Mailbag

Gary Bell (left) with Laurie Horgan, Kevin (Skinny) Paskins, Robert Barnes and Lara Watson

In Mackay, Central Queensland, on August 25, the local Your Rights at Work team staged a Battle of the Bands competition titled "Rock Off Johnny" in an effort to gain the attention of the region's young people.

Anti Howard Squad

Putting on live local rock'n'roll bands also provided a subtle way of informing young people that their rights at work were being eroded by WorkChoices.

Five bands competed in the school section and 11 bands lined up for the open section.

In the lead up to the competition local federal National Party MP, De-Anne Kelly, wrote to Mackay and regional secondary schools alleging the schools were being politicised if students competed with the school's blessing.

She demanded that no bias be perceived and suggested an appearance at a National Party function of her choosing would restore the balance - unlike the balance, we the workers demand in the workplace!

Her embarrassing outburst was roundly condemned in the local media, but through her tantrum De-Anne gave us a mile of free publicity. The night was a great success and there were certainly some talented musicians on display to entertain the large crowd.

The Dawson yr@w team would like to acknowledge the generosity of the membership of the CFMEU (Mining Division), Jim Valery (CFMEU), the professionalism of sponsor Mackay Music, the Maritime Workers' of Australia Credit Union, the Maritime Union of Australia and the Mackay branch of the Queensland Council of Unions.

In staging "Rock Off Johnny", Lara Watson, the yr@w coordinator in the electorate of Dawson, was the driving force and her ability to organise is a constant source of aggravation to De-Anne Kelly. Lara is a credit to the CFMEU (Mining Division). But no event can proceed without volunteers and these people were easily recognised by their Anti-Howard Squad blue shirts. They were all our rank and file, partners, relatives and Labor Party members.

The yr@w stickers and wristbands were a big hit with the youth. It is up to you, the individual, to inform workmates, friends and family to then educate others that John Howard has put legislation in place to erode workplace rights and conditions.

The results from the Battle of the Bands were:

School section:

1st - Tie Broken Compass/These Three Rules (T3R)

Open section:

1st - Rolled for 20.

Join the campaign to give the lying little rodent the arse because your rights at work are worth fighting and voting for.

Gary Bell

Mackay Tugs

Union No: 1118

Maintain the rage

Although Howard is flyblown, remember he's sufficiently desperate, immoral and resourceful to concoct a scheme to keep him in power. We must maintain the rage to ensure that he, along with the equally odious Costello and Abbott, go.

Concerned member

IR Laws

We wrote the following letter to the Shadow IR Minister Julia Gillard:

We, the members of the MUA Veterans' Association, welcome the statement by Mr Rudd on the TV program "Meet the Press" listing the changes he will enact to the current IR laws should his party win government. But we note that the changes are limited and make the following observations:

1. The Labor Party is the political arm of the trade union movement and whilst party policy needs to be shaped to winning the election, great care should be taken not to 'short change' on the issues.

2. The ACTU is waging a vibrant campaign on these obnoxious IR laws, stressing the need for a political solution, advocating the election of a Labor government, thus creating an expectation in voters that a Labor government will correct the legislation. The party's credibility is on the line.

3. My association rejects the concept of obligatory secret ballots having to be conducted prior to taking industrial action, and asserts that the 'Right to Strike' should be fully protected by a Labor government. Further that all facets of legislation designed to penalise individual workers and/or their union, aimed at curtailing that right, should be removed (The 'Right to Strike' is recognised by the International Labor Organisation to which Australia is a signatory).

4. We hold that any worker UNFAIRLY sacked, seeking redress, should have access to an impartial tribunal to hear the appeal.

Lastly, we recommend an ongoing dialogue be initiated between the ALP and ACTU.

B. Hounslow - Secretary

R. Munn - President

Port Adelaide Veteran's Association MUA

MUA Victory

I am writing to congratulate the MUA and in particular its officers and members at Port Kembla on the successful outcome of the dispute with CSL regarding the unloading of the MV Capo Noli (see MWJ, Winter). Retaining the work for stevedores was an important and welcome outcome for MUA members.

