Fallen Comrades

Wharves, nationwide, fell silent on Friday, March 23, as wharfies stopped work to honour fallen comrades. Internationally more than 300 dockers and seafarers representing the world's maritime workers stood in silence to show their respect and demonstrate their determination to mount an international dockworkers' safety campaign.

The national meetings and memorials, the first since 1994, came as yet another waterside worker was laid to rest. Bob Cumberlidge, 51, was the third man to die at work in less than a year.

He was killed at Toll Stevedores, when a 24-tonne steel coil fell on him at the BlueScope Steel, Westernport wharf on March 16.

A fourth-generation stevedoring worker, Bob Cumberlidge was the son of renowned long time Victorian leader of the Waterside Workers' Federation Claude Cumberlidge. He was also port president and union delegate. Bob was married with three sons. His two brothers Neil and Steve are both respected members of the MUA and waterfront workers.

Neil Cumberlidge told the local Hastings Leader how Bobby loved his job with Toll Holdings and his involvement with the union over 15 years.

``We have all been members of the MUA and it has been a significant part of our lives," said Neil. "His three boys idolised him and he idolised his family. It's a tragic loss.''

Westernport port secretary and close friend of the family, Rob Smith, said union members were shocked at his death. ``At the moment there is complete bewilderment," he said.

Bob's death was the fourth in four years. It came just weeks after that of Melbourne waterside worker Peter Ross, 56, killed on board the Cape Conway at Appleton Docks (DP World Ports) Melbourne on January 19. Roscoe's brother also works on the Westernport wharf. Dean Robinson, 58, was killed on board the Cape Donnington in Adelaide on June 13, 2006 and Jeff Gray, 45, was killed on board the MV Kiribati Chief, at P&O Ports, Appleton Dock, Melbourne, on June 23, 2003.

For waterside workers Bob Cumberlidge's death was one too many, too soon.

Workers held meetings in major ports to adopt a statement drafted by Assistant National Secretary Mick Doleman before holding meetings and memorial services.

"The MUA is as much a family as it is a union," the statement read. "When we see our sons pass away in such tragic circumstances the family rallies together to comfort the loved ones of our lost comrades and, if needed, to avenge the death of our brothers, but always with the intent of ensuring there are none to follow.

"The membership of the MUA know full well that nothing can bring back our comrades but their loss will inspire us to ensure that circumstances related to their death should never be repeated and we call upon the federal and state governments and the stevedoring employers to concede to the long campaign for an industry safety code of practice as a matter of urgency. We want this code of practice to be our comrades' legacy and inheritance for existing and future stevedoring workers on the Australian waterfront. To this point every member of the MUA and all of its leaders hereby commit themselves to ensure that this noble objective is achieved in the spirit and memory of our recently departed comrades."

The meetings also sent their heartfelt and deepest sympathies to the Cumberlidge family.

In FREMANTLE workers were the first, gathering outside the union rooms at midday to lay wreaths for fallen comrades. Albany, Geraldton, Esperance, Karatha, Bunbury and Broome also held meetings and memorials on the day. (check)

IN BROOME port secretary Bob Knox and fellow workers held a four-hour memorial, working back until 9pm that night to clear the work and make up time.

"I talked to the guys and we raised money for Bob's family," he said. "The guys were a bit agitated about a few safety things here."

In ADELAIDE 100 waterside workers held meetings at Semaphore foreshore, to protest against unsafe work conditions. They gathered despite the pelting rain to lay wreaths and hear speakers including Janet Giles of UnionsSA, the local seafarer's mission chaplain, and branch secretary Jamie Newlyn. Viron Papadopoulos of the MUA film unit recorded the event and a short clip was posted on the MUA website.

Jamie Newlyn told ABC Radio, workers were willing to do whatever was required to further their demands for better safety standards.

In BRISBANE 300 workers gathered outside the union rooms where Branch Secretary Mick Carr reported the union had written to all state government ministers with responsibility for job safety seeking support for the introduction of a National Safety Code on the Australian waterfront. Bob's brother Steve Cumberlidge is employed on the Brisbane wharves at DP World, Hamilton Dock.

