"Here is my dog-book (tally book of a docker). I got my first one 22 years ago. Then there were 14,000 dockers in Antwerp and now there are 7,000.In Antwerp every day the docker must get his job. The foreman chooses his people - we are still in another century. We can refuse the job and then we are given 10 minutes to negotiate. When we don't agree for maybe several reasons, we are still forced to do that job.
Then there is a special stamp for the dog-book - in red. Then they can look at the stamp and know that you refused once and they had to force you.
This is seen as a good system for the young and the strong, but for the older ones it is hard. The same people have a job and others only the bad jobs.
Every half year they take the ones that work less and when they explain that those men they are no good and punish them, then those men throw away the dog-book. Then several of your friends go.
They hate the system and they are glad to throw away thebook. But I am going to tell them: this book must not bethrown away. It was fought for by your forefathers. You must give it to the other person, who comes behind you.
That is what I have learnt here in Liverpool. That is what I am going to say when I getback."
