Jim Donovan is Deputy Branch Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia Central New South Wales Branch in Sydney. He spoke to LabourNet after addressing the Liverpool rally on 27 September.
"In 1996, when I attended the first international dockers conference in Liverpool, you had a Tory government in Britain and we had a Labour government in Australia. Now the positions are reversed, and we are facing a similar set of industrial laws to those designed in Britain under Thatcher.
"The fight in Liverpool inspires us to carry on our own struggle in Australia. But there are some differences. After the Government vowed to destroy the MUA, the Australian Congress of Trade Unions gave a total committment to support us. Bill Kelty (ACTU General Secretary) threatened the "biggest picket ever seen in the history of our country" if the Government carries out its threats to deploy troops on the waterfront.
"The ITF has also supported us. In our recent victorious fight to preserve union jobs in Cairns, the MUA called on the ITF to contact the shipping line. With the active involvement of the US East coast ILA President John Bowers and the All Japan Federation of Dockworkers Unions, the ITF warned the shippers of the international consequences they would face if non union labour were to service vessels in Cairns. It worked.
"In my view, the ITF should have given Liverpool more support, irrespective of the position of the TGWU General Secretary. And my view is widely shared in Australia. This is shown by the actions on 8 September and the donations from all over Australia.
"In fact, as an affiliate we seek ITF support for our actions in support of Liverpool. They issue correspondence pointing out that the TGWU haven't called on the ITF to support Liverpool, and citing the UK legal restrictions affecting the ITF. Yet the ITF Flag of Convenience campaign proves that a call for action over the exploitation of seamen can be taken up."
"Looking back to the first time I was here, I'm impressed with how the Liverpool dockers have taken their case to the world, and the magnificent solidarity they have shown in today's demonstration and in the mass meetings I have been privileged to attend."
