Published: 21 Oct 2009
Helen Gelston, wife of Dublin docker Eddie, who was forced to take redundancy at the terminal writes her thanks to MUA delegation leader Assistant National Secretary Rick Newlyn and Sydney Branch Secretary Paul McAleer for the video clip by Jamie McMechan on the Dublin Docks dispute and ILWU/MUA solidarity
My husband worked for MLT for the past 14 years up until May 14th this year when life as we knew it came to an abrupt end. He was one of the first 14 'selected' for reasons we still don't understand.
Unfortunately for us, as we have a young family of three children, and a high mortgage, walking away from the miserable package on offer was impossible, as we had no financial back up whatsoever. We are on all the marches and Eddie has regularly, over the months, joined the lads on the picket line for moral support both for the lads, and himself. This dispute and the loss of his job have left him a broken man, which, as a wife is very hard to watch. He is still unemployed. Not many crane driving jobs around.
I just want to thank you all for the over whelming support you have shown them all during this dispute. Watching the piece on the site today reminds me of the bond that he spoke about so often over the years with the lads, young and old. I now see it is portrayed worldwide.
He has asked me to email you all to voice his appreciation as well. He still feels very much part of it all until the guys get some sort of justice.
Very best regards and Thanks
Helen Gelston
