Maritime Workers Journal - Winter 2020 by Maritime Union Of Australia

INSIDE: COVID COVER UPS & BOAT BUNGLES (PG 6-13) | FIRE & WIND: JOBS OF THE FUTURE (PG 16-29)

NATIONAL COUNCIL REPORTS & RESOLUTIONS (PG 30-71)

CONTENTS

COVID COVER UPS: Biosecurity breaches and warnings ignored

BOAT BUNGLES: Contaminated ships account for more than 1 in 10 virus cases in Australia

STANDDOWNS: Border closures and job losses as oil industry goes south and COVID puts economy on life support

INFERNO: Seafarers’ first hand accounts of the biggest maritime rescue in Australia’s peacetime history

OFFSHORE WIND: Combating climate change and creating jobs of the future

30 72

TJUNGU: Special National Council Reports and Resolutions MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: Australian seafarers team up with subsea robots to salvage containers polluting Australia’s coastline, as another box spill closes beaches COVER: Welcome to Country, Yugambeh traditional owners, National Conference, March. PHOTO: Matt Peterson INSIDE COVER: Conference delegates and guests

EDITOR IN CHIEF Paddy Crumlin DESIGN Matt Peterson PRINTER Spotpress

Maritime Workers’ Journal 365-375 Sussex Street Sydney NSW 2000 Contact: 9267 - 9134 Fax: 9261 - 3481 Email: journal@mua.org.au Website: www.mua.org.au MWJ reserves the right at all times to edit and/or reduce any articles or letters to be published. Publication No: 1235 For all story ideas, letters, obituaries please email journal@mua.org.au

LOGGING ON

LOGGING ON PADDY CRUMLIN

N Y I N J U RY TO O N E A I S A N I N J U RY TO A L L

he murder of George Floyd on the streets of Minnesota opens a window on levels of ignorance, brutality, fear and criminality that are the DNA of racism.

Racism is pervasive and therefore often dismissed or ignored. However, this atrocity starkly illuminated a gut-wrenching abuse of institutional power, recorded in daylight, in the most casual of settings and unfolding into gripping tragedy with witnesses gathered around pleading for Mr Floyd’s life. His own pleading for support and understanding of his desperate fight to breathe exposed the depth of racism in a country that ripped itself apart in civil war in order to reject slavery as unconstitutional and has been the heartland of civil rights campaigning ever since. Racism in itself is the contemporary manifestation of slavery for short-term economic growth in favour of wealthy elites. Mr Floyd’s death is a clear and undeniable criminal abuse of civil rights in the face of the long march to confront and remove racism. More than 50 years ago, Martin Luther King Jr and Malcom X were assassinated in the US – both at the age of 39. Martin Luther King was murdered in Memphis Tennessee, supporting striking Afro-American sanitation workers. Those Afro-American workers were paid significantly less than – and employed under completely differently working conditions to – white workers in the same jobs. Martin Luther King was a civil rights activist, human rights activist and labour activist. In his address to the strikers he said, “But somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech.... I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for rights”. He went on to say that we aren’t going to let dogs or water hoses turn us around. He was murdered by a white small-time criminal who is largely identified as acting on behalf of greater political interests. Thanks to our longstanding comradeship with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and my friendship with the then president of the Tacoma local, now President of the ILWU, Willie Adams I was invited to address his “celebration of Black history and labour” nearly 20 year ago. Martin Luther King’s daughter Dr Bernice King and Malcolm X’s daughter Attallah Shabazz both spoke not only of their father’s great legacies but also of the importance of constant activism against racism. As Malcolm X said, the future belongs to those who prepare for it today. With me, on that political, industrial and emotional journey was a young indigenous member of the union named Thomas Mayor. He is now one of the emerging leaders of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nations. There really can be no hiding place for those politicians, business leaders and others who have not shouldered their responsibility to effectively eliminate racism and other extreme forms of discrimination on grounds of gender, age, religious and sexual preference or any other individual choices that are the foundation of true and sustainable democracy and

accountability. That denial of their political responsibility lies at the heart of this crisis. Let’s have a good look in the mirror as well. Since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody in 1991 there have been at least 434 deaths in custody of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The family of David Dungay, a 26-year-old Dunghutti man have pointed out that he died in similar circumstances to George Floyd. Along with hundreds of thousands of Australians they expressed their solidarity with those marching in protest – and in search of the America that should be in place more than 50 years after the deaths of Marin Luther King and Malcolm X. At the same time, Scott Morrison said he was glad that such things didn’t happen here. Say what? Mr Morrison is not alone in his offensive ignorance and the political negligence that underpins it: many politicians and leaders from all political vantage points have failed in their moral duty to progress the urgent need for change and accountability that were clearly articulated and defined in the recommendations of the Royal Commission. Latest Australian statistics show that the daily average of indigenous people in prison continues to rise dramatically and half of the indigenous people who have died in custody since 2008 had not been convicted of a crime. About 2.8% of Australians are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and yet indigenous adults are 15 times more likely to be incarcerated than non-indigenous Australians. Juvenile indigenous Australians are 26 times more likely to be incarcerated and the fastest growing prison population is indigenous women. State governments are just as responsible as the federal government. Following George Floyd’s death, ITF General Secretary Steve Cotton and myself as ITF President reached out to the 20 million ITF transport workers worldwide to stand united against racism nationally and internationally. Read our message in full on our website.

A SHIT OF A YEAR

s it possible that this year could get any worse? I suppose so – it’s only June.

We kicked off with bushfires that were devastating to mainly working communities around Australia. They happened basically and by popular agreement because of ongoing political failure at every level of governance – local, state and federal. Many of those communities hardest hit have not been reconstructed due to point scoring and bloody mindedness in the apportioning of responsibilities. The MUA membership and donations from the Norwegian Seafarers Union and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union raised more than $140,000. Some of that went to members and retired members directly affected and other donations are targeting communities where maritime workers live. Our historic union school is situated in the middle of one of the worst affected areas. MUA members and families – including my family and myself – worked hard to clear and secure that area. This type of crisis does not bring out the best in political leadership as instanced by Mr Morrison’s Hawaiian getaway. But it can bring out the very best in the human attributes of caring and sharing among working Australians

4 www.mua.org.au

LOGGING ON

With Dennis Daggett, Executive Vice President, ILA and Willie Adams, President ILWU at National Conference

While we were working nationally to assist the rebuilding of those communities the Covid-19 crisis was dropped in the middle like the ubiquitous turd in an international pan. Having been through SARS, MERS, Ebola and Zika, along with the re-emergence of diseases such as cholera and yellow fever worldwide, it would be reasonable to expect that government and commercial attention and focus would be on stemming the pervasive impact as demonstrated each time one of these diseases comes along – while researching and learning from past mistakes. Between 2011 and 2017 there have been 24 pandemic and epidemic episodes internationally, according to the World Health Organisation. Despite this, there has not been a dedicated and essential focus on the catastrophic potential effect of pandemics. At the same time, economic growth has been largely predicated on the neo-liberal obsession with the deregulation of national industries and international trade. The enormous sovereign wealth of Australia has been directed to legging up massively wealthy multinationals at the expense of good public policy starting with health but including all of the framework for decent modern decent living, such as housing, education, jobs and safe and effective public services including transport. Our own industry says it all. Let’s start with BHP crushing the aspirations and expectations of the last remaining Australian maritime workforce. BHP abandoned its responsibilities to that workforce, which built the company and sustained it over 130 years of peace and war, so it could cash in on the iron ore and other resources owned by the Australian people and put flag of convenience vessels crewed by largely unregulated international seafarers into the domestic shipping supply chain. Their puppet company Right Ships spews forth doggerel on how they are preserving the highest standards of international shipping. Not! The very same international standards were at the root of the Ruby Princess debacle and the systemic tax avoidance and wage exploitation of Flag of Convenience shipping. BHP do not give a rat’s arse about Australians. They are not the Big Australian, that is fake news. They swing their swindle because many politicians sit idly by being careful not to upset them and others like them. Not good for their political aspirations. What a crew.

www.mua.org.au

Their response to Covid-19 is merely the latest manifestation of a long history of corporate arrogance backed up by political fluff whose only commitment is to their shitty short-term political interests and cycles. They define duty of care to the public interest through the filter of their own self-interest. Thanks to an emasculated and increasingly self-interested media, they figure they are taking the odds. Their first port of call is, what does Rupert say? There are of course some other corporations or companies either compliant in this fake and cynical narrative or complacent to the extent of ignorant negligence. They increasingly represent the ugly side of corporate greed and intransigence. Their grossly overpaid management and boards dismiss wider moral and ethical considerations with a mantra of shareholder value hell or high water – a goal they consistently demonstrate they are not competent to deliver. Check out their GFC and Covid-19 contribution to wealth creation. While the politician of the moment, Scott Morrison, talks about building a “new” era, some of the old corporate mates are clearly and quite openly warming their hands around the fire to be used to take away further trade union and workers’ rights. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks after all. Channel Mines and Metals, they are proudly recidivist. Go Martin Ferguson, one of their pin ups. Unfortunately, some stevedoring employers have been opportunistically beating a path to Canberra seeking support to take away MUA bargaining rights under the Fair Work Act. They think we’re either stupid or blind. If this type of duplicity is going to be the basis for a “new” Australia, it is really just a rehash of the “old” Australia. We’re comfortable in our skins, in every way. It’s good to be the MUA in the face of their crap. We, and every worker in Australia and around the world know we are here to stay – war, peace, pandemic or otherwise. We had the last and one of the largest truly democratic conferences of Australian workers and international comrades on the eve of the coronavirus curtain coming down. Much of the quality and importance of that conference is recorded in this journal. Thanks to the genuine leadership of our union, the membership, we have, are and always will be walking as well as talking.

COVID-19

STO O D D OW N

he Maritime Union repeatedly warned governments and port authorities that holes in maritime biosecurity would lead to a viral outbreak in the community. And they did. A series of security breaches led to 30 deaths and 600 cases of the coronavirus in the community within days of the Ruby Princess disgorging passengers at Sydney Harbour on 19 March. National Secretary Paddy Crumlin wrote to the Prime Minister in January and again on 17 March, just two days before the Carnival cruise vessel docked. “I have recently returned from London after holding urgent meetings with the International Transport Workers’ Federation and international shipping industry,” he wrote. “It was clear from those meetings, that Australia is alarmingly out of step with both inter-agency networking and contemporary developments in biosecurity, internationally.” Crumlin called on the government to implement stricter biosecurity controls across the nation’s seaports. Pre-entry inspection of vessels if they had not been at sea for 14 days prior to arrival and testing crew would reduce the risk of the virus spreading to Australian maritime workers and the community, he said. Crumlin highlighted that despite WHO declaring a pandemic, Australia still woefully depended on self declaration of crew health by vessel masters before entering Australian ports.

Waterside workers in Melbourne made national headlines when they were stood down for refusing to work the Chinese container vessel Xin Da Lian on 1 April. The container ship arrived at Swanston Dock after less than 14 days from its last port of call in Taiwan. Wharfies demanded safeguards be put in place before they boarded the vessel to unlash the 2000 containers. DP World stood down 60 workers. The company decision to stand down workers over an obvious safety issue is a disgrace” said Assistant National Secretary Warren Smith. “Our members watched the Ruby Princess fiasco. Every message we get is ships are significant carriers of COVID-19, they should be quarantined 14 days. The ship was under 14 days since its last foreign port and was a safety issue through and through. Wharfies refused to work the vessel. They did the right thing and were right to do so.” The dispute lasted three days. Five members got final warnings. “DP World’s systematic harassment of safety representatives and workers who stand up for safety is clear,” said Smith. The Melbourne struggle brought changes in Brisbane, Darwin and opened discussions with Governments in NSW and Victoria. Government agencies were changing guidelines daily at the time and as a result of this struggle restrictions on interaction with crew members were tightened nationally. The MUA has put forward an EBA settlement offer and DP World’s response was 100 redundancies in Melbourne.

In the case of the Ruby Princess, ABC Four Corners has reported the ship told Australian authorities there were no suspected COVID-19 cases on board.

Meanwhile Darwin wharfies, at Asia’s southern gateway, ran a campaign alerting the public to ships posing a biosecurity risk after only days at sea from foreign hotspots.

The debacle is now subject to a homicide investigation and a commission of inquiry. The union is calling for a Royal Commission.

Branch officials Andy Burford and Thomas Mayor called out several vessels arriving at the port of Darwin at the height of the epidemic in Wuhan.

“Putting Australian port and maritime workers and their communities at risk by ignoring the controls outlined will be an historic failure and further burden on Australia’s health care system,” Crumlin warned.

The Singapore-flagged Kota Nebula from China, the Cyprusflagged Antung from Indonesia and Timor Leste, the Singaporeflagged Kota Harum from Hong Kong and Indonesia and the Liberia-flagged ANL Dili Trader from Singapore, all arrived in Darwin after just a few days at sea between February and April.

“The Australian Government sat on its hands for weeks following the (Ruby Princess) outbreak, saying virtually nothing about one of the most vulnerable biosecurity areas: ports and shipping.”

In both NSW and Queensland, port authorities agreed to introduce a 14-day quarantine on vessels. This was despite outcries from the shipping industry.

Worse, biosecurity agents only board cargo vessels after Australian workers including tugboat crews, linesmen and waterside workers go up the gangway, he said.

Vessels arriving in Australia less than a fortnight from their last international port were required to wait at sea before entering port or request special exemption.

Merchant vessels are unlikely to have a doctor onboard and the accurate diagnosis of a virus like coronavirus could be left to untrained seafarers.

In April, workers in Fremantle stopped work at Qube ports after witnessing crew members leaving the Liberian flagged AAL Bangkok bulk vessel berthed in Henderson.

“A system that allows foreign vessels to trade in and out of Australian ports, with little more than an email as proof that the vessel and its crew comply with biosecurity protocols is not good enough,” he added. Crumlin stressed it should not be left to maritime workers to provide Australia’s response to an international viral threat. But that is increasingly what is happening.

www.mua.org.au

Its most recent port of call was Kaohsiung, China. Both workers and Qube management also watched crew enter the ship’s crane cabins and other common areas on board, potentially exposing waterside workers to the virus when they boarded the vessel. MUA WA Branch Deputy Secretary, Adrian Evans said the AAL Bangkok had breached its privilege of quarantine exemption. It should serve a mandatory 14 days without crew showing COVID symptoms, before Australian workers could unload the vessel.

