ITF Hails Aussie Wharfies' Reinstatement

The decision of the Australian High Court on 4 May backing the earlier court order reinstating 1,400 union members sacked by Patrick Stevedoreson 7 April has been welcomed by the ITF as a major victory not just for the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) but, potentially, for all port workers' unions worldwide.

ITF General Secretary David Cockroft said today: "Legal sense has prevailed and delivered not only just reward for the solidarity of MUA members, but resounding condemnation of the approach adopted by Patrick and the openly partisan Australian Government. It is a clear demonstration to port employers around the world that bully boy tactics and union busting will not achieve industry reform".

Cockroft said the ruling would bring MUA dockworkers through the gates of Patrick terminals and deliver the company to the negotiating table. He welcomed the administrators' decision, announced earlier today, to give effect to the judgment by re-employing 1,400 workers, but warned that international support would still be forthcoming while there were outstanding issues to be covered, including the securing of funds to restart Patrick companies, removal of the security guards who had thrown MUA members off the docks, the use of non-union labour and legal cases still pending against the union.

"This decision is a major victory but the dispute is not yet over. ITF affiliates will be following developments very closely over the next few days... If an escalation in the international campaign will help, then it will happen," he said

ITF-coordinated international solidarity action has remained a trump card for the MUA and Patrick's fears of its impact on the dispute were shown both by the abortive legal action launched against the ITF in London, and by the extreme reluctance of major shipping lines to use Patrick terminals. Continuing strong support for the MUA from ITF affiliates is likely to be translated into action shortly as the first wave of vessels handled by non-union labour in Australia reach their destinations. "Owners of such vessels can expect a measured but effective response from ITF unions" he said, pointing out that dockers in neighbouring Papua New Guinea are vigorously fighting an injunction served on them yesterday after two ships which worked cargo with non-union labour were subject to action.

Cockroft invited vessel operators which had made use of union port facilities in Australia since the beginning of the dispute to provide details to the ITF in order to avoid them being unintentionally caught by any action. "Attempts in Australia to deprive us of information about handled by Patricks could have unintended results," he pointed out, stressing that the ITF had no intention of targeting all Australian trade.

Need more information? Contact Kees Marges, Dockers' Secretary or Press Officer Sarah Finke at the number below, or +44 171 9409258 (SF), +44 171 9409274 (KM)

The London-based ITF, whose members represents over 600,000 seafarers and 370,000 dockers is a Federation of over 500 transport trade unions worldwide.
International Transport Workers' Federation, 49-60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DS.
Tel: (+44 171) 403 2733, fax: (+44 171) 357 7871, e-mail: mail@itf.org.uk,
website: www.itf.org.uk