Yarra workers standing firm on Australian jobs

by Janice Hamilton

The stand off involving CSL and maritime workers continues into its third 
week, while the Canadian owned shipping company charged with forcing 
Ukrainians to take the jobs of Australian seafarers threatened to withdraw 
its vessels because of conflict with Australian unions.

The threat was made during negotiations with Deputy Prime Minister and 
Minister for Transport, John Anderson.

In other talks with the ACTU an agreed settlement couldn't be reached over 
a proposal that would see the Yarra continue with an Australian crew 
until a union court appeal was heard.

Thursday seen some workers including the ships captain obey a company order 
to leave the ship. The majority of the crew chose to stay on board 
indefinitely despite threats of court orders forcing their eviction.

In the meantime the company's shipping agent turned off all power to the 
ship, leaving the crew without water, electricity, working toilets or 
cooking facilities.

CSL Yarra MUA delegate John Smith issued a statement saying that the 
crew was determined to stay. The following is what he had to say:

"We the crew of the CSL Yarra, are determined to fight for the 
continuing existence of the Australian merchant fleet. Our rights to work 
on the Australian coast are enshrined in legislation under the Navigation 
Act. CSL has manipulated the system to reflag our ship as a flag of 
convenience to avoid Australian taxes and the employment of Australian 
workers.

This is only possible because the Federal Government allows companies to 
rort the system and encourages employers to dump Australian workers.

Australian-registered ships pay taxes in Australia.
Foreign registered ships pay no taxes in Australia.
Australian seafarers pay tax in Australia.
Replacement foreign workers pay no taxes in Australia.

This current attack threatens our livelihood of not only seafarers of this 
vessel but also many other workers in our communities. We believe the 
ramifications of introducing cheap foreign labour to an integral Australian 
industry will be the catalyst for the introduction of foreign replacement 
workers in other Australian industries.

The crew of this vessel are ready and willing to sail in the Australian 
coastal trade immediately. We stand committed and resolute in our 
determination to see a successful outcome to benefit all Australians now 
and for future generations."

The fate of the Yarra has become a battle about the future of 
Australia's coastal shipping industry as companies increasingly seek to 
increase profits by selling vessels offshore so they can be reflagged in 
low tax countries and crewed by foreigners on lower wages.

Another ship has joined the controversy with the CSL Pacific ship 
already crewed by Ukrainians stranded in Melbourne's docks due to a union 
picket stopping deliveries of cement for building sites.

After discussions with the MUA, the Australian Workers Union (AWU) is now 
involved in the dispute, demanding that CSL's main client Adelaide Brighton 
Cement, deal with the shipping company only if it hires Australian 
seafarers.

This action is risky for the AWU who is refusing to cross picket lines due 
to the Federal Governments secondary boycott legislation but none the less 
should be supported.

Other unions should follow suit to send a clear message to the Government 
that their policy of handing out permits to foreign flag vessels at the 
expense of Australian jobs and revenue will not be tolerated.

The Federal Government seems determined to stick by the policy with Mr 
Anderson saying, "Australian crews had to be more competitive on manning 
levels and crew rotations."

Isn't this the same dribble that we heard at the beginning of the MUA 
Patrick Stevedores dispute in 1998.