Solidarity pledges

Stolt crew member Barry Clapson addresses Melbourne meeting

Letters of support of the Stolt stand came in from ports and ships, as well as key international unions

HOWARD'S PATRIOTISM?

Once again we have another Australian merchant ship's crew being dumped and replaced by a foreign flag and cheap third world labour.

Multinational shipping company, Stolt NYK Australia, who control the Stolt Australia, the only chemical tanker crewed by Aussies announced their intention to re-register this vessel and again resume trading on our coastline under a Cayman Islands flag, manned by guest labour.

A regular visitor to Mackay, the Stolt Australia has operated for more than 20 years moving chemicals, oil, molasses and other cargo safely and promptly.

In 1996 there were 78 Australian manned and flagged ships. In 2006, including the Stolt, we have just 52 ships in operation. During this period domestic seafarers have retrained and multi-skilled, resulting in a 50 per cent crew reduction on our trading vessels in an endeavour to be competitive.

The Howard Government has permitted the systematic abuse of the single voyage permit system by allowing foreign vessels to operate between our ports with SVPs being granted at an incredible rate of knots.

This system, managed by the federal transport department, allows potentially untrained foreign seafarers paid as little as $300 per month to replace Australian crews.

As a seafarer I find it insulting that we have a Prime Minister displaying his patriotism by draping himself in our flag at every photo opportunity and national sporting event, but concurrently his government's ideology dismantles its own national shipping fleet.

This brings me to the dilemma that faces a section of our membership and hordes of other blue-collar workers who have voted for the Howard regime through their local conservative candidate.

Look back at the record of the battler's Messiah, "Honest John", over 10 years - the waterfront dispute, children overboard, the never-ever GST, Tampa, refugees, weapons of mass destruction, Workchoices and the not to be forgotten core and non-core promises. Forget about voting through your back kick and don't be ignorant to the fact that when the commodity boom finishes will be the time when Howard's basic five-condition Australian Workplace Agreements will bite into all sections of the workforce.

Witnessing a self proclaimed patriotic government sanction the demise of Australians' livelihoods in any industry is sickening enough, but to see them replaced by guest labour on inferior wages and conditions is the act of a scoundrel and should be exposed for its un-Australian tyranny.

When you go to the ballot box, who will you believe - Greg Combet or John Howard?

So collectively we must overlook any doubts over Kim Beazley's leadership and the Labor party - our duty is to empty the lying little rodent John Howard, witness the demise of the SVPs and gladly embrace the resumption of merchant vessels proudly flying the Australian flag on their sterns.

Gary Bell

Mackay Tugs

Union No: 6001118

WORLDWIDE ACTION

We fully support our Australian brothers and sisters in their intention to retain their employment. In the spirt of solidarity, we are constrained not to enter into any agreement for this particular vessel and this will mean that it will be open for trade union industrial action on a worldwide basis.

Capt. Gregorio Oca

President

Associatede Marine Officers' and Seamen's Union of the Philippines

UNDER ATTACK

Addressed to local MP Louise Markus, Liberal member for Greenway in northwestern Sydney:

This Australian-crewed vessel is under attack in a most hideous way. The ship is to be reflagged in the Cayman Islands as a Flag Of Convenience vessel and the Australian crew replaced by Filipinos. As an Australian stevedore I see the low standard of FoC ships of shame everyday.

Many of these vessels are rust buckets and death traps. It is only through sheer good luck that injuries and worse are kept to a minimum. I for one would feel a lot safer working on Australian crewed and owned ships that operate under our country's safer guidelines.

MUA members.

Robert Wood

Patrick Port Botany

VALIANT STRUGGLE

We support the valiant attempt of MUA members to keep the Stolt Australia manned and flagged in Australia. The continued abuse of SVP and CVP's further undermine Australian shipping with full ideological support of the Howard Government.

Your fight is imperative to highlight the plight of Australian shipping and protect your own employment and those of hundreds of other Australian seafarers. Know that we are right behind you morally and if necessary financially, and keenly wait for a positive outcome.

