Council 05

Industrial relations under the Howard regime, forging links internationally, maritime security, upheaval in the stevedoring industry, the LNG trade and union finances were all focal points of the November National Council

Top of the agenda was the new IR bill passing through parliament and the impact it will have on workers, communities, Australian values and MUA members.

"This country has been a frontrunner of workers' rights," said National Secretary Paddy Crumlin. "We were the first country to put legislation in place for old age pensions, unemployment benefits and social services. Australia was described in the early 20th century as the most progressive social democracy in the world. What the Howard Government is doing is an attack on Australian communities and the Australian tradition of a fair go."

ACTU Secretary Greg Combet was special guest on day one of council outlining the impact the new laws would have on maritime workers.

Labor

Special guest at council was Senator Kerry O'Brien, Labor spokesperson on shipping. He assured councillors Labor would scrap Howard's IR laws, restore the integrity of the Navigation Act so that foreign ships could only undertake coastal trade when no Australian ships were available, ban foreign ships carrying dangerous goods such as ammonium nitrate and encourage the young into seafaring by creating career opportunities. Australia, he said, should be a shipping nation, not a nation of shippers.

On the home front council discussions centred on the campaign against false competition in the stevedoring industry designed only to casualise the workforce again. The impact on job security is the main concern, especially under the new IR laws which would mean a greenfield site could be non-union.

Maritime Security

ITF Australia Co-ordinator Dean Summers reported on the union's long campaign to secure decent protection for members in the new port security code, the rolling out of the new ID card for maritime workers in Melbourne, police and intelligence checks on workers and officials and shipping policy. Councillors resolved to defend members from victimisation and ensure the security code does not creep beyond its intent to stop terrorism.

International

Special international guests were Terry Southers and Mick Tighe of the Liverpool dockers, Reg McAllister, PNG Maritime Industrial Workers' Union alongside Joe Fleetwood and Terry Ryan of the Maritime Union of New Zealand.

PNG is struggling with high unemployment, poverty, rampant corruption and one of the world's highest infant mortality rates. In Port Moresby nearly one in three people are unemployed and living below the poverty line. There is no social security. Reg McAllister especially thanked Bill Giddins, Mick Doleman and the MUA for the help they provided his union in successfully fighting against the employers imposing longer working hours and savage cuts on PNG waterside workers.

In an emotional speech Liverpool dockers Terry and Mick told council how they were marked men and would never work again. "None of us have a job. Who'd give us a job?" said Terry. "We lost our jobs to protect your people's jobs."

They recalled the fight for the jobs. "We fought three fronts - the Thatcher Government, the bosses (Mersey) and the union. It was a tough battle. We lost. To this day Liverpool is a scab port. But others learnt from our mistakes. Our experience enabled you to win Patrick. We are all internationalist sitting around this table. Otherwise we wouldn't be here. We did not win, but we did not lose our dignity."

The union's work on the international stage in 2005 has been impressive - the Mining and Maritime Conference, ITF and IBF meetings. National Secretary Paddy Crumlin reported on the International Transport Workers' Federation Congress in Durban, South Africa in August, 2006 and the regional conference held in Delhi, India in September, where the Transport Workers' Union John Allen was elected vice president of the Asia Pacific region.

The national secretary also outlined the work the union was doing internationally to secure work for Australian seafarers in the LNG trade (see Power Struggle)

"This union drove the flag of convenience campaign for years," said Paddy Crumlin. "It would not have been successful if linesmen, towage and waterside workers had not stuck up every ship for 20 years. We need international union support for Australian seafarers retaining a role in the LNG trade."

Paddy Crumlin also spoke of the recent ITF initiative commissioning a report with the Australian Government and the WWF environmental fund exposing the role FoC shipping plays in the multi billion dollar fish poaching industry. Paddy Crumlin and Dean Summers were in Hobart for the joint government WWF and ITF launching of the report. Conservative Senator Ian MacDonald publicly declared FoCs a haven for fish pirates and tax avoiders.

Union Finances

The Maritime Union posted its second consecutive surplus this year. Member financiality is up this year. But there are still union dues owing and a small number of workers who don't pay their way.

"Effectively these people are supporting Howard to undermine employment conditions," said Paddy Crumlin. "The union will need to strengthen its financial base if it is to withstand the challenges under the conservative government and continue to fight for members."

Income from sale of shares in Virtual Communities helped boost union finances with another $100,000 due in 2006, but the union is still not operating off the income of union dues. And that is the aim.

Growth

Union membership has grown 2000 since the last election. Assistant National Secretary Mick Doleman reported on a

potential 3,000 - 4,000 new members the union could recruit, especially in diving and fish farming in Western Australia, SA and northern Queensland where union organiser Bernie Farelly is now posted.

Superannuation

Meanwhile the union's two superannuation schemes, SERF and SRF will soon have a new administration jointly owned by both funds. It will provide investment and financial advice, risk management and compliance, IT and member services. The joint administration will have both employee and employer directors from both funds. The new arrangements are expected to be finalised by March 2006. Ex SERF CEO Terry Newson will continue as investment advisor to both funds.

MUA women

MUA women's liaison officers Sue Virago and Karen Leavy reported on the ongoing battle for paternity leave and against discrimination or harassment in the workplace. Sue was congratulated on her international work.

Youth

Women and veterans now play a strong role in the union and council resolved that it would move to mobilise the next generation by establishing a National MUA Youth Committee. Each branch will promote and identify potential youth activists within the union to participate. The union is also seeking ACTU and labor council support to help the MUA network with the broader youth and labour movement.

Union Scholarship

Council noted that due to the policies of the Howard Government it was now more and more difficult for working class youth to get a university education. Having education based on talent and intellect rather than the size of the family bank account was a key principle of the Whitlam Labor Government, which first provided free tertiary education after coming to office in 1972. Now the rich buy their way into universities and the educated are mostly servants of large corporations while many of the nation's most promising youth who wish to serve the community can no longer afford to do so. With this in mind the union is setting up a scholarship for our members and their families. This will be named in memory of lost MUA family members in the Bali bombing.

MUA Film Unit

This scholarship follows the union setting up a film unit and providing training to aspiring MUA young film makers.

MUA Veterans

The national veterans conference held in conjunction with council was marred by the sudden death of Veteran's Secretary Bill Bodenham. The new Secretary of the Veterans Fred Krausert described his old comrade as a true champion of the working class who never turned away from the struggle. Council stood and held a minutes silence in his memory.