September 22, 1997

Dear Kees Marges:

Your response to my Open Letter was as quick as it was evasive. I only ask that you straightforwardly answer two questions:

1. Why in your communications do you not mention that the September 8th International Day of Action was organized in solidarity with the Liverpool dockers?
2. When will the ITF call on its affiliates to support the Liverpool dockers? ITF inspectors voted unanimously for this in January 1996, in London. Then, we were told that the T&G leadership considered it an illegal strike, that a ballot had to be taken. In February 1996, when the dockers' balloting overwhelmingly rejected Mersey Docks' offer, then the rationale was that T&G General Secretary Bill Morris adamantly stated that he did not want ITF affiliates taking supportive action. And now Morris' disastrous course has been repudiated by a card vote of the delegates at the TGWU Conference in July 1997. How many more votes need be taken- ITF inspectors, strikers, T&G delegates- before the ITF recognizes workers democracy and gives concrete support to the Liverpool dockers?

Finally, in your response you start off on the obviously sensitive question of the ITF trying to stop me from participating in the International Dockers Conference in February 1996 in Liverpool: "You and I know that I did not try to stop you from going to Liverpool. We only discussed the role you was (sic) supposed to play." Either you are using selective memory or disingenuity.

Let me refresh your memory. Just before the dockers conference in Liverpool there was a flurry of faxes flying from the ITF (you and John Sansone, U.S. ITF FOC Coordinator) and ILWU President Brian McWilliams and myself. On February 15, 1996 you sent me a fax stating: "I spoke with Brian McWilliams about the current situation in Liverpool including the most recent developments and he agreed that mixing the functions of ITF Inspector and representative of a union should be avoided on this occasion." And later ".....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 organize or initiate supportive actions. Participating by an ITF Inspector in the meeting in Liverpool would be a violation of this agreement." (my emphasis)

Simply put the ILWU was supporting the Liverpool dockers. The ITF was not.

Kees, it was only after I insisted on taking my seat as the elected ILWU delegate to the Liverpool conference that you acquiesced with the proviso that I not mention the ITF in any interviews with the news media. In a subsequent phone conversation to you, President McWilliams explained that he was taking me off the ITF payroll and placing me on the ILWU's in order not to confuse the different positions of our organizations. Hopefully, you can agree to this factual account. If need be, I can send you the documentation, but I'm sure that a few of the ITF bureaus have it.

Stop the twin plagues of privatization and casualization!
Defend the Liverpool Dockers!
For real international solidarity!

Jack Heyman