BOAT BUNGLES U

nions have called governments to account for inhumane treatment of foreign crew in Australian waters. The Maritime Union of Australia and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) wrote to the Federal Government in March condemning the brutal treatment of more than 20,000 international crew from more than 50 countries engaged in the cruise ship industry in Australian waters. The letter was ignored. Paddy Crumlin, MUA National Secretary and ITF President described the Morrison Government directive for the vessels to leave Australian waters with sick crew and passengers as “reckless and heartless.” It was Scott Morrison’s turn-back-the-boats policy all over again. But this time the huge 8,000 tonne deadweight cruise vessels, unlike the rickety fishing boats that brought desperate asylum seekers to our shores at the turn of the century, were not so easily intimidated by Australian frigates. They stood their ground. Shipowners joined unions demanding both crew and passengers get urgent medical attention. Finally they did. A 42-year-old unnamed Filipino seafarer from the Artania cruise ship in the Port of Fremantle died of COVID-19. Another 79 crew tested positive to the virus. On the east coast, 33 crew from Carnival’s Ruby Princess were hospitalised – 190 tested positive. The Ruby Princess was not the only COVID ship debacle. On 22 May livestock vessel Al Kuwait berthed in Fremantle without federal authorities alerting the state or port authority to a possible virus outbreak on board.

Keith McCorriston, ITF inspector got a tip off on the Sunday and alerted authorities. “The crew were shit scared,” he said. “They were concerned they were exposed to getting the virus.” The ITF notified state authorities, pushing to get the crew tested and off the ship into a Perth hotel to quarantine. Twenty tested positive. Only a skeleton crew remain on the vessel for safe manning. The ship went into lockdown. State Premier Mark McGowan slammed federal authorities for not raising a red flag. An investigation is now under way as to why the ship was cleared to dock and why the port authority only found out crew on the ship were ill via the ITF. Meanwhile the MUA has made a submission to the NSW Special Commission of Inquiry into the Ruby Princess. Unions joined the ITF and NSW Labor leaders Jodi McKay and Yasmin Catley along with NSW South Coast Labour Council’s Arthur Rorris to demand all crew be tested, all sick crew be treated and all healthy crew be repatriated home. No crew testing positive remained on the vessel. The Carnival Cruises vessel was the last of 25 passenger ships forced out of Australian waters by Australian Border Force with no regard for the health and safety of any of the 20,000 crew on board. A total of 542 seafarers had already boarded flights home to Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, the UK and the US, according to police. Had the ship left with sick crew on board, weeks earlier. as the government first demanded, lives would have been put at risk.

8 www.mua.org.au

Keith McCorriston, ITF inspector

COVID-19

Unions demand crew on COVIDinfected ships get proper care “It would be a death sentence for some crew if the ship sailed,” Dean Summers, Australian ITF co-ordinator told local media. “They’d start stacking up the bodies in the ship’s freezer. You can’t get medical evacuations that far out at sea.” NSW Labor’s deputy leader Yasmin Catley wrote to congratulate Paddy Crumlin for the ITF’s advocacy on behalf of the crew. “I have worked closely with Dean Summers to bring to light the incompetence, heartlessness and injustice of the NSW Government’s treatment of the crew,” she wrote. “We know the the NSW Liberals bungled the docking and disembarkation of the Ruby Princess on 19 March,” she added. “We have seen the premier seek to cover up her government’s failure on that day by scapegoating the innocent crew.” MUA tugs escorted the vessel out into the ocean with a ceremonial water cannon salute in solidarity and respect for fellow seafarers. On the Ruby’s stern, crew hung a huge banner thanking the Illawarra for their hospitality. Earlier they put together a video to thank everyone for their solidarity. “To all the frontliners helping to get us through this difficult time… we wanna share this simple video as our way of sending our gratitude to everyone who helped.... As we clap and cheer every night, please know that we are all remembering the support and love we are getting from anonymous good people.”

www.mua.org.au

UNSUNG HEROES S

eafarers are putting their lives at risk globally to keep world trade moving. On May Day, ships globally sounded their horns in recognition and respect for frontline crew. The International Transport Workers, the International Maritime Organisation, the International Chamber of Shipping and the International Bargaining Forum have all called seafarers the unsung heroes in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, deserving world recognition. Hundreds of transport workers across the world have lost their lives to COVID-19 after contracting the virus while working on the frontlines to provide vital services, the ITF reports. Thousands more have been infected with the disease. Around 150,000 seafarers are awaiting crew changes. Tens of thousands are still waiting to be repatriated. Crew abandonment cases were growing as nations shut their borders. Mohamed Arrachedi, the ITF’s Arab World and Iran Network Coordinator, listed 18 Syrian seafarers on board the Hannoud-O livestock carrier in Lebanon abandoned five months without pay, seven Egyptian seafarers on board the Nader in Sudan with no food or drinking water and an Indian seafarer stranded in Tunisia unable to either join his ship or return home. An emergency medical evacuation needed to save the life of a 45-year-old Russian seafarer on board the WL Palekh off Sumatra was delayed when local authorities refused pleas from the ship’s master due to COVID-19 restrictions. Both the ILO and IMO have since joined the ITF in calling on nations to respect seafarers’ rights to emergency medical treatment ashore during the pandemic.

COVID-19

10 www.mua.org.au

COVID-19

Hundreds of offshore oil and gas workers were stood down in March, due to falling oil prices brought about by COVID-19. MUA members, however, dodged the bullet – for now. “No MUA guys have been stood down in our area,” said Doug Heath, MUA WA organiser. The big impact has been on the Offshore Alliance workforce. In WA, Woodside Petroleum stood down more than 800 Australian Workers’ Union employees, without consulting the union. “Woodside paid out $730 million to its shareholders on the very day that it stood down its contractor workforce without pay,” Van Badham, writer and commentator posted on YouTube. “If Woodside had set aside just 5 per cent of the money it dished out to its shareholders, it could have paid standby pay to 1000 workers for six months. And still paid shareholders $700 million,” she said. Three weeks later the company stood down 600 onshore workers. “Woodside Boss Peter Coleman earned about US$10.3 million in 2018 which is about $14 million Australian – enough coin to pay 400 offshore workers and Woodside’s 100-plus inspectors on the Burrup six months to standby,” Doug Heath posted on the Offshore Alliance Facebook page. “The offshore industry has gone to shit,” said MUA WA Branch Secretary Christy Cain. “Rigs are stacked. Rig tenders are all going. There’s going to be a big hole in the industry for a while.” The full impact of the downturn has yet to hit MUA seafarers. Woodside cancelled a seismic job which affected 40 MUA members on four vessels over five days, MUA organiser George Gakis reported. “The big one was down in the Bass Strait. Beach Energy cancelled a major contract and pulled five to six vessels out that had work for another two to three years,” he said. Gakis said all the oil and gas majors were using COVID-19 to capitalise on the price of oil. “There may be more to come,” he said. “Inpex is pushing work back.” Meanwhile the more immediate impact on Australian seafarers is unpaid mandatory interstate quarantine. Gakis said East Coast members were worst affected because the WA government has classified seafarers as FIFO (fly in fly out). Workers have to quarantine for two weeks when they cross the state border. The union is dealing with cases where MUA crew are forced into isolation, but employers are refusing to pay their wages or costs. “Our members would rock up for work and be forced to pay for their own accommodation and meals,” Gakis said.

www.mua.org.au

To date the union has been successful getting the money back in the Northern Territory for all ‘dead days’ (in isolation). Gakis said around 95% of the industry was now on board. But when seafarers do their swing and return home they are forced into isolation again once they cross the border. “Members should be paid their wages for forced isolation,” said Gakis. “But not all employers see eye to eye on this. So we’ve had to take action.” Shell is one example. The oil major refused to pay its Prelude employees for mandatory quarantine. “This is just another case of wage theft by big business. The Offshore Alliance lawyers are all over Shell on this one,” Heath posted. Engage Marine was another example. The company, that provides towage for Rio Tinto Iron Ore, made interstate employees choose between relocating to the Pilbara for six months or being stood down, off pay, for 14 days. “We may face the issue that we haven’t got enough people to perform the work,” Christy Cain said. Cain stressed the importance of continuity of the supply chain not just for workers, but for the government to continue to generate an income.

F E R RY C R E W STO O D D OW N Meanwhile SeaLink Travel Group, which operates 13 Captain Cook Cruises vessels on Sydney Harbour, terminated about 130 MUA workers in March. NRMA, which operates Manly Fast Ferry and Fantasea Cruising, also axed about 50 MUA workers. In South Australia only one of their ferries to Kangaroo Island is operating, with work shared by crew from both vessels. SeaLink is also eligible for JobKeeper payments. “The NRMA emailed their casual maritime crew in the middle of the night, informing them that they were being sacked, effective immediately,” said MUA Sydney Branch Secretary Paul McAleer. “After years of loyal service, ferry workers are now facing financial ruin due to the loss of their jobs,” he added. Workers protested in cars outside the NRMA HQ at Olympic Park. “Protesters have a simple demand, and that is for the NRMA to stand by their workers during this crisis by providing special leave or other financial assistance that can help them through the next few months,” Assistant Branch Secretary Paul Garrett said. “It has been a non-stop argument to even get Captain Cook Cruises and NRMA to pay the JobKeeper payment,” said Garrett. “That will happen now to those who are eligible.” Concerns also arose that MUA crew employed on TT Line’s Spirit of Tasmania would be next to go. However the union successfully negotiated for all workers to stay on. This is despite severe cuts to the Bass Strait passenger service.

COVID-19

BY ALL MEANS UNION PROTESTS GO VIRAL

Car cavalcades, zoom meetings and Facebook campaigns – a world pandemic has not stopped the Maritime Union from fighting for workers’ rights. Monthly stop work meetings may have been cancelled under government bans on large gatherings aimed at stopping the virus in its tracks. So too face-to-face enterprise bargaining. But that has not stopped the union from organising and mobilising. Branch and national officials have been on their phones and laptops to port and ship delegates, day and night. Wharfies and seafarers have downed tools over unsafe work. At the same time the union has ramped up its use of social media to keep the membership informed and campaigns running. Online video conferencing programs like Zoom have replaced the boardroom for enterprise negotiating committees. Delegates and officials are meeting face to face - virtually. Car cavalcades have replaced boots on the pavements. A honking car convey of workers, complete with banners, protested ferry stand downs outside the NRMA offices in Olympic Park. Protestors leant out of car windows with loud speakers to get their message across.

Each vehicle transported an individual worker and their immediate family members or co-workers, ensuring appropriate social distancing measures were in place, branch officials reported. MUA Sydney Assistant Branch Secretary Paul Garrett said the current crisis was forcing union members to develop new ways of getting their message across. “For workers whose jobs and livelihoods are on the line, the last thing we want to do is expose them to additional health risks,” he said. “We have come up with this innovative approach to get our message across,” Garrett said. In Port Kembla, the MUA joined forces with the International Transport Workers’ Safety Authority and local community to successfully campaign via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, television, radio and print, for all 1000plus crew on board the ill-fated Ruby Princess passenger vessel to be tested, treated and repatriated home. In the union rooms staff have been rostered to spend a day a week at their desks, two at a time, taking calls and courier drop offs, while others work from home. MUA National Secretary and President of the International Transport Workers’ Federation Paddy Crumlin set up office at the St Georges Basin union training school, south of Nowra, while both interstate and international travel bans remained in place. Many of these tactics will remain in the union’s industrial arsenal to defend workers against unsafe workplaces and exploitation, even after the pandemic.

12 www.mua.org.au

COVID-19

COMPANY COVID COCK UP

WHARFIES AT HUTCHISON PORT BOTANY DOWN TOOLS AFTER MANAGEMENT FAIL TO REPORT COVID-19 CASES IN THE WORKPLACE

Angry workers walked off the job at Hutchison, Port Botany, in March after finding the company had covered up a potential COVID-19 outbreak at the terminal. The company allowed the site to operate as normal, despite an infected worker being in contact with others at the terminal for six shifts. A second case soon came to light. But management refused to share exposure and contact information with the workforce, the union or industry. This put workers, their families, port users and the community at risk. Some 50 workers were forced into isolation after intervention by the NSW Department of Health. Hutchison finally revealed the exact shifts worked and supplied a close contact list to authorities. Only after the union exposed the company cover up to the media, and stopped work under safety regulations did Hutchison finally agree to talks with MUA safety delegates and officials. Assistant National Secretary Warren Smith said workers met with union officials late at night and over the weekend to get things fixed. “We think hiding facts about exposure to COVID-19 from workers is a criminal act,” he said. Work resumed after Hutchison agreed to a comprehensive set of COVID-19 safety measures. These include shift and physical distancing protocols, cleanliness measures across the entire terminal including machinery and providing full personal protection equipment (PPE). Members are also informed prior to each shift not to come to work if they are ill. The union negotiated with management to set up a COVID-19 committee with worker representation. The committee monitors and reviews all protocols.

CO R R E C T I O N An article on Steve Cumberlidge on p 30 of MWJ, Summer edition, 2019 “In his father’s footsteps” suggested former MUA National Secretary John Coombs (right) was not the first candidate considered for the spot in National Office of the Waterside Workers’ Federation in the 1980s.

organise other tradesmen working on the Glebe Island Terminal to rejoin the WWF.

