On the picket line
SYDNEY — Since April 8, hundreds of MUA supporters have turned back trucks, trains and efforts by the police to remove them from Patrick Stevedores' Port Botany terminal. Green Left Weekly's TESSHA MEARING spoke to SIMON FREW, a member of the NSW Fire Brigade Employees Union (FBEU) and the youth organisation Resistance about his participation in the picket line.
Question: Why did you join the picket?
My union supports the MUA because we understand that if Patrick can sack an entire work force for being in the union, then no unionist, and no worker in Australia, is safe. The FBEU contacted all delegates and mobilised the members because it knew trucks would attempt to cross the picket line. Some members of the FBEU were wearing firefighting tunics at the picket to show the public that firefighters support the wharfies.
Question: What happened when the trucks arrived on April 16?
An MUA official told us to link arms and sit down when the trucks came. We were instructed not to hit out at the police, and that children should be kept away. Anyone breaking discipline was to be kicked off the picket.
The first few trucks turned around without event. When 50 extra police arrived, we realised that this time they would try to break the line. We formed ranks, linked arms, sat down and chanted "MUA, here to stay".
The first ranks were broken up by the police. They got to where I was sitting with other FBEU comrades and arrested us. We were thrown into a prison van but later released without charge. The police ran out of room for everyone.
Despite the arrests, the trucks were stopped. It was a great victory.
Question: What is your union doing now?
The FBEU is visiting fire stations to explain why we need to defend the wharfies, and organising members to support the picket line.
Question: What is Resistance doing to support the MUA?
Resistance is organising university students around the country to support the picket lines. We will also push the National Union of Students to call student actions in solidarity with the MUA.
Resistance members are attending picket lines 24 hours a day and we have been organising solidarity on the streets — raising money, handing out leaflets, putting up posters, getting signatures on petitions and encouraging maximum support for the pickets.