A-Infos (en) Columbus Canada: OK, Here's the Latest -- So Far, So Good.

[Steve O <intexile@bari.iww.org>]

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      A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
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As of 5/14/98 at 3 AM

The reports below should tell you every thing you need to know, but the
summary is

(1) Scab Ship Columbus Canada is still anchored in the harbor outside
of Long Beach, no cargo has been unloaded
(2) At least four other scab ships are on their way to the West Coast
(wake up everybody!) I do not know names or destinations.
(3) Community Solidarity remains very strong at the moment.
(4) In the Bay Area, call (510) 845-0540 for updates
(5) The situation in Australia is nowhere near being resolved.

Please forward this to as many people as you can.  Let's keep spreading
the word far and wide and keep building up the support.  Solidarity works
and there's strength in numbers (especially large ones)

-FW Steve x344543
Berkeley IWW / Branch Secretary Droid

Forest Workers Unite!  http://www.iww.org/iu120/local/



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 13 May 1998 22:39:14 -0700 (PDT)
From: Takver <Takver@onaustralia.com.au>
Subject: Ship Idled for 4th Day; War on the wharfies 13 May update;  Move to Unmask Dubai Mystery Man; MUA Leader Say Abandon Govt. $$

Wednesday, May 13, 1998 

           Community News File / Long Beach 
           Labor Dispute Keeps Ship Idle for Fourth Day 
            
   A container ship loaded with frozen Australian
    beef and lamb remained at anchor off Los
Angeles on Tuesday as a dispute between the
International Longshore and Warehouse Union and a
shipping line went into its fourth day. 
     Dockworkers continued to refuse to unload the
ship, the Columbus Canada, because of a labor dispute
that began in Australia over the use of nonunion
workers, parties close to the dispute said. 
     A spokesman for the German-owned Columbus
Line, which operates the ship, said the vessel has fully
operational refrigeration equipment that would keep
the meat from spoiling. 
     Los Angeles Harbor spokeswoman Barbara
Yamamoto said talks were underway between the
union and the Pacific Maritime Assn. to resolve the
dispute. 
     "It is still out at anchor," Yamamoto said. "We are
not sure what's going to happen with it." 
     The ship arrived at the Matson Terminal in the Port
of Los Angeles at 5:30 a.m. Saturday, but was turned
away by dockworkers. "Matson remained open,"
Yamamoto said. "The union members just refused to
work on that particular ship." 
     A spokesman for the union was not available for
comment. 
     Doug Webster, a spokesman for Columbus Line,
said the ship could not unload at other ports on the
West Coast because they are all served by the union.
The dispute was costing the ship owners $13,000 a
day, Webster said. 

Copyright Los Angeles Times 

=============================

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'

          -----------------------------------
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
 http://www.InsideTheWeb.com/messageboard/mbs.cgi/mb63212
-------------------------------

Visit http://www.yll.org.au/mua to send a free fax to John Howard.

========================================

Comments: Authenticated sender is <ozbrays@mail.zip.com.au>
From: "Trudy Bray" <ozbrays@zip.com.au>
To: "mua update" <ozbrays@zip.com.au>
Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 11:46:19 +1000
Subject: MUA: The Sydney Morning Herald: Move to unmask Dubai mystery man
Sender: owner-mua-update@vmore.org.au
Reply-To: owner-mua-update@vmore.org.au

Thursday, May 14, 1998

     Move to unmask Dubai mystery man 

     By GERARD RYLE, ANNE DAVIES and HELEN TRINCA

     A man nicknamed "the spycatcher" who was a security consultant to
millionaire Melbourne businessman Mr Dick Pratt is
     claimed to be the mysterious fourth person involved in meetings to set
up the Dubai waterfront operation.

     The Herald has been told that Hungarian-born Toorak resident Steve
Zagon is the Steve O'Brien whose name emerged in
     documents released last week by the Dubai recruiters Fynwest.

