Published: 5 May 2015
The MUA is ramping up its Our Coast. Our Fuel. Our Security. campaign and requires the support of all members and friends. See this joint statement from Assistant National Secretaries Ian Bray and Warren Smith:
Dear Comrades,
We write to you to ask for your participation in a campaign to help save a seafarer. It’s easy and everybody can get involved. We can make a statement while not not even making a huge contribution. We can actually have an impact upon corporate power around a range of issues that mean so much, to so many.
The crew of the Australian crewed tanker British Loyalty are about to be dumped for a crew that could be paid as little as $2 a day. The safer Australian crewed and regulated vessel will be replaced by Flag of Convenience (FOC) and other miscellaneous threats to our coastline, our fuel security, our trade and the environment.
In saving a seafarer you get to make a contribution to the following causes.
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| Glen Mallon from the British Loyalty needs your help |
Environment
Australian product tankers are being taken off coastal trading routes and are being replaced by cheap, unsafe Flag of Convenience vessels, carrying fuel products, like diesel, petrol and aviation gas. These unsafe vessels will go through our pristine Great Barrier Reef, a modern natural wonder. Unsafe FOC vessels are regularly caught up in the web of legitimate safety regulation that exists in Australia. No Australian tanker in the last 36 years, since Australians have crewed tankers has ever been detained.
We say, this threat to our environment can be fixed by keeping safer Australian crewed and regulated vessels operating on our coast.
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| The pristine Great Barrier Reef is at risk |
Corporate power
BP are huge and pay no regard to Australia’s fuel security. While we are threatened with minimal days fuel supplies, for garages, food transport and production, for factories and workplaces. Australia’s fuel should be guaranteed not subject to the whims of a greedy corporate supply chain.
With complete control of our fuel supplies do we really believe corporate monopoly power will not increase your fuel prices.
Australian shipping can give certainty to our supply chains and the provide the security that Australia is in control of our trade.
Workers' rights
BP are intending on replacing the British Loyalty’s Australian crew the with highly exploited third world labour. Possibly Burmese or from other places with military dictatorships. Men and women, fellow seafarers, who have no ability to complain about safety or their rights.
Australian unions have won wage increases for workers and through struggle have delivered an better life for Australian workers.
How can we trust a company with worker’s rights when they replace Australian workers with workers on $2 a day.
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| One of the swings from the British Loyalty |
This is what we are asking you to do to Save a Seafarer.
We are asking every single MUA member and their families save a seafarer and boycott BP!
We are asking the friends of MUA members to save a seafarer and boycott BP!
We are asking our fellow trade unionists to save a seafarer and Boycott BP!
We are asking environmentalists to join with us to save a seafarer and boycott BP!
We are asking everyone who stands for fairness, justice and democratic rights to save a seafarer and boycott BP!
Save a Seafarer and our Community - BOYCOTT BP!
In solidarity,
Warren Smith & Ian Bray
