A-Infos (en)MUA:War on the wharfies 19 May update

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

 ________________________________________________
      A - I N F O S  N E W S  S E R V I C E
            http://www.ainfos.ca/
 ________________________________________________

News Summary - Tuesday 19 May
War on the Wharfies Homepage:
http://www.users.bigpond.com/Takver/soapbox/index.htm

CONTENTS
(19/5/98) Columbus Canada still stopped at Los Angeles
(19/5/98) Pressure the Banks Campaign
(19/5/98) An International Call to Support the Australian
 Wharfies! - I.W.W.  Full text on webpage in English, Italian & Spanish

          -----------------------------------
News Summary - Tuesday 19 May
Columbus Canada still stopped at Los Angeles

We were awakened on Sunday night to pass along the word that the
Columbus ship would attempt to leave anchorage this morning at 0600
to come to berth. The call went out at the last minute and we were
able to organize 50 - 100 community protesters to await the ships
arrival. The docking orders were again canceled after the community
support started picketing. Columbus line is in court today seeking an
injunction to return to work, damages of five million dollars for
secondary boycotts, and the issue of a writ against sympathizers.
To this point the ship is still at anchor. There has apparently been
talk of moving it to Mexico for off loading but that has yet to be
done.

Diane Middleton, San Pedro resident and one of the community picketers
said "I think there are times in life when you have to take a stand,
and this is one of those times. If employers try to fire union workers
and give those jobs to scabs, then a price will be paid. The price
this time is that the Columbus Canada will be a ship without a home
until it's sent back to Australia and loaded by union workers,"

It seems protests are being videoed by the company in an attempt to
bolster their court case. The calling in of the ship may have been
false orders designed to video members of the community.

In other developments a further scab loaded ship, the Direct Kea is
on its way to Oakland, California. Apparently it will now arrive
Wednesday morning early.

For further information on local communities organising against
scab loaded ships, please visit the following web sites:
Harry Bridges Brigade:
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/7392/index.html
ILWU Solidarity Page:
http://www.ilwu.com/update.htm

(Emails to Takver 19/5/98, LA Times 17/5/98)

Pressure the Banks Campaign

Next Monday 25 May creditors will meet and decide on the future of
the Patrick wharfies in 4 labour companies in the hands of two
administrators. A consortium of 7 banks are major creditors.

Campaign has started to pressure the banks to support the MUA
position. Please Lobby the banks that can influence the
administrators' decision to keep the Patrick Labour Hire companies
trading (and employing MUA members!):

One simple action that can be taken while waiting for a further
call to arms in the waterfront dispute, is to send a letter to
your bank (if they are one of the ones involved in the financing
arrangements with the Patrick Labour Hire companies - see below)
urging them to do whatever they can to keep the companies trading
(and therefore keep them employing MUA members in accordance with
the High Court injunction).

You can use our text of a draft letter. Of course you are free to
amend or add to the draft. Just copy and paste to a wordprocessing
document, and add your name and address at the bottom. Send by mail
or fax.

Do you have a bank account, credit card account, insurance or
superannuation fund with one of the following financial institutions?
If so, you can send a letter by fax to your financial institution(s)
urging them to keep the Labour Hire Companies trading.

ANZ Banking Group
National Australia Bank
Colonial Mutual
Bankwest
Citibank Ltd.
Societe Generale
Bankers Trust Australia Ltd
(Source: Leftlink)

An international Call to Support the Australian Wharfies!

The IWW is calling for international actions of solidarity with the
Australian Wharfies. They are asking:

1) Longshore workers: refuse to unload, or go slow unloading,
Australian scab cargo.

2) Create support groups to work in conjunction with local dockers
unions to prevent unloading of scab loaded ships.

3) Support groups to promote a boycott of all Australian products.

4) Protests in front of Australian embassies and consulates.

An Injury to One is An Injury to All!

The IWW is an international, rank and file, democratic union
organized for the abolition of wage system. They can be contacted at:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Australia: IWW-ROC, POB 78, Bellingen NSW 2454
           roc@au.iww.org,   http://www.au.iww.org/australia

Canada, US and elsewhere:
 IWW, 103 W. Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, USA
 ghq@iww.org, http://www.iww.org

Finland: Solidaarisuus POB 102,   00801 Helsinki,  Finland

Germany: IWW, Atroper Strasse 22, D-47226  Duisburg-Rheinhausen

Ireland and UK: IWW-ROC, 75 Humberstone Gate, Leicester
 LE1 4WB, UK  kevin.brandstatter@bbsrc.ac.uk

Russia: Akai, POB 500, Moscow 107061
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
----------------------------
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
----------------------------


	***A-INFOS DISCLAIMER - IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE***

A-Infos disclaims responsibility for the information in this message.


			********
		The A-Infos News Service
			********
		COMMANDS: majordomo@tao.ca
		REPLIES: a-infos-d@tao.ca
		HELP: a-infos-org@tao.ca
		WWW: http://www.ainfos.ca/
		INFO: http://www.ainfos.ca/org