National Conference

Around 300 MUA rank and file delegates, councillors, guests and international delegations from the Pacific, America and Asia will converge on Sydney for the week long MUA National Conference on March 15.

Opposition leader Mark Latham has been invited open conference as have guest speakers include ITF General Secretary David Cockroft and ACTU Secretary Greg Combet. Afternoons are reserved for delegates working in committees and workshops.

National Secretary Paddy Crumlin has called on branches to finalise delegate participation, ensuring that all industries are properly represented.

"Conference is essential to the development of positive and progressive policies to further the interest of all members of our Union," he said. "International and national guests will help us establish a strong platform of workers rights in the face of the escalating attacks from global capital. Strong unions rely on strong democratic involvement of all members and the National Conference is fundamental to this involvement."

Branches are organising nominations and elections from each area, including stevedoring (bulk and general, terminals, grain/coal) blue water, offshore, divers, hydrocarbon, towage, linesmen, ferries, port authorities and pilotage.

Total delegates will be 158 rank and file, plus 30 national councillors, 19 delegates to the National Veteran's Association and 22 for the MUA National Women's Conference to be held the same week.

Guests have been invited from the UK, USA, Canada, China, Vietnam, Vanuatu, East Timor, PNG, Indonesia, Japan, Sweden, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

Rather than just listing a log of claims, conference delegates will focus on strategies to deal with future challenges, organising, growing the union, enterprise negotiations, job security, finances, global solidarity, indigenous rights, industrial and political campaigns such as Australian shipping and the upcoming federal elections.

A launch for the late Tas Bull's new book will take place on Monday and a dinner will be held on the Wednesday. On the final day of conference delegates will report back with resolutions and strategies for endorsement.