UNSW staff and students support wharfies

UNSW staff and students support wharfies

By Helen Jarvis

Around 100 staff and students at the University of NSW enthusiastically expressed their support to the wharfies at a meeting on April 30. A Maritime Union Support Group has been established on campus, and has already begun to meet regularly and to go down to Port Botany to support the picket line.

At the meeting, a representative of Women of the Waterfront spoke about the political context of the dispute, and gave some background on the working lives of wharfies, as well as of the union's proud history of winning better conditions for all workers, within Australia and internationally.

A bucket was passed around to collect donations, and unanimous support was given to the following motion: "This meeting of UNSW staff and students expresses its full support for the reinstatement of the MUA workers, and for the abolition of the Workplace Relations Act. It calls upon the union movement to organise a strong national campaign to achieve these aims."

The MUSG meets on Mondays at 4pm in Morven Brown Room XXX, and then moves on to Port Botany at 5pm. All welcome.

From GLW issue 316