In a later ballot John Coombs won an election against Frank Sharkey, temporary WWF trades organiser and joined the national office team in 1982. In 1988 he was elected WWF According to Margo Beasley, union deputy general secretary, then, after historian and others, including life amalgamation with the SUA, went on to member Jeff Langdon, however this is not be national secretary. the case. The union did, however, have a long

Beasley writes in her book The Wharfies tradition of recruiting branch officials to that the national organiser position was stand for national office positions. set aside for a tradesmen during the WWF Melbourne WWF branch secretary industry union push. Claude Cumberlidge was a towering John Coombs started out on the figure in the union during the wharves in 1968 before getting his ticket 1980s. He was widely revered both as a fitter and joining the Amalgamated within the union and without in the Metal Workers’ Union. In 1978 he helped wider community.

www.mua.org.au

CAR CAVALCADES, BICYCLES & THONGS: MAY DAY IN THE AGE OF COVID

COVID-19

DOUBLING THE DOLE

HE ACTU successfully out manoeuvred the government at the outset of the pandemic, doubling the dole and getting a wage subsidy system up against the odds. When the Morrison Government shut down the economy to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, their first call was to hand out money to business. Management would share the money with workers, they said. “Our concern was in the beginning all the measures were targeted at employers,” ACTU Secretary Sally McManus told ABC Four Corners. “It was more of the trickle down approach that if we look after business, they therefore would look after their workers.” No money was being given directly to workers. McManus described the outcome as ‘carnage’. Dole queues rivalled those of the Great Depression. In Europe, even in the UK, most governments introduced a 80% wage subsidy. The Morrison Government wouldn’t hear of it.

www.mua.org.au

So the ACTU got the big employer groups on side. “You are going to lose your workers,” Sally told them. “Think of the lost productivity, all the time you spent training them.” One by one those employer groups came on board. Employers then made the case to the government and the $130 billion JobKeeper program came into effect. It was not everything the unions wanted. It was not the European model. Not everyone was covered. That is a battle still being fought out. The Maritime Union has joined the push to extend the safety net. Unions want casuals, under 12 months in a job, gig workers, migrants, overseas students and refugees also covered by JobKeeper or JobSeeker. “It’s not acceptable that 2.2 million workers have been left out,” MUA Assistant National Secretary Warren Smith told 2SER Radio after leading a car cavalcade protest across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. “We’ve got a view no workers should be left behind and that the stand downs the sackings must stop,” he said.

BUSHFIRES

ew Year’s Day, Mallacoota, Australia. It is day, but black as night. Thick smoke blankets the ocean. Visibility beyond the ship’s bow is zero.

This is how seafarers on board the ships called to evacuate 4,000 townsfolk and holidaymakers huddled on the beach described the fires that made world headlines. “At dawn the sun didn’t come up and it was pitch black – that’s when it hit,” one local told media. “The firestorm just went through here like napalm – it actually looked like the air was on fire around us. It was an inferno.” Roads were cut. The only way in or out was by sea. State emergency coordinators put out a call to local shipping. Mallacoota lies almost equidistant between Sydney and Melbourne. The nearest ships were in the Bass Strait offshore oil fields. Esso was quick to divert a supply vessel from its Ocean Monarch drilling rig. “A call came from Barry Beach, the Esso main supply base on New Year’s Eve advising Victorian coastal towns were under extreme threat,” wrote Jamie (Jimbo) Williams, Maritime Union of Australia delegate. “We left around 10am. By lunch time the ship was inundated with smoke,” he said. “Mallacoota and the surrounding hills were on fire.” Over the next four days, often working blind in 40 knot winds and choking smoke, the Australian crew of the Norwegian-flagged Far Saracen ferried people to safety on board the vessel and dropped supplies ashore. When the sky was not black, it was glowing red. “Australian and Kiwi seafarers were the first on the scene with much needed food, water and diesel,” MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin said. “While the Federal Government was resisting calls to activate Australia’s defence forces, our seafarers were able to get those supplies to Mallacoota a full 24 hours before the first naval vessel arrived.” It was the largest peace time rescue and evacuation in Australian history. “For a community completely isolated from ordinary supply routes it was the sea that became their saviour,” said MUA Assistant National Secretary Ian Bray. The first landing was at 8am on New Year’s Day in the Fast Rescue Craft crewed by delegate Jimbo Williams, Steve Young, master, Dan Guppy, boson and Ian Bain, IR. “Our mission was to provide water, food and diesel to the Country Fire Authority and get people out,” Jimbo said. The town had been without power for days. Local police were waiting at the Mallacoota boat ramp to co-ordinate land operations. “We were also met by local legends, people like Lotty and his son Riley who came down with their boats and machinery to help ferry supplies ashore,” Jimbo said. The crew loaded trailer tankers with diesel pumped by hand to take to the fire trucks and supply generators at the supermarket, bakery and pub. Ship’s cook Richard Measure made 150 sandwiches, to go with boxes of fruit and bottled water ready to go to the emergency services ashore. Richard not only catered for www.mua.org.au

around 45 people on the vessel, he helped with logistics and evacuating people onto the vessel. “The fire had burnt to the edge of the camping ground. People, mostly on holidays, were gathered all along the foreshore,” Jimbo said. The crew first ferried the elderly, women and young children aboard the ship for medical treatment. Local paramedics, the Victorian Water Police, Border Force and evacuees also joined the vessel. “Some people came on board with nothing but the clothes on their back,” Jimbo said. “All crew accommodated them as best we could, providing phones and chargers to call family.” The next day, 2 January, Royal Australian Navy vessel HMAS Choules arrived. Then on January 3, the navy’s new, 2935-tonne, multi-role aviation training vessel MV Sycamore with its 19 civilian MUA crew and 71 ADF personnel arrived alongside. Another two merchant ships from the oil fields were on standby. “We got the call on New Year’s Eve,” Sycamore’s MUA delegate Mick Kennedy recalled. “Sailing down at night you could see the fires on the coast. It was surreal. You could see it all glowing. Fires were racing up one ridge and down another. “But the day we got there, you could not see a thing. We were 18 miles off the coast. The smoke blanketed the ocean,” he said. “It was eerie.” The crew helped about 60 people on board the Sycamore while another 1000 went on board HMAS Choules. “People came out on barges,” Mick said. “We got the most vulnerable – young kids, the old. Then local paramedics, police border force and evacuees. A lot of old people were suffering smoke inhalation. “Having passengers on board was something we usually don’t deal with. We were doing everything we could to help out. We found them extra blankets and pillows. We looked after their dogs to give them a break. “These people had just lost everything. What do you say? It was tough but they were in really good spirits. A few hugs were going around. They were just so relieved to be safe after being held up on the beach for days.” Mick said the Sycamore was a bit of a luxury for evacuees compared to the navy vessel where around 1000 people slept on stretchers. “They were very thankful to be with us,” he said. “It was a good feeling.” Crew took pet dogs and a cat on board and took over babysitting duties in their downtime. Bosun Dan Guppy made a swing for the toddlers. They ferried people out from the boat ramp to private charter vessels they had hired. The fires worsened and the following afternoon, night came early. Supplies on the Far Saracen were dwindling, and offshore supply vessel Far Senator was called in to load the vessel with 35 disaster relief pallets. The ship to ship transfer was done in total darkness. “It was a well-orchestrated dance of vessels, each coming alongside, taking one pallet per lift. Eighteen tonnes of disaster relief packs went ashore in three hours,” Jimbo said, paying special tribute to the Senator’s bosun, Dean Boles. 17

BUSHFIRES

“Dean’s crane skills in transferring the cargo were beyond exceptional in 40 knot winds and zero visibility,” Jimbo said. By this time, Far Saracen’s crew had been working four days of non-stop crisis management. “All hands were on deck regardless of job title,” Jimbo said. “All focus was on the job at hand. We didn’t have ranks on our ship during the crisis. We were all equally doing the job and working together.” Sycamore returned to its home port of Sydney for a crew change and to load more supplies before returning on 11 January. Peter Nolan was on the new swing. “Everywhere you looked all you could see was smoke,” he recalled. “The water was black with ash. Fires were still raging.” Peter was working in the engine rooms, fighting to unblock the strainers that filter the sea water the ship sucks in to cool the engine. “I needed to constantly clean out the ash to stop the crap getting in. If they got blocked, the engines would overheat,” he said. With the job in hand and evacuations complete the MUA crew on board the Far Saracen voted to make a donation from the union’s rolling fund, before sailing. The masters and others put in cash too. It was decided the money would go to the town’s wildlife centre. Local Sue Johns and volunteers were risking their lives to stay behind and care tirelessly for hundreds of native animals and local pets seeking refuge day and night. Meanwhile, further up the coast, another disaster was unfolding at the coastal town of Eden, 373 kilometres south of Sydney.

“The mill had gone up in a fire storm,” Butch said. “They cut the conveyor belts and got them out by tug. I got my wife, son and grandmother on one of the tugs. My street was almost empty. A lot of the casual workers, linesmen, who live out of town in the bush also found refuge on the tugs. We accommodated about 60 people and 12 dogs.” Pacifica Shipping tugs had another 20-30 people and their pets. “The team in Eden rose to the threat and worked incredibly hard to support the NSW Rural Fire Service and local community,” Svitzer recorded on the company website. Svitzer vessels transported firefighters across the bay on the pilot boat Mersey, offering 20,000 litres of diesel for their trucks. Vessels Cooma and Wistari became offshore havens for 90 people – from a 92-year-old man to a six-month baby – and 10 dogs sheltering on the wharf. Crew helped babysit children by providing colouring competitions and card games. Svitzer provided food enough for a month.

AT DAWN THE SUN DIDN’T COME UP AND IT WAS PITCH BLACK – THAT’S WHEN IT HIT. THE FIRESTORM JUST WENT THROUGH HERE LIKE NAPALM – IT ACTUALLY LOOKED LIKE THE AIR WAS ON FIRE AROUND US. IT WAS AN INFERNO. - Mallacoota resident

Eden was under direct threat from the advancing fires. Svitzer tugs have a long-standing towage, lines and pilot operation in the town. “Hundreds of locals sheltered on the wharf. Tugs provided a final line of defence, their hoses protecting people while pilot boats provided assistance to vessels in the harbour,” said MUA Assistant National Secretary Ian Bray. Butch Bradbury is the union delegate on the Eden tugs. “It’s only a small town of 4000, but I reckon we had double that because we had evacuees from Mallacoota who arrived on New Year’s Eve,” he said. “By that time the roads out of town were all blocked. The beach and the football ovals were full of people.” On 4 January the southerly came through and brought the fires. “We had winds up to 40 knots plus. It went dark. Everyone knew she was coming.” At 2pm workers were evacuated from the wood chip mill wharf.

The crew did a great job keeping morale up, the company said. “(They) put on a birthday party for one of the kids and played a real role keeping Eden safe.” At St Georges Basin the union donated a caretakers caravan to a local who had lost his home. When the fires raced down the Australian coast from Brisbane to Adelaide, creating their own weather, storms and lightning, with balls of airborne fire, one of the worst hit regions was Kangaroo Island, 200 kilometres southwest of Adelaide.

Half the island burnt to the ground. Its wildlife reserves and resorts blazed for over a month, leaving black skeletons of trees and the white bones of sheep, kangaroos, wombats and wallabies strewn across the land. Two people died in the blaze as SeaLink ferries Spirit of Kangaroo Island and Sealion 2000 began evacuating residents from the island. The ferries take around 40 minutes to make the 16 kilometre run from Cape Jervis on the mainland to Penneshaw. “They are the essential link between the mainland and the island,” said SA MUA organiser Campbell Duignan. If something needs moving, they’ll move it.” SeaLink ran extended hours to move people off and supplies onto the island, sometimes running 18-24 hours per day. “Our guys were working on the ferry one week, then fighting fires on their off week,” Campbell said. “They were working long hours. So they were pretty fatigued.”

18 www.mua.org.au

CONFERENCE

All hands were on deck regardless of job title. All focus was on the job at hand. We didn’t have ranks on our ship during the crisis. We were all equally doing the job and working together. ––––– JIMBO WILLIAMS Far S a ra con

Sailing down at night you could see the fires on the coast. It was surreal. You could see it all glowing. ––––– MICK KENNEDY

I needed to constantly clean out the ash to stop the crap getting in. If they got blocked, the engines would overheat. ––––– PETER NOLAN Sea Link crew , SeaLio n

www.mua.org.au

BUSHFIRES

also transported donated goods free of charge.

No one complained. MUA member and vessel master Michael Harvey had done the run for seven years.

The work of the ships and their crew got widespread industry recognition.

“It was unprecedented,” he said. “It was pretty confronting hearing about the losses of the locals and what they’d went through. Some of the horror stories of people caught out.”

Ian Bray said the fires highlighted the importance of the Australian merchant marine.

Michael said the logistics were challenging for the crew. “When we turned to on that first morning, we were very lucky getting out,” he said. “Some of the fire trucks we had on board had driven through the flames and seen some action. They were pretty burnt and very lucky to escape.” The ferries managed to get everyone off the island who wanted to get off, then focused on getting the firefighters and army over as quickly as possible. MUA member Bradley Smith has worked as mate, master and engineer on the ferry for over 16 years. He is also a volunteer firefighter. “I’ve never seen anything like this before. It was devastating,” he said. “One blaze caught everyone by surprise. We were trying to put it out as it came out of the scrub, but it jumped. On the ferry visibility was down. One night when the wind was in the right direction, we had ash rain blown across us.” Svitzer marine engineer Dion Whittle had worked the SeaLink ferries before moving to Port Pirie. Seeing his old crew mates working 18-24 hours per day, he took leave to provide fatigue relief.

“Amid the horror it quickly became clear the nation must invest in emergency resources as it seeks to adapt to the reality of a warming climate,” he wrote. “Climate change will continue to drive increasingly catastrophic bushfires and extreme weather events.” With more than 80 per cent of Australia’s population living on the coast, Ian said the need for a maritime emergency response capacity was clear. Ian is leading the union push for the former ice-breaker Aurora Australis to be retained as an emergency response vessel. “The ferocity of the fires was unprecedented,” said Mick Kennedy from the Sycamore. “We were not sure what was going to happen next. I’d like to think it was a one off. But the weather these days. “I think people are going to wake up a bit now about how climate change is going. Storms, floods, bushfires. You never know what may happen next.