As affiliates of the ITF, we are very much aware of the importance of this issue, not only in Australia but also in other ports throughout the world. At the same time we do not, for a moment, think that issues such as this are confined to particular unions or a particular class of employees. Underneath these issues and driving them is the appetite of employers for power and control in the workplace. As such, this victory can only assist and encourage workers elsewhere who face similar issues, whilst letting employers know that workers are capable of and will defend their rights and interests.

Once again, MUA members have done the Australian union movement proud. It shows what a combination of dedication, determination, tenacity and the knowledge that what you are doing is right, can bring about.

Andrew Thomas

Acting National Secretary

Rail Tram and Bus Union

Congratulations comrades

MUA members aboard the FPSO Front Puffin wish to congratulate all officials recently elected in our union elections.

Members are aware of the demands of the positions you have been elected to and will strive to ensure that our officials are given every assistance to enable them to continue defending the rights of working class people in the maritime industry both nationally and internationally.

We wish to commend all outgoing officials for their time, efforts and dedication not only to the MUA but the union movement generally.

We are a proud union, with a proud history of democratically electing our officials from our rank and file and the participation in the recent election is a great reflection of that.

In Unity

MUA members

FPSO Front Puffin

Comrade Dave

MUA crew on board MT Barrington would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Dave Perry for the years of hard work that he has given to the members and the Southern Queensland Branch.

Over the years not only have you become close friends to many MUA members on Barrington, but you also went into bat on numerous occasions to protect our conditions in these trying and unforgiving industrial times. You have always shown compassion and helped many members with their personal needs, while always adding a sense of humour to lighten things up.

Also we would like to welcome our new officials to the front line and know that they will pick up where previous officials have left off.

We wish you all the best for the future

Darrel Baker

MT Barrington

Union No 5664

1st woman

Thank you to all the comrades who gave me their support by voting for me in the recent MUA elections. I really appreciate the fact that 289 members of our union had enough faith in me to represent them. I will not forget their kind thoughts and best wishes throughout the election process. To receive 15 per cent of the vote was a great achievement for the first woman to run for this position in our union. I am sure I will not be the last woman to "put her hand up" and the next one might just win.

Once again thank you all so much.

Lorraine Ryan

Union No: 4000375.

Well done

We MUA members on board Lewek Emerald would like to show our thanks to union officials for work well done on the agreement on the LNG trade and your ongoing commitment to keeping our merchant navy afloat.

On behalf of the crew

Colin Moss

Union No 3644

A Sad End to an Era

I've just had the pleasure of working aboard one of the best-known coastal ships on our coast but unfortunately old age has caught up with the "Big O".

Over the past 27 years the MV Ormiston has carried over 14 million tones of gypsum and over seven million tones of sugar around the Australian coastline.

Tuesday, June 12 was a sad day as we walked down the gangway for the last time, at a lay up berth in Geelong.

Over the last couple of months, we the crew, have worked very hard to let everybody know that 34 crew members have lost their Australian jobs and an icon on this coast was finishing up and being replaced by a foreign ship. But on a great note, I am very proud of all our members for sticking fat when the going got a bit tough. I would especially like to thank the SA branch, secretary Kevin Bracken from the Victorian Branch and Warren Smith in Sydney for all your time and efforts put into the "Big O". All the crew's social funds have been divided up three ways - $989 to both Brisbane and Sydney and $985 to Melbourne. For all who have sailed on the "Big O" it is the end of an era.

Smooth sailing comrades

G Gardiner 3788

CIR

Down the gangway

On Thursday, July 26, the crowd tied up MV Kowulka at the Colmsie Sugar Berth in Brisbane and walked down the gangway for the last time due to the vessel being put up for sale.

It was also farewell to long time bosun John (Trebs) Trebilco, who was given an appropriate send off.

Part of the Kowulka fighting funds went to start up the rolling fund and shop on the Wakmatha with the rest being given to the Brisbane branch to go towards the MUA fighting fund.

Delegates

Kowulka

Shame comrades

As a proud seafarer, who like most of us once upon a time followed our fathers and uncles to sea and were brought up around the ships and union activities, I have to go on record and state my absolute disgust at the total lack of participation from our members in some recent Port Kembla/Wollongong marches.

It's hard to comprehend what people are thinking these days when we are in a political climate feeling the full force of John Howard's industrial relations legislation and with a federal election looming around the corner.

