> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Content-Type: text/plain;charset="us-ascii" > > Australian Congress of Trade Unions backs Maritime Union of Australia > against Howard Government > > Press reports from Australia quote Bill Kelty, secretary of the Australian > Congress of Trade Unions (ACTU), as promising to organise "the biggest > picket that's ever been seen in this country" if a dispute begins on the > waterfront. > > The ACTU statement follows federal government plans to allow troops and > non-union workers to break strikes by the Maritime Union of Australia, a > plan reminiscent of Margaret Thatcher's approach to UK industrial relations > in the 1980's. > > "The only promise I make to John Howard is this: 'that if you seek to > destroy the MUA we will be there and... you'll have the biggest picket > that's ever been seen in this country'," Kelty told the ACTU Congress in > Brisbane on 3 Sept. > > Meanwhile, transport operators in Sydney are seeking further government > intervention to end bans on container movement to and from the waterfront > by the Transport Workers Union, who seek a 10 per cent wage rise. On 2 > Sept, the State Industrial Commission recommended lifting all action but > the bans were not lifted. The companies are now seeking orders which would > leave the union open to legal action. > > LabourNet Report > http://www.labournet.org.uk >