IT WAS THE SEA THAT BECAME THEIR SAVIOUR. - Ian Bray

“SeaLink had called on all crew, past and present, to step up. I’d been chief engineer for SeaLink on the Sealion for seven years. Some older seafarers came back out of retirement to give a hand,” Dion said. “It was pretty long days. Everyone had the common goal of controlling the fires. A couple of times the ferry was required to run 21- 24 hours straight. We had to swap people around so they could get off and have a rest. But we always managed to have a full complement of trained crew. “We talked about the worst-case emergency. How to move that volume of people. There’s only so many lifejackets on board. We could only take 350-380 people at a time.” Then the wind changed direction and the rains came. “It was a good downpour. It didn’t put the blaze out, but it stopped the fire spotting and helped us get it under control,” Bradley said. SeaLink made donations to the bushfire relief fund during the crisis and provided free passenger fares to family and friends of KI residents and reduced fares to travellers. They

“Being an island nation it’s important for Australia to have a merchant marine. It would be unreal to pick up the Aurora Australis as an emergency vessel.” Mick said it was awesome to be a part of history during the fires. “The merchant ships played a huge role,” he said.

“Naval and defence force takes a bit of time to get rolling, so having the merchant ships straight away was crucial.” Jimbo said he was proud and humbled to be a part of a crew “willing to break red tape in a crisis situation.” “All personalities and ranks were put aside for the greater good of the humanitarian effort that we were all part of,” he said. “I’m proud to say the ANZAC spirit of ‘looking out for your mates’ is alive and well, comrades. Lest we Forget. It was great to work alongside such a bunch of local legends – the people of Mallacoota. These people I am proud to call friends for life.” “All the crew did really well. Everyone just wanted to play a part,” said Mick. “A lot of guys on board had their own houses close to burning down back home. They were out there helping, but at the same time their family and homes were in danger. “My mum and dad live down the South Coast. They had the fires close to Eden all around them. It made it pretty hard for us. “Unfortunately, things like this are going to happen more frequently with the climate and the state of the world. It really showed the merchant navy has a role.” “I miss having a ship’s dog on board, too,” Mick added.

C L I C K H E R E TO WATC H T H E V I D E O A B O U T T H E M UA’ S F I R E E F F O R T S

20 www.mua.org.au

BUSHFIRES

BREATHLESS At the height of the summer bushfire crisis, choking smoke forced breathless waterside workers at Sydney, Newcastle and Port Kembla to down tools. The employers’ response was to take them off pay. “The air quality was so bad it went to 28 times hazardous levels,” said Erima Dall, Hutchison Port Botany. “It was so bad it set the fire alarms off. It was across Port Botany – all three terminals. Yet the employers tried to say we took illegal industrial action.” The union also blames governments. “Politicians have manufactured a climate crisis through ignoring science and failing to resource communities to face the threat,” said Sydney Branch Secretary Paul McAleer. MUA Assistant National Secretary Warren Smith said the MUA would “continue to stand up to employers who want us to work in intolerable conditions. We demand that no workers be docked pay due to the climate crisis.” On 4 December, the union convened a meeting of OH&S reps who resolved to stop work when the NSW Air Quality Index peaked. Employers promptly threatened to stand down workers off pay claiming they were taking illegal industrial action. Eventually all but one Port Botany operator, Patrick agreed to the union demands. In its submission to the Commonwealth Royal Commission and the NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry, the MUA

www.mua.org.au

cited first aid logs recording between five and 21 workers presenting with eye irritation and trouble breathing each day over three days. Eight workers needed oxygen therapy. Workers also reported a high level of anxiety, due to the smoke, its long term dangers and the fear of management repercussions. “Workers are effectively forced to choose between their health and their job,” according to the union submission. The submission draws on the NSW Work Health and Safety Act, which requires employers not to put workers at risk and to consult with workers when risks arise. Unions want members to stay indoors out of the smoke and companies to reschedule work when air quality often improves in the evenings. The union submission calls for hourly average air quality measurements, with the threshold for strenuous work such as lashing to cease at PM2.5 (Very Poor). No worker should work outdoors in hazardous air quality. It calls for frequent breaks and rotation of workers indoors during poor air quality. Safe Work NSW inspectors needed to develop more detailed guidance for workplaces and provide inspectors more training, the union submitted. The recommendations should also be adopted by Safe Work Australia and apply nation-wide.

BUSHFIRES

He packed bags for his daughter Bella, his girlfriend and himself. About 11pm, a friend and a neighbour warned him a 40-km fire front was only an hour away. He woke Bella and they drove to a friend’s house at Cobargo. “I thought it was going to be a safe place,” Antony wrote in a letter thanking the MUA for its help in the aftermath of the fires. “I left my daughter in my mate’s care and I returned to get my parents who at first were going to stay and defend their home.” At his parents’ home the fire was 5km away and “sounded like thunder”. “My father said to me, ‘I am staying Tony. What else do I have if I lose my home?’ I told him, ’At least you will still be alive’.” Antony helped his father Alan and mother Pricilla throw some belongings into the car and they evacuated to Cobargo, an 11km drive through thick smoke. “By the time we arrived in Cobargo the whole town was on fire,” Antony said. So, he drove to his mate’s house, woke Bella for the second time and evacuated to another friend’s place at Bermagui, about 18kms away. They were there a short time before being forced to evacuate again to the beach. Two days later, Antony discovered his parents’ uninsured home had been destroyed. His own house and garage “with a touch one, touch all sticker” was still standing.

On December 30, MUA Seafarer, Antony Olsson became concerned about a fire burning in Wadbilliga National Park near the village of Cobargo, 386km south of Sydney...

The International Longshore & Warehouse Union (International, locals and credit union) donated $45,000 to the MUA fire fund. The Norwegian Seafarers Union sent $35,000, with donations also coming from Patrice Caron, Seamen’s International of Canada’ and the US Foremen’s Union.

MUA MEMBERS CAN DONATE TO HELP FIRE-AFFECTED MEMBERS AND COMMUNITIES BY TRANSFERRING MONEY VIA UNITY BANK MUA FIRE APPEAL OR VIA CHUFFED: CHUFFED.ORG/PROJECT/MUABUSHFIRE-RELIEF-APPEAL

22 www.mua.org.au

BUSHFIRES

he Maritime Union has called for the government to purchase three vessels in response to the Summer bushfire crisis.

In its submission to the Commonwealth Royal Commission and NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry, the MUA Division of the CFMMEU called on the government to acknowledge the future role of ships, ports, maritime infrastructure and workers as a critical element of the state’s emergency response capability. It also called for greater action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, indigenous cultural burning and new regulations on air quality for workers due to worsening bushfire seasons. “It is clear to us that a key driver behind the drought and bushfires of 2019-20 is global heating, driven by greenhouse gas emissions,” the union submitted. Its submission highlighted the crucial role shipping played during the crisis at the Port of Eden in NSW (Pacific Tug, Wide Bay Shipping Services and Svitzer) as well as the evacuation and support efforts of the Far Saracen and Far Senator (operated by Esso and Teekay Shipping) in Mallacoota, Victoria.

CALL FOR GOVERNMENTS TO RECOGNISE AND INVEST IN SHIPPING FOR FUTURE FIRE AND CLIMATE CALAMITIES

It called on governments to include vessels that could be enlisted during national crises to form part of a strategic fleet advocated by Maritime Industry Australia Limited. The union proposed that the commonwealth and states jointly enter an MOA to secure three vessels currently on the market – the Aurora Australis, formerly on charter to the Australian Antarctic Division and Toll Marine’s two former ocean going ro-ro cargo ships, Australian Achiever 1 and Victorian Reliance 1. Government owned vessels would be tendered out for commercial operations and as seafarer training ships when not on emergency response duty. Owners of commercial vessels directed to emergency operations would be compensated as would crew.

www.mua.org.au

OFFSHORE WIND THE CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE AND JOB LOSS “We have to be part of the solution with climate change,” said MUA Deputy National Secretary Will Tracey. “We need to go out and advocate for an industry of the future built on renewable energy. Offshore wind is that industry.” Tracey said this summer had shown climate change was now upon us and impacting on working people. “We’ve had our homes burnt down. We’ve had our workplaces covered in choking smoke,” he said.

OFFSHORE WIND

P E RV E R S E P O L I T I C S Tracey said it was a perverse hypocrisy that the conservatives used the line of saving workers’ jobs to win an election last year. In fact, they were propping up the coal corporations who continue to exploit workers and use the worst aspects of the anti-worker laws to de-unionise the coal industry and decimate close knit coal communities. In August, Renew Economy noted that Scott Morrison’s chief of staff, John Kunkel is a former deputy CEO of the Minerals Council of Australia. A leading anti-wind campaigner is Morrison’s new energy minister and a former mining company lawyer is his environment minister. Liberals, Nationals, the United Australia Party and One Nation effectively exploited fear and angst amongst workers and coal mining communities to swing the 2019 federal election against the odds. One Nation ran two coal miners as candidates. In NSW, Stuart Bonds received almost 22% of the primary vote in the electorate of Hunter while in Queensland, Wade Rothery got 17% of the primary vote in the seat of Capricornia. Clive Palmer, who has major coal interests in the Galilee Basin, alongside Adani, invested $60 million in the election. While failing to win seats, Bonds, Rothery and Palmer’s UAP all gave their preferences to the Coalition. To help counter workers being deceived into supporting anti-worker anti-union governments, the unions have for many years been running a ‘Just Transition’ campaign Allen Hicks, Will Tracey and Troy Gray to mitigate the impacts of a transition away from fossil fuels on regional workforces and communities. This is how the Socialist-led Spanish Government increased its vote by 6% in last year’s elections. They won up to 50% of the vote in mining regions by brokering a Just Transition plan with mining unions and employers. Australian unions want Labor to follow the European model. “We have to fight for the industry of the future,” Tracey said. “We have to ensure that workers and communities in the fossil fuel industries are front and centre in that fight for the future. The blueprint for this is the MUA publication Putting the Justice in Just Transition: Tackling inequality in the new renewable economy launched in November. It outlines how the unions are backing the $9.5B Star of the South offshore wind farm project off the Victorian coast. Backing it as the first real example of a Just Transition in this country. “We are working with our comrades at the Electrical Trades Union, the Manufacturing Union, broader CFMMEU, Victorian Trades Hall Council and Gippsland Trades and

Labour Council to make it happen,” Tracey said. “If we are going to get it up anywhere, we can under an ALP government in Victoria.” The project funded by Danish pension funds would create an estimated 2,000 jobs, many of them for seafarers and dockworkers. If the turbines and other components were manufactured locally it would create many more jobs. Shipping will play a part during construction and maintenance of the turbines. “This project for the first time realises the vision we have for a just transition. But it’s a big political challenge,” Tracey said. “The federal government is not behind it.” Environment groups say the project could eliminate as much as 10.5M tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.

O F F S H O R E P OW E R Offshore wind capacity can match power plants fired by gas and coal. It is double that of solar PV, according to the International Energy Agency. Offshore wind provides more skilled long-term jobs than onshore wind, according to union research. “There’s jobs for wharfies in it, too,” said Tracey. “There could be future possibilities for many more projects Australiawide potentially creating tens of thousands of new jobs over the decades to come.” But these still have to be fought for. “There’s another large project sitting right behind this one off Gippsland. We could achieve real economic diversification in this region, with a renewable manufacturing industry built around this project. This project is a game changer for Gippsland and Victoria.” Tracey has been holding talks nationwide, with politicians, industry leaders, unions and workers to get them to look to the future. “We have a challenge,” he said. “We represent oil and gas workers as well as coal port workers on water and load out facilities. Another division of the CFMMEU represents miners. We must ensure these workers get the just transition they have been demanding. We must ensure that the future jobs in the low carbon economy include fossil fuel workers. We must ensure renewable energy jobs are good, stable, union jobs covered by union agreements.” The union’s Just Transition highlights that Australia is already in the midst of a largely unplanned and unjust energy revamp. The Australian government has failed to develop a transition plan. Historically, industrial transitions in Australia have increased inequality with only one half to one third of displaced workers finding equivalent employment, the report found.

CL I C K H ERE TO WATCH THE MUA C LI M AT E C H A N G E - JUST T RA N SI T I ON V I D EO www.mua.org.au

Sparkies point to job opportunities in renewable energy Electrical Trades Union officials Troy Gray (Victorian state secretary) and Allen Hicks (national secretary) were special guest speakers at the MUA National Conference in March. “We have to walk out of the iron age and transition all the way through,” Gray said. “Workers care about their future. We can sit on the fence and a multinational will come in and do it piecemeal, letting hundreds of thousands of workers fall through the cracks. Or we can do it right. Nobody owns the climate.” “There’s 1,000 things we can do here,” Gray said. “But it’s got to start with these two unions. Do what you’ve done for 100 years MUA and lead from the front.” Allen Hicks urged the union to take on the government and private consortiums.

“Offshore wind means a reduction in global warming and good secure jobs for the future,” he said. “We’ve got the technology, we’ve got the capacity, but we’ve got this rotten government doing bugger all.” Hicks said the transition to 100% renewables created enormous opportunities for jobs, justice for workers, families and communities. He said the ETU, like the MUA, do not believe nuclear power was the answer. “It’s far too costly, it takes too long and it’s unsafe for workers. Then there is the question of nuclear waste. The ETU opposes uranium. It’s been our policy since the 1940s and we are keeping it that way.”

OFFSHORE WIND

N O L A B O U R STA N DA R D S Hicks noted there was a lot of privatisation and big changes in the energy industry. “The same things are happening in renewables,” he said. “There’s a shit load of jobs created – 11,000 solar construction and maintenance jobs. But companies have no program in place to allow a transition for workers. We have no industry-wide agreements, no labour standards, no federal policy, no transition networks.” The government’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation, the Renewable Energy Target and state-based reverse auction schemes do not include minimum labour standards. Unions are campaigning to ensure the Star of the South offshore wind farm project, does. It should provide job guarantees for workers from fossil fuel industries along the same lines as the German model. Unions are pushing for training via TAFE rather than private providers, apprenticeship programs and recruitment of women and Aboriginal workers. The union push was for offshore wind to be kept separate from petroleum vested interests and avoid further fragmentation of the electricity system and industry. Unions want an Offshore Renewable Act, an agency to plan and regulate renewables alongside the Australian Electricity Market Operator and an Offshore Wind Master Plan. Public ownership of the energy system and power generation is also a key component. As major infrastructure, workers’ capital would flow into the projects.

