Half a dozen stewards left the picket line yesterday (22 April), with permission to cross into enemy territory for the annual shareholders’ meeting where another sort of epidemic ran rampant. In front of the media, who asked no questions of their own, the stewards grilled Mersey Docks’ Chairman Gordon Waddell.
What if an incoming Labour Government were to intervene in favour of reinstatement by threatening to withdraw their 13.87% shareholding in the company? Waddell informed shareholders that MDHC has met with two officials from the Treasury, who divulged that the current Government had already formed the intention to sell its shares.
Waddell freely admitted that the dispute is having an impact on Merseyside, Liverpool, and the company, who are so keen for a settlement they are to meet the TGWU on Thursday. (Stewards presume this meeting concerns the report of the £50,000 MDHC-TGWU funded business consultancy by accountants KPMG regarding the Labour Supply Unit proposals.)
Profits are a further £2m down, but Waddell blamed the loss on the company’s Eurolink ferry service, as he did last year.
Productivity is said to be "50% up". In that case, asked steward Bobby Morton, why have two shipping lines (ABC and CanMar) left the port while no new ones have been attracted? Is this a marketing failure? Waddell claimed Mersey Docks had attracted new lines, but was unable to name them. He promised to supply the information in writing.
What about casual labour in the Port of Liverpool? Waddell denied MDHC employ casual labour. Invoices from a casual labour firm to Mersey Docks were waved about by steward Mike Carden. Waddell repeated his denial. Steward Andy Dwyer said the details were known to the stewards, perhaps Port Operations Director Peter Jones might comment? Waddell explained that he alone would answer all questions.
Massive EEC funding received by Mersey Docks had been secured to fund job creation. Where were the jobs? Waddell acknowledged they had not yet materialised, but were jobs the company "hope to create".
When it came time to re-elect the Directors, Mike Carden reminded shareholders that Gordon Waddell also chairs the waste management firm Shanks McEwan, who own the notorious high-temperature incineration business Rechem and have the contract for the "mad cow" carcass residues currently stored in the Port of Liverpool. Waddell was re-elected.
LabourNet Report by Greg Dropkin
