ITF Congress hails MUA’s leading role

Congress also publicly honoured the role the MUA played in the fall of apartheid and adopted an emergency resolution in support of Australian unions under attack from the new industrial relations laws.

As well the ITF Women’s Conference held in conjunction with Congress re-elected Port Botany wharfie and MUA Women’s Liaison Officer Sue Virago to the ITF Women’s Committee. And Assistant National Secretary Mick Doleman was chosen to head the opening Congress video with a call for international solidarity.

The MUA now holds the positions of ITF Vice President (Asia Pacific region) and chairperson of the
ITF dockers’ section.
It is the first time an Australian has been elected ITF vice-president and the first time in four decades the union has chaired the dockers’ section – the first being Charlie Fitzgibbon.

“It’s a significant position and a reflection of the high esteem and regard that the international trade union movement holds for the MUA,” said MUA National President and congress delegate Robert Coombs. “It is also a reflection of the great respect the world trade union movement has for Paddy’s commitment and dedication.”

It was an historic moment witnessed by a large Australian delegation of officials, rank and file waterside workers and seafarers from all states, MUA women’s representatives and veterans – 36 in all.
The congress is the ITF’s supreme decision-making body, with 1,194 participants from 387 unions representing more than 100 countries.
Congress was opened by outgoing ITF President Umraomio Purohit of the All Indian Railway Workers’ Federation and his successor Randall Howard, General Secretary of the South African Transport Workers’ Union.
“We shall organise every corner of the globe,” said Randall Howard. “We are here to stay until democracy and justice are achieved for all transport workers and poor people of the world.”
A close comrade and friend of the MUA, Randal Howard spoke of the important role the MUA played during the years of apartheid in South Africa, placing black bans and sanctions on South African cargoes in Australia and helping organise an international embargo on oil to bring down the Pretoria regime.
In its emergency resolution against the anti-trade union laws in Australia, congress noted the repressive legislation enacted by the conservative Howard Coalition government, its failure to comply with the ILO convention on freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, limits on industrial action, the absence of unfair dismissal laws and the severe restrictions on union access to members in the workplace.
The resolution also noted that employers could now impose heavy fines on individual workers and unions.
Congress resolved, “The neo-conservative attack on worker and trade union rights in Australia reflects a continuing global offensive against the labour movement. Congress reaffirms its commitment to support Australian trade unions in their efforts to combat the legislation.”
It called on the ITF to assist its Australian affiliates and the ACTU in their campaign to repeal the laws.
This resolution was reinforced by the ITF Women’s’ Committee which gave its support to the continuing fight against the Australian government’s regime to eliminate workers rights in Australia.

Other initiatives taken at the ITF
congress included:

• The setting up of My ITF, a new electronic notification service designed to keep members informed of key issues in the global transport industry (see www.itfglobal.org/congress/news-online.cfm/newsdetail/916)

• The endorsement of the first ever continent-wide framework for civil aviation across Africa (see www.itfglobal.org/congress/news-online.cfm/newsdetail/942)

• Support for a 12-month research project into fatigue in the civil aviation industry (see www.itfglobal.org/congress/news-online.cfm/newsdetail/927)

• An emergency resolution condemning the violence in the Middle East and backing the UN call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. It also called on the ITF to assist transport workers’ unions in Lebanon with reconstruction and recovery of damaged infrastructure, and stated that lasting peace will only be ensured in the Middle East through the implementation of UN resolutions and the full implementation of a two state solution for Israel and Palestine through the ‘Road Map for Peace’.
• Congress awarded gold badges for distinguished service in the international trade union movement (See www.itfglobal.org/congress/news-online.cfm/newsdetail/956)

• During its final plenary session (see www.itfglobal.org/congress/news-online.cfm/newsdetail/956), congress condemned terrorist attacks on civilians in Mumbai, London and Madrid and commended the professional and courageous response of emergency services and transport staff. Other resolutions
called on:

- Affiliated unions to support investment in companies that respect human and trade union rights

- For no outside intervention in the internal affairs of Venezuela and Cuba

- For the ITF and its affiliates to give priority to the participation of women throughout their organisations

- For the ITF to promote further
engagement with Chinese transport workers

- For initiatives to strengthen trade union rights in Pakistan

• The final decision taken by delegates in Durban was to hold the next Congress in Mexico City in 2010.
In his closing address newly re-elected ITF General Secretary David Cockroft thanked the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union for hosting the congress, and said: “This has been the biggest, most effective and representative congress in ITF history. The more than 100 countries represented here want the ITF to be an even more action-oriented organisation.

“We have taken decisions on organising and on fighting for trade union rights that will strengthen transport unions everywhere.”
The Congress saw the launch of a campaign to ensure decent work conditions in ports worldwide. (for full details see www.itfglobal.org/press-area/index.cfm/pressdetail/936)
See also www.itfglobal.org/press-area/index.cfm/pressdetail/949 for details of other matters considered by congress or http://www.itfglobal.org/congress/
reports.cfm for section and
committee reports.