Ian Jamieson, Fremantle

In an Australia-wide precedent, waterside workers in Fremantle have won the right to insist on safety standards on ships bearing asbestos.

During the Christmas break, wharfies employed by Patricks came across suspicious pipe lagging aboard the Guardinia Ace, a car boat on the MOL shipping line, and refused to work the ship. Within days, a second car carrier was struck with the same problem. Tests by WorkSafe WA proved the lagging was a form of chrystalite asbestos.

MOL tried to force the shipping crew to drive the cars to another deck where the lagging wasn’t present, but the wharfies, Maritime Union of Australia members, held firm in their opposition to any worker being exposed to the asbestos and the Guardinia Ace lay idle for two days.

The union, led by WA secretary Chris Cain, refused to budge until safety procedures were guaranteed. Those procedures, applying safety standards enforceable by law, will now apply to all car carriers in Australian ports.

The MUA is insisting that in Western Australia every car carrier issue an asbestos-free certificate — confirmed by both a union delegate for the shift and an occupational health and safety representative — before work can commence.

From Green Left Weekly, January 25, 2006.
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