First thing I would like to ask is why is unionism so bad. Who should influence us? Democratically elected unions or Faceless transnational corporations scouring the world in search of prey? My choice is clear.
The vast majority of our grain from the Chinese boom is from the same old "dig it and flog and damm all that stand in the way". We prostitute ourselves in the process, even a visit from the noble prize winner, the much loved Dali Lama is ignored because it might unset the Chinese.
The evidence shows no relationship between money and happiness beyond essentials but we continue to disadvantage the disadvantaged with this vicious no choices legislation

What a load of old tat.
Just the usual rabid right union bashing rubbish.

The writing is on the wall for the union bosses. An article in todays Sydney Morning Herald underscores the "safe" bailout for many high profile union leaders by the ALP.

Australian workers are rejecting what the unions have to offer as evidenced by the continuous fall in union membership. Combet, Shorten, et al are scratching to find a safe place to hide before the collapse of their house of cards. And true to form the ALP provides a safe haven for all union bosses. Bring them in from the trenches where they are increasingly not needed and parachute them into a position where they can inflict their economically misguided policies and strategies with the force of law rather than a secret ballot.

Now "Henry Thornton" as an economist you know that 52% of Australian GDP is generated by domestic consumption. You also know that most workers receive less pay under AWAs than under collective bargaining. You also know that people on low incomes spend all their money or more than they earn. You also know that the median Australian adult income is $26,000 their income so that when we reduce workers incomes we are going to reduce their disposable income thus threatening the 52% of GDP generated through domestic consumption.

As you said, there are no reliable figures on unemployment, underemployment and employment and the government hasn't released figures on AWAs but the unions have, so in the absence of authoritative figures I will use personal observation.

Henry, do you care to comment on the parcel of goods used to calculate the current CPI?

The China boom has a negative impact on workers on the eastern seaboard because it is keeping the Australian dollar high to make it cheaper to import goods and harder to sell domestically produced goods. Thus workers wages are forced down further.

I hope Howard and Costello do fight very hard to convince the electors about the merits of workchoices.
I sincerely hope that the BHP, Quantas, Peter Hendy and Helen Rideout kick in with an expensive media campaign.
You must understand the Govt's plan was to slip this draconian 19th Century legislation under the punters gaurd.
The worst effects of it have been quarantined to kick in after the 2007 election.
The ACTU television ads have kept it alive. The $55M Govt. ads really kicked it along.
The Govt and Bizzness are now between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Dammed if they talk about it and dammed if they dont.

Happy May Day comrades!