By Bill Mason
BRISBANE — Support for the sacked maritime workers and the MUA has grown stronger here over the last week with unionists and other members of the community mobilising at different events to protest against the government's and Patrick's attacks on union rights.
On April 19, around 2000 MUA members and supporters marched on the Fisherman Island terminal of the Port of Brisbane, breaking through a locked outer gate and surrounding the Patrick wharf site several kilometres further down the road.
After occupying the area outside the Patrick terminal gates for about half an hour, the protesters marched the five kilometres or so back to Camp Solidarity, the MUA picket site beside the port's only access road. A benefit concert at the camp that afternoon featured Pop Properly, Relish, Sean O'Donoghue and the Trade Union Choir.
Support actions were stepped up in the week following, culminating in a march of transport workers and university students on April 23. In pouring rain, some 2000 protesters marched down Port Road at Fisherman Island, cheering and chanting, to confront a wall of police blocking the bridge to the port. The demonstrators then marched back down the road, closing the only entrance to the port for several hours.
The Transport Workers Union's state secretary, Hughie Williams, said 16,000 truck drivers in Queensland were close to striking because of the state's industrial laws. He estimated that 1500 truckies had walked off the job to march that day.
"I think the huge number of truckies who turned up today really shows the level of support we have for the MUA", Williams said. "It also shows the disgust we have for state and federal industrial laws."
Increasing public support for the MUA workers has also been shown by the large number of people who have visited the two picket sites, Camp Solidarity at Fisherman Island, and Camp Unity at Hamilton Dock, further up the river toward the city. Donations of money and food have also been flowing in.
This support is expected to result in a large "Support the MUA and celebrate unity" Labour Day march in Brisbane on May 4, commencing at 10am at Grey Street, South Brisbane (alongside Trades Hall Council) and ending at Albert Park.