BY DANIEL KELLY
SYDNEY — Two hundred members of the Maritime Union of Australia's central NSW branch have backed a sacked union delegate at P&O Port Botany, Dave Hauser, and called on the union's national officials to support his unfair dismissal case.
MUA officials had previously advised Hauser that they would no longer back him with either legal representation or financial support, because they believed he could not win his case.
While the October 6 union meeting was larger than a normal paid stop-work meeting, it wasn't able to gain the required 15% attendance needed to make its decisions binding.
Nevertheless, the meeting unanimously endorsed a motion directing branch officials to seek to persuade the union's national office to support Hauser. If the national office refused to change its position, the branch should then step in to represent Hauser and provide legal assistance, the motion stated.
Members' frustrations with the union's attitude were evident in both their contributions at the microphone and in their heckling of the officials.
Officials argued that Hauser was likely to get a better financial outcome if an out-of-court settlement was pursued. But delegate after delegate, including Hauser, argued that the key issue was the protection of delegates and members from victimisation, saying union inaction would give stevedoring bosses the green light to increase harassment of unionists.