From: "Hartin, Tony" <thartin-AT-vitgcdu1.telstra.com.au>
Subject: M-I: short update
Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 21:52:00 +1000


No classic this time. :-) Hugh is right - we are too busy at the moment
to find much time to type.
I've been taking "sickies" during the day, and then sneaking back at
night to deal with my (non-work) email.

Glad to see that Brisbane comrades have stepped up their action - last
night they marched on the docks, smashed in the gates and chased the
scabs around the docks. Were you there Gary? I was looking out for a mad
irish lecturer, but just couldn't tell. Was that you with the
boltcutters?

Basically the picketlines are still holding everywhere. Corrigan has
called for the police to break some heads, Kennett has flagged tough
action within the next 24 hours or so. The police minister has gloated
over the prospect of blood on the streets.

After we won the battle of Friday night, the police backed off, calling
a truce. Howard, Corrigan and Kennett went sick at them. Next time I am
sure they will be back with batons.

The Supreme court (Victoria) granted an injunction forbidding anyone in
Victoria being within 200 metres of Patricks. This is now an issue of
civil rights as well. The picket line today was magnificent. There must
have been 10s of thousands of workers throughout the day. Many
workplaces have struck in sympathy, some organised by their union, but
many spontaneously. Many, many more want to come out as well. If the
cops break the picketline I am sure we will see an immediate general
strike.

The officials are committed to maintaining the picketline, but they are
backing themselves into a corner as regards their fucked ideas. They
spend 2/3's of their megaphone time warning us against violence from our
own ranks (ie. from us socialist troublemakers). Today, unionists
wrested control of the Coode Road entrance from the cops, who took it
the other day. TWU trucks blockaded Footscray Road, and about 1000
workers marched on the gate and took it. The fucking officials handed it
back to the cops, demoralising heaps of workers, because "we have a
truce where we have promised not to do anything without telling the
cops, and vice versa". The weird schizophrenia continues - the politics
of Ghandi on one hand, and the reality of furious blue-collar workers on
the other.

Other stuff.... the NFF says its going to send in farmers against the
pickets. If they do, there really will be a bloodbath.

It makes me fucking nervous having the officials in charge. They will
sell it out at some stage. But the feeling for unity is still so very
strong. The ideas that need to be smashed.... the national interest,
world's best practice, non-violence as a principle.

We are still winning though. Look out for Melbourne again. I'm sure
there will be more big news very soon.

Tony


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