Old days on the waterfront re-lived in Port Adelaide

Hundreds of visitors to the heritage area of Port Adelaide were recently 
given vivid insights into the lives of the men that worked on the 
waterfront in the 1920s. Union organisations and retired waterfront workers 
combined to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the 1928 national maritime 
strike. The wretched conditions of the families of workers were also 
recalled.

Among the numerous events and speeches — some of which made the connection 
between the 1920s struggles and the ongoing efforts of the bosses to 
degrade pay and conditions and to destroy the union — was a performance by 
local resident and former waterside worker Rex Munn.

Rex's last job on the waterfront was that of "vigilance officer" or V/O — 
going to ships and taking up the problems of the workers.

At the commemoration Rex brought to life the tense and humiliating 
experiences of the men at the time of the "bull system" — the body-hire 
that used to take place on Lipson Street — at "Poverty Corner" near the 
spot where Port Adelaide's Maritime Museum now stands. Rex took the role of 
the boss's agent at a "bull system" pick-up ..

"Righto, you useless lot, get around here if you want to get a job. How 
many of you here today? Four Hundred! Bloody lot of you goin' home without 
a job, then. Righto, we've got the Adelaide Steamship Company — SS 
Mandala, eight o 'clock start, number five berth, unloadin' railway 
sleepers in heavy redwood, kauri and jarrah from Western Australia. Don't 
turn up without ya bloody timber hooks.

"Here's the labour for today. I want four gangs and extras. I want to see 
four good bull gangs — I don't want bludgers. Bull hatchmen — Smith, 
Walters, Hendry, Murphy, take ya damned gangs down to number five berth and 
make sure ya move a bit of cargo, not sit on ya arse all day!

"Some of you blokes wouldn't move enough timber to make a box of matches. 
Now we've got the gangs, we need someone to get down there to get the gear 
ready. I want two winch drivers. Jones and Brown, you'll do. Jackson, don't 
waste ya time delayin', you're not gettin' the job, you're frightened to 
turn on the bloody steam, you're tryin' to hang the bloody job out. I'm not 
interested in you, get a job somewhere else.

"Righto, I want four strong holdies and I mean strong, not frightened of a 
bit of bloody work. Diva, Kellerman, Redder, Virgilio — you'll do. And 
have a look at these. These boots are nearly worn out. If I don't get new 
boots soon they'll be new bloody holdies.

I wouldn't waste me time on some of you blokes, you wouldn't sweat in a 
bloody fit. I don't want you Wilson, you're a trouble makin' bastard. 
You're always whingeing about safety on the job.

"I've got an easy job here for a horse dragger. Selwyn, you'll do and don't 
forget to pay me tab up at the Railway Hotel or you won't get a bloody job 
next week.

"Now the rest of these jobs are shore jobs. I want ten strong men to work. 
Not skinny, under-nourished bloody weaklings. Let's have a look, who do I 
want? Not much good tryin' to pick out any amongst ya. There's only one 
thing to do. I'll throw the bloody lot at ya and ya have to fight for 'em. 
Strongest wins. Here! It's the best way I know to get strong men.

"Righto, there'll be another pick up at one o'clock. Don't bank on gettin' 
a job, shippin's scarce. That's the end of the pick up".

The 400-strong crowd then marched behind the MUA banner to the old Wharfies 
Hall in Nile Street for other lively activities commemorating the great 
wharfie's strike of '29.