Rob Sutherland, Australian Manufacturing Workers Union member working on the Spencer Street station site in Melbourne, explains why he supports jailed unionist Craig Johnston.
Around 1996 I had a car accident on the way to work. I ended up in hospital and had to have plastic surgery. I had no insurance and no income whatsoever because I was working casual. When something like that happens, it’s a bit of a nightmare.
I was working a 12-hour day and when you’re only working casual, you do a lot of hours trying to get a bit of money in. You don’t know when income’s going to come.
Craig heard about this. He came around to see me in hospital and I had calls from other people about how they could support me because I had a mortgage as well.
I was in a bad way, but Craig and a few of the boys rallied around. It was amazing the amount of money that they raised by way of raffles and so forth.
Craig came and sorted out my mortgage and finances, and did a few charity fundraisers for me. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be where I am today — I’d be financially strapped.
A lot of people don’t see the good side of Craig. Through the whole illness, Craig and the other brothers and sisters supported me in every way they could if I needed it.
A lot of people make mistakes, and mistakes are not necessarily mistakes when they’re in support of the other comrades and brothers and sisters. They’ve always supported people like myself in regards to work and income.
If Craig didn’t support us, we’d be in a hell of a lot of strife in this day and age with the way things are changing at the moment. All Craig’s ever done is fight for the families and the workers.
Craig’s in jail now and we’re all fighting for him and hopefully we can get him back out.
From Green Left Weekly, November 17, 2004.
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