Mailbag

On the campaign trial: MUA members with Howard look alike Bart Rose

Letters of congratulations on the defeat of the Howard Government came from around the world in the New Year

Ousting Howard

Dear Paddy, congratulations on Labor's big victory in ousting the Howard government. I know the MUA and you personally contributed much time and energy in this effort. Hopefully, with this win, workers in Australia can begin to heal and revitalise workers' rights at home.

Further, I hope your victory will cause a wave of political change here in America. In some way, I believe it will. It's our time and certainly, it's time for the labour movement to take its place as the leader in influencing public policy and regulation on industry for all workers, worldwide.

We in the Seamen's International Union of North America look forward to working with you and the members of the MUA to make our mark in history in setting labour rights laws for all workers. However, before we can influence other nations to respect workers' rights we must clean up our own governments to set the example.

This is our challenge and I'm certain our organisations along with the International Transport Workers' Federation are up to the task.

Best wishes and again, congratulations!

Respectfully and fraternally,

Dave Heindel

Secretary-Treasurer

Seafarers' International Union

ALP success

We the crew of the Lady Audrey would like to congratulate and thank the MUA; officials, staff and members on their efforts in bringing the ALP into federal government. We would also like to congratulate the ACTU and all those who were involved with the yr@w campaign, which we feel, played a very important part in the election success.

Yours in unity

MUA & MUNZ crew members

Lady Audrey

Thrilled

Dear Brother, we are thrilled at the unseating of Howard and we congratulate the MUA rank and file, the officers and the MUA veterans.

We are working to achieve the same results over here with our "imperial president" and his Neocon stooges.

What a tragic error the Bush presidency has wrought on the world and the working class in particular.

The MUA campaign to unseat the Howard Government is an inspiration to us all!

Al Perisho

President

Southern California Pensioners

ILWU

Run Over

Howard's gone forever, now that he's been done and dusted,

The lying bastard's got his just deserts and rightly couldn't be trusted;

The rats are deserting the sinking ship, Costello, Downer among the lot,

There's no sympathy in my quarter, they deserve everything they got.

Some maggots that supported WorkChoices in their filthy caucus room,

Will live with the fact they'll no longer be back to the face the pending gloom.

I hope the guilt of WorkChoices, is burned in their memories forever,

And the phoenix shouldn't rise from the ashes again, if they were clever;

The blame game is in full swing along with the passing of the buck,

The Howard Government has been run over by the 'rights at work' union truck.

Let this be a lesson learned, workers' solidarity to the fore,

History will tell we felled a vicious government rotten to the core.

F Baker

CFMEU (Mining and Energy executive)

Fought and won

Comrades, now that the election has been fought and won it's very easy for the trade union movement to sit back and rest on their laurels. But not for one minute should we allow this to happen.

Kevin Rudd has declared himself a fiscal conservative. Read into this right wing Labor. He is at the whim of the banks and big business.

Just consider the recent rate rise instigated by the Reserve Bank and followed by the other banks. Our treasurer Wayne Swan was impotent to react to the rises.

Anyone who thinks we can sit down and relax and everything will go our way must have rocks in their head. The battle for equality and rights will never cease.

Sean Breen

Union No: 58

The evil that men do

The 2007 federal election has come and gone, but not without history being made - and not because of the ALP's devastating victory.

John Howard will be remembered by MUA members for taking on the working class on the waterfront. Now coming up to the 10th anniversary of the waterfront conspiracy, we remember how every Australian became part of that fiasco.

The dispute first divided Australians then united Australians. Enemies became friends - MPs, radio jocks, journos, farmers, city and country.

Australians put aside their differences because the government's tactics appalled them.

For me, personally, the world changed. I was exposed to events that took away my innocence. It opened my eyes and reinforced the commitment that every day is a struggle for the working class to achieve a standard of living those evil men will deny us.

The younger generation should understand they are the future caretakers of history and authors of the future.

Unfortunately a minority in the maritime industry supported John Howard.

Once again my time is coming to a close. I've scored more comebacks than Cassius Clay. In a 40-year career as a battler many struggles have been fought and won all because we stood united.

I was always fortunate and thankful for my life at sea and my comrades who nurtured and supported me.

