File spoon-archives/aut-op-sy.archive/aut-op-sy_1997/aut-op-sy.9707, message 97


Date: Sun, 20 Jul 1997 11:13:40 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Harry M. Cleaver" <hmcleave-AT-mundo.eco.utexas.edu>
Subject: AUT: Concerning LabourNet Open Letter (fwd)


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 19 Jul 1997 16:52:06 -0400
From: LabourNet <chrisbailey-AT-GN.APC.ORG>
Reply-To: Forum on Labor in the Global Economy <LABOR-L-AT-YORKU.CA>
To: LABOR-L-AT-YORKU.CA
Subject: Concerning LabourNet Open Letter

The Mersey Port Stewards have asked LabourNet to circulate the following
letter concerning the reference to building an "international organisation
of portworkers" in the Open Letter I wrote recently on behalf of LabourNet
to Labourtel '97. I was really only alluding to the international
organising that took place around the day of action etc., but I accept that
the wording was open to misinterpretation.

Chris Bailey
LabourNet

18 July

Dear comrades,

We welcome the debate which has opened up on the uses of the internet to
develop workers solidarity. Since our dismissal in September 1995 for
refusing to cross a picket line, we have suffered from long periods of
media silence on the key industrial developments in our dispute. Even the
unprecedented international action in January this year was effectively
buried by the British press and TV.

LabourNet has given us a way to report our story, and we would particularly
like to thank Chris Bailey and Greg Dropkin for their efforts in this
regard. It is only now that we have a computer in our office that we can
begin to see the full scope for workers in struggle to make use of this
fantastic tool.

This internet work has aimed to develop the international solidarity of
portworkers and their organisations. The reference in LabourNet's open
letter to "the work to help build an international organisation of
portworkers" is unfortunately open to misinterpretation, but we hope that
all concerned will accept that Liverpool dockers simply seek the widest
possible international coordination and solidarity in our fight for
reinstatement.

Indeed, when we achieve our goal, we will be able to help defend the
interests of dockworkers throughout the world. This is our agenda, and we
know that LabourNet accepts and agrees with this.

VICTORY TO THE LIVERPOOL DOCKWORKERS

Yours in Solidarity,

Jim Davies
Sec./Treasurer
Merseyside Port Shop Stewards



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