"Wreaths were laid in memory of our fallen brothers and a further minute's silence was respected as it had been earlier on some worksites around the port," he said. "Our thoughts remain with the Cumberlidge family over this latest tragedy and it is our collective responsibility to do whatever we can to ensure that this latest workplace death is never repeated."

Padre Ron Paske also spoke at the memorial.

In SYDNEY around 200 Port Botany workers were bussed into Sussex Street, before marching to the nearby Memorial Park dedicated to men and women killed in industrial accidents. They were joined by other maritime workers and unionists, all wearing black armbands, many carrying placards, wreaths and posters - "Fallen Comrades - Never Forgotten - Never Again".

Port Botany wharfies Jane Hyslop, Kathy Smith, Bill Tsilimos and David Fagan laid wreaths in honour of each of the dead.

Speakers were Warren Smith and Paul Garrett from the MUA, Andrew Ferguson from the CFMEU, Simon Flynn of the FBEU and Mark Lennon of Unions NSW.

"The carnage has got to stop and we're prepared to take action to make sure that safety becomes a priority," said Warren Smith. "There should be no circumstance where you go to work and don't come home."

Darling Harbour wharfie David Fagan told the Australian Associated Press he and his colleagues had joined in the demonstration to show support for their "second family".

"They are people you can depend upon and they look after you and you look after them," he said.

Newcastle and Port Kembla also held meetings and memorial services.

IN MELBOURNE a private service for the late Bob Cumberlidge was held at the Springvale Crematorium with around 400 family and workmates present. Meetings and memorials were also held in Geelong and Westernport for waterside workers to attend.

Brothers Neil and Steve gave the eulogies at the funeral service alongside Bob's three children.

Mick Doleman represented the union at the funeral alongside all Victorian Branch officials. At the wake held across the road at the local Sandown Hotel Mick informed the family of the nationwide meetings and memorial services being held that day.

"Bobby's death has brought into sharp focus the need for an industry code for safer work places," he told the Hastings Leader. "This has to be the last death on the waterfront and it is sad that it has to be a death to get the attention of relevant authorities.''

Meanwhile MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin was chairing the dockers' section of the International Transport Workers' Federation in Europe and was also co-chairing the Fair Practices Committee that determines international policy for the flag of convenience campaign. Together with Deputy National Secretary Jim Tannock and Assistant National Secretary Rick Newlyn they drafted the resolution (see box) for a global safety code based on the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Dock Workers' Code of Practice.

Following a minute's silence delegates unanimously endorsed the resolution.

The resolution noted employer and government reluctance to legislate decent OH&S standards for dockworkers and their continued push to casualise and contract out stevedoring labour. The meeting resolved to mount a worldwide campaign to ensure decent safety standards by legislating for common safety codes of practice.

On the eve of the conference Paddy Crumlin sent letters to Federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Joe Hockey and the Federal Minister for Transport, Mark Vaile calling for urgent intervention. Hockey and Vaile respectively have responsibility for the Australian Safety and Compensation Council (ASCC) and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).

The national secretary wrote:

"The MUA will never accept anything other than a workplace where safety is an essential prerequisite to every other activity that takes place there. We have repeatedly asked for your assistance in establishing proper OH&S standards that refect the nature of the industry, particularly the interface with international shipping and the quite unique and specific risks involved for stevedoring workers."

Paddy Crumlin called on governments to urgently convene a national forum of state and federal OH&S jurisdictions together with the relevant employer, shipowner and union stakeholders in the industry to develop a legislative mechanism protecting workers employed in this industrial and economically critical area.

"Such a high death and injury rate cannot be further countenanced by the industry and its workers whose jobs increasingly come at the cost of their lives and their families," he wrote.

Toll Holdings has since released a statement saying that it expressed "its deepest condolences to the family, friends and work colleagues of the deceased. Toll is co-operating fully with relevant authorities in their investigation of the circumstances relating to the death of this valued employee.''

Both major stevedores Dubai Ports World (formerly P&O) and Patrick/Toll support the union push for the implementation of better safety practices and procedures on the Australian waterfront.

Minister Hockey has invited the ACTU to bring the matter to the next meeting of the Australian Safety and Compensation Council on May 16.