to: John Monks, TUC General Secretary
and the General Council of the TUC

from: Swedish Dockworkers Union
Stockholm, 3 Sept. 1997

Support Liverpool Dockers

Nearly two years have passed since 500 Liverpool dockers were being sacked
for no other reason than exercising their fundamental trade union right not
to cross a picket line.

Of course we all know that this was just an excuse, being looked for during
a length of time, by the bosses of Mersey Docks and Harbour Company to get
rid of a workforce that was trying to maintain their trade union rights and
their dignity. Naturally it is much cheaper for the MDHC to bring in non
union casual labour, rather than keeping the old workforce of well-trained,
experienced but (in the bosses view) unionized dockers.

Dockworkers all over the world have realized the seriousness of the
situation in Liverpool. We clearly see and experience the same strategy by
employers looking for deregulation and replacement of registered dockers by
casual labour.

The Swedish Dockworkers Union and many other trade unions and groups of
workers have done as much as possible according to their specific situation
to support our colleagues in Liverpool, but they seem to be lacking
probably the most important support; the support of their own trade union
the TGWU and thus the TUC.

On the 8 September 1997 there will be an International Day of Action in
support of Liverpool dockers and therefore we want to appeal for the TUC to
hold an emergency debate on the Liverpool dispute at the conference
starting on the 8 September 1997.

We appeal for the TUC to thoroughly discuss and examine the Liverpool
situation in order to work for victory for the Liverpool dockers through
removal of all scab labour from the Port of Liverpool and full
reinstatement of the sacked Liverpool dockers.

Bjorn A. Borg
International Secretary
Swedish Dockworkers Union