Contrary to what Jack Heyman said in his latest contribution, the ITF already took a decision to support the Charleston 5 and to join others in organizing a world wide action day. This decision has got the full support of John Bowers cs. It can be read in the attached circular of April 5th, which has been sent to all ITF affiliated port workers unions. The text was also added to the special issue of ILA’s News Report (Vol. 18, #2) and I informed all participants (including Jack Heyman) of the ILWU International Dockers’ Solidarity Conference in the first week of August, where I also met and spoke with Kenneth Riley.
Kees Marges
ITF Dockers’ Section Secretary
To all ITF dockers’ affiliates
Circular No: 58/D. 7/2001
KM/al/2001-058_D. 7
5 April 2001
Dear Friends
Via this circular I wish to draw your attention to a serious case of union-busting in the port of Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
History
In October 1999 shipping line Nordana ended its 23 year relationship with Local 1422 of ITF affiliate International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) of which ITF Dockers’ Section Chair John Bowers is the President. After 23 years of employing ILA members for cargo handling the shipping line suddenly began to use non-union labour from local stevedoring company WSI. Of course this led to a reaction from the ILA local, resulting in picket lines. The workers who set up the picket lines were subsequently provoked by the police, which eventually led to clashes and fighting and culminated in the arrest of several longshore workers.
Workers and unions legally attacked
Five of the workers were placed under curfew requiring them to stay at home between 7 p. m. and 7 a. m. and in the meantime the legal authorities in Charleston set about preparing a criminal court case against those five workers. Although several dates for the court case have been reported a final date has still to be set. Nordana and WSI also sued ILA Local 1422 and its President Ken Riley, together with ILA Local 1771 (the Charleston checkers and clerks local) and its Chairman John Alvorens, for US$1. 5million in alleged financial losses. The Charleston longshoremen have had both financial and moral support from among others the ITF’s affiliate on the West Coast of the USA the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and several of its locals. An intervention by the ITF resulted in renewed negotiations between ILA and Nordana which culminated in an agreement in April 2000. Nordana then dropped its civil lawsuit and urged WSI to do the same. However, although the union was prepared to look at an out of court settlement, the non-union stevedore WSI refused to abandon the legal proceedings.
ITF starts global campaign
Essentially the court case against the so-called ‘Charleston Five’ is the result of a serious case of union-busting and the response to it by the Charleston longshoremen and their union. As we discussed and agreed at our Miami Dockers’ Section Conference in 1997, the kind of union-busting and misconduct demonstrated in this case by the local non-union stevedore WSI should be a case we all have to take very seriously. This circular is the first step in the ITF’s global campaign to mobilise international support from port workers world-wide for the longshoremen in Charleston and in particular the ‘Charleston Five’.
Financial support
In this circular we would like to stress the need for financial support for the ‘Charleston Five’, in order to fund their legal defence if and when the criminal case against them really takes place. Of course it would be better that the case would be cancelled all together. As you may read in the attached copy of a letter dated 28 March 2001 (Annex 1 - English only) from ILA President John Bowers to the ILA members, the union itself has set up two funds in support of the Charleston longshoremen. One fund, the International Dockers Educational Association (IDEA) will be used to publicise the plight of the ‘Charleston Five’ and organise nationwide and world-wide support for them. The second fund has been created to raise financial support for the legal defence of the ‘Charleston Five’. By sending his letter to all ILA members and other labour organisations, John Bowers wished to appeal to his members and other organisations to make contributions to this defence fund. The ITF Fair Practices Committee Steering Group, at its meeting today 5 April, unanimously decided to call on ITF General Secretary to make an ITF donation of a minimum of £50,000 (US$71, 100) to the ILA Defense Fund. Your contributions would also be greatly appreciated. The bank account details of the ILA Defense Fund will be circulated amongst all affiliates as soon as these details are available.
Further International Solidarity
The ITF global campaign in support of the Charleston longshoremen will not stop at this fund raising activity, which as such is an important element in the support of the workers. The Dockers’ Section Committee, which met on 2 and 3 April, discussed this matter at length and came to the conclusion that ITF affiliated port workers unions should be asked for further support and international solidarity, in line with the discussions which took place back in 1997 at the Miami Dockers Section Conference, where dockers’ affiliates all signed an International Solidarity Contract and unanimously adopted a resolution against union-busting.
Urgent call may come soon
It may well be that in the very near future you will receive an urgent request to participate in a global action in support of the ‘Charleston Five’ and against union-busting. If possible and if it is appropriate this call will correlate with the final date for the court case against the ‘Charleston Five’. On the basis of the pledges made in Miami the Dockers’ Section Committee expect that all port workers’ unions will do their utmost to respond to the request, if and when they receive it. By actively supporting the ‘Charleston Five’ unions will be demonstrating to terminal operators and authorities, not just in Charleston but all over the world, what International Solidarity and our Campaign against union-busting in the port industry really means.
Please prepare yourselves for International Solidarity and be ready to act.
Yours fraternally
Kees Marges
Dockers’ Section Secretary
Cc: DC, SH, SMC, SF, SD FPC-SG,
ITF Regional Offices John Bowers, Tommy Gleason