Jamie Newlyn

SA Branch Secretary

On behalf

Adsteam and Stannards tugs members

UNPRINCIPLED

The reflagging of Stolt Australia as an unprincipled act in the extreme which reduces the ability of Australian seafarers to support their families and our country as a whole.

We fully endorse any action that MUA National Office may see fit to take to defeat these 'opportunists'. We also pledge full support to our comrades on Stolt Australia and wish them every success in any endeavours they may take to retain their right to work this vessel and in turn, the rights of future Australian seafarers.

MUA crew

Yeo Tide

COURAGEOUS STANCE

Comrades your fight is our fight. We support and applaud you all on the just and courageous stance you are taking.

We have seen our once great fleet that traded to Europe, Asia, and even New Zealand disappear.

Now once again our coastal fleet is under attack. ?Comrades, whatever the outcome of the actions you are taking, stand assured that it is appreciated by all MUA members around the coast.

Frankie Duffin

on behalf of MUA members

AMS Tugs Melbourne

CORPORATE OBLIGATION

The crew of the MT Palmerston condemn the use of foreign-flagged cheap shipping that is dumping guest labour into the Australian maritime industry at the expense of Australian seafarers.

Stolt, like other oil companies, are making a fortune on the back of the high oil price, including exploiting the natural resources of the Australian oil and gas sector. We believe the company has an obligation to employ Australian workers as a priority and a corporate obligation to this country.

The use of flag of convenience vessels whose safety record is appalling globally, purely based on the cheap alternative rather than the proven product of Australian shipping whose safety record is second to none, further indicates Stolt's lack of commitment to the Australian shipping industry.

Crew

MT Palmerston

PLEDGE

The crew of the Karatha Spirit condemn the proposed removal of the Stolt Australia from the Australian coast and the subsequent loss of yet another Australian-flagged ship and more seafarers' jobs and livelihoods to be replaced by cheap foreign labour.

We pledge our support to the union and members effected and are ready to assist in anyway possible to prevent the loss of the Stolt Australia."

Crew

Karratha Spirit

TAKING A STAND

Crew members of the RTS Pioneer,congratule the crew of the Stolt Australia on their "STAND" to keep Australian crews working and sailing on our Australian ships.

Delegates Steve Tuff & Greg Smith

on behalf of MUA cre RTS Pioneer

INDIAN SOLIDARITY

The National Union of Indian Seafarers (NUSI) fully supports the Maritime Union of Australia in their effort to take care of the interest of the Australian seafarers.

The vessel which is on a dedicated trade between Australian ports should have Australian licensed ships and should only give single voyage permits to overseas ships to carry on work when Australian ships are not available.

The interests of the seafarers from Australia should be protected and the Australian Government should take an initiative in this.

NUSI would go a step further and would even look into the possibility of having a sharing arrangement with the Maritime Union of India and also in those ships which are exclusively trading between one port of Australia and second port in another country. This arrangement will be on ships which have long-term dedicated business between Australia and with other country.

We wish to do this for our Australian seafarers in the

spirit of solidarity and brotherhood.

With warm regards,

Brother Ghani

NUSI

Letters of support also came from MUA Veterans' Association, Leichhard Council, MUA delegates, Patrick Port Botany, P&O Port Botany, Sydney Ferries, MUA crew Vigness (Iron Sturt), Joe Deaken and family, delegates Ormiston, Spirit of Tasmania, MT Helix, Adsteam Tugs, Sydney, Howard Smith, Craig Chalker, MUA delo, ANL Bass Trader, Northwest Sandpiper, MUA Veterans SNSW branch, Karratha Spirit, Northwest Snipe, Cossack Pioneer, Massive Tide, Nivosa, Northest Snipe, Northest Stormpetrel, Dampier Spirit, Palmerston, Northwest Sanderling, Karratha Spirit, Barrington, Pioneer, Lady Grace, delos and crew of MV Kowulka