A-Infos (en)MUA: War on the wharfies 10 May update

[Takver <Takver@onaustralia.com.au>]

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News Summary - Sunday 10 May
War on the Wharfies Homepage:
http://www.users.bigpond.com/Takver/soapbox/index.htm

CONTENTS
(10/5/98) Los Angeles Longshore workers refuse to cross
Community Picket

Two Recommended Websites:
Fremantle Community Picket
         http://www.users.bigpond.com/picket/
Find Peter's Heart! Web Game
         http://www.houseoflove.com.au/ratbag/heartlessbastard/
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News Summary - Sunday 10 May
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Los Angeles Longshore workers refuse to cross Community Picket
The Columbus Canada, loaded by Patrick Stevedore scabs in Australia,
arrived at Matson, Berth 208 Terminal Island in the Port of
Los Angeles on Saturday, May 9. Before the 8 A.M. shift began,
ILWU Locals 13 and 63 longshore workers, themselves angry at
Patrick's firing last month of all its 2,000 wharfies, members of
the Maritime Union of Australia, refused to cross a mass solidarity
picket line of some 1,500 labor and harbor community activists.

Demonstrators chanted "We support the MUA; No scab cargo in L.A."
and "MUA here to stay; No scab cargo in L.A." have effectively shut
dock operations down.

Steve Stallone, a spokesman with the International Longshore &
Warehouse Union (ILWU)- North America's second-largest dockworkers'
union , said the Los Angeles dockworkers were not on strike but
instead were honoring a picket line outside the Port of Los Angeles'
Matson Terminal. Stallone said the picketers represented "not a
union demonstration, but a community demonstration" in support of
their Australian counterparts. "This community knows it lives on the
good living that longshoremen make. They also know that if the union
in Australia can be busted, then the ILWU can be busted."

Last month, the ILWU asked its 60,000 members to boycott Australian
beef and produce because of efforts by the National Farmers
Federation to bust the dockworkers' union, the Maritime Union of
Australia (MUA). Steve Stallone said that the ILWU was now
considering the status of its boycott.

Source: SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE FOR THE AUSTRALIAN WHARFIES (SCAW)
BULLETIN #2 (http://www.ilwu.com/update.htm),
South News May 9

Farmers support Melbourne wharfies
A group of Victorian farmers travelled to Melbourne on Sunday morning
to show support for waterfront workers. About two hundred kilograms of
meat was donated to the wharfies for a barbeque at the dock. The
farmers are at odds with the National Farmers Federation, which they
say is not looking after their best interests, and is too concerned
with setting up a stevedoring business.
(Source: ABC 10/5/98)

Fremantle wharfies return to work
A crowd of 400 maritime union members and their supporters gathered
at the wharf on Sunday morning to celebrate the return to work, as
police stood by and watched the crowd march on Patrick's front gate.
Despite claims of victory in the dispute, the workers have not been
paid for a month and have agreed to work without pay for another four
weeks.
(Source: ABC 10/5/98)

Port Adelaide obstruction
Patrick's on Friday deliberately defied the reinstatement orders by
refusing MUA members to commence work on a scrap-metal ship this
weekend. A peaceful assembly was maintained over the weekend at Port
Adelaide. Negotiations between the MUA, the United Trades and Labour
Council (UTLC) and P&O management have failed and the ship remains
unloaded. UTLC president Stephen Spence says this dispute is not as
straightforward as initially thought.
(Source: Leftlink 8/5/98, ABC 10/5/98)

Lismore - regional support meeting success
About 80 people attended a public talk in support of the Maritime
Union of Australia in Lismore, New South Wales (Australia) last
Thursday night. A Brisbane crane driver, Mick Fulton, explained the
truth about pay and productivity and gave us a bit of an insight into
the unpleasant working conditions and long and anti-social hours they
are compelled to work.

Eight local speakers also addressed the meeting including local
union organisers, local farmers, academics from Southern Cross
University, and retired people. A collection at the end of the
evening raised over $200, which was given to the Brisbane wharfies.
(Source: Email to Takver)

----------------------------
War on the Wharfies is an independent web page which
contains:
* News reports on the Maritime Union of Australia fight against
  the rightwing attack by the National Farmers Federation,
  waterfront bosses, and federal and state governments.
* News on other union actions and progressive campaigns, or the
  general attack on workers rights or conditions

Takver@onaustralia.com.au
         War on the Wharfies - essential links
 http://www.users.bigpond.com/Takver/soapbox/index.htm
             http://www.yll.org.au/mua
 http://www.InsideTheWeb.com/messageboard/mbs.cgi/mb63212
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