Fellow Workers,
Monday, September 8 will be the next international day of action in support of the approximately 500 fired Liverpool dockworkers who have been engaged in two year long fight to retain full-time unionized jobs in the Port of Liverpool. Their struggle began in September 1995 when they were fired en masse for refusing to cross a picket line set up by other dockworkers who were protesting the dismissal of five of their co-workers. Following the mass dismissal of the Liverpool dockworkers their employer, the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company, hired casual, scab labour to replace them.
The most recent international day of action took place on January 20, 1997 when dockworkers and their supporters staged solidarity actions in 27 countries and in 105 ports and cities around the world. These actions included work stoppages and ports across the entire U.S. West Coast came to a standstill.
Support for the Liverpool dockworkers has grown substantially in Canada in recent weeks. Last month the Liverpool Dockers Solidarity Network was formed and made successful interventions at the 1997 CAW Constitutional Convention in Vancouver last month. Members of our network in Vancouver will be engaging in various activities to coincide with the international day of action. Persons in B.C. who wish to take part in the activities planned for Vancouver early next week are encouraged to e-mail: lotta continua@hotmail.com
Activists and supporters of the fired Liverpool dockworkers in other parts of Canada can do their part by participating in our fax campaign. The fax campaign is aimed at Canadian Pacific Railways (CP). CP is our target for action because its British-based shipping subsidiary, Canada Maritime Services Ltd. (CanMar), is one of the remaining shipping lines still using the scab-infested Port of Liverpool, using vessels of another Canadian Pacific subsidiary, CAST. The fired Liverpool dockworkers have told us in no uncertain terms that they believe if CanMar could be "persuaded" to stop using the Port of Liverpool until this dispute is resolved (as some other shipping lines have) it would force their employer to finally come to terms with them. A satisfactory resolution of this dispute would constitute a magnificent and truly historic victory for labour throughout the world!
So we are appealing to each of you to send faxes to the following CEOs:
Canadian Pacific Railways CEO Mr. Rob Ritchie (403) 205-9000 in Calgary
Canada Maritime Services Ltd. CEO Mr. M. Jordan 011 44 01293786630 in UK
These faxes should clearly demand that their vessels stop using the Port of Liverpool until the dispute is resolved to the satisfaction of the fired dockworkers. The Liverpool Dockworkers Solidarity Network would greatly appreciate being informed of the fact that you have sent a fax or faxes and copies can be e-mailed to me at: Praxis1871@aol.com or faxed to me at (905) 682-9393.
Finally, do not hesitate to contact me or lotta_continua@hotmail.com i n Vancouver if you wish to take part in future network activities. These are expected to include a Canadian speaking tour by the a member of the Liverpool dockworkers' wives/partners support group Women of the Waterfront (WoW). We have also succeeded in getting a resolution on the dockworkers' struggle passed by the St. Catharines and District Labour Council. That resolution will go to the Ontario Federation of Labour Convention to be held in Toronto in Novemeber and we are urging all supporters of the dockworkers in Ontario to get similar resolutions passed by their local unions and labour councils. Thank you for your support!
In Solidarity,
Bruce Allen for the Liverpool Dockers Solidarity Network
P.S. Please feel free to forward this appeal to others.
