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Fact sheet No 1 - 3 Feb 1998
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Takver's Initiatives. P.O. Box 1078, Brunswick M.D.C, Victoria, 3056, Australia

Selected as the Labour Website of the week (9 April 1998)
Selected as the Leftist and "Progressive" Web Site of the Week: April 19 - April 25 1998
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SOLIDARITY!
Picture: Wildcat Thanks for visiting my soapbox. The Australian Government, State Government and various employer bodies are conspiring to lower the wages and living conditions of Australian workers and their families. The attacks on the Maritime Union of Australia are a politically motivated attempt to smash one of the strongest, most class conscious, unions in Australia.

In a class society one must take sides. Unions have been a major force for the improvement of living conditions and human rights over the last 100 years. The wharfies, or waterside workers, have contributed much to a rich social tradition of social action and human rights. I ask all visitors to this site to support the Australian Wharfies in their current struggles.

I condemn the Australian Government, and in particular, the Prime Minister, John Howard, and Workplace Relations Minister,Mr Peter Reith, for inciting industrial conflict in an ideological attack on the Maritime Union of Australia, and an attack on the living standards of most Australians, for corporate greed and the benefit of a very few.

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Actions You can do!

  • Send a Free Fax to protest to Reith, Howard, Corrigan and NFF and the media.
  • Sign the petition on the Democratic Socialist Party and Resistance Solidarity Page for the Wharfies
  • Send a solidarity message to the wharfies and their famillies to this Solidarity Message Board
  • Organise a rally in support of the MUA, or visit the 'peaceful assemblies' outside Patrick terminals at 17 wharfs around Australia.
  • Hold a fundraiser with friends or colleagues.
  • Talk about the issues with your fellow workers and friends.
  • If outside of Australia, protest to your nearest Australian Embassy, consulate or trade office by phone or fax, or protest outside Australian diplomatic offices. Please see the CyberPicket Line for a full list of Australian diplomatic missions.
  • Write a letter to your local newspaper about the issues.
  • Leaflet your neighbours - ask your union for information leaflets


Organise support in your community!

The following suggestions were made on the Leftlink Email list.

  1. a notice on your milkbar window '3 cheers for the local residents who joined the picket line' - with an explanation of why and a contact phone no.
  2. a meeting one night to plan what else we can do - ideas that came out of it include
    • a meeting in our community centre
    • cottage or street meetings
    • a leaflet
    • signs in our front yards
    • telephone tree
    • using local networks

This is starting to put concerned people in touch with each other and give them an outlet for their concerns. We're no longer isolated powerless individuals. If every concerned person did something small in their local community or at work, it would make a real difference. Ultimately it could build up to lots of people being available for the picket lines, being available to help leaflet marginal seats etc

Action idea

We need
  1. a 'here's what you can do' section on publicity leaflets
  2. commitment from union leaders and community leaders to promote people doing these small things.


Contact details for Peter Reith,
Minister for Workplace Relations and Small Business
Electoral Office:Shop 4 184 Salmon Street Hastings VIC 3915 (PO Box 274 Hastings VIC 3915)
Electorate Tel/Fax: (03) 5979 3188 (tel)    (03) 5979 3034 (fax)
Parliament Tel/Fax: (02) 6277 7320 (tel)    (02) 6273 4115 (fax)


If you wish to contact Patrick Management to tell them what you think of these sackings, contact details are available from their webpage at http://www.patrick.com.au/

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Snail mail: P.O. Box 1078, Brunswick M.D.C., Victoria, 3056, Australia
This Page: http://www.takver.com/wharfie/about.htm
Last modified: May 4, 1998
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