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Issue No. 155 | 04 October 2002 |
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Wrong Way, Go Back
Interview: The Wet One Bad Boss: Like A Bastard Unions: Demolition Derby Corporate: The Bush Doctrine Politics: American Jihad Health: Secret Country Review: Walking On Water Culture: TCF Poetry: The UQ Stonewall
The Soapbox Postcard Month In Review The Locker Room Bosswatch Wobbly
 Jacks and JillsShame on MurrayUse or Abuse of Long Term CasualsSpeaking in TonguesCasual Days
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News US Docks Lockout Hits Sea Trade
ACTU President Sharan Burrow said millions of dollars worth of exports could be jeopardised unless shipping and port authority employers quickly ended the lockout of more than 10,000 workers. "Australian unions have experienced the kind of extremist and irresponsible actions of shipping and stevedoring employers that are now paralysing trade on the US west coast. "Unions around the world are alarmed by the behaviour of the employers in the US and are working to support the efforts of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union to get the ports working again, particularly to transport perishable goods. "The US unions have offered to work for free on urgent cargoes, but the shipping and stevedoring employers are refusing to let them in the gates," Burrow says. Australian unions are sending a delegation to the US this week to support the ILWU. Officials from the ILWU and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) of employers are continuing talks on the lockout, which is costing more than $1.5 billion a day. The PMA has refused to negotiate on the terms of a new employment agreement with the ILWU since May this year. The extremist tactics of employers in the dispute have been likened to those used by Patricks stevedores in its confrontation with maritime unions in Australia in 1997. Tokyo/Sydney Axis Against US Port Employers Australian & Japanese maritime workers join forces to launch campaign against US companies responsible for ILWU lockout Zenkoku-kowan dockworkers union, the All Japan Seamen's Union, and the MUA have formed a pact against PMA Pacific Maritime Association as the West Coast waterfront war moves to the brink of worldwide industrial dispute. In a 8-point Statement of Support for the US dockworkers' union (ILWU) signed in Tokyo yesterday, the three unions announced they would "closely liaise with each other and the ILWU to promote an effective campaign and actions in Australian and Japan in support of the ILWU and against eh PMA group of shipping companies." MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin was this afternoon one of an international delegation meeting with Japanese ship owners in Japan. The Tokyo pact follows the Newcastle joint declaration of support for the ILWU signed off by mining and maritime unions from the US, New Zealand, Japan and South Africa last month. Meanwhile the International Transport Workers' Federation has warned that US employers "face international union response" to the docks dispute The ITF reacted strongly to the news that US employers in the ongoing West Cost ports dispute brought armed guards to a negotiating meeting on Tuesday, forcing the ILWU to walk out of the talks arbitrated by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. The ILWU has accepted ongoing mediation to settle outstanding technology issues at the centre of the breakdown in contract negotiations with the employers. Union members have also volunteered to work all military, perishable and passenger cargo, with the PMA finally allowing workers to finish loading the Maersk Innovator in Oakland, yesterday
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