She shattered the power of British labor unions while forcing the Labour Party to say bye-bye to nationalized industry and hello to a severely reduced welfare state and free markets.

FORBES: The Iron Lady's Three Leadership Lessons

But since taking office last December, Australia's new Labor government has announced a seasonal labour scheme for the fruit-picking industry, to be open to PNG, Vanuatu, Kiribati and Tonga.

ECONOMIST: Fiji and the Pacific Islands Summit

The International Labour Organization has for years pressured Myanmar to eradicate forced labor, which it says is widespread in the country.

CNN: Smiling Suu Kyi lays out 'ambitious' plan for Myanmar

Labor has been vulnerable on both, particularly over its plan to re-regulate the labour market.

ECONOMIST: Labor's defeat has unleashed an internal war

In a new report this week, the International Labour Organization says that nearly 30% of the world's domestic workers are completely excluded from national labor laws.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Now that he has control of the Senate, Mr Howard will probably be able to break Labor's block on the privatisation of the telecoms company Telstra, and attempt further deregulation of the labour market.

ECONOMIST: Australia