Brothers,
It is with great regret that we hear of the situation in Charleston County, obviously we the 500 Liverpool Dockers and their families recognise a familiar scenario to our own problems that we were faced with back in September 1995.
We would like to extend our solidarity to our I.L.A. brothers and sisters and condemn the global war against trade unionists the world over. At this moment in time similar actions, although not so violent are taking place in Japan where the goverment is legislating to allow stevedoring firms to recruit their own labour in effect doing away with union labour. The fight to maintain a decent standard of living in the docks industry has always been an uphill struggle but what has been achieved over many decades of hardship has resulted in Dockers being one of the leaders in wages and conditions.
The very fact that Dockers and mineworkers two of the the most dangerous jobs in any country are constantly under threat shows the contempt employers and goverments feel towards working class men and women who have conceded the majority of their working lives to their industry.
Once again we salute the courageous stand of the men and women of the I.L.A.
In Solidarity
Jim Nolan
