9th April 1998
Dear Comrades,
Although the Liverpool Dockworkers struggle has come to an end, attacks on dockers, longshoremen and wharfies the world over still continue.
The latest of those attacks is on the Maritime Union of Australia, who have been targeted by the government since the start of the year, as public enemy No1. Much of their political time and money has been pumped into the single issue of union busting on the waterfront, by the use of paramilitary style operations and Thatcherite tactics, first introduced in the U.K. during the destruction of our dock labour scheme in 1989.
Fronted by the Farmers Federation and Patricks Stevedores, who have been training scabs in Dubai and Melbourne. Their attempts to use non-union labour on the Australian waterfront have so far been unsuccessful.
Yesterday 08/04/98, at all ports in Australia, Patrick Stevedores, aided by security forces, guard dogs and special surveillance equipment sacked it's entire work force of 1400 wharfies. At the same time the countries Liberal government announced plans to offer redundancy payments and personalised contracts of employment to the sacked workers.
The leadership of the MUA have led and organised a magnificent campaign of opposition and counter action, that has been supported by ACTU and the ITF and backed up by solidarity actions from nearly all of the countries trade unions.
Knowing the importance and significance that this latest fight will have to dockworkers the world over and the role that Australian dockworkers played in the Liverpool struggle through the International Dockworkers Movement, could we ask our friends and comrades to send messages of support and solidarity to :-
Jim Donovan - Deputy Branch Secretary,
Maritime Union of Australia
Central NSW Branch,
Level 1 365-375 Sussex Street, Tel: 00 61 292 645 024
Sydney,Australia NSW 2000 Fax: 00 61 292 614 548
Yours in Solidarity,
Jim Nolan
