A-Infos (en)MUA:War on the wharfies 13 May update

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

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News Summary - Wednesday 13 May
War on the Wharfies Homepage:
http://www.users.bigpond.com/Takver/soapbox/index.htm

CONTENTS (13/5/98)
Los Angeles stops Scab ship unloading
Four More Scab loaded ships due to arrive at American ports
P&O Ports seeks 'anti-strike' order
Corrigan admits on tape dismissal was 'partly illegal'

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News Summary - Wednesday 13 May
Los Angeles stops Scab ship unloading

Report from:
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/7392/index.html
MAY 11: COLUMBUS CANADA CHASED TO SEA ONCE AGAIN
Los Angeles and Long Beach area activists have succesfully prevented the
Columbus Canada, which is loaded with scab cargo, from unloading in LA
once again. Local activists mobilized between 200 and 300 community
protesters on Monday afternoon May 11 on 2 hours notice.
The mobilization caused management to leave the ship anchored off the
coast of San Pedro. The ship has been anchored offshore since 6 AM
Saturday when community activists mobilized 1500 protestors to close the
LA docks.

MAY 10: COLUMBUS CANADA WILL ATTEMPT ANOTHER DOCKING IN LA
After being repelled by a demonstration of 1500 strong Saturday, the
scab-loaded Columbus Canada retreated to the Long Beach harbor. Word has
just arrived that the shipping company will attempt again to bring the
ship into the Port of Los Angeles Matson Company terminal for unloading
tonight.
An emergency alert has been sounded and people are being mobilized to
confront the company at the shift change. Under the ILWU contract, dock
workers do not have to cross a picketline if they believe that there is
a threat to their health and safety. The contract allows the employer to
seek "instant" arbitration (within a couple of hours). Yesterday, the
arbitrator ruled that there was no health or safety risk. ILWU members,
however, did not enter the terminal. Matson, in fact, in the face of the
mass demonstration, locked its gates.

Four More Scab loaded ships due to arrive at American ports

12 May 1998. The London-based International Transport Workers Federation
last night warned that another four container ships en route from
Australia to the US could face bans by American waterfront unions by the
end of this week.

ITF spokesman David Cockroft said the four ships, all loaded by
Patrick's non-union workforce in Australia, were expected to reach US
west coast destinations in the next few days.

Mr Cockroft said it was likely the union action against the Columbus
Canada would continue. "I imagine the bans on the Columbus Canada won't
end at Longbeach," Mr Cockroft said. "The ship is likely to get a
similar reception when it goes to San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver."

It is thought there are 23 ships which were loaded by non-union workers
employed by Patrick between April 7 and May 4 this year. The shipping
companies involved include Columbus, Mediterranean Shipping, the CGM
Group, ANL and Coral Sea Shipping.

Mr Cockroft made it plain that caution was needed because of threatened
legal action by Australia's competition watchdog Allan Fels. "The legal
situation in Australia at the moment means we don't have a definitive
list," Mr Cockroft said. "What we do know is that four ships which we
believe are part of the (non-union) operation are likely to arrive soon
on the US west coast. But what happens when they arrive we don't know."

P&O Ports seeks 'anti-strike' order

P&O Ports is applying more pressure on the Maritime Union. On Tuesday 12
May, P&O Ports sought an order against future stoppages and bans by the
Maritime Union at all its terminals. The six-month order is sought under
section 127 of the Workplace Relations Act and would prohibit the MUA
and members employed by P&O or subsidiaries from engaging in any
industrial action or any "strike ban or limitation on the performance of
normal work".

At least 24 MUA officials would be barred from "aiding, abetting,
counselling, procuring or inducing members of the MUA" employed at the
P&O ports to take industrial action under the order sought from the
Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

The application is similar to a claim by Rio Tinto's subsidiary Coal &
Allied last year at its Hunter Valley No 1 mine. Coal & Allied's claim
was granted by an AIRC full bench, but limited to wildcat stoppages,
excluding national and district strikes by the coal-mining union and
safety-related industrial action.

P&O Ports have hired staff from Rio Tinto. Mr Ben Wicks, a P&O
industrial officer was formerly employee relations manager at the Hunter
Valley No 1 mine. Mr Grant Gilfillen, general manager of CTAL's Port
Botany container terminal, is also from Rio Tinto's Hunter Valley No 1
mine.
(Source: Financial Review 13/5/98)

Corrigan admits on tape dismissal was 'partly illegal'

In Federal Parliament the Government came under concerted attack by
members of the Labor Party opposition. Mr Lindsay Tanner, opposition
spokesperson on transport, quoted the Prime Minister, Mr Howard, who
said the Government would support Corrigan and Patrick "to the hilt,
provided they act within the law".
Mr Tanner then asked Mr Howard: "Are you aware of a meeting on 31
January 1998 between Corrigan, Wells and Kilfoyle, where the transcript
shows that Kilfoyle asked whether the action being planned was illegal?
Corrigan replied, "No, no. Well, partly illegal'.

"Will you continue to back to the hilt an operation which, according to
Corrigan himself, is partly illegal?"

Typically sidestepping the question Mr Howard did not answer the
allegation directly, saying that he was not interested in Opposition
legal opinions, and remained committed to waterfront reform.

In the senate, Senator John Faulkner accused Mr Corrigan of having lied
to the public, the media and the Government, and perjured himself before
the Industrial Relations Commission, about his involvement in the Dubai
venture. Further, that Mr Corrigan had lied in an interview on the ABC's
AM program on December 4 last year when he denied any knowledge of the
Dubai training scheme, and also lied in interviews with the Sydney
Morning Herald the same day when he said he had provided no money for
Dubai, and lied again, under oath, to the Industrial Relations
Commission.

Senator Faulkner said that the Minister for Workplace Relations, Mr
Reith, was either a "lying, conniving co-conspirator with corporate
cowboys" Mr Corrigan and the chairman of Patricks's parent company, Lang
Corp, Mr Peter Scanlon, "or a dupe".
(Source: Sydney Morning Herald 13/5/98)

Quote of the week
'I defy anybody to go and get passports for 76 current and ex-serving
soldiers to go to Dubai next week and not have Foreign Affairs and ASIO
all over them.'
Andrew Harris, quoted in SMH, 9 May 1998
http://www.smh.com.au/daily/content/980509/pageone/pageone5.html
----------------------------
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
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