H Y D R O G E N E N E R GY B O M B Liquid hydrogen is another new energy industry. “There’s $9.5 million committed for clean hydrogen. It could be manufactured using electricity generated by offshore wind,” said MUA Deputy National Secretary Will Tracey. “If we get this right and the hydrogen industry is viable, we will create an export industry based on 100% clean energy.” The union vision is that Australian seafarers not only work on offshore support vessels during construction and maintenance of wind turbines, but also the tankers exporting hydrogen they produce. “These two projects (wind and hydrogen) are industries of the future and they will include our members,” Tracey said. “But we will have to fight so that Australians crew those export ships.”

www.mua.org.au

B AC K I N G A W I N N E R The unions are confident they are backing a winner. At last count there were 120 offshore wind projects worldwide with the UK leading (32) followed by Germany (22), China (19) and Denmark (14), according to Statista.com. Netherlands, Belgium, Japan, Sweden, South Korea, Finland, Ireland and Spain are also in the mix. Offshore wind now accounts for 10% of wind installations globally, led by China, according to the Global Wind Energy Council. Europe remains the largest market accounting for 59% of new installations in 2019. “Big business will come on board in Australia,” Gray said. “Offshore wind is massive infrastructure work. They know where it’s going. But we can’t leave workers behind.” The MUA has joined with the ETU, AMWU, the broader CFMMEU, Victorian Trades Hall and Gippsland Trades and Labour Council to outline steps to transition workers and communities in the coal, oil and gas reliant Gippsland region into offshore wind.

A N AU ST R A L I A N F I R ST The Star of the South project would be Australia’s first offshore wind farm. It is still in the feasibility phase, operating under an exclusive exploration licence the federal government granted the project in March 2019. Any decision to construct the project is contingent on Australian and Victorian Government approvals. According to the company website the project involves 250 wind turbines and offshore substations off the south coast of Gippsland, submarine cables to the coast and cables and substations connecting the Latrobe Valley. It would provide 20% of the state’s electricity needs. Port upgrades to allow for construction, operation and maintenance are also tipped.

OFFSHORE WIND

“We can’t live on a dead planet, that’s a reality. Climate Change is an issue that affects everyone. The climate crisis is accelerating.” This is how MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin highlighted the union’s environment policy on day one of the national conference. “We’ve got rising seas swamping Indonesia, Pakistan and the Pacific Islands,” he said. “But the government’s neocolonial response is that they can pick our fruit. Climate change is a class question,” he said.

YO U T H R E B E L S At national conference, Port Botany wharfie Erima Dall, spoke of the worldwide student mass actions. “Last year children held two strikes in Australia with another one planned for May 15,” she said. “They said, we want the adults to join us. “We went on strike with them last time as part of our EBA negotiations and attended the climate rally. “The company said it would be illegal if we went. “Tommy John Herbert [pictured left] got up and explained the anti-strike laws to the school children,” she said. Unions had a critical role to play because they represented people in both the old and new industries in transition. At the same time climate strikers realised the importance of unions and the right to strike. “School strikers have reflected our demands to include a just transition and compensation for every fossil fuel worker,” Dall said. The MUA is putting itself at the forefront and pulling the rest of the unions behind, she said. “I’ve got friends who are coal miners,” said Justin Timmins, Port Botany wharfie. “It’s a bit tricky as they are all part of our union. I’d like to see them survive in a renewable energy industry and not be thrown on a shit heap.” Tommy John Herbert describes himself as a wharfie at Hutchison Port Botany “but mostly a seafarer.” On 20 September 2019, he represented the MUA at the student’s four million-strong global climate strike. “We were marching to demand action on climate change and the workers’ demands for a just transition,” he said. “Because a handful of MUA activists got involved in that debate and made them aware of the workers’ issues, it changed the whole substance of the rally.” Herbert took the stage in front of thousands of Sydney climate strikers, their friends and family. “It was terrifying when I got to talk,” he recalls. “My voice broke. But when I looked down and saw so many MUA members holding placards, I felt strong.” Herbert said the climate struggle is the same as the labour struggle. It was the struggle against big business putting profits before people.

www.mua.org.au

“Big business are also the ones destroying the planet,” he said. “We have used our industry power to fight for conditions on the job and outside the job in the past – fighting for equality of women, the banning of war shipments to Vietnam, oil fuelling apartheid. Time and time again we’ve used our collective power.” But Herbert stressed the importance of maritime workers not leaving their comrades behind. “Great leaders like Will Tracey are talking to the workers and politicians around the nation trying to set up this industry with the same conditions we’ve enjoyed in LNG,” he said. “We can’t just keep ripping oil out of the ground and destroying the planet.” “We had 100,000 students on strike in the streets,” said Assistant National Secretary Warren Smith. “We supported them. We had Tommy on the stump in Sydney talking working class politics. Kids learn fast. School children are using the tactics of the working class going on strike. “When we were on the DP World picket lines, the students came and joined us.” Herbert also represented the union at the 15 May student climate strike webinar event. Smith said the union movement, the environment movement, the indigenous movement, peace and refugee activists all had something in common. “We all hate capitalism,” he said. “So why not cobble all the groups together and be the biggest force. That’s where we gotta go.”

UNION POLICY The MUA first adopted a new climate change and renewable energy policy at its March 2019 national council. This was expanded at national conference. It recognises that global warming must be kept to 1.5 degrees to avoid catastrophic climate change. This means moving to zero net carbon emissions by 2050. It calls for creation of low carbon climate jobs and a new regulatory framework. Offshore wind could provide electricity for ports and ships in port at the same time improving air quality. The union is looking at similar models in Germany, Spain and the US.

G LO B A L C L I M AT E J O B S In Queensland, the ETU has successfully campaigned for the state government to establish a new publiclyowned renewable energy generator called CleanCo. Workers transferring over from state-owned generators will maintain their existing conditions with no forced redundancies. In the USA, the union-run Climate Jobs NY campaign got the New York state government to agree to a 9,000MW offshore wind project, with union agreements locked in. In Germany, a special commission, including union representatives, is phasing out coal mines and coal fired power stations by 2038. Job creation, job guarantees, no forced redundancy and Euro 40 billion over 20 years for regional development are all part of the deal.

CONFERENCE

Tjungu is unity, That’s also how we have fought off conservative governments and fought for workers’ rights all these years

- Thomas Mayor - MUA National Indigenous Officer

ank and file union delegates from around the Australian coast and around the world came together in March – 500 strong – for the Maritime Union of Australia’s national conference at Broadbeach, Queensland in the spirit of Tjungu - unity. The MUA is a division of the Construction Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union. Tjungu is a Yankunytjatjara and Pitjantjatjara Western desert word. “Tjungu means we do things collectively. In unity. Coming together,” special guest Sammy Wilson, Chair Central Land Council from the heart of the nation explained. “The same way we are all here today united.” National conference is the union’s rank and file policy making forum. Over five days (2-6 March) delegates and international guests took to the podium to speak on key issues affecting workers in stevedoring, shipping and offshore oil and gas. Conference also addressed future jobs, offshore wind and workers’ capital, industrial manslaughter, health and safety, international and indigenous struggles, women, union veterans and youth. Thomas Mayor, MUA national indigenous officer said it was the first time the union had a conference theme in an Aboriginal language. “Tjungu is unity,” he said. “That’s also how we have fought off conservative governments and fought for workers’ rights all these years.” After a welcome to country from the Yugambeh traditional landowners of the Gold Coast, National Secretary Paddy Crumlin spoke of the appalling treatment of indigenous people in Australia. “After 200 years of genocide, murder, imprisonment, taking away your rights, it is up to our generation to set things right,” he said reaffirming the union’s support for constitutional change. “We don’t want deaths in custody. Stolen children stripped from their families and cultures,” he said. “What we mean to do this week is to come together with one voice. The spirit of Tjungu will resonate.” National President Christy Cain spoke of the recent union amalgamation also as Tjungu.

CL I CK HE R E TO LIST E N TO A N I NTERVIE W WITH T HOMAS M AYOR O N 3 CR RAD IO

“We amalgamated for a number of reasons, but the main reason was strength,” he said. ” We are one powerful union. We are proud to lead the struggle for the working class in this country.”

30 www.mua.org.au

CONFERENCE

www.mua.org.au

CONFERENCE

If nations don’t support the trade union moment – the collective voice of workers – things get out of whack. You get a power imbalance. - Sally McManus, ACTU Secretary

He called on every delegate in the room to be inspired by conference to return to their workplaces and “educate, agitate and organise, organise, organise”. Speaking on the challenges facing the union movement, Paddy Crumlin, who is also President of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, highlighted how a handful of billionaires have come to own half the world’s wealth. It is a system the World Bank nurtures and is in cahoots with, he said. “The world’s top 2,153 billionaires have more money than 4.6 billion men and women,” he said. “Our health care is being privatised, our communities are privatised, the water we drink is being privatised.” Workers face poverty, war and virus pandemics. They face fire and flood induced by climate change, he added. Politicians have failed us, shipping is deregulated, ports privatised. The land

we stand on is burnt to the ground after indigenous people successfully nurtured it for centuries.

She blamed successive conservative governments since John Howard for undermining unions.

“The government has disregard for global warming because the big end of town doesn’t want anything to stand in the way of profits,” he said, calling for a just transition for workers to renewable industries.

“When Howard first got elected, he pulled apart all the laws that supported workers one by one,” she said. “Howard ripped them out. Our membership collapsed overnight. We now have (among) the harshest labour laws in the world. If nations don’t support the trade union moment – the collective voice of workers – things get out of whack. You get a power imbalance.”

“Jobs are digitised, people put under surveillance, values corrupted, men and women disenfranchised and exploited under modern day slavery,” he said. “The world is preparing for catastrophe.” Sally McManus, Secretary, Australian Council of Trade Unions spoke on growing inequality and wage theft. “How come there is so much wage theft?” she asked. “Why do we have record low wage growth? Why is Australian inequality getting worse? Maybe it’s because we used to have 50% union coverage and now, we have 15%.”

McManus also blamed the unrestricted power of billionaires on the failures of democracy. “Clive Palmer put in $80 million for the last election campaign,” she said. “Just like Trump put in millions into the US presidential race. The problem with democracy is the billionaires.”

The world is preparing for catastrophe. -P addy Crumlin - MUA National Secretary

32 www.mua.org.au

CONFERENCE

Swinging voters put their head up at the last moment, saw a sea of yellow and The Bill you can’t afford slogans, then made up their minds. Answering a call from the floor about the lack of political education among today’s workforce, McManus said, “Next time someone says, ‘who’s John Coombs?’ tell them to google that.” She called on unions to catch up with the digital age so they can connect with young people who have grown up with technology. “We are really old, and we’ve been slow to change,” she said. “Young people don’t want to call the union; they want to connect online. Online, you can organise workplaces you can’t even reach.”

We now have 20 million members, the highest in years.” Crumlin said unions were fighting back and workers’ capital was one way to leverage against modern-day slavery and exploitation. “There’s a class struggle under way, as attacks on unions intensify,” he said. “Corporations have worked out that if you remove unions there’s no one to stand up to them. “We took Chevron on with our WA comrades,” he said. “We went after them and made them pay up a $800 million tax bill.” Unions are thinking, researching and organising internationally more, he stressed.

International speakers included Dennis Daggett, Executive Vice President ILA; Enrico Tortolano, Dockers Section Coordinator, ITF; Joe Fleetwood, National Secretary, Maritime Union NZ; Katsushige Mashima, President, ZENKOWAN (Japan dock workers); Mary Liew, General Secretary, Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union; Oleg Grygoriuk, First Vice Chairman, Marine Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Ukraine; Palitha Atukorale, President, National Union of Seafarers, Sri Lanka; Surya Usmanshah, JICT (Hutchison’s Jakarta dock workers union); Niek Stam, National Secretary, FNV Havens, dock workers, Nederlands and Willie Adams, President,ILWU. National political speakers were Federal Opposition Leader Anthony

We wanted to capture the MUA spirit and bring that to a global labour movement. We now have 20 million members. - S teve Cotton - ITF General Secretary

At the same time unions have to ensure new technology is not used against workers. “We have to fight to make sure the technology isn’t a way of breaking the unions,” Steve Cotton, ITF President told conference. “Companies like Philippines stevedoring multinational ICTSI are using automation to undercut the market,” he said. “We need to do more to stop them. We have to grow membership.” Together with Paddy Crumlin, Cotton has launched an aggressive strategy to fight for workers’ rights globally. More unions are joining the ITF. “More than ever the global supply chain is where we need to strengthen our position,” Cotton said. “We supported Paddy to change the face of the ITF. We wanted to capture the MUA spirit and bring that to a global labour movement.

www.mua.org.au

“Steve and I put action back in the ITF, not just words,” said Crumlin. “Together with the ILWU, the MUA has turned the ITF into a fighting international force for the rights and justice of the international working class.” Conference delegates gave a standing ovation to the delegation from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union of the USA, facing US$90 million plus in damages in the courts brought on by ICTSI. The same company is taking the MUA to court for damages. “We will stand by the ILWU,” Crumlin said. Conference then recognised around 100 international guests from the US, the UK, Canada, Cuba, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Timor Leste, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Venezuela, the Netherlands and New Zealand with standing ovations.

