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From: Ole
Category: Category 1
Date: 10 Nov 1999
Time: 19:39:16
Remote Name: 24.113.31.232
ILWU Information List
The recent turn of events in Vancouver and the ensuing comments from the US/Canadian Pacific Coast Ports, Liverpool and elsewhere compel comment on the real meaning of support and the ease with which our vitriolic lip service becomes watered down to mother's milk when the opportunity to actually DO something rears its fearsome head.
In 1996 the International Executive Board (the highest governing body of the union between its Conventions-according to the ILWU constitution) passed a motion to support the locked out Liverpool Dockers in any way they asked.
Later, a world-wide, 24 hour port shut-down was requested.
At a post-contract meeting at the PMA headquarters, International President McWilliams disappeared into PMA President Miniace's office and emerged with the news that the two of them had worked out a compromise plan (although they didn't call it a compromise plan)
McWilliams said it was "...all worked out, we could shut down the ports in support of the Liverpool Dcokers without losing our holiday pay." Miniace raised a warning finger and cautioned "But.. only if its for no more than EIGHT hours!"
For those of us that were familiar with our contract, this 'deal' should have had a stench that forced us to leave the room.
You see, the contractual criteria for qualifying for holiday pay has nothing to do with the illegal work stoppage with which PMA would have charged us, had we supported the Liverpool Dockers as promised. Conversely, the contractual penalty for an illegal work stoppage is loss of that weeks pay guarantee.
In other words, there had been no 'deal.' Not that any compromise deal should have been tolerated anyway-- there had only been another bald faced give-away.
The previous night, I had discussed the ramifications of what was obviously to be this imminent sell out with several of the representatives present. I anxiously looked about the Union faces in the PMA conference room. Not one wince, not one peep.
Among those gathered there were members of the current Coast Committee and members of the International Executive Board, including the maker of the original IEB motion of support!
Now there is another group that may rapidly need some serious support from us.
We are talking now. We are talking big now, and the talk will get bigger!
What we say to each other, in many cases, will be only what the speaker thinks we want to hear. What we hear from each other will only be what we think we want to hear.
When it comes down to DOING something.... will history repeat itself?
YES... if we run true to form.
YES... if the politicians among us are allowed to say one thing and do another.
It will be up to you to speak up and to act up.
This is the closest to home that it can possibly be!
If anyone is allowed, as they were before, to seek the easy way out, bear in mind that they could well be seeking the easy way for you to be out of work.
frats, ole