     Mr Zagon worked for Dick Pratt's Visy Industries "on and off" for more
than 10 years, a spokesman for the company said
     last night. Mr Zagon was not a full-time employee but was retained at
various times for special projects on security issues. He
     was not at present working for the company.

     At Visy, Zagon worked closely at times with Dr Stephen Webster - now
employed by the Workplace Relations Minister, Mr
     Peter Reith - but for 13 years a senior Pratt employee. Dr Webster, who
has been named by the Fynwest principals as a key
     player in meetings to organise Dubai, strongly denies any such involvement.

     According to Mr Peter Kilfoyle, a director of Fynwest, O'Brien and
Zagon are one and the same. He said his co-director, Mr
     Mike Wells, had known O'Brien by both names. The Fynwest directors
referred to him as the spycatcher, a reference to his
     alleged background in military intelligence in the 1970s.

     According to Mr Wells's diary notes, Steve O'Brien phoned him on March
19 last year to discuss the hiring of a
     bodyguard/driver for Mr Pratt. O'Brien emerged again as a key player
once Fynwest had agreed with Patrick Stevedores to
     recruit for Dubai. At that stage, according to Mr Kilfoyle, O'Brien was
a consultant to Patrick.

     The diary shows that Mr Wells phoned O'Brien to report progress last
September 9. Mr Wells also says O'Brien attended a
     meeting on June 23 with Mr Corrigan and Mr Bill Clayton, Patrick's
industrial director. In an affidavit, Mr Wells says O'Brien
     was present at a meeting on January 31 this year with Mr Corrigan to
discuss the wash-up of Dubai. Mr Corrigan has denied
     the meeting.

     A spokesman for Patrick confirmed Mr Steve O'Brien had been contracted
"during early to mid last year" to recruit
     personnel. This person did not attend any meetings with Mr Corrigan
regarding Dubai, the spokesman said. 

     Dr Webster was not available for comment but a spokesman for Mr Reith
said Dr Webster knew Mr Zagon but did not know
     Steve O'Brien. Webster had telephoned Zagon in 1996 when trying to find
a driver for Dick Pratt.

     A spokesman for Visy Industries said Dr Webster worked for the company
for 13 years till February last year but had then
     had occasional contact with the company.

     Visy and Mr Pratt have consistently rejected claims of any role in the
waterfront dispute. The Herald was unable to contact
     Mr Zagon despite repeated calls to his office.

     This material is subject to copyright and any unauthorised use, copying or 
mirroring is prohibited.


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This posting is provided to the individual members of this  group without
permission from the copyright owner for purposes  of criticism, comment,
scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal
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the copyright owner, except for "fair use."

================================
From: "Trudy Bray" <ozbrays@zip.com.au>
To: "mua update" <ozbrays@zip.com.au>
Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 11:46:20 +1000
Subject: MUA: ABC Newslink - Coombs urges union members to abandon redundancy.
Sender: owner-mua-update@vmore.org.au
Reply-To: owner-mua-update@vmore.org.au

Coombs urges union members to
                   abandon redundancy package
                   Wednesday 13 May, 1998 (5:59pm AEST)

                   Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) national secretary
                   John Coombs has met union members in Adelaide,
                   urging them to abandon the Federal Government's $250
                   million redundancy package.

                   Instead, Mr Coombs favours a damages claim that could
                   amount to a million dollars for each sacked worker.

                   Mr Coombs has addressed a stopwork meeting at Port
                   Adelaide and outlined his plan for a $300 million to
                   $400 million compensation claim, to recover money, if
                   workers are sacked.

                   He has told members that if they take part in the damages
                   claim, they will have to abandon any chance of getting a
                   Government-funded redundancy package from Patrick
                   Stevedores.

                   He says while it is a gamble for the workers, he is
                   confident they will stand by him. 



*************************************************************************
This posting is provided to the individual members of this  group without
permission from the copyright owner for purposes  of criticism, comment,
scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal
copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of
the copyright owner, except for "fair use."


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