Albanese, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Catherine King and Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure, Carol Brown. All three pledged Labor’s ongoing support for Australian shipping and an Australian strategic fleet and thanked the Australian merchant marine for their contribution during the bushfire crisis. Resolutions adopted by conference delegates (see p50) will go to a vote of members at monthly meetings (when reconvened after relaxation of the COVID-19 pandemic regulations). Conference sponsors included HunterLink (health services), the ITF, Maritime Super, Maurice Blackburn lawyers, McNally Jones Staff lawyers, Slater and Gordon lawyers, The Tas Bull Foundation, Unity Bank, Maritime Employees Training Ltd, Union Aid Abroad, Perkbox and Protect.

lobal unions are committing to smarter and bolder ways of using pension fund investments to protect the environment and workers. Paddy Crumlin, MUA national secretary and International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) president, is a Vice Chair of the Committee on Workers’ Capital (CWC) Leadership Group. He also chairs the CWC Asset Manager Accountability Initiative. Crumlin lists cases where ports exploiting non-union labour have been pulled into line by unions questioning global asset managers on how they are using workers’ retirement savings. “Labour exploitation destroys the creation of wealth needed for workers to retire with dignity,” he said. Trillions of dollars in pension and superannuation funds invested in infrastructure are being called to account. “It’s the same with privatisation,” he said. “Selling public assets and then forcing communities to then pay for them again makes no sense, economically or socially. “Certainly funds can be used to build and expand public infrastructure but not to cash in at the public expense,” he added. Crumlin said unions needed greater involvement in the way pension funds invest workers’ deferred wages. In Australia alone, workers had nearly $800B in industry super funds, he said. Counting public sector funds the figure is closer to $1.5T. “We are going to make sure that money protects the interests of working men and women who put the money there in the first place,” he said. “It’s their retirement wages. We are directing investments of that money into social justice and the environment.” WAGE AND CLIMATE JUSTICE Unions would not tolerate investment funds using workers’ savings to wreck the environment or exploit workers. The union wants wage justice in the mix of investment policy, alongside climate justice. “We want a memorandum of understanding that these investments go into places that employ unionised workforces,” Crumlin said. When companies are not solely owned by pension funds, there is still the option of withdrawing or divesting super investments in the company if it is found to be engaged in exploitation or modernday slavery. 34 www.mua.org.au

Unions have played a lead role in holding global asset managers accountable on human rights and labour standards. Infrastructure such as Freeport LNG, Texas; Global Container Terminals, Vancouver; Mersin International Port, Turkey; Brookfield Asciano; Macquarie, Gdansk, Poland and NSW Ports, Australia are part-owned by workers’ capital. Port operators responded positively when unions raised cases of labour exploitation in these assets. But there is still work to be done. Other campaigns include the successful push to expose Chevron’s widespread tax evasion and the ongoing campaign to eliminate labour exploitation in BHP’s global ship chartering business and in mining supply chains. The aim is to see Australian seafarers back on the Port Hedland/ Port Kembla iron ore trade. CWC is attempting to hold the privatised Port of Melbourne accountable for the Manila-based International Container Services Inc (ICTSI) use of new technology at Webb Dock to offshore and replace Australian jobs. POM is part owned by Queensland Investment Corporation’s Infrastructure Fund which manages some of the super savings of nurses, teachers, police, retail and other workers. Crumlin said unions also aim to get companies to take responsibility for breaches of labour rights by their contractors or in their supply chain. In the case of BHP, it is the ships it charters that are in question. “BHP claim they have no say in the ships used to transport its many commodities. But that’s nonsense.” Crumlin said BHP had entered into sham contracts with RightShip which is equally owned by BHP, Rio Tinto and Cargill. “It was RightShip that decided to dump Australian seafarers out of BHP’s cabotage trade in iron ore after nearly 120 years of loyal service, including two world wars,” said Crumlin. “And they still call themselves The Big Australian?” “This is about systemically unionising the supply change through our leverage points,” he said. The ITF and its affiliates are playing a lead role in workers’ capital. Scott (Scoota) McDine, a former union leader and super board member is head of campaigns at the ITF’s Sydney office. He is the nominated ITF representative on behalf of workers’ capital. Speaking at the MUA national conference, he defended the union policy on workers’ capital against media and government attacks.

Labour exploitation destroys the creation of wealth needed for workers to retire with digity - Paddy Crumlin

www.mua.org.au

ROLE OF DIRECTORS While the role of the trust directors is to act to maximise the retirement benefit of members, there is more than one viewpoint on how best to do that, he noted. Opposing union involvement or removing union representatives from superannuation boards is not one of them, he added. “People talk about investment returns,” McDine said. “But workers are never going to have enough super to maximise their returns, if they don’t have a decent job in the first place.” He stressed that board members must remind themselves where the super comes from and why unions should be represented at board level in spite of governments wanting them gone. McDine pointed to XPO Logistics, which had a litany of human rights violations in Switzerland, Italy, Canada and Spain. Orbis Asset Management is the largest shareholder through its pension fund investments in XPO. Some funds are now considering delisting Orbis because its attempts to resolve violations at XPO are less than robust. Under French corporate duty of vigilance law there is an onus on companies to identify and respect human rights. So the ITF has launched court action against XPO Logistics’ European arm. Meanwhile, the International Trade Union Confederation is pushing to ensure investments in renewable energy include “just transitions” strategies for workers now in carbonheavy traditional industries, like coal. In Australia, the ACTU is setting up an ACTU Centre for Workers’ Capital and Universal Superannuation so as to implement a workers’ capital plan. And IFM Investors has set up an environment, social and governance (ESG) desk. IFM is owned by 28 Australian superannuation funds. It manages $68.1 billion in infrastructure assets across Australia, North America and Europe. In 2019, IFM concluded a labour rights agreement with the International Trade Union Confederation and has committed to update its responsible contractor policy.

FAKE NEWS, PORT AUTOMATION & UNION BUSTING

Move to expose automation productivity claims to shareholders and protect jobs of the future

36 www.mua.org.au

Unions are putting together a global response to unfettered port automation, by exposing false productivity claims to company shareholders and taking a united position for contract talks. Port automation dominated talks at the Maritime Union national conference in Broadbeach, Queensland during the first two days of sittings. International speakers from Belgium, the Netherlands, the USA and Japan joined Australians in a united front against technology being used as a union-busting tool to attack the workforce. “They bring in automation and drive up shares on the predication of something that doesn’t deliver,” said Paddy Crumlin, MUA National Secretary and ITF President. “We will challenge the idea that automation, whether in ports or shipping, creates more productivity and better returns. We are going about it scientifically and mapping it. We are combining our resources to get sound research to challenge automation fake news. And we are using workers’ capital as a component when we go to the ports and shareholders.” Niek Stam, National Secretary, FNV Havens, Netherlands acknowledged the first wave of automation at the Port of Rotterdam, back in 1989, was successful. It was negotiated with the unions and restricted to yardside operations. However, the second phase (quayside) and the move to remote controlled quay cranes has been a failure. “Statistics are showing the port is losing productivity,” Stam said. “Figures for last year have crane rates at 26 (lifts per hour) compared to a manual crane rate of 35. It’s not a good record. If they want more automation, they should first prove productivity will go up.” Putting more multi-million-dollar remote control cranes over the ship to compensate was an expensive option, he said. The terminal was losing 23 million Euros a year. “I don’t see how they can fix it,” Stam said. “Antwerp is using manual cranes and is just 80 kilometres away. It can do 35 containers an hour.” Stam said manufacturers of the new technology were to blame. “If we want to do something against automation, we have to attack the Port Equipment Manufacturers Association, not the terminal operators. They promise heaven and they give shit,” he said. “The mega ships want productivity; they don’t want automation. They should be on our side.” Cyber security is also an issue. “When APM/Maersk was hacked in 2017 they had to ask all our pensioners to come back to get the system working manually again,” Stam said. Antwerp, Belgium’s biggest port and Europe’s second biggest, does not have a fully automated terminal. The union contract requires

the company to negotiate with the union four months in advance of introducing any new technology. In New Jersey, USA, the International Longshoremen’s Association has forestalled automation on the basis of its poor productivity record. Dennis Daggett, a fourth-generation longshore worker and ILA executive vice president, told conference of his union’s strong stance. “They are trying to automate us into extinction,” he said. “These companies earn fat profits. We were tired of hearing we had to adapt to automation. We said f!@#! that! There’s no proof a robot is more productive than an arse on a seat. “We convinced the carriers to invest in the rank and file, not robotics,” he said. In Japan, Katsushige Mashima, President of ZENKOWAN – All Japan Dockworkers Union, said the government will invest heavily to make Japanese ports the most advanced automated terminals in the world by 2030. “We told them we can’t accept any automation that will give workers on the ground insecurity and fear of the future,” he said. MUA Deputy National Secretary Will Tracey said automation was a global problem for dock workers. At the ICTSI terminal in Melbourne, remote crane drivers topped at 19 boxes an hour, he said. “They are running parts of the terminal from Manila. “The yard crane job in Victoria pays $120,000 per year and by shifting it to the Philippines they pay $15,000 a year,” he said. “That’s the new model of automation. Set up in a low wage country and run ports globally. The company has undercut jobs by 30%, and industry standards.”

THAT’S THE NEW MODEL OF AUTOMATION. SET UP IN A LOW WAGE COUNTRY AND RUN PORTS GLOBALLY. THE COMPANY HAS UNDERCUT INDUSTRY STANDARDS BY 40%. – Will Tracey, MUA

www.mua.org.au

EVERY MOVE WE MAKE FROM LANDING THE BOX TO A LIFT IS A PROCESS OF TEACHING THE MACHINE HOW TO DO THE JOB ITSELF. – Warren Smith, MUA

“We are challenging this in the commission.” MUA Assistant National Secretary Warren Smith warned that dockworkers were only in the early stages of automation. The coming 5G networks would have 10 times the data density and 50 times the speed. This would mean terminals would have the capacity within 10 years to operate any automation from anywhere in the world. Reinforced Artificial Intelligence meant machine learning. An algorithm can develop to an environment, learn and adapt. “Every move we make from landing the box to a lift is a process of teaching the machine how to do the job itself,” Smith said.

THEY THOUGHT WE’D HACKED THE TERMINAL WHEN APM/MAERSK TERMINALS FROZE WORLDWIDE ON 27 JUNE, 2017, THE COMPANY’S FIRST THOUGHT WAS TO BLAME THE UNION. This is according to Niek Stam, National Secretary, FNV Havens, Netherlands. “We were all in Antwerp for a roadshow about automation with the German, Dutch and French unions,” he recalls. “Then we got the info the terminal was hacked. Rumours were that we were behind it because we were all together at the time. They really thought it was us!” It was instead the now infamous NotPetya malware attack courtesy of the Russian/Ukraine cyberwar. A careless company manager in the Port of Odessa had slipped the infected program into a work computer. Within moments APM terminal screens globally went blank. Cranes were comatised. Gates locked shut. Trucks

He said union will oppose advanced automated terminals. Conference delegates called from the floor for unions to develop a collective approach to automation all over the world. The International Transport Workers’ Federation has updated its position paper on automation to require a clear business case on capital expenditure, productivity rates and taxation revenue. Ensuring against job losses and keeping work within the terminal is another key requirement. The ITF opposes any central control hubs operating ports internationally. Full union coverage and respect for union jurisdiction must be maintained.

– Niek Stam, FNV Havens

queued. Maersk ships, without paper manifests, bobbed at sea. “They had to get workers to bring all the laptops in the stores out. We used hotspots with our mobile phones,” Niek said. Old dockworkers were called back from retirement. “The old checkers had to enter all the containers back into the system manually,”Niek said. "More than one million containers. They worked around the clock 30-40 days and nights.” Mismanagement was responsible for the breach both ends, he said. Updating the terminal software took a few hours. Operations had to stop. So a couple of times they didn’t upgrade and that made the system more vulnerable. “I don’t think it will be the last time something like this happens,” he said.

38 www.mua.org.au

ntum

Union push for tough industrial manslaughter laws gains mome “Everyone in this room would know a wharfie, seafarer or someone who was killed on the job,” MUA National President Christy Cain told national conference. Yet those responsible are not being held to account, Cain said. He gave an impassioned account of a 23-year-old woman, a building worker, killed on her first day on the job. German backpacker Marianka Heumann was on a working holiday visa. She fell 13 floors down an apartment block ventilation shaft. “She had no inductions, no union,” Cain said. The Perth builder was penalised $62,000 after a court found his “blind hatred” of the CFMEU resulted in union officials being blocked from entering the building site after the death. “That employer, was a rogue employer,” Cain said. “That was industrial manslaughter at its worst. That executive should have gone to gaol. “If you kill a worker, you should go to gaol.” Like the construction industry, the waterfront can be a dangerous workplace. In 2016, Toll Transport was fined $1 million after waterside worker Anthony Attard, 42, was crushed to death while helping load the Tasmanian Achiever at Webb Dock in May 2014.

In April 2015, Australian seafarer and father of four, Andrew Kelly was crushed between containers on board the Skandi Pacific off the west coast. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau found risks associated with securing the cargo in the prevailing weather conditions had not been adequately assessed and safety management system procedures were inadequate. In 2012, Newcastle wharfie Greg Fitzgibbon was crushed to death by cargo in the hold of the Weaver Arrow. ATSB found there had been five near misses where ingot cargos had toppled or fell in the 27 months leading up to his death. The MUA is concerned that the watering down of national safety and training laws in maritime could lead to more deaths. The union is campaigning to ensure industrial manslaughter is introduced in WA. After sit-ins and protests in Queensland the state Labor Government has changed the legislation. Employers found guilty of industrial manslaughter can be fined $20 million and face 10 years’ prison. In Victoria, industrial manslaughter will be a crime from 1 July 2020. Penalties can be as high as $16.5 million and 20 years’ prison.

May, 2020 Memorial: Melbourne MUA branch members pay tribute to wharfie Anthony Attard, killed on the job, Toll, 2014

www.mua.org.au

IT’S LIKE THE KILLING FIELDS OUT THERE, WE HAD TWO WORKERS DIE IN 2019 AND MORE THAN 100 INCIDENTS. Surya Usmansyah, JICT,

Death threats against union organisers, imprisonment and harassment are commonplace in many world ports. Elsewhere, corporations are attempting to bleed unions dry in protracted court battles. Governments are ramping up draconian laws terminating the right to strike. Robots are replacing workers. These are the worst of union busting tactics used against dock workers around the globe. “We went to Colombia, the most dangerous place in the world to be a trade unionist,” ITF Dockers section coordinator Enrico Tortolano told national conference. “And we where we went, Puerto Aguadulce, was the most dangerous place in Colombia. “In Aguadulce, when unionists go on strike they get a text message saying they and their families will be assassinated. “The drug lords don’t like their trade being disrupted,” he said Puerto Aguadulce is also home to the new ICTSI terminal and the company made it clear unions were not welcome. “But we’ve got a team in South America and we now have a union organiser there,” Tortolano said. “She’s the bravest woman I know.” Death threats against unionists are also common in Indonesia. In August 2019, security guards brutally attacked Rio Wijaya, a trade unionist from Hutchison’s Jakarta International Container Terminal union (JICT). He was then arrested and detained under false allegations. Other attacks include shooting a member’s car. Wijaya was held in prison for 47 days before being released. Surya Usmansyah, JICT, told conference of poor relations with Hutchison.

