Maritime Diary

By National Secretary Paddy Crumlin

Howard's Way

Another term for the Liberal/National Party. More Liberal than National, however. It's nice stuff to trot out to win government though. It's fortress Australia with Australians waiting for the next wave of Afghan terrorists to storm the beaches between Port Hedland and Wyndham, so that they can infiltrate our great way of life and bring it down. Nice one, John Howard.

He should spend a few days squatting in the fo'c'sle of the rotten, filthy leaking boats owned by crooks and surrounded by desperately anxious, sick and battered families, who have spent their last razoo in an almost suicidal leap for freedom from appalling political and economic deprivation. He might learn a bit about himself and life. But trips like that don't win elections.

The union spent a large part of the money raised by members through the levy to highlight the appalling hypocrisy of this bloke's racism while he actively conspires to import guest labour into domestic industry to replace Australian seafarers. Our election strategy was to highlight the issue of shipping and the ongoing campaign by the Howard Government to attack our members' right to work. He started with wharfies at Patrick and moved on to seafarers.

All members who understand that without putting up a fight and getting our message out we will lose the battle, donated unselfishly and willingly to the levy.

Labor Mugs

Notwithstanding that commitment by members, there was criticism of the Labor Party, particularly their stance on the Tampa and refugees which was indistinguishable from the Libs. Some of the state governments haven't helped too much either.

They are mugs then to lose the election, one where many workers and unions strived extraordinarily hard to remove the Howard Government, and then have a few of their lesser lights come out and apportion some blame for the defeat on union involvement in the party.

Say what? Unions were not even an election issue. Workers formed the party. Workers have supported the party since then. Workers form unions separately to protect their industrial as well as their political interests. This trust and support has been stretched to the limit at times, as maritime workers well know.

If the ALP wants to go in another direction, good luck to them. We'll bid them farewell and get on with the job of protecting our interests and our families and supporting people who support us.

John Howard knows how important the working class vote and unions are to the ALP, that is why he is driving a wedge in there. However, there are some nitwits in the ALP who seemingly only want to react to Howard's agenda. Fortunately, Simon Crean clearly indicated he was not one of them at ACTU Executive. I sincerely hope he remains of this mindset, or another rooster may end up a feather duster.

Below the Belt

Talking about roosters, Allan Fels and the ACCC have landed a couple of kidney chops in their latest prosecution of the MUA.

The villainy? Workers fighting for their right to clean hatches when cargoes are discharged in Australia. It's apparently the crime of the century that we ensure Australian workers and taxpayers do the job in our their country. We have always done it safely, efficiently under Australian regulations and standards.

It seems the ACCC is aiding and abetting shonky ship owners employing non-union labour who often work under Third World conditions with no regulatory control. Yet they let this cleaning be done by shore workers in most other overseas ports.

The union's political and legal levy also directed money to fight this case, and probably to appeal the judgement against us. All maritime workers have a right to work and the levy was directed at ensuring that. Touch one touch all -- that's unionism to be proud of.

Good News

ONE big victory of note that's come to hand is news that the Charleston 5 have been vindicated. Longshore workers in the US won a big victory for workers' rights in November, after charges for rioting and conspiracy against the wharfies known as the Charleston Five were dropped. These brave men lived under the threat of prison hanging over their heads for almost two years -- just for defending their jobs (See MWJ, September, 2001).

It was a sweet victory for all five workers Kenneth Jefferson, Peter Washington, Ricky Simmons, Jason Edgerton, Elijah Ford, and their union the ILA-- a victory that the Maritime Union, the ILWU and through the International Transport Workers' Federation dockworkers of the world were all barracking for.

Renewed Year's Resolution

It's been a big 12 months in the job. We've got a new membership system in place, and the new website is nearly up and running, both of which will keep members up-to-date and informed in ways never seen before. We're implementing a solid plan for the union to continue to struggle for better lives for maritime workers and keep our union financially secure to underpin that struggle.

We've had many rank and file members travel to the USA, Cuba, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Korea to build a stronger international support network. And most importantly, we are ready for the next stage of training and restructuring which will strengthen the involvement of the delegates and members in our union.

It's tough political and economic times and likely to get tougher, but good people share and that is the MUA.

I wish all members, retired members, officers, staff and their families a happy, healthy and loving Christmas and New Year.