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Tax workers demand union agreement

MELBOURNE — As of October 18, 11,475 employees of the Australian Taxation Office, 53% of all ATO staff, have signed a petition calling on management to negotiate a new agency agreement with the Community and Public Sector Union when the current

VENEZUELA: Expropriations, cooperatives and co-management

Federico Fuentes, Caracas Some 500 residents of the township of Cumanacoa, in the state of Sucre — mostly workers and cooperative members directly or indirectly employed by the local sugar processing plant, Central Azucarero Cumanacoa — turned

On the box

Australian Rules — Tells the story of an adolescent boy struggling with family conflicts and inter-racial turmoil in the lonely fishing village where he lives. SBS, Sunday, October 30, 9.30pm. Living Black — Indigenous news and current affairs

VENEZUELA: Government rejects latest slurs

Stuart Munckton The Venezuelan government has reacted to fresh allegations, originating from inside the US. According to an October 11 Venezuelanalysis.com article, the Miami-based Inter-American Press Association accused the left-wing government

Union rights are civil rights

Chris Slee, Melbourne "Union rights are civil rights was the theme of an October 12 public meeting organised by the Socialist Alliance at the Victorian Trades Hall bar. Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union legal officer Jesse

November anti-war protests planned

Tim Doughney The next major anti-war protests, to be held on November 5 and 6 around Australia, will focus on the main aspects of the "war on terror", calling for the immediate withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq, and also an end to the attacks

Call for new inquiry

Craig Hall A petition was launched by the Indigenous Social Justice Association Melbourne Supporters Group (ISJA MSG) on October 8, calling on the NT government to open a new inquiry into the death of Douglas Bruce Scott in Darwin's Berrimah Prison

Strike at Glebe Island car terminal

SYDNEY — Members of the Maritime Union of Australia employed at the Glebe Island car terminal refused to go to work on October 14 after hearing of a NSW Labor government plan to fast-track the site's closure. With the support of Unions NSW and the

NIGERIA: US$12.4 billion to world's richest countries

On October 20, Nigeria reached an agreement with the rich, creditor countries of the Paris Club for the cancellation of US$18 billion of Nigeria's US$35.9 billion debt. However, in return, Nigeria had to commit to paying the Paris Club $12.4 billion,

I'll be the one

Well-known Darwin performer, artist and Larrakia elder June Mills is releasing her debut album I'll be the One in October. This CD is a wonderful musical anthology, full of beauty and surprises with lines, melodies and riffs that stay long in the

BRITAIN: Protesters' T-shirts 'offensive'

On October 15, 25 Survival International members were removed from the Oxford Union for "wearing offensive T-shirts" and "asking offensive questions" during a visit by Botswana's President Festus Mogae. The protesters wore shirts reading "Botswana

Lives wasted on Nauru, Manus Island

Since September 2001, 1547 asylum seekers spent time in an Australian-funded "processing centre" on Nauru or PNG's Manus Island. Nine hundred and fifty eight (65.5%) were resettled: 563 in Australia; 401 in New Zealand; 20 in Sweden, six in Denmark,