International solidarity with the MUA

Wednesday, May 6, 1998 - 10:00

By James Vassilopoulos

Thousands of workers are putting the slogan "workers of the world unite" into practise by providing vital solidarity for the Maritime Union of Australia.

In South Africa, the Transport and General Workers Union on April 21 stated, "all vessels that have to do with Australia, either through ownership or trade, will be boycotted — that is, will not be loaded or off-loaded by our dockers until the dispute is resolved". The TGWU also plans to organise a protest march to the Australian embassy to show support for the sacked wharfies.

Japanese dockers will strike for 48 hours and are launching a Spring offensive against the privatisation of ports. Hiroyuki Nakao, from the 25,000-strong National Council of Dock Workers Unions, said, "we are going to block Australian ships using non-union members and are not going to allow them to unload". Already the Japanese seafarers' union has donated $US770,000 to the MUA to assist the families of the sacked wharfies.

Eight people were arrested on April 8 at a demonstration outside the Australian consulate organised by the San Francisco Bay Area International Transport Workers Federation. Those arrested include officials from the International Longshore And Warehouse Union (ILWU). They were arrested after the entire demonstration tried to speak to the consul general to express their disgust at the role of the Australian government.

In a statement released on April 17, the ILWU called on "members along the entire west coast of the United States and Canada to boycott Australian beef and produce". It is asking the 17-million member AFL-CIO, (the US equivalent of the ACTU), and the Japanese wharfies to join the boycott call. Steve Stallone, spokesperson for the ILWU, said the union is also considering not unloading Australian ships.

The International Transport Workers Federation executive board meeting in Prague on April 24 pledged full and unconditional support for the industrial and legal action so far undertaken by the MUA. In the same week, union bans were placed on two ships loaded by Patrick in Papua New Guinea.

The Merseyside Portworkers' Shop Stewards' Committee sent a solidarity message to the MUA and is urging supporters to also send messages "knowing the importance and significance that this latest fight will have to dock workers the world over and the role that Australian dock workers played in the Liverpool struggle".