The John Howards of this world will always be around and history will always repeat itself.

Seafarers and waterside workers have been around for thousands of years. So have evil men - those who think they are above the law and superior to working people.

I stand in awe, mouth agape and cap in hand to all MUA members who put in such a mighty effort to expose and defeat a monster.

The message is clear to all in future. Touch one touch all. In times of peace prepare for battle. Leaders earn respect.

Kerin (Curly) Ross

Life member

The real thugs

The outgoing Howard Government's allegations that trade unionists were a bunch of thugs promoted me to write to the now deputy prime minister Julia Gillard in our defence.

I have been an ALP voter since 1949 and was the Labor candidate for the seat of Maranoa in 1983.

I've worked in heavy industry and in white-collar jobs and was awarded the OAM in 1995.

My experience with my union leads me to take issue with the constant references to union thuggery.

What about the assault on waterside workers by balaclava-clad hoons with Rottweilers in the Patrick dispute or the fact that the Howard Government aided the deaths of 750,000 Iraqis and the creation of four million Iraqi refugees? Talk about thuggery!

Warren Keats OAM

On the campaign trail

MUA members attended a luncheon with former Labor PM Bob Hawke and the federal candidate for Bonner, Kerry Rea at the Wynnum -Manly Rugby Leagues Club on November 15. Bob commented that the only other man who did what Howard did to workers' rights was Adolf Hitler.

Life member

Global solidarity

The MUA Tasmanian branch monthly meeting in December pledged full support to our MUNZ comrades in their struggle in the Port of Napier. We resolved that the perpetrators in the decision to exclude MUNZ from doing stevedoring work in the port be condemned.

MUNZ and MUA, here to stay!

Be strong comrades

The members of Illawarra Stevedores at a stop work meeting in Port Kembla pledge support and send fraternal greetings to our MUNZ comrades in Napier.

The attack on the MUNZ workforce in Napier is another example of capitalist attacks on international unionised maritime workers and will meet with all the resistant at our disposal.

Be strong comrades, the maritime unions united will never be defeated!

The above resolution was moved by Wayne Balmer, seconded by Gary Colwell and unanimously endorsed.

Condemned

The Sydney Branch Executive resolved unanimously at the December monthly meeting that:

This meeting of MUA members sends a strong message of solidarity and support to our fraternal comrades of MUNZ in their dispute in the Port of Napier.

This meeting absolutely condemns the actions of the Port of Napier where it has been reported that the Hawkes Bay Stevedoring Service has been contracted out to a private company which is utilising untrained non-union labour and has done so on reduced wages and conditions.

Actions like this and attacks on workers must be condemned and fought at every opportunity. It is only recently in history that the MUA was in its own struggle with Patrick Stevedores where workers were locked out of their workplace for six weeks because of their membership of our union. The membership's preparedness to maintain the line was one of the key contributory factors in getting a successful outcome for the workers in this long running dispute.

The stance taken by MUNZ and the ITF under strong leadership is to be congratulated and this meeting sincerely wishes you every success in your struggle. We know that you are prepared to go the distance and maintain the fight and the picket line to win on behalf of the workers.

We look forward to hearing of the removal of this non-union labour and the reinstatement of the permanent workforce to their rightful positions.

We hope you can read this out on the picket line. Please give our fraternal greetings to the MUNZ comrades.

Paul Garrett

Assistant Secretary

Sydney Branch MUA

Support

The WA branch of the MUA at its monthly meeting fully supports the rights of MUNZ stevedoring members. We fully endorse your struggle and the campaign in this difficult time.

We pledge our full financial, moral and industrial support where required. We acknowledge the relationship MUNZ and the MUA has had in the past and further commit to your struggle by endorsing from the WA Branch, $3,000 towards your fight.

We further resolve that we need to send our support to the families of these members with Christmas around the corner.

Keep up the good work comrades, we are with you all the way.

On behalf of all officials,

Keith McCorriston

WA Deputy Branch Secretary

MUA

Congratulations

Our congratulations to the dockworkers of Napier on the
 successful settlement of this attack on organised labour by the management
 of the Port of Napier and the rogue stevedore company.