“But we are not afraid to take them on. We had 400 workers on a picket for 722 days,” he said. “We believe in what we do because we know which side we are on - the right side,” Usmansyah said. JICT has signed a regional pact with MUA Hutchison workers in Australia in common struggle for a safe work place. Four workers were killed in industrial accidents at JICT in four years. It’s like the killing fields out there,” Usmansyah said. “We had two workers die in 2019 and more than 100 incidents.” Usmansyah said the worst fatality saw a crane wire cut a worker’s body almost in half. “A few hours later Hutchison demanded we keep the operation going,” he said. “That was unacceptable.” In Australia and the US, battles are fought out with lawyers not guns. A US jury awarded the Philippines based multinational stevedoring company ICTSI US$93 million in damages against the ILWU. A judge later reduced it to US$20 million. However the company is appealing the decision. The same company is taking the MUA to court in Australia, suing for $8 million in damages. Also in Australia, conservative government union attacks have taken a more Orwellian bent. “The Fair Work Act should be called the Unfair Work Act,” MUA Assistant National Secretary Warren Smith said. “New industrial laws are curtailing workers’ right to strike and criminalising solidarity.” In March the union was in court fighting to lift a ruling against its right to legally protected industrial action during enterprise bargaining with DP World. “The attacks are vicious and coming fast. Let’s go home and put fire in our veins,” said Willie Adams, ILWU. “Let them know we will fight them every inch of the way. We are not afraid.”

WE WENT TO COLOMBIA, THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE IN THE WORLD TO BE A TRADE UNIONIST Enrico Tortolano, ITF

www.mua.org.au

They marched past Surfers Paradise Boulevard, Woolworths, Subway and 7 Eleven chanting “What do we want? Fuel Security. When do we want it? Now!” They were the youth of the Maritime Union of Australia and they were leading young and old (one in a wheelchair), 150 strong into the crowds of shoppers at the local mall. Australia has only 27 days of fuel reserves in case of an emergency. That is way short of the 90-day obligation set out in an international treaty. As an island nation Australia has only 10 ships and no Australian flagged tankers. We can’t rely on foreign shipping, was the message the MUA youth took to the streets. At the head of the march the young men and women of the MUA pushed a van up uphill, its engine dead. “This is what will happen when we run out of fuel. This country will come to a stop. We’ll have no petrol, no medical supplies, nothing,” a youth leader told the curious bystanders. It was Tuesday, 3 March and the protestors had bussed from the MUA national conference at Star Casino, Broadbeach to spread the word on the streets of Surfers Paradise, about how vital shipping is to the Australian economy. A key message arising from the first two days of national conference was to match words with action. So when the youth got together under the agenda “Fighting for our Future” they did not waste words.

After reading a short statement about the importance of international solidarity in the struggle to ensure a better future for generations to come, youth delegates Liam Kelly, Tate Johnson, Alex Smith, Melissa McMullen and MUA organiser Aarin Moon got everyone moving. Seafarer Alex Smith from South Australia gave a personal history of the loss of his ship the British Fidelity that serviced the coast from Fremantle to Adelaide. “Every three days we carried 60 tonnes of petrol, diesel and jet fuel supplying petrol stations, airports and emergency services,” he said. “Our wages made up just 0.1% of the cost. But we were told we were too expensive. One night we were told to sail to Singapore for maintenance and when we arrived, we were sacked with no warning.” Less than one month later foreign ships and crew started doing exactly the same run on the Australian coast. “It leaves our country in an extremely vulnerable position,” Smith said. “It’s a disgrace. The government has to take the role of fuel security seriously.” The first day of conference heard a report card on the state of Australian shipping. Assistant National Secretary Ian Bray spoke on the loss of ships in blue water. With the reelection of a conservative government the fight has shifted to getting the Labor states to support Australian shipping, defend Bass Strait shipping and keep the last four Australian crewed ships left in the international trade - LNG tankers.

IT’S LIKE THE WILD WEST. THERE’S NO REGULATION. JOE FLEETWOOD, MUNZ

42 www.mua.org.au

WHEN I CAME TO SEA, WE HAD QUALIFICATIONS THAT WERE THE BEST IN THE WORLD. NOW YOU ONLY NEED TWO DAYS TRAINING FOR ANY VESSEL THAT DOESN’T GO OVERSEAS. I A N B R AY - M U A Bray told conference shipowners were investing billions in Bass Strait. “We have to hold Bass Strait. We need to defend and expand the Rio Tinto fleet,” he said. “It’s (fleet is) working overtime. We should get a fifth ship on that trade. The volume is there. And we have state backing.” On the west coast the battle is to defend Australian crew on the LNG tankers servicing the NW Shelf exports. “Gas is going to be there another 30 years. Australian workers should be there for the life of the project,” Bray said. The union is also looking to emerging markets and renewable energy, like servicing offshore wind farms, aquaculture and hydrogen exports. The MUA is fighting for a strategic fleet which has some bipartisan and industry support. Catherine King, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development pledged Labor’s ongoing commitment to shipping via video. Bray then spoke of the fight to maintain world class qualifications for Australian seafarers under new national laws. “When I came to sea, we had qualifications that were the best in the world,” he said. “Now you only need two days training for any vessel that doesn’t go overseas.” In the offshore industry the news is more upbeat. The vast majority of remaining MUA seafarers now work in offshore oil and gas.

www.mua.org.au

“A few years back the offshore industry was dominated by bottom feeders and outsourcing,” National President Christy Cain told conference. “We were told we had no chance of organising these workers. But we got together with the Australian Workers Union and took them on.” Within 14 months the union turned the industry around. Deputy National Secretary Will Tracey reported on the Chevron campaign. How the multinationals had set out four years ago to bust the union, cut rates for offshore divers by 24% and sue the MUA for $22 million over its campaign against foreign crew. (Final settlement on 9 April was a court ruling against the MUA for $30,000, with agreement to take no illegal industrial action.) “We paid them (next to) nothing,” said Tracey. “And we’ve now got 100% union density in the offshore industry.” Maritime Union of New Zealand Secretary Joe Fleetwood reported local seafarers were suffering the same losses to international lines and crew as Australia was experiencing. “It’s a shame we don’t have what Canada has, anymore,” he said. “We once had it, but that went overnight under a conservative government. It’s like the wild west. There’s no regulation.” Since the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Government has acknowledged it will need to stockpile oil reserves.

FOR S OT BO Y T FE A S ND A S T HA D R HA WE WEAR SAME HE T IS G IN IN A R T NK LI ER NT HU . ON A REAS ES YOU V GI IT . R A GE E IV T EC OT PR G IN R EA AS W EVERYDAY TOOLS TO STAY SAFE

44 www.mua.org.au

“I JUST WANTED OUT”

– Jake Field

“The MUA is really good at the industrial and it’s really good at safety,” says Jake Field, MUA National Safety and Training Officer. “We understand those issues. We’ve seen what happens. But we work in a stressful industry, away from family and we need to reach out.” Jake gave a personal account of how he started in the industry as a 16-year old straight out of school and got badly crushed in a work accident at 20. After 7 weeks in Hospital with his injuries- a broken Pelvis and abdominal trauma from being crushed, It took Jake the best part of a year to recover to a point where he was physically able to return to work. “I could never shake the trauma I’d been through,” he said. Jake was prescribed sleeping tablets to help him sleep. He became a heavy drinker. “I had no idea about post traumatic stress disorder,” he said. “People were asking me if I was ok. “The comrades I had around me had no idea about mental health.” Jake masked his feelings and told his mates nothing was wrong. He wanted to get back to normal and back to work. Several years after the trauma of his accident Jake was at sea when he experienced debilitating panic attacks and anxiety. Several events had occurred that were out of the ordinary and this led to Jakes shipmates noticing he wasn’t himself. “One night after he’d noticed I wasn’t right, the Bosun came to my cabin and said ‘mate, something is wrong.’ And I finally said ‘yes.” Jake says that conversation was a turning point in his life. Having someone reach out and acknowledge the pain and the struggle he was going through was like having a weight lifted off his shoulders, Jake said. The Bosun put his arm Jake and assured him the panic and the thoughts he was having couldn’t hurt him and that he would be there to support Jake until they could get him home to his family and the help he needed. At that point, Jake said he had just wanted any way to make the pain stop, get off the ship and get home to support. He said the he thought of just jumping over the handrail and swimming had been on his mind.

www.mua.org.au

With the support of his comrades on that ship Jake made it home and sought treatment. It would be a long journey marked with many up’s and down’s. Jake returned to Sea before eventually coming ashore as a Linesman in Newcastle more than 10 years later. After coming across other people who had experienced the same struggles as he had, Jake and his comrades developed an idea to provide some support for workers struggling with their mental health. “We set up a support network at Svitzer, Newcastle. We did some counselling training; it was an informal network. We found people weren’t just picking up the phone to get support or calling Hunterlink, they were talking to us on the job. With the training and lived experience we had, we were able to provide brief intervention and help them access further support.” More young Australians take their own lives than die in motor accidents. Eight people take their life every day. Six are men. Most (54%) do not seek support before opting out. Hunterlink was set up to stop people taking their own lives, to stop drug and alcohol addiction. Seafarer Vickey Help shared a ship program she developed with crew mates at sea. “What’s happening on our ship is there is not enough internet,” she said. “So we took it upon ourselves to provide a mental health folder in entertainment.” Crew could access the material without using up their data allowance. They could watch it in the privacy of their own cabin. The company then followed through and provided a program. “Do something in the smallest way to help your shipmates,” she said. “Do it, just do it.” She called on members to help raise the profile of mental illness and break down the barriers so members feel they can talk about it. Hunterlink describes itself as “a gym for the workplace”. It is available to all MUA members.

PIC: Jim Donovan, MUA Veterans Secretary

46 www.mua.org.au

BECAUSE OF THESE ANTI-WORKER LAWS, THE ONSLAUGHT BY GREEDY INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYERS AND THE GREAT ASSISTANCE THEY RECEIVE FROM CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENTS, IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO BE INVOLVED IN SOME KIND OF INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE

- Jim Donovan

The owners of global wealth continue to mobilise against workers and workers’ organisations throughout the globe. This is shown by a highly organised onslaught against organisations like ours, Jimmy Donovan, MUA Veterans National Secretary reports. “Many of us have been around for a long time,” he writes. “Some of us have held union positions over the years. But I cannot remember a more confronting time for our movement than the present.” Donovan said workers were under enormous attack. Organised labour, especially left-wing organised labour, is a threat to capital’s raping of the world’s wealth at the expense of workers who produce that wealth. The standard of living in this country and many others came about as a result of unions and organised labour striving to improve people’s lives, he said. People would have us live under slave conditions, as in the past , without unions. Reporting on the recent MUA veterans’ national conference, Donovan paid tribute to international guests and veterans including Kevin Robinson from the Liverpool dockers (never cross a picket line) and Rich Austin from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. “Both gave excellent reports,” he said. “They spoke of the concerted attacks upon labour unions and all other organisations that stand up for workers’ rights and improved living standards. News from the Liverpool dockers that they all got their jobs back won applause at conference. National Secretary Paddy Crumlin and National President Christy Cain also addressed the veterans gathering. Paddy Crumlin reported on the state of Australian Shipping and Aussie jobs. Conservative governments give absolutely no support to Australian Shipping, in fact it is well known they have been giving out Single Voyage Permit (SVP) like confetti at a wedding. Anthony Albanese is committed to changing this, if elected. It is so vital Australian seafarers get a fair go rather than giving overseas shipowners an open go to do what they want and reap the benefits only to themselves. We call upon the whole of the Trade Union Movement, Labor Party, Greens and Independents to give support for Aussie Shipping and take back from the tyrannical overseas shipowners the wealth they steal from us Union legends Charlie Graysons and Fred Krausert was presented with Life Membership for his long service to the union and the vets. “It was a truly outstanding conference and I can surely say the union is in good hands,” said Donovan. “We must continue to fight the good fight.” Donovan said the introduction of new technology that came under the spotlight at conference showed how new technology was used to replace organised labour.

www.mua.org.au

“Employers see this as a way to destroy our union,” he said. “All new jobs are given over to others employed elsewhere –and even overseas.” The onslaught by greedy international employers with the backing of conservative governments, makes it is almost impossible not to be involved in some kind of industrial dispute, he said. “With the weight of these anti-worker laws and the industrial courts the union has been fined millions of dollars,” he said. “The employers’ intention is to put us out of business.” (Developments at Qantas show the system has gone mad. Following the COVID-19-related shutdown of air services, the federal government gave $715 million to Qantas and other airlines. Less than 48 hours later, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce stood down more than 20,000 employees, or over two-thirds of the company’s workforce.) The Australian people used to own Qantas. Instead of a nostrings-attached bailout, we should demand that the public be given equity in the company equivalent to the taxpayer funds handed over. In Europe, governments are opting to buy airlines and other troubled companies rather than prop up private companies for the benefit of shareholders. For example, the Italian government announced it would inject funds into, and take control of Alitalia. The French government said it would buy stakes in struggling companies such as Renault and bank BNP Paribas. Even the UK’s Tory government has effectively nationalised England’s trains, at least temporarily. And the Spanish and Irish governments have nationalised all private hospitals to ensure they can fight COVID-19 with a single, public medical service. These are great initiatives and Australia should follow their lead, Donovan said. He called for the union to find new ways of attracting new members to ensure the vets could continue to give the support needed for the battles ahead. “A worrying development for MUA veterans is our falling numbers,” Donovan said. “This comes about because many MUA members now retiring come from a different time and culture on the waterfront. The former comradeship is not there. They are not joining us when they leave the industry.” As well the coronavirus had forced vets’ branches to postpone meetings and curtail future actions. “We must continue to keep in contact with one another by phone, newsletters and electronic devices to ensure we are there to assist wherever possible,” he said. “We must continue to improve the lot of older Australians. This is something the Morrison Government has absolutely no interest in. The $750, one-off payment to old-age pensioners is an insult. We have been trying for years to lift the pension to 35 per cent of the total average male weekly wage for a liveable income, to no avail. Now Morrison and many others think he can win us over with $750.