Yet not one other seafarer, apart from the retired ones, was at the May Day march this year.

I could be mistaken but as the total number of people marching was very low across the board and our members were almost non-existent, it wasn't hard to pick out our crowd.

Thank Christ for our MUA veterans. The Port Kembla Branch gave the MUA contingent enough people to carry our banners. It's hard to fathom people's thinking, as it is only one day a year and a very important day for all working class people. Its significance must never be allowed to fall. I have had a gutful of the so-called seamen, who do nothing for the betterment of our industry, our union and our futures.

These are the same people you hear gloating about the wages they are getting or the bonus and shares they receive without even thinking about the contribution the union made in getting these things that they worship so much.

Members have to understand the history of our organisation and the monumental struggles that the union has been involved in so that we, the current crop of seafarers who take everything for granted, haven't had to fight for any conditions such as wages, single berth cabins, leave, good facilities and good food, as it has always been there since we joined our very first ship. Some of us think we are having a bad trip if we don't have a signal on our mobile phones.

The lack of participation in union business is disgusting and I won't cop people saying that they don't attend stop work meetings or other union activities because they don't like someone else or that they have kids now.

We owe everything we are getting today to the Maritime Union of Australia. So, I encourage all members to sit back and think about our industry, our future and our children's future and ask yourself if you could do any more to support the union. People must remember it was the earlier generations of seamen who gave everything to our industry so the next people coming through, could enjoy a shipboard life our forefathers could only dream about.

At the end of the day it is pretty simple - get involved and have a go before it's too late and we lose the lot.

For the people who think this can't happen, you only have to look at the British merchant navy of the 50s and 60s and the thousands of blokes who shipped out compared to today to see if it could happen here.

People must remember that any organisation or team is only as good as the people in it. That means that everyone must be accountable and put their hands up and have a go and put something back. It's time to get real, get involved, and take a role.

I will finish by quoting the great E.V. Elliot, former Secretary of the Seamen's Union of Australia 1941-1978 (for the benefit of the people asking, E.V. who?): "That as good unionists, seamen and delegates, it is our role and duty to leave the job better than we found it."

He must be turning in his grave - GET ON COURSE!

John "Madge" McGartland

Port Kembla Proud

Union No 9902

We're not Bastard Boys

Now that some of the dust has settled, after the showing of the ABC docu-drama Bastard Boys , it is worthwhile looking at some of the more pertinent and useful issues.

It should be acknowledged that the events of 1998 deserve to be recognised in our cultural outlets. In fact more of our industrial/labour history should be told and celebrated. For example movies like, Sunday Too Far Away and Underground put other periods of our labour history on to celluloid in a dramatic fashion.

The MUA 1998 waterfront dispute was indeed a watershed event that goes to the heart of the Howard Government's anti-union, anti-worker vendetta that began in earnest in 1996 and is ongoing.

Did Bastard Boys do the events of 1998 justice? We have seen some of the personalities involved in 1998 go public recently to express concern about how they were portrayed.

The Australian union movement is at an historic crossroads in terms of its coverage and comparative relevance in a fast changing world. The lessons of 1998 are important for moving forward.

The waterfront dispute was characterised by three main factors in my view - the political aspect, the industrial/community mobilisation aspect and the legal aspect.

By far the most important during those heady days of January-May 1998 was the mass public support for the MUA. Waterfront workers had been demonised by the conservative forces for years. But the use of balaclava-wearing goons, guard dogs and mass sackings did not go over well with the public at large. These actions by Corrigan, supported by the Howard Government, were seen for what they were - undemocratic and un-Australian. It was class war.

The MUA were legally put between a rock and a hard place. They didn't wish to fall for Corrigan's trick and take action themselves, although they sorely wanted to. Instead they called on the rest of the trade union movement and the wider public to lend a hand. They came out in droves.

The Bastard Boys dramatisation does little justice to the many months of mobilisation of these forces. Many of the community protest/picket scenes on TV looked thin on the ground and didn't do some of the front line events justice.

In 2005 the producers came to the VTHC and flagged that they may need help in organising 'hundreds and hundreds' of extras for such scenes when filming started in 2006.