In Unity

Bill Lewis MUNZ delegate

Werner Cohrs MUA delegate

on behalf of MUA/MUNZ crew members

Far Grip

Gratitude

Dear Paddy,

On behalf of MUNZ and its members, we signal extreme gratitude for the amount of work the MUA put into ensuring that every possible effort was made to retain our unionised members in their current employment.

Certainly your role as Chair of the ITF dockworkers section was a significant factor in the successful outcome of the dispute, and highlights the benefits of the work by both yourself and the MUA in achieving this extremely important role.

The deputation of members you supplied so quickly, willingly worked with us 24 hours a day including mediation and radio interviews. This was outstanding. The input of all six was recognised by all as magnificent.

The networking that you facilitated between Frank Leys and Steve Cotton and yourself was invaluable and I am certain made a major contribution to the final victory.

The relief of our local Napier members, both permanent and casual, that their jobs had been saved by standing dedicated on the picket and by the consistent support from our own union, the MUA and the ITF, had to be witnessed.

Some of the casuals were openly crying. It was an extremely emotional occasion.

This dispute was our first major victory against ISO since we beat them out of Port Chalmers when ISO started South Island Subsidiary Mainland Stevedoring. We were not as successful in Bluff where to this day our members still picket ISO whenever they arrive.

Timaru still get them working the occasional log vessel. They also still work Nelson with occasional logs.

The South Island dispute ended less than pretty. We ended up getting injuncted and with a huge damages claim against us.

But ISO finally wrapped up Mainland Stevedores and they never proceeded legally against us.

This dispute has been major morale booster to all our membership in all NZ ports and has shown exactly what international unionism can and does provide in time of attack from industrial predators who give no thought to the social consequences of their monetarist greedy actions.

We agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments that a fast tracked strategy is needed to remove both ISO and other operators who employ people unrecognised by the NZ Council of Trade Unions. Certainly we will ask for your assistance as secretary of the MUA and chair of the dockers section of the ITF in this endeavor.

Trevor Hanson

General Secretary

MUNZ

Generous solidarity

To Kevin Bracken, MUA Victorian branch:

Brothers and sisters, the generous solidarity donation of $3000 from your branch for the Port of Napier dispute is gratefully acknowledged by the Maritime Union of New Zealand.

The good news was passed on this morning to our picket line. The local maritime workers at the Port of Napier were overwhelmed by the magnificent and immediate response to their struggle by the MUA and your branch.

This support will ensure that we can relieve any hardship suffered by the workers at this difficult time of year, especially by casual workers.

The presence of MUA delegates on the picket has also played a major part in giving the all-important message to our Napier members that they are not alone in their struggle. The support and solidarity they have received will be remembered. Any donations will be deposited in a hardship fund administered by the national officials of MUNZ.

White ribbons

The Woman That I Am

I'm writing as one woman who has experienced many terrible things,

Domestic and sexual violence from the beginning of my life;

Until I was old enough to be lost, angry and broken by it all,

Yes my traumatic path made me a hard ground on which to fall.

To falling then rising up out of the ashes of my past,

Slowly but surely I allowed myself to face my awful pain;

Expel it from myself and start my life over again,

With my three sons and husband there for my wild ride of madness.

I dragged myself up and dealt with my demons, one by one;

Today after many years of healing and changing,

Being completely healthy in mind, body and spirit,

I am more than what I was, I stand proud of the woman that I am.

I am now healthy without the shadows of the past haunting me,

I eat, sleep, exercise, I meditate, I can now even heal;

The past was once my teacher, my initiation to who I am now,

I write for the minds and souls of many like myself.

Even ones who work with us learn that we are all,

More magnificent and brilliant than what at first they thought;

As we continue to rise above our past,

We embrace our strength, talents and true shining.

Without being held back, we are more that just survivors,

We are more like heroes who have fought and won;

So here we are and here I am, standing proud and victorious,

The women that we are, the woman that I am.

Leonie G Taylor-Ford

Brisbane

Workers' aid abroad

We the MUA members aboard the FPSO Jabiru Venture offer our vehement support and a donation of $500 for the activities undertaken by APHEDA for workers internationally.

At our monthly meeting onboard, one of our comrades, who attended the June monthly meeting in Melbourne, addressed us on the fantastic presentation. He informed us of the deplorable position taken by Ausaid in reducing its funding to APHEDA. This clear, ideologically driven attack by the former Federal Government on the positive work of the union movement aroused our indignation and a motion was passed unanimously to offer financial assistance from our rolling fund.

