Aye, on a sunny Sunday afternoon and as other people were marching across the city protesting off-shore refugee detention, the Maritime Union Australia (MUA) were out practising civil disobedience to counter Corrigans (Patrick's) waterfront job reduction by stealth. (Creative accounting with warehouse space, jobs and container movement hidden behind management speak and shadow companies). Well the leasing of warehouse space in the Port Botany Terminal by Qube Logistics that will employ non union workers to in effect unload and move containers. A bit like a free market enclave in the middle of a unionised work site. Creative neo-liberalism at its finest!
Over two hundred turned up including a number of community activists. A peoples assembly that involved blocking access to this part of the port for more than four hours and disrupting an afternoon shift. Those speaking reminded those of us standing that this was under current labor laws-illegal but a bad law being tested and by those present, broken. The question was asked why is it workers are discriminated against for trying to protect jobs and safety but employers seem to be able to creatively twist conditions and wages to suit the lining of their own pockets? Why is it unions, who stand for social justice and who needs reminding the MUA are present whenever a community action is required, are painted as just being in it for themselves. Corrupt. Just taking workers cash and living the life of Reilly. Sorry, no, that is the retiring commissioners from Fair Work and pollies of all persuasions. Because, like today, they, the unions, stand up and are counted and stand shoulder to shoulder with our first people, women, workers the world over like Madagascar, where as one speaker said three months of work is required by a watersider to buy a pair of safety boots.
The expectation of the current government, and pumped out in endless sound bites to the public is to exercise passive acceptance of bad and frequently hypocritical laws. Such as going after the 9 seafarers on the MV Portland through Fair Work for fines of $10,800 per person, the MUA a fine of $54,000 and $500,000 compensation to the shipping company who has disestablished Australian seafarers from their workforce so they can pay low wages to seafarers from poor countries and if possible pay them nothing at all. But that's ok. Civil disobedience? Or passive acceptance. Time to choose. Enjoy the pictures.
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| Fire in the belly |
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| This is what civil disobedience looks like |
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| CFMEU |
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| Barney the hero of Millers Point |
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| Blocking the entrance to the wharves |
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| Yon man with beard in centre came is a representative from the Canadian waterfront workers |
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| Back from a meeting to discuss ongoing action |
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| Point made on the first afternoon... |
This were the second community assembly and we missed the first part of the march oop ta gates to bang on Hutchinson's nap! Yon polis were less polite this time with the boiler suited brigade ready to cart us off if we trespassed on company land - ironic given most here- it their workplace. Boot as speakers pointed out, Fair Work has nowt aboot fairness when it cooms ter rights of workers and working folk. Saving oop their brass to pay pensions to retiring commissars that could be better used to pay fer real jobs! Aye, MUA members gave oop part of their Sunday to make a point and show solidarity. Doon try ta slip in casual labour through back gate and pretend it is summat else. Point made. Back to hoose to take yon whippet "Jeremy" fer his widdle and walk.
