut off the dole?' "I don't!"
'Who wants to spend their life in a hole?' "I don't!"
'Who is the Employment Advocate's mate?'
"The Advocate's mate?
That'll be the day!"
'Who has his lawyers at his call?' "I don't!"
'Consultants, advisers and all?' "I don't!"
'Who has the upper hand all the way?'
"I don't!" '" Then let's both - sign this AWA"'
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