This outcome attests to the quality of your address to that meeting and the hard work you are doing to raise awareness of Apheda's essential role. We intend to assist by encouraging crews aboard to raise working and living standards of men and women in the Third World, the predominant victims of the avarice of global capitalism, giving substance to the great slogan "Workers of the world unite". Keep up the good work.

Yours in solidarity

MUA Members

FPSO Jabiru Venture

Thanks Dave

We, past and present MUA crew of the MV Alltrans, wish to convey our gratitude for all the hard work of Dave Perry, Assistant Secretary of the Southeast Queensland Branch, while he held this position.

Dave always worked tirelessly to fight for our conditions, and we realise that he always went out of his way for the benefit of members.

Thank you comrade, may your future be rewarding and happy, enjoying time you can now spend with your children. Happy Trails.

MUA Crew

MV Alltrans

MV Noongah

The Australian coastal vessel MV Noongah foundered in a severe gale approx 12n.m. bearing NE from Smoky Cape on 25 August 1969. Of her 26 crew, 21 perished and five were rescued in perilous conditions.

A plaque has been placed at the beautiful small picnic area at the base of the lighthouse. It is a very picturesque location for the plaque as well as being very relevant to the area. Hopefully it will help ingrain the Noongah into our maritime heritage.

As well as the plaque, a detailed documentation of the sinking has been placed at the Boatman's Cottage, which is a small maritime museum as well as an arts and craft shop at South West Rocks, the town nearest the lighthouse.

Regrettably it is very difficult to be able to personally inform relatives and friends of this little memento, as it happened so long ago, but hopefully this notice will help in some way.

Merchant Navy Day

Merchant Navy Day is now Labor Party policy. Both Steve Whylie and myself wish to thank the MUA for their tremendous support in achieving the results of this campaign so far.

Bill Andrews

Ron Whylie

854 death toll

Max Bergamini and I went to Canberra in October for the Annual Memorial Service held at the National Merchant Navy War Memorial Kings Park. Reverend Ian Potter, Missions to Seafarers, led the service.

The British High Commissioner Her Excellency Helen Liddell gave a very moving address. She emphasised the horrors of war Australian merchant seamen endured and the many brave seamen who never returned to their families.

Governor General, his Excellency, Sir William Deane first unveiled the Merchant Navy role of honour at the Australian War Memorial in October 1998. It shows 673 Australian merchant mariners lost their lives on 192 ships in WWII and 181 Australian merchant mariners lost their lives on 71 ships in WWI.

Bill Heath

Life Member:

Bowing out

Jan Hendriksen, a Sydney home porter, first ventured to sea as a deck boy in 1960 aboard the passenger vessel Wanganella on the New Zealand run. Since that time he has travelled far and wide on ships of various types and flags following his calling as a seafarer. His last vessel was the MV Pioneer.

MUA members aboard the Pioneer presented Jan with a couple of items to remember his time in the industry. They were a ship's wheel and a miniature barrel, both suitably engraved. The wheel is to help Jan keep on course and the barrel to fill with something in case of an emergency!

Jan will take up a position as 'captain' of a ferry on the northern rivers. So if you are passing that way and wish to renew an old friendship do not hesitate.

We wish Jan the best of luck in his retirement and his new adventure.

Lost Cadet

Comrade Dean, please find enclosed a cheque of $100 for the Lost Cadet Fund. As the leaflet explains, it is a very worthwhile and necessary cause to assist the family of Paula.

Keep up the good work in the ITF.

Yours in Unity

John Dunn

No. 6000157

Recently retired after 51 years in the SUA-MUA

Thanks to officials

Members on board the NWS Sanderling would like to express our gratitude to MUA officials Rick Newlyn, Chris Cain and Paul Garret for attending the ship in Whitnel Bay, to discuss the new EBA and the transition from TK to Shell Trident, the federal election and protection of Australian seafarers jobs.

Special thanks to Paul Garret for attending our meeting and helping to facilitate dialogue with Peter French and John Evans from ALSOC about specific items in the EBA, to bring it into line with the recent advances in the TK tankers agreement.

