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BY NATASHA IZATT LONDON — On July 17, 750,000 local government workers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland went on strike in support of a pay increase. Between 70% and 80% of union members participated. Teachers aides, caretakers,
BY PAUL OBOOHOV CANBERRA — Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) staff voted July 19 by more than 90% to reject a management draft industrial agreement. The draft included a pay rise of only 6.5% over two years (low by
BY MELANIE SJOBERG SYDNEY — An early morning protest outside the NSW Department of Housing's Liverpool head office on July 30 turned into a 24-hour stop-work, as some 300 workers expressed their disgust with a management proclamation that they
BY FIDEL CASTRO [The following is a slightly abridged version of a speech given on July 26 by Cuban President Fidel Castro at a rally of 150,000 people in the Cuban central province of Ciego de Avila.] History has proved that nothing could defeat
Geelong construction workers prepare for the building industry royal commission's return to Victoria on August 12 by proudly hoisting their flag on Geelong's largest building site in defiance of bosses' wishes. Unionists and supporters will rally at
Pakistani teachers arrested Some 200 teachers were arrested in Lahore on July 29. They were about to protest against the Punjab provincial government's decision to privatise schools. Hundreds of cops had been deployed since early
BY JIM GREEN On July 26, the federal government released a draft environmental impact statement about the planned national radioactive waste dump near Woomera in South Australia — and a fine farce the EIS is, too. The government
Health workers reject pay offer BRISBANE — Non-nursing health unions rejected a Queensland government pay offer on August 1. The Labor government offered its 32,000 non-nursing health workers a pay increase of 3.5% or $23, whichever is the
BY NORM DIXON US President George Bush will order a massive military attack on Iraq sometime in the next six months. However, the US ruling class has yet to agree on exactly how the war will be conducted, what its eventual scale will be or on its
BY SARAH STEPHEN Dressed in riot gear, British police and immigration officers broke down the door of a mosque in Lye, West Midlands, with a battering ram in the early hours of July 24. Two Afghan asylum seekers who had sought sanctuary there 28
BY TERRICA STRUDWICK ROCKHAMPTON — On July 29, Consolidated Meat Group decided to close the Lakes Creek meatworks after a seven-month industrial dispute. The 600 remaining staff, including management, have been laid off. The dispute
BY MURRAY ADDISON  AUCKLAND — On July 27, New Zealand's third general election held under the mixed member proportional representation (MMP) electoral system election was held. The campaign was notable for the few issues raised and