Unifying MUSAA Conference

The socialist countries have imposed a check on capitalism but since the 
break-up of the Soviet Union the capitalist system had "grown new legs". 
There were now no borders for international capitalism, said Mick Doleman, 
from the Sydney Branch of the Maritime Unions Socialist Activities 
Association (MUSAA). 

Mick was giving the opening address to the Western Australian State 
Conference of the MUSAA.

The conference was held in Perth over the weekend of February 27-28. It 
brought together a wide range of speakers who, among other things, were 
united by the fact that all (except Gerry Adams) had participated on the 
picket lines during the MUA dispute.

For two days a long agenda of visiting speakers addressed members.

The conference was also addressed by Tony Cooke Secretary WA Trades and 
Labour Council (T&LC); Keith Peckham President of the WA T&LC; Christina 
Gillgren, a State Executive member of the WA ALP; Ramona Mitussis, a trade 
union activist; Dr Rob Lambert, the convenor of the WA T&LC International 
Committee; Vinicio Molina from the Cuba Friendship Society; John Gandini 
Convenor Trade Union Support Group for East Timor; Terry Buck, Secretary 
MUA WA Branch; Dr Carmen Lawrence, MHR; Paddy Crumlin, National Secretary 
of MUSAA; Vic Williams, Secretary, Perth Branch of the Communist Party 
(CPA); and Peter Symon, CPA General Secretary.

It was opened by the WA President of MUSAA, Dean Sommers, who recalled the 
many activities of MUSAA members in WA.

Two international visitors also spoke to the Conference: Gerry Adams, 
President of Sinn Fein, who was in Perth on the last stage of his visit and 
Mick Williams representing the Seamen's Union of New Zealand.

The conference adopted resolutions of solidarity with East Timor, Sinn 
Fein, Cuba and East Timor.

It supported the "leadership and rank and file members of the NZ Seaman's 
Union in their ongoing struggle to retain maritime workers' wages and 
conditions, to reinstate cabotage and protect NZ manned merchant shipping".

Conference condemned the draconian NZ labour laws which are creating the 
"rich and the very poor" in society. It called for the election of a 
coalition of NZ Labour and the Alliance Parties in elections which are 
expected in November this year.

Conference supported an Australian Republic with candidates nominated by 
the people and elected by a 2/3 vote of the members of both Houses of 
Parliament.

An important decision of the conference "endorsed the opening of a 
socialist dialogue with like-minded individuals and organisations with a 
view to examining existing social and economic problems from a Marxist 
perspective."

Mick Doleman warned that although the Multilateral Agreement on Investment 
(MAI) had been defeated it would be brought back in the future.

There was a flow of speculative capital which was robbing government of 
their ability to provide social welfare but the situation was "not all 
bad". The threat of nuclear war had receded, a State of Palestine was 
coming into existence and there were the developments in South Africa, East 
Timor and Ireland.

Mick Doleman said that resistance was "breaking out" in the US, Britain, in 
the Scandinavian countries, Korea, India and elsewhere. In Indonesia the 
trade unions are out in the streets.

Internationalism

The International Transport Federation now had a more activist agenda and 
trade union networks were being set up on a more militant agenda.

Mick Doleman described the new industrial legislation to be introduced by 
the Howard Government as "the worst industrial laws of all time".

Mick Williams from the NZ Seaman's Union told of the savage cut-backs in 
conditions which have been imposed on the NZ workers under the policy of 
privatisation, deregulation and casualisation.

The conservative NZ Government which has also implemented a "work for the 
dole" scheme was pushing unemployed workers into regular jobs as cheap 
labour taking over paid positions.

He told the conference of the use of prison labour to make shoes, attempts 
to abolish holidays even to the point of working on Christmas Day. There 
were also moves to abolish the Labour Court, thereby denying the trade 
unions of any recognition or opportunity to fight in the courts for 
workers' conditions.

Mick Williams said that the NZ waterfront had been largely casualised but 
that the union had alienated casuals by refusing to accept them into the 
union.

An election is to be held in NZ probably in November this year. He called 
for a Labour Party and Labour Alliance Government to replace the present 
right-wing government of the National Party.

Wally Pritchard a member of MUSAA and the Assistant Secretary of the MUA's 
WA Branch welcomed Gerry Adams who received a standing ovation when he 
visited the MUSAA conference.

Gerry Adams said he had been uplifted by the reception he had received in 
Australia and thanked the MUA for its support.

It was the right of people everywhere to be free. The aim of Sinn Fein was 
to end British rule and the partition of Ireland.