Yours in unity,

Greg Wade

Scott Campbell

David Wilkinson

Cape Don

The old lighthouse tender MV Cape Don is moored at the old coal loader wharf in Sydney, and is being restored by a mob of volunteers with the ultimate dream that she will one day return to active duty as a humanitarian aid ship.

MUA members may be interested to know that after the ship was sold by AMSA back in 1998, she had a very chequered career via a number of owners, all splendidly unsuccessful. In 2003 she was purchased by a lawyer from Canberra who, being an incorrigible dreamer, immediately donated her to the Cape Don Society - thereby forming a charitable organisation which has about 250 members nationwide.

The Cape Don Society, as well as having the vision of operating as a mercy ship, has other related aims such as using the vessel to establish desalination plants for remote communities, whilst remaining available as a museum ship open to the public when not on active duty.

Interest is slowly gathering momentum. Recognising the ship's status as an endorsed public museum, the local council has included Cape Don in their plans for recreation facilities at Balls Head Reserve, and has given Cape Don the use of offices in a historic building adjacent to the wharf.

Donations have come from a variety of sources - a surgeon has donated an operating theatre and Wattyl has donated 40 tons of top quality paint, to name just two. Also, P&O Maritime Services are about to freight a fully operational Inmarsat-B terminal to the Cape Don free of charge.

On board ship, the machinery is all in fair to good condition and is slowly being refurbished piece by piece. Shore power will soon be available (courtesy of HPM, I believe). This will avoid the need to run onboard generators - the expense of which is already being minimised by using bio fuel mixed by the society members.

The accommodation has been cleaned up very nicely. Fresh water is supplied direct from shore. The bar, lounges and dining areas are fully operational and cabins nearly all restored to their former condition.

Back in 1979-80 I served as a radio officer on the Cape Don, and my own particular purpose is to restore the radio room to its former condition.

When I first stepped on board, I was dismayed at the general state of affairs and I must confess to a moment of doubt. The door had been jimmied open, splintering the timber, and much of the radio gear had been brutally ripped out by thieves. Books and documents were falling apart due to water damage, drawers had been smashed in the R/Os sleeping cabin (a cubby hole off the radio room), deckhead trim was lying about and so on.

Anyway, it's a lot better now, and I am starting to move out onto the deck. And that is why I am writing this letter.

The decks are 10 times worse than the radio room was, and I could do with some advice. Actually a bosun and four AB's would come in handy too. Seriously though, there's no-one here who has really done much of this sort of thing before and anyone with experience would be a great help, even if it's just yarning about old rust-buckets that may have been a part of one's past.

This is an appeal for volunteers. It is quite possible to visit the ship for a free conducted tour as a bona fide visitor but, for insurance reasons, only Society members can perform work on the vessel, and voluntary work at that. But the membership is only $20, and there are some benefits. For example, sleeping cabins are available free of charge. Breakfast and lunch can be supplied for $2.50 and dinner for $12.50 (weekends, but maybe other times too).

Quite a few people tend to sleep over on weekends. Some come up from Canberra on Friday night and go back on Sunday. Two former Cape Don crew members come over from Perth for a couple of weeks each year for a working holiday. Others are locals from Sydney who do not want to drive home that night (there may be a reason for this - Cape Don now has its own irresistible wine label).

If there is anyone curious enough to want to see these jaw-dropingly rusty old decks, perhaps to help us refurbish, or maybe simply augment a day trip to Balls Head Reserve with a family ship visit, please either email r_mcmanamon@hotmail.com or call my mobile 0403-505-742.

Better still, contact my oppo John Walker, another ex-radio officer: jewalker@ozemail.com.au/0408 162 811. He is always available to arrange visits, whereas I still routinely go to sea.

Travel via public transport is by bus or train to Waverton station. On leaving the station, turn left and an easy 10-minute walk will take you to the entrance to Balls Head Reserve. The Cape Don can be found through a car park entrance on your right and down two flights of steps. There is a lot more information, newsletters and so on, at the website mvcapedonsociety.org.au for anyone who is interested.

Best regards to all MUA members who have been shipmates of mine in the past - hope we get to meet again sometime.

Bob McManamon

Southern Supporter