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Rank-and©file challenge to MUA incumbents

Rank-and-file challenge to MUA incumbents By Dick Nichols Nominations have closed for elections for all positions in the Maritime Union of Australia, to be held between April 14 and June 14. The election includes the biggest rank-and-file

Kennett continues sell-off of gas

Kennett continues sell-off of gas By Ben Reid MELBOURNE — The state Coalition government is continuing its privatisation of gas services despite mounting concern from consumer and trade union groups. On March 10, the government announced that

The French Dickens

The French Dickens Victor HugoBy Graham RobbPicador, 1998 — 682 pp., $19.95 (pb) Review by Phil Shannon Scotland Yard regarded him as "the most obnoxious" of the French exiles, but his picture was a common sight in the homes of French workers.

Challenges face new workers' party in Zimbabwe

Challenges face new workers' party in Zimbabwe By Patrick Bond HARARE — The March 1 announcement by Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) secretary-general Morgan Tsvangirai that his federation's executive has mandated the creation of a

Leadership challenge for South Coast Labour Council

Leadership challenge for South Coast Labour Council Comment by Andrew Hall WOLLONGONG — A challenge for the leadership of the South Coast Labour Council (SCLC) has raised questions and encouraged debate among unionists and left activists about

Iraqi Kurdistan is not 'safe'

By Shane Bentley PARRAMATTA — The International Federation of Iraqi Refugees has launched a campaign to protest against the rejection of applications for asylum from Iraqi Kurds by European governments. These governments claim that Iraqi

Does gender make a difference?

If the pollsters are mistaken and Kerry Chikarovski gets the top NSW parliamentary job ahead of the ALP right's Bob Carr, will this herald better times for women? "Chika" seems to have the support of Eva Cox, self-styled feminist commentator, who

Friends and foes in the VSU campaign

The proposed "voluntary student unionism" (VSU) legislation has provoked a major uproar. Screaming headlines, such as "Student union plan disaster", "Why voluntary unionism won't work" and "Voluntary union fees split Liberals", have appeared in many

Feminist Cabaret Resist

Feminist Cabaret Resist By Karen Fletcher BRISBANE The Resistance Centre hosted the second in its monthly series of political cabarets, Cabaret Resist, on March 19 — a special all-women line-up in honour of International Women's Day. "This

Letters to the editor

Letters to the editor Bogus environment parties We, the undersigned environment groups, are writing to warn voters concerned about environment protection who may be thinking of voting for new small political parties with nice environmental names

The postmodernists' new clothes

Intellectual Impostures: Postmodern philosophers' abuse of scienceBy Alan Sokal and Jean BricmontProfile Books, 1998274pp., price? Review by Neville Spencer The complexity and difficulty of most writing by postmodernist theorists is widely

Zero tolerance or zero survival?

Zero tolerance or zero survival? By Norm Dixon The New York Police Department is issuing hollow-point ammunition — dum-dum bullets — to its cops. This is being done despite protests from citizens' groups and despite the fact that the use of