Richard Flint's defence of the ITF's attitude to the Liverpool dockers' recent international conference and to the dispute itself is not 100% convincing.
On 28 August, the dockers were contacted by an individual within one of the ITF affiliates in a European port. He described information appearing on the union's computer screen which clearly demonstrated ITF hostility to the conference, due to begin on 31 August. The Liverpool stewards requested and received a faxed copy of the text of this computer message, which is incomplete. They have also obtained a literal translation into English, which reads:
> "The last fax of the stewards says that there is a question of creating an
> international steering committee.
>
> This goes too far - the ITF thinks so too. Is this going to be a parallel
> organisation???
>
> Remarkable that this is going to be operated from the TGWU office in
> Liverpool.
>
> Meeting of David Cockcroft with the General Secretary of the TGWU - Bill
> Morris - has resulted in:
>
> That this can not be the case; the TGWU must clarify this.
>
> Bill Morris has said: By the end of August there is going to be a last
> 'offer' by the TGWU to the shop stewards, which is going to be higher than
> the last one. If this doesn't lead to a result/solution, there is going to
> be an end to the relation with the TGWU..."
The stewards are certain the fax is genuine, and they believe the original text to be an ITF message to its affiliate. If so, Flint's point is merely that the ITF sent an e-mail, not a fax. But if the stewards are mistaken and the text was not written by the ITF, it is clear the author was very well informed about ITF thinking on the matter.
In any case, a number of official ITF circulars and letters written in the run up to the previous international conference in February, are pertinent.
Flint states "From time to time it has been said that we ask affiliates to keep us informed of any solidarity action they perform. This does not represent an effort to prevent action, it is simply a desire to gather accurate information..."
Circular 24/D.7/S.10/1996 (23 January 1996) from ITF Dockers Section Secretary Kees Marges to affiliates reads:
"...les affilies de l'ITF doivent attendre le signal de l'ITF avant d'organiser toute action de solidarite. N'intervenez pas contre un navire qui aurait charge or decharge de cargaisons dans le port de Liverpool sans avoir contacte au prealable le Secretariat de l'ITF!..."
This translates: "... ITF affiliates must await the signal of the ITF before organising any solidarity action. Do not intervene against a boat which has loaded or unloaded cargo in the port of Liverpool without having previously contacted the ITF Secretariat!..."
Circular 38/D.11/1996 from Marges in early February during the ballot which saw dockers rejecting the company offer by a margin of over 4-1, (they had already rejected it unanimously by a show of hands) reads:
"...Dans la mesure ou le vote n'est pas termine, l'ITF a repondu aux delegues du personnel qu'aucune mesure ne pouvait etre prise tant que le resultat du scrutin n'etait pas connu. C'est la seulement que l'ITF pourra decider des nouvelle mesures a prendre..."
This translates: "... In so far as the vote is not yet completed, the ITF has responded to delegates that no measure can be taken until the result of the ballot is known. It is only then that the ITF can decide on new measures to take..."
On the eve of the February conference, Marges wrote to an ITF inspector explaining that the "T&G, our affiliate... has not requested the ITF to initiate or organise supportive actions by affiliated Dock Workers and Seafarers Unions. This has been confirmed again very strongly at the end of last week in a discussion between our General Secretary and a representative of the T&G. It was agreed that ITF will not send a request to its affiliates asking them to organise or initiate supportive actions. Participating by an ITF Inspector in the meeting in Liverpool would be a violation of this agreement..."
Finally, the latest ITF press release expresses "full support for the attempts of the TGWU to reach a final negotiated settlement to the dispute" and threatens to "intensify international solidarity action" should Mersey Docks "refuse meaningful negotiations with the union".
No date has been set for meaningful negotiations and none are taking place. The Liverpool dockers continue to demand full reinstatement, not partial offers of ancillary jobs. Those who really do support the sacked dockers have their chance to act now.
Greg Dropkin,
