On Fri, 25 Oct 1996 11:13:00 +0100 (BST) Alan Harrison wrote

>I can't be equally understanding about the ITF. When American and Canadian
>longshoremen are taking solidarity action to support their comrades in
>Liverpool, why is this "international" organization so anxious to stay
>with in the laws of one minor European country with a viciously
>anti-working-class government?

I have followed this discussion for some time and I am surprised that no-one has made the simple points below.

I speak as a supporter of the Liverpool dockers here in Liverpool [although not for the dockers - they can do that quite adequately for themselves].

The answer to the question may lie in the threat perceived by the ITF of a rival 'rank and file type' organisation coming into existence on the basis of this dispute. Many of the delegates to the February conference [which was much bigger] were very animated about this. I assume therefore that there is much discontent with the ITF amongst maritime workers.

There is of course,for the ITF,the added complication that French dockers [who of course do not 'belong' to the ITF], had become involved - and of course the CGT would love an 'International' of its own.

The crucial question it seems to me is - will the ITF support and facilitate any more attempts by Liverpool dockers to organise their campaign internationally ie. with similar events such as went on in Montreal ?

Or not ?

Either the ITF is with the dockers or it is not [the same of course can be said for the TGWU.] The good thing about this dispute is of that it is controlled by the dockers themselves and they will not willingly surrender direction of this dispute either to Bill Morris of the T&G nor Cockcroft of the ITF.

Either you are with the dockers on their terms [and that includes the dockers support for the 'Reclaim the Streets' people who came to support them on 28/30 September] or you are not.

Gra