But when the time came unions were given very little notice to get people there. This in itself illustrated a key flaw in Bastard Boys. More emphasis was given to small meetings of "key players".

Bastard Boys didn't give much of a flavour of the national activity involving a concentrated effort by the union movement and its community allies.

Trades Hall and its affiliates were told early in the piece two things by the MUA - we must blockade and hold East Swanston Dock at all costs and we must do it peacefully.

Similarly, the docu-drama didn't show how the Federal Government, through Reith and Howard, personally pushed the Victorian Liberal Kennett Government to use the Victoria police to smash the protest lines. This is a crucial point, as Howard didn't dare use the Federal Police or the army.

While the legal cases dragged on, Corrigan knew he needed to have a breakthrough on the ground. In other words, he needed a fait accompli before the law ran its course. He appealed every decision in an attempt to give himself time to do this. The MUA knew this. In Victoria the VTHC ran daily meetings at the MUA offices at 4pm, of all unions and community groups. These meetings were crucial in terms of organising basic issues like food supplies and maintaining rosters, right up to assessing both morale and a flow of "intelligence" coming in from a surprising range of sources.

Besides the ANF, there was also a high level of involvement of unions like the SPSF, AEU, NTEU, TCFUA, ASU and health unions, who joined the construction and manufacturing unions in a broad alliance that didn't falter. In Melbourne a massive, 24 hour, seven days a week phone tree was created with many hundreds of names and contacts on it.

Trades Hall had its police liaison committee that met almost daily with representatives of Victoria Police Command, the sole aim being to keep the peace down at the docks.

The Kennett government and its ministers pressed the Chief Commissioner to attack the peaceful assemblies as the law of access and egress to East Swanston Dock was being broken. For weeks and weeks the view of Victoria Police was that as long as there was no violence against those inside the fence and that peace in general was maintained, why should they create a situation that could turn violent immediately?

Peter Reith was hysterical and told Kennett, McNamara and McGrath to get on with it.

The leadership of the union/community mass pickets was aware of this pressure and constantly strived to maintain discipline. Everyday MUA Victorian official John Higgins would drum this discipline into the peaceful assembly. It was hard work. It went on for many weeks.

Revealing the dirty tricks of Corrigan in the federal parliament, taking the Howard/Patricks/banks conspiracy against the MUA to the Federal Court and through to the High Court, were important actions to take. But the overall battle was won by thousands of rank and file trade unionists and an equal number of community members, who felt if Howard succeeded in deunionising the country's waterfront, what would he do next?

When the Victoria Police did finally mobilise for a "showdown" in the early hours, the phone tree was activated. The canceling of police leave 24 hours earlier was a poorly kept secret. Some politicians blamed the "leak" on the Victorian Police Association, which had a live application to affiliate with Victorian Trades Hall Council at the time.

The engaged and ever growing peaceful assembly linked arms. The police moved up in a disciplined fashion and stayed in place a long time. The dawn came and so did the building workers who had marched off city projects without starting work. They came down to East Swanson Dock in force. The union-police liaison committee was working hard. The police left. No one was provoked. No one provoked. Peter Reith was hopping mad. He had the nerve to call it a "conspiracy" after all he had been up to.

When the legal processes finally ran their course it was worth all the freezing nights and the hours, days and weeks of watching and waiting for something to happen. The scene in Bastard Boys where the banks tell Corrigan they have given him enough time to do his dirty work was very revealing. Even Howard and Reith couldn't turn that around.

When it came time for the return to work, the management tried to have the MUA workers go through a small turnstile one at a time. It was at night; thousands and thousands of people had turned up for the triumphant re-entry. The TV cameras and bright lights were everywhere.

The union marshals said "no" - the MUA workforce was going back in with dignity. The police stepped back from the big gate that had been heavily barricaded for weeks. It was all cleared away and the gate was swung open wide - the MUA members marched back in en masse. It was one of those moments. You had to be there.

Brian Boyd

Secretary

Victoria Trades Hall

Gripping

I can't recall if I had expressed how much I enjoyed Bastard Boys, in particular Colin Friel's performance. I can only imagine the many hearts-in-thoughts stirred again by this gripping and brilliant program.

