Port of Call

Niek Stam and Larry Keiman

Union Boss

ROTTERDAM: Meet Larry Keiman - born Geelong, Victoria, lived Wentworthville, Sydney, NSW, now resident Rotterdam, Holland.

Larry started out as a rank and file wharfie while finishing a degree in economics at Rotterdam University. He is now a director of Matrans Marine Services, a company providing personnel for stevedoring companies. But he is still a union man.

For 17 years Larry worked the ships in Rotterdam, chaired the workers' council and become a member of the negotiating committee and dockworkers' national council.

"I used to do lashing myself," he said. "I love the job."

After becoming manager he started a two-year diploma program for lashers, the dockworkers who secure the containers on the ship's deck.

"I'm pretty proud of that," he said. "We went to Germany where they have a dockworkers' school, came back and put together a course. Then we negotiated with the port authority, industry parties and the government to adopt it."

But the diploma is also about union politics. Larry says it will put a stop to any new plans European employers may still harbour about getting a 'ports of convenience' package up in the future to replace union onshore labour with ship's crew or outside labour.

"You can only lash in Holland if you have a diploma," said Larry. "And you can only get a diploma if you go to our school. That's the law."

Larry returned to Sydney in May, the first time in 30 years, with mate and colleague FNV trade union leader, Niek Stam. Niek (left) is on the International Bargaining Forum.

May Day Prize

TOWNSVILLE: Around 60 maritime workers and their families joined an estimated 3000 people for one of the biggest May Day marches yet in this northern Queensland township on May 7. Graham Bragg, MUA/ITF (above) was one of the more vocal march leaders on the megaphone egging on the crowd with chants of: "Ho, ho, ho, Howard must go" and "Join the union, join the union."

The crowd marched along the waterfront "where all the millionaires live" before gathering at Strand Park where the local council provided free rides and ice creams for the children and the port community put on beer and burgers for their mums and dads.

Ryan Smith, son of Townsville Tugs delegate Darren Smith won the best-decorated bike with SS May Day. 

Meanwhile in SYDNEYa vintage Federated Seamen's Union banner was one of a dozen on display for the opening of the refurbished UnionsNSW Trades Hall official opening on May 1. The banner dates back to the 1870s. The seafarers' banner, is double sided with the slogan "Defence and Defiance" along the bottom of the reverse side.

Bridges under the Bridge

BRISBANE: "He made love to Ava Gardner and taught Paul Robeson how to sing Waltzing Matilda." This is how the local Courier Mail reviewed the latest stage play on union legend Harry Bridges.

Harry, the knockabout Aussie seafarer who jumped ship in the USA in the Roaring Twenties and organised the west coast under the International Longshore and Warehouse Union is already a Broadway hit. Now he is the subject of an Australian play in production, which highlights his celebrity friendships with Charlie Chaplin and Paul Robeson.

The play by Australian writer John Orr, had support and funding from the Brisbane Branch. A reading of the new script at the Story Bridge Hotel on May 1 was performed to a full house including local MUA officials, wharfies, seafarers, families and friends.

John Orr is now seeking arts funding so the play can be staged in Sydney in 2008.

Star Role

MELBOURNE: Bastard Boys, the ABC docudrama on the 1998 waterfront conspiracy has been and gone, but not without sparks flying, especially among right wing ranters working for the Murdoch Press who complained that Patrick boss Chris Corrigan didn't get a fair go (see p 30). Filmed mainly in Melbourne the series featured union members as extras in the crowd scenes. Here actor Jack Thompson poses for a photo with Patrick delegate Mick Needham, from East Swanson Docks after one of the shoots.

Farewell Jo

SYDNEY: A diverse group of around 60 friends and colleagues from the wharves, ships, unions and legal firms gathered at the Captain Torres restaurant, to send off the National Executive Officer Joanne White in May. Jo has taken a job with Slater & Gordon to practice law, but will continue work on the Mining and Maritime Conference for both unions.

In her seven years with the MUA Jo earned the respect of her colleagues in the international labour movement and within the union firstly as a legal and industrial officer then as executive officer working closely with the national secretary.

Greek Oracle

SYDNEY: Greek union leader Savvas Tsimpoglou, special guest of the Maritime Union in November, brings worrying news from his homeland.

He says the European Commission has caused sweeping changes to the detriment of seafarers and working people in Greece while bringing enormous profits for shipping companies.

Greek-owned shipping represents about 20 per cent of the world's merchant fleet and is on top of the world ranking employing more than 7,500 seafarers. But since the implementation of EU regulations seafarers are forced to work 16-18 hours per day in breach of collective agreements and without overtime pay or benefits.