The Good Friday agreement had decided that new institutions should be put 
in place but this was being obstructed by the Unionists.

Sinn Fein was committed to the peace process he said and was looking for 
support to ensure that "the old reactionary system does not have its way."

The Republican referendum was dealt with by Christina Gillgren while Carmen 
Lawrence spoke of the propaganda war being waged by the media and Howard 
Government leaders, particularly directed against the MUA in the recent 
dispute.

Workers' struggles

Dr Rob Lambert spoke of the development of "global unionism" and reported 
that a preparatory meeting of southern alliance unions from the Pacific Rim 
countries was to be held in Perth at the end of March and that a conference 
will be held in South Africa towards the end of the year.

Ramona Mitussis told of the huge influx of guest workers and illegal 
migrants into Greece in recent years and that this had provoked a strong 
racist back-lash in the country.

Tony Cooke called for grass-roots campaigning and a broad political debate 
to discuss the impact of policies and social issues. He said that there was 
anger towards the major parties in a fluid and complex situation.

The work of the Cuba Solidarity Committee and the trade union East Timor 
committee were well reported.

Paddy Crumlin in an impassioned report called for new energies to meet the 
present situation and was critical that the left was not facing some of the 
controversial issues.

He pointed to the energy that had been released during the Patrick dispute 
and that today people are demanding that they have a voice in their own 
affairs.

He said that Ireland and East Timor were part of the same struggle that was 
being waged in Australia. Capitalism was not offering any real competition 
only exploitation. There was a globalisation of culture and ideas while 
anything that stands in the way was being eliminated.

Vic Williams recalled a number of the earlier struggles of the Waterside 
Workers' Federation and said that the adoption of correct policies had 
united members.

During the 1954 and 1956 strikes on the waterfront union members had 
visited farming communities and won their support for the consideration to 
be given be given to republishing the book written by Vic Williams, The 
Years of Big Jim.

MUA dispute

CPA General Secretary, Peter Symon, made a comprehensive analysis of the 
MUA dispute. He said that the dispute was "unequivocably" a victory for the 
MUA.

"At the commencement of the dispute few would have given the MUA a chance 
of winning but in the face of great odds a slim chance became a reality."

He listed the factors which he suggested had been a "winning combination":

* Correct tactics;

* The willingness of the membership and leadership to stand up to the 
threats and the unity between the membership and leadership;

* The massive support from the rest of the trade union movement and the 
whole labour movement — unity not seen in Australia for a very long time;

* The international support extended to the MUA;

* The use of a wide range of tactics — use of the courts, of the TV and 
the Internet, printed propaganda, meetings and support functions and the 
magnificent "ground-breaking community pickets", which give a new dimension 
to union picketing;

* The avoidance of any unnecessary incidents on the pickets and the 
excellent discipline of the picketers;

* The availability of "leaks" which helped the union build up its 
conspiracy case.

Peter Symon also mentioned the mistake of the employers and government in 
introducing balaclava hooded security guards and the use of dogs.

He said the employers and conservative governments were on the attack not 
only in Australia but in every country.

Today the objective was the destruction of unionism, the award system and 
even enterprise agreements negotiated with the participation of unions.

They wanted individual contracts and the re-introduction of the master-
servant relationship of the last century.

Unity

Peter Symon called for maximum unity be between membership and leadership 
of unions, between those having different political commitments, 
international solidarity and the use of all tactics.

All this was needed for survival in the present circumstances.

It will eventually be possible for the trade union movement to move from a 
defensive position and take the offensive again. Of course, this is all on 
the basis of helping the working class.

Peter Symon said that this was not a recipe for doing nothing or accepting 
anything but of how and when to fight and what tactics and methods of 
struggle should be adopted. He said it certainly means involving the 
membership, keeping everyone informed and increasing everyone's 
consciousness and understanding.

He invoked the memory of Jim Healy and Tom Nelson and said that they were 
"unifiers" and recalled the unity tickets which had strengthened unions 
during their time in office.

Peter Symon likened the recent community pickets to that of a great unity 
ticket and that this had played a vital part in defeating the union-
smashing plans of the Howard Government and the employers.

He concluded by saying that the policy of the CPA was for the widest 
possible working class and community unity. The Party appreciated the 
comradely relations between MUSAA and the CPA and that it was desirable to 
find practical ways to make this relationship more active.

In expressing his impressions of the conference he said that the wide range 
of speakers showed that many people are making a great contribution to our 
working class family.