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Nurses strike for extra staff

BY JACQUI LEE FREMANTLE — Western Australia's nurses made the condition of the state's health system a make-or-break election issue when on January 15 and 16 they struck, refusing to open beds unless staffing levels were increased. The

McDonald's workers excluded

BY GRANT COLEMAN PERTH — On December 12, the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU), Australian Hotels Association (AHA), and the Chamber and Commerce Industry (CCI) finalised a deal to increase WA hospitality pay rates to the

Loose cannons

Improving on perfection "I believe the system is as safe as it could possibly be, but that doesn't mean that we can't make it safer." — NSW transport minister Carl Scully on the state's public transport system. Executioner "I am mindful of

$27 million for Hewitt, violence for workers

BY GEORGINA DAVIES MELBOURNE — Australian tennis ace Lleyton Hewitt has reportedly signed a five-year sponsorship deal with Nike valued at a cool $27 million. The contract reportedly also includes a bonus clause that could double the figure if

DSP congress resolves to 'take the initiative'

BY SUE BOLAND  “The rise of a new radical international movement against neo-liberal globalisation could lay the foundations for a major turn in the class struggle by tapping the pent-up dissent against the capitalists' attacks” — that

Rorts fill universities' funding hole

BY VIV MILEY Universities are lowering academic standards in order to pass a greater number of full fee-paying domestic and international students, the preliminary results of a new study of academic freedom has revealed. The soon to be released

Unions 'need to get rid of dog eat dog mentality'

BY TIM STEWART Since the election of the federal Liberal-National Coalition government in 1996, very few unions have been prepared to adopt an attitude of struggle at all costs. Instead of employing tactics aimed at winning gains against the bosses

On the box

Actively Radical TV — Sydney community television's progressive current affairs producers tackle the hard issues from the activist's point of view. CTS Sydney (UHF 31), every Sunday, 9-11pm. Ph 9565 5522. Access News — Melbourne community TV,

BANGLADESH: Farm labourers win 'great victory'

BY SEAN HEALY Bangladesh's 22.3 million landless farmers secured a major win on December 18 when the government agreed to an 11-point charter of demands which labourers' organisations have been fighting for since 1978. The agriculture ministry's

Philip Ruddock: minister for racism

BY ALISON DELLIT "When I see Mr Ruddock talking on television about [refugees], he looks and sounds like somebody from One Nation" — David Oldfield, One Nation member of the New South Wales upper house. Prime Minister John Howard's December 19

100-day lockout of Qenos workers

BY BEN COURTICE MELBOURNE — Members of the National Union of Workers at the Qenos refinery in Altona have reached the 100th day of a management lockout. The workers are holding out against management's attempt to impose large reductions in an

Refugee Rights Action Network launched in Perth

BY ANA KAILIS PERTH — Supporters of refugee rights here have formed a new Refugee Rights Action Network to demand the immediate release from detention of all asylum seekers and a complete overhaul of Australia's border policy. The January 16