Mailbag

Fight for your rights (to the tune of Solidarity)

John Howard and his cronies think they have us in a fix,

They planned it all in Brisbane in 1986.

The HR Nichols Society, they formed with a will,

Crying, "The workers are now off their knees, this is a bitter pill"

Chorus

Workers' rights must be protected, workers rights must be protected

IR laws must be rejected, join the union everyone!

They tried to break the MUA with scabs trained in Dubai,

Brought thugs and dogs onto the docks, workers to crucify

Used the children overboard affair, an election for to twin

I have to blame some of you out there, for I didn't vote them in

They cheated and they lied to us, their power base to keep,

When Uncle Sam wen tot war for oil, they followed along like sheep

They senate's power they now abuse to strengthen their position

If they had their way when this song is done, they'd charge me with seditions

So come on every worker now and answer to the call

Stand shoulder to shoulder, this time we must stand tall

For future generations this battle must be won

So raise your fists up in eh air, and join me in this one

Mick Flanagan

Retired member: 27291

Dishonest John!

A noble man once advised that "to test a man's character give him power". He was Abraham Lincoln, a man who carries the distinction of never telling a lie or abusing the power that was entrusted to him.

Despite carrying the title "Honest John" the PM has continually lied, denied and concealed his intentions from the Australian people, for the duration of his parliamentary career.

When "Honest John" was treasurer in the Fraser government, he returned a $9.6 billion dollar deficit and the Hawke Labor government inherited the blame.

Howard also advised Australians to boycott the Moscow Olympics, while staying quiet under his rock in Bennelong while Malcolm Fraser allowed part of his farming produce to form part of the burgeoning Australia-USSR export trade. (Patrick O'Brien, 1985, The Liberals: Factions, Feuds and Fancies).

Before the 1996 federal election "Honest John" said, "No Australian will be worse off under his government and that there will never ever be a GST, it's dead, it's finished". On average Australians are $10,300 per person worse off from GST, not to mention the 174 "extra" taxes implemented by the Howard government.

In 1998 "Honest John" introduced his first wave of industrial relations changes, legislation that was condemned for human rights violations by jurists of the International Labor Organisation.

In 2001 "Honest John" claimed that he had received intelligence advice that "asylum seekers threw their children into the water". This claim was later destroyed in a Senate inquiry with military and intelligence officers submitting evidence refuting Howard's assertions to the contrary.

In 2004 "Honest John" came home with "Weapons of Mass Deception" and more alleged advice from US and Australian intelligence agencies (the same intelligence agencies no doubt that provided misleading information regarding asylum seekers).

"John Howard is a war criminal," said John Valder, former National President and NSW State President of the Liberal Party, at Springwood Civic Centre (24/6/04). Valder said: "I've branded Bush, Blair and Howard as war criminals. It is the greatest act of aggression by any western nation since the days of Adolf Hitler. The slaughter and aggression is still going on, they have unleashed war and destruction, maiming the Iraqi people."

The interest rate scare campaign asserting "Interest rates would rise under a Labor government" is the greatest play upon the intelligence of the Australian people.

Recalling the value of real estate during the nineties with properties averaging $100,000 and interest rates averaging 15 per cent, under "Honest John's" illusion of low interest rates at an average of 5 per cent, properties are now valued at an obscene $500,000. This is denying the majority of younger Australians the opportunity to obtain their first property and impregnating a negative frame of mind on younger generations. You do the maths on interest repaid!

Wages may have increased under the Howard government, but not because of their generosity. They have opposed all wage increases brought forward by the Australian Council of Trade Unions. Enterprise Bargaining Agreements negotiated by unions have delivered a 12 per cent increase in wages over a three-year period.

In 2006 "Honest John" introduced his vision for Australia titled "WorkChoices" a delusion of grandeur and ruling class mentality. "Honest John" would have the Australian people believe that he had a mandate to introduce these reforms, however there was no announcement prior to or during the 2004 federal election.

"Honest John" is not only out of touch with working Australia, he is out of touch with his own membership and office bearers!

In a Liberal Party publication titled The Way Ahead a former NSW Liberal MP and now President of the Gosford branch of the Liberal Party, Malcolm Brooks, stated: "Many who voted for Mr. Howard are cutting loose over the Industrial Relations laws."

Mr Howard then deceived the National Party with his "Work Choices" legislation as Andrew Stoner, National President of the Nationals said after it was introduced that he had "no idea of the content".

