Comrades

Bill Bodenham was a veteran of the Boeing dispute a regular on the Williamtown picket now in its fifth month, until the day he died.

"We wanted to show them a bit of solidarity and give the blokes some time off," said Bill. "Four of the Newcastle Branch comrades take it in turns on th e pickets every Monday and Tuesday so the workers can go home to their wives for the night."

One night each week MUA veterans man the picket, the other night it is MUA workers.

Since the dispute began in June this year the branch has been supporting th e picket every single week. It was a collective idea the members came up wit h at a branch meeting. Wharfies, coal and tug workers, linesmen, seafarers and veterans all take turns.

"We voted we'd do whatever we could," said Bill. "This way we give them a bit of a rest. It can get a bit tedious doing seven nights a week you know wha t I mean. One of their blokes sticks around. You need someone there who knows how the lighting and everything works. We go up there and sit around and have a bit of a talk with their guy and help boost up their morale a bit. We tell the m we're going to be with them all the way. Come 6am the scabs arrive and w e all stand up and tell them a thing or two. The shift changes and we go home."

On the union golf day an invite went out for the Boeing workers to join in and some did.

"One of us donated a pair of golf shoes to raffle for them," said Bill . "It was won by one of our members for $120 and he gave the shoes straight back to raffle again. The next bloke that won did the same. They finished up taki ng the shoes home with them."

To date the MUA national office has donated $5,000 to the picket and Newcas tle branch another $5,000. The branch also sends money to the local pub to go towards the prizes a friendly publican raffles off each week to help them o ut.

See also - Bill Bodenham: A political bloke