Gary Deirmendjian

Sydney sculptor

Couldn't Resist

Now that Bastard Boys has been screened, I am not quite sure about my part as portrayed and wonder if it added anything to the overall story. Also the chronology was all wrong. There was some local interest with talkback on ABC radio. I did not resist ringing in and giving my spin particularly attacking the suggestion of ABC bias and in particular the timing of the screening date. They replayed part of this several times during the day and I was then contacted by Stateline leading to my wife Wendy and I doing an interview. My message was the war goes on and little Johnny is the workers' enemy. It may also just end up all puff.

I do not know how many copies of the DVD the local ABC shop here in Canberra had but I just purchased the last two copies and it was reported as selling well. While in Melbourne last week I was given a copy of your MUA magazine Autumn edition with the sections about the program. Looked great.

Best regards

Derek Corrigan

Canberra

Human factor

The key to success in business is not merely to provide tools and equipment. Of course we all want good tools and equipment but what really matters is the person using the tools and equipment.

It is "the human being" that counts, not just the machine. The equipment and the worker are a team. The best of equipment in the world is useless unless the men and women using it are well trained and have a feeling of purpose.

One of the chief factors in business today is not only cost cutting and out-sourcing capabilities but also the human factor. Some businesses class their equipment and raw materials as their assets, but the workers are the greatest asset. A business has at its disposal so called human material, what it can make of it will depend entirely on management

The workforce is not only a collection of individuals with tools and equipment. The real strength in a work force is moral and mutual confidence between management and the worker, especially senior management.

If the approach to the worker is cold and impersonal you achieve nothing but if you can gain the confidence and trust in the worker and they feel their best interests are safe in your hands you have a priceless possession and the greatest achievements are possible.

Jambo

Stevedore Port Kembla

Escape from AWA-land

I'm writing to you from "AWA-land" in a remote corner of Australia. I work on Koolan Island and would like to give you a brief insight to the pay and conditions you can all look forward to unless we stop the Howard rot.

Aztec Resources operates a hematite mine on the island and has hired BGC as its primary contractor along with a couple of other small anti-union companies. These companies have had a free rein to dictate rights, pay and conditions of the workforce - all carried out with the most shameless double standards and hypocrisy.

For instance, it's common for workers on mine sites to be immediately sacked if they're involved in any kind of fight, no ifs or buts. Except if you happen to be the son of one of the contractors, despite being witnessed by the whole camp mess!

The lack of a union means poor safety, despite the tenacious efforts of companies like BHP and Rio Tinto to disguise it. This problem is no more obvious than on Koolan Island because of its isolated location.

Take this example:

In September, one of the contractors was half way through building the crushing plant. An earth ramp was prepared to enable a 100 tonne crane to get into position. Prior to the lift, the advanced rigger in charge of the operation approached the supervisor with safety concerns. He did not believe that the ramp was suitable and refused to take responsibility for the lift and advised others to get out of the area.

No one listened and the lift went ahead. After the lift was raised the earth platform gave way and the crane's tracks sank quickly at the front end. Fortunately the load came to rest on the heavy steel beams of the conveyor modules. It was a frightening moment and only sheer luck prevented bloodshed.

The company machines immediately went into a damage control huddle. A memo was sent to everyone advising that no cameras were allowed into the area. The rigger was flown off the island the next day. Two days later the Mines Department conducted their investigation, claiming that nothing wrong had been done.

So why didn't the crane operator support his rigger and refuse to lift the load? It's a combination of fear, ignorance and inexperience. The rip-em-off and stitch-em-up approach encourages this culture. Like any anti-union company they try to choose people who they think will toe the line. They also choose people from rural areas who probably think getting $450 per week on the horror shift stacking the shelves at Coles or Woollies is good money. In any case once you've signed your AWA, the employer just says, "If you don't like it, get another job".

The frustration and sense of helplessness after witnessing dozens of cases like the one I described, drove us to a dispute. Of course these days are different to a decade ago. There's a shit load of rules now, the main one being that nobody stops work except the elected representative. Of course the rules also allow the company to say to the representative, "Get back to work and we'll get back to you later".

We're fortunate enough to now be working under an MUA negotiated EBA. We are well treated on our section of the site and take home about three times the pay of others still living in AWA-land. We were lucky that it only took a short dispute and not too much fuss.

