File spoon-archives/marxism-thaxis.archive/marxism-thaxis_1997/marxism-thaxis.9712, message 132


Date: Thu, 4 Dec 1997 19:12:08 +0100
From: Hugh Rodwell <m-14970-AT-mailbox.swipnet.se>
Subject: M-TH: Liverpool dockers


Here's a letter to the Liverpool dockers from the Swedish dockers that was
posted on LabourNet

http://www.gn.apc.org/labournet

Nothing spectacular, just a complete refutation of everything James H and
his kind have written about the impact and significance of the Liverpool
dockers' strike for decent conditions and against a return to the barbarity
of casualization and the hell of having to fight it out with your workmates
every morning for the right to work for a pittance.

Global is as global does.

Cheers,

Hugh

_____________________________________

from: Swedish Dockworkers Union (Stockholm)
to: Merseyside Port Shop Stewards and every sacked docker in Liverpool

30 October 1997

Dear Colleagues,

We have taken note of your reports about the postal ballot being imposed on
the sacked Liverpool dockers by the TGWU
general secretary Bill Morris. The way this affair has been handled by
Morris is truly the way of a very undemocratic union
leader who is under very hard pressure. Of course one of the advantages
about this whole sad procedure is that it will be
impossible for anyone to claim your dispute to be "unofficial" - how can it
be possible for a trade union organisation to
have an official postal ballot about a conflict that is "unofficial"?

The men who voted yes for the so called "final offer" cannot really be
blamed since the pressure has been so hard on
everyone during those 25 months that have passed since the beginning of
this conflict. We rather like to hail the 213 men
who voted "no", but also the men who voted "yes" but declared that they
will continue to be part of your fight.

Many encouraging things have happened lately - the "Neptune Jade" story,
the decision of the Japanese dockers to boycott
all goods to and from, not only Liverpool, but also the ports of Sheerness
and Thamesport. It is also with great pleasure
and pride that we take note of the news about actions being taken by
Liverpool dockers and also Women of the Waterfront
such as picketing the Port of Dublin and the Canada Dock in the Port of
Liverpool on the arrival of the Royal Yacht
Brittania. You all certainly show that you still are alive and kicking and
not at all ready to give up. On the contrary we
have the impression that you are more determined than ever and we also have
the impression that there are a lot of things
going in your favour at the moment.

We are really proud to be a small part of your courageous fight and we
realise that your conflict and its outcome has the
greatest significance for dockers all over the world and not least here in
Sweden. Therefore we in the Swedish
Dockworkers Union are intensifying our fundraising campaign and we are
discussing with the shipping company Sea-Link
and the paperpulp manufacturer ASSIDoman about their use of the facilities
in the Port of Sheerness telling them that
they are risking to be involved in the Liverpool dispute.

Yours in Solidarity
SWEDISH DOCKWORKERS UNION

Bjorn A. Borg

VICTORY TO THE LIVERPOOL DOCKERS






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