There were probably too many pages to read (1400) within the legislation and he was more concerned about the findings of the Cole inquiry!

"Honest John's" credibility was totally dismantled in an interview with Gerard Henderson. Mr Howard asserted that at the fall of the Chifley Labor government his father had a bonfire and burned petrol rationing vouchers. Gerard Henderson later questioned John Howard's brother Bob who does not recall such a famous event occurring in the Howard household! (A Coalition Government? 1995, Harper and Collins.)

To say the least, the Howard government are incompetent, dishonest and comic book Nazis attempting to resurrect the failed policies of Margaret Thatcher!

Sean Ambrose

Port Botany

Union No:

Return to Eden

The National Day of Action on November 30 in Eden brought unionists and the community together.

As MUA delegate and chairman of the Far South Coast Community & United Unions (FSCC&UU) I addressed 130 workers and community members stressing it was all about creating an environment that we want to live in.

Under "Work Choices" we are living in an environment of discontent. Life is about moment creation. The Howard government has presented us, the people with a moment that will need changing. And we can do that by voting out the Howard government.

For us to be successful we must provide access and information for all concerned and encourage each other. We must stick together and be part of the invention of change.

We of the FSCC&UU will continue to assess opportunities then act on these opportunities to provide fair and ethical working conditions. There's no way you can have teamwork with a group of individuals. Yet under the Howard government everyone will have their own individual workplace agreements. This system is set to fail.

Tony McDonnell of the FSCC&UU also addressed the crowd and highlighted that now is the time to get active and get the message out to the people.

He also said we are in a very powerful position to provide an answer to a critical problem, with all of us voting against the Howard government to re-install fair and equal working rights for all.

Yours in Unity

Craig Malcolm

MUA Delegate

Chairman FSCC&UU

Boomerang: Shameful neglect

A meeting of MUA members on the Boomerang I berthed at Darling Harbour No.3 in October last year condemned the Howard government for its shameful neglect of Australian shipping and for its policies which more than any other factor contributed to the demise of the Boomerang I and to PAN Shipping.

This vessel was our workplace and employs 36 Australian seafarers. The Howard government's support for foreign shipping conglomerates at the expense of an Australian company, which employs Australian seafarers, is a national disgrace.

We condemn the Howard government's abuse of the single and continuous voyage permits system and believe that the Howard government is guilty of shameful misconduct and neglect with respect to the shipping industry and to the Australian ships which are our workplaces.

We condemn the Howard government for its lack of assistance to a vital Australian industry that is fundamental to our country's future economic prosperity, to our maritime security and to our environmental well-being.

Flag of Convenience (FOC) shipping, which is favoured by the Howard government over Australian shipping, poses serious threats to our economic independence and sovereignty because we place trade into the hands of other nations via FOC shipping companies. More often than not these flags obscure the real national ownership of the particular shipping interest involved in a basic and important trade to Australia.

It is these same unknown Flag of Convenience shipping forces which enter our country's borders while Australian maritime workers are required to undergo stringent security checks on their lives. The same Flag of Convenience shipping forces enter our harbours and waterways carrying dangerous chemicals and cargoes, which can create untold environmental devastation.

The Flag of Convenience vessels capable of spilling oil and fuel into vital Australian heritage areas, such as Sydney Harbour and the Great Barrier Reef are not subjected to the same vigorous levels of safety standards that Australian shipping is subject to.

This crime against the Australian shipping industry must stop and we the seafarers on board the Boomerang I pledge to fight to expose this anti-worker Howard government its traitorous position.

MUA members

Boomerang I

ACTU thanks

I write to thank National Secretary Paddy Crumlin and the Maritime Union of Australia for your sponsorship of the Skychannel broadcast of the November 30 rally at the MCG.

The Skychannel broadcast made the day a truly national event for unionists and community members across Australia and, from all reports, was very well received by those watching the coverage.

Your sponsorship allowed the ACTU to take the message of the day, that Your Rights at Work are not only worth fighting for but also worth voting for, to viewers across Australia.

It was great to see you and all the other officials of the MUA at the MCG rally.

Again my thanks and appreciation, and those of the ACTU, to the MUA for your very significant contribution to the ongoing campaign to repel the Howard government's unfair industrial relations laws, and to replace them with decent rights for working people.

Greg Combet

ACTU Secretary