ILWU leadership elected unopposed at Convention

Paddy addresses the ILWU convention

MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin was special guest speaker at the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Convention, in Seattle last week.   He led an MUA delegation of seven, including Jamie Newlyn, SA, Robert Patchett, Victoria, Glen Wood, Sydney, Steve Cumberlidge, Brisbane, Wade Eaton, WA, Michael Ryan, Victoria and Dennis Outram, Newcastle, who remain at the Seattle convention until the end of the week.

The convention saw the re-election of ILWU international president Bob McEllrath, Secretary Treasurer Willie Adams, Vice President Wesley Furtado (Hawaii),  all unopposed.  Vice President (Mainland) Joseph Radisich, did not stand this election and has been replaced by long time friend of the MUA Ray Familathe, ILWU Coordinator of International Relations.  Ray was also unopposed. His association with the MUA goes back to 1998 and the Colombus Canada dispute, which saw LA longshore workers refuse to stevedore a ship loaded by scab labour in solidarity with locked out Patrick workers.

The ILWU covers around 42,000 dock workers on the US West Coast, Alaska and Hawaii and has a strong and historic relationship with the MUA.  It was founded in thirties by one time Australian seafarer and US longshore worker Harry Bridges.

This year the union commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Great Strike of 1934 and the ILWU.