We have to stop this Howard-capitalist type of rot from becoming the norm in Australia. The Labor Party may be the lesser of two evils but we have to throw Howard out at the next election. If we do this and start fighting back then we can turn things around. If we don't, everything our predecessors fought for will be lost.

Dooley

MUA delegate & rigger/crane driver

First published in the WA Branch newspaper Rank & File Voice

Different workplaces,

similar issues

My seafarer husband is a proud IR on the Goliath.

The recent chain of events surrounding the sale of the Goliath and other bulk carriers and the attempt to replace the Australian crew with foreign workers is nothing short of a disgrace.

Attempts to erode the conditions of employment and disempower workers will continue in all industries while those in power pander to the interests of big business.

Without organisations such as the MUA workers are at the mercy of ruthless employers who have little regard for or interest in the wealth of skill and experience of their employees.

As a member of the health union in recent times I have been exposed to disputes around health and safety, staffing levels, excessive workloads and a general attack on conditions of employment like never before. There have been attempts to employ foreign workers under the guise of skill shortages - but it was merely a move towards individual contracts.

Workplaces may be different but many of the issues my seafarer husband reports on are not that far removed from my own workplace.

My union colleagues have shown much interest in the recent Goliath dispute resulting in greater understanding of the difficulties in the shipping industry and the vulnerabilities of ordinary working people.

Union members of all industries have a responsibility to educate others (unionised or not) about current events and promote the concept that unions remain relevant to all workers.

I commend the MUA in the recent Goliath negotiations particularly the way they supported my seafarer husband who spent several weeks in an employment "abyss" after being made redundant by Cementco.

A mockery of democracy

Lying is an art form. When it refers to vulnerable children it tugs at our heartstrings. Lies like "children overboard", along with the Tampa saga of 2001, are used to get a political result at election time.

Anger at the Government's GST was deflected and dumped onto vulnerable people with no power - refugees. We were told that desperate people, fleeing tyranny and persecution, arriving here in leaky boats posed a threat to our security. Enough people believed the lie for long enough to get Prime Minister John Howard re-elected.

Fast forward to 2007. Another election looms. How many lies will be told this election season? Who will be the target groups this time? Few people now believe that refugees are a threat to national security.

The pain of laws that leave workers vulnerable to exploitation under the guise of "WorkChoices" may get the Howard Government sacked. Women on low wages with dependent children are the hardest hit. Many children are trapped between false expectations created by television advertising and the harsh reality of life when there is not enough money to meet basic needs - let alone the comforts many middle class people take for granted. The tensions this creates inside families ricochets through the rafters.

This cruel dynamic, the legacy of an unequal society, blights the lives of hundreds of thousands of families, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal. Many families are worse off after 11 years of a Howard Government that claims to care about children. The scene is set for another political ambush. In the space of nine days hundreds of pages of ground-breaking legislation were bulldozed through Parliament under the guise of a "new" emergency.

The Northern Territory National Emergency Response Bill was introduced into Parliament on Tuesday, August 7, forced through the lower house and bounced into the Senate the following day. In his second reading speech Mal Brough, Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, declared that this and related bills were "all about the safety and well being of children".

For years the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission campaigned for funds to implement child abuse prevention strategies. The government responded with more funding cuts and then axed the commission.

The five Bills, when passed into law following Royal assent by the Governor-General will:

• Impose a government dictatorship on 73 Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory

• Take over control of Aboriginal owned land

• Deny Aboriginal people in the targeted communities any say over whether their land will be leased or the terms under which it will be leased

• Give the Commonwealth Government power to monitor the activities and seize assets of organisations providing services in the targeted communities. Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal organisations will be subject to interference in the name of "micro-management".

• Give the government power to send Australian Defense Force soldiers into the targeted communities to assist police with enforcement of unjust laws and a legislative lever for reoccupation of Aboriginal lands by force of arms.

Within nine days the clock was turned back on 35 years of progress. Under the new laws native title rights will be suspended for five years and so will Part II of the Racial Discrimination Act. This Act outlaws discrimination on the basis of race and provides for equality before the law, equal rights to land, housing and other accommodation and to t