WH AT STA R T E D O U T AS A FAM I LY HI STORY FOR JOHN M AY NA R D, U N I V E R SI TY PR OFESS OR , EX- B AR M AN, BU IL D E R S L A B O U R E R, A ND GRA NDS ON OF W HAR FI E AC T IV I ST F R E D M AY NAR D, B ECA M E A LI FE’S WOR K. The Aboriginal connection to the waterfront is strong. The waterfront was a hotbed of political agitation. It allowed us to get training, work and better conditions. Black merchant seafarers carrying manifestos of political struggle and unity called at Australian ports. The Sydney docks at the turn of the twentieth century was a terrifying work environment and no place for the faint hearted.

This horror workplace was known as the ‘Hungry Mile’. The men were savagely exploited ‘under the whip of hunger’; 100 tons of lead an hour, 1800 to 2000 bales of wool per gang per eight hours, 80 tons of bagged sugar to be unloaded per hour. Into this environment came my grandfather Fred Maynard and his brother Arthur. They began working on the Sydney wharves in 1910.

48 www.mua.org.au

It was here that his bubbling anger over the treatment The second critical influence on the political awakening of Aboriginal people would be sharpened to a razor’s of the emerging Aboriginal activists on Aus-tralian docks edge. The wharf would prove to be the place to harden was Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement one’s resolve and hone a political attitude of defiance. Association. Garvey’s message of racial pride, culture, history, connection to country and self-determination My grandfather helped set up the first all Aboriginal resonated powerfully with Aboriginal activists. political movement the Australian Aboriginal Progressive Association (AAPA) in 1924. Two of the most significant Aboriginal campaigners after WWII were Joe McGinness and Charles ‘Chicka’ In a letter to NSW Premier Jack Lang he said, “I wish to Dixon. Both were dockworkers. make it perfectly clear on behalf of our people that we accept no condition of inferiority as compared with European McGinness described the union as ‘the only white people. We call no man master and we have no king.” organisation that showed concern over reported cases of injustice’ against Aboriginal people. They wanted land and to defend their children from being taken from their families. They demanded selfMcGinness is best remembered for his role as joint determination. Citizenship. An all Aboriginal Council to national campaign director during the lead-up to the 1967 sit under the Commonwealth government. Commonwealth referendum. The AAPA attracted widespread support from The success of the 1967 referendum gave constitutional Indigenous communities, establishing 13 branches and capacity to the federal government to legislate in favour of four sub-branches with over 600 members. Aboriginal people and allowed Indigenous Australians to be counted in the census. Two significant international influences impacted on the political thinking of ‘Chicka’ Dixon widely Aboriginal dockworkers at known to the Aboriginal the time. The first was the population as the ‘Fox’ was formation in Sydney in 1902 a major political agitator for of a group called the Coloured Abo-riginal rights during the Progressive Association. 1960s through to his death in 2010. He was the key The CPA was an strategist behind the highly organisation comprised suc-cessful 1972 Aboriginal mainly of visiting black Tent Embassy protest on the merchant sailors including lawns of Parliament House. West Indian, Indian, African, Maori, Islander, African Dixon explained that the Americans and importantly docks were ‘where I learned Aboriginal dockworkers. the politics. I learned a lot about other people’s In 1902 members of the CPA struggles... I thought we were wrote to the (UK) Secretary the only people in the world of the Colonies, Joseph discriminated against. Then Chamberlain, protesting Emma & Fred Maynard I started to hear about the the newly introduced White Vietnam War… and South Australia policy. Africa... That was my political They said: “The administration of the Bill is vile, and also education ... They taught me how to organise.’ the general effects are undoubtedly cruel. Aliens of all kinds Famed Aboriginal boxer Jack Hassen, a Kalkadoon can enter the Commonwealth, whether they can read or Murri man, was a member of the Sydney branch of the write, as long as they are not black.” Waterside Workers’ Federation (1963-1984). The CPA may well have disappeared from historical He won the Australian lightweight championship memory except for the visit of African American boxing in 1949 knocking out champion Archie Kemp. Sadly, sensation Jack Johnson to Australia in 1907 and 1908. The Hassen’s victory saw his career nosedive. Kemp had died CPA held a farewell function in Sydney to honour Johnson from the results of the beating in the ring. Hassen had in 1907. My grandfather Fred Maynard was present. repeatedly asked the referee to stop the fight and was left Jack Johnson returned to Australia in 1908 after chasing with terrible guilt over the death. the white world champion Tommy Burns around the Today a young Aboriginal dockworker Thomas Mayor world baiting him to fight and take down the colour continues the rich tradition of the Aboriginal waterside bar that prevented black fighters challenging for the worker activist. Mayor is an inspiring speaker and played heavyweight title. a key role in the forming of the Uluru Statement of the The Johnson-Burns fight at Sydney’s Rushcutters Bay Heart at Alice Springs in 2017. was the biggest international sporting event that Australia ____________________________ staged until the 1956 Olympic Games. Johnson absolutely demolished Burns. *This is an edited version of John Maynard’s speech to National Conference in March. The full text can be Jack Johnson was not just the greatest boxer on the planet read online. but an articulate, highly politicised and inspiring individual to black and oppressed people around the globe.

www.mua.org.au

MUA WOMEN

The first indigenous “Violence is not just a WOMEN WARRIORS AND ROLE woman to sail in the Sydney women’s issue, it’s a social MODELS TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT to Hobart yacht race, the first issue,” Bull said. “Martin Luther NATIONAL CONFERENCE. indigenous woman bosun, and the first King said injustice anywhere, is injustice MUA woman ferry skipper at Sydney Harbour everywhere. It is not an isolated incident.” took centre stage at national conference. They Eradication of discrimination and injustice is not were met with standing ovations. for one person alone or one group alone, she said. It is a They were Port Botany wharfie and Tribal Warrior shared problem. sailor Naomi Cain [back page], seafarer Vicki Morta and Mich-Elle Myers acknowledged the role the Australian Sydney Ferries skipper Julie Maley [opposite]. Services Union played in leading the ‘We Won’t Wait’ Women representatives, one by one, spoke to an campaign. It calls for 10 days paid domestic viovlence Equality Charter adopted by conference. leave to be in the national employment standards. Mich-Elle Myers, National Women’s Officer “The federal Liberal government rejected it,” Myers began by listing each major union battle – said. “We ended up with five days unpaid leave. the MV Portland, the Alexander Spirit, the “If a person needs to get out of a violent Brisbane Hutchison sackings. In every home, they need to be able to keep case, women were there beside their their job. It takes money to leave – for workmates in struggle. doctors, lawyers, new house costs and so Myers paid tribute to the union for much more.” the role it has played in the domestic Since the last conference the Maritime violence space. Union had finalised 144 enterprise IT TAKES ACTION TO MAKE CHANGE, Conference then held a minute’s agree-ments without domestic violence IT TAKES PEOPLE WILLING TO silence for Hannah Baxter, her three leave. Another 21 had the minimum STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT. unpaid leave in the national employment children and the other nine women killed Mich-elle Myers - National Women’s Officer by their partners in Australia in the first standard. Forty agreements did better. three months of 2020. Myers highlighted the importance of national Hannah’s estranged husband locked her and the conference, the highest decision-making body of children in the car, before set-ting fire to it, then killing our union. “Conferences matter. Fighting for equality himself. The murders took place just kilometres from the begins here.” conference centre and two weeks before it was held. “I am proud MUA woman. I am proud of our union. We Myers called on officials to refuse to sign off on an don’t always get it right and we have let some down on enterprise agreement unless it included paid domestic the journey. violence leave. These sentiments were echoed by Alisha But we have done so much good, I know we will continue Bull, Assistant Tasmanian Branch Secretary. to do so. We are the union that doesn’t just do EBAs. We have principles we believe in; we stand by them; we fight for them.” 50 www.mua.org.au

MUA WOMEN

Globally the work of the ITF international women’s committee also led by Myers, has successfully brought about the adoption of ILO convention C190 on violence and harassment at work. “Now we are campaigning to get governments to ratify the convention,” she told conference. Krista Grace of Victoria, a seafarer since 1985, said women were doing their part to make a passionate stand for Australian seafarers’ rights to work in their own country. “We do this so we have a way to support our families,” she said. “We fight for a safe workplace so we can return home to our children at night. Every day we are fighting to retain these rights.” She called for companies to recruit more women and indigenous Australians. “Too often we have a small vessel with just one, or worse, no women on board,” she said. Karen East, of Darwin works alongside Myers on the national women’s committee. “We stand up and we speak up,” she said. East also called on the union to promote more women among its ranks. “It’s time more women are in an official capacity. We should have women employed as organisers. Let women prove their worth, give them a go,” she said. Brenda Easton called for increased parental leave in all enterprise agreements, more flexible working arrangements for parents and the right to return to work after taking parental leave. She also highlighted the importance of employers continuing to make super contributions during parental leave. This ensured women were not disadvantaged in retirement. “Casualisation is increasing across the board and if you are not a permanent you don’t get it,” she said. “You don’t get job security. How do we keep the roof over our heads and food in our kids’ mouths? Once the girls get it, we’ll get it for the boys as well,” she said. WA seafarer Vicki Helps said she believed in education for workers to unlock power. “I was a teacher in all boys’ school, so it was a perfect background to go to sea,” she said. “I haven’t looked back.” Helps said the union could empower women with education and support them to become delegates, elected leaders and activists. “The emancipation of women will liberate us all,” she said. “It will create a more equal and just world.” Myers paid tribute to former union women’s advocates Sue Virago and Karen Wheatland for first giving women a voice in the union and making the MUA a leader in the fight to stop violence against women.

www.mua.org.au

WHEN I DREAM, I DREAM BIG. Vicki Morta, seafarer on board the RTM Weipa bulk carrier has paved a path for Aboriginal women in an industry dominated by men. She rose to take a swing as bosun on the bauxite bulky that runs between Weipa and Gladstone and intends to go further. “I thought, ‘Can I do this?’,” she told conference. “Am I strong enough? “A lot of the boys said I should do the job,” Vicki said. “They encouraged me to take it on.” Vicki is a descendent of Pacific Islanders and the Ngadjon-Jii First Nations people from rainforest country above Cairns. She was recruited and trained by Rio Tinto at the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania in 2008 as part of their intake of indigenous Australians. That was the last intake. Rio Tinto should do more. “I stand here proud to be indigenous, proud to be MUA, proud to the union,” said Vicki. “I’ve come this far and I’m not going to stop now. Maybe I can be the first indigenous officer. I’m not going to limit myself. When I dream, I dream big.”

MUM, MASTER AND MATE Julie Maley is the first MUA woman to become a skipper on Sydney Ferries. She started down at Circular Quay in 1999, took time out to have a family and then got her master’s ticket. “Sydney Ferries is a great training ground for women,” she said. “It’s fantastic to be a role model for younger females coming through the industry. I’ve got a lot of knowledge to pass on to others.” Julie started as an 18-year-old straight out of high school, one of only a handful of wom-en on the harbour. “I had to prove I was as good as the men and earn their respect,” she recalls. At each step her union was a step ahead, opening the door for her. When Julie married and having her first baby, the union got her a job at the gates and part time work. “Eight years and three kids later, I return to full time work,” she said. “Now I’m proud to be the first MUA woman master.” See also Naomi Cain, The Big Race p80 51

CONFERENCE

1. C ONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING & ENERGY UNION 1.1 - CFMMEU National Conference of members resolves that the Union continues to monitor, develop and report back on the benefits or otherwise to members around the recent amalgamation. 1.2 - CFMMEU NAME This National Conference of Members believes that the new union should be accompanied by a new name. National Conference calls on the National Office together with the branches to expedite processes with the other divisions to progress this matter.

2. MEMBERSHIP 2.1 - A LL MUA STAFF TO BE MEMBERS OF THEIR UNION This National Conference of Members resolves that the Union will strongly encourage all employees to be members of their union and to play an active role within their union. 2.2 - ONLINE MEMBERSHIPS/MEMBERSHIP FORMS

Proposed MUA Division resolution for rule change: In MUA Divisional Rule 12(c), replace “may” with “shall” Replace “6 months” with “9 months”. Add the following: “Members who have had their membership cancelled under this Rule may apply for Associate Membership as proposed in Resolution 2.7. In the event that this Associate Member finding further work in the maritime industry under the Unions Eligibility Rules, then his or her membership will be reinstated subject to meeting the payment of union dues for that position and continuity of membership towards life membership will be maintained including recognition of the period he or she has been an Associate Member.” In the event that the member does not become an Associate Member following cancellation referred to in this Rule, he or she will lose continuity on the service required for Life Membership. 2.6 - ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP National Conference of Members resolves to support the MUA introducing an Associate Membership Grade using current 1A Grade.

This National Conference of Members resolves that the Union will establish internal processes to allow new members to join the MUA online. The platform will also allow for people to pay their dues directly online.

Membership Committee agree on the following criteria for endorsement at QNC 2020

Membership forms both online and in print should be simplified. Membership forms should only have name, contact details, annual salary and bank account details for direct debit (or any minimum legislated requirements). Simplifying form will minimise confusion and assist with organising new sites.

• Cannot participate in the business of the Union

Normal approval process under the Divisional Branch Secretary authority, in accordance with the Divisional Rules, still applies.

• Associate Members receive Maritime Workers journal, communication from Branches, Campaign paraphernalia (varies by Branch)

2.3 - P ROVISIONAL MEMBERS NOT TO BE GIVEN ACCESS TO A VOTE

• Associate Members receive Invitation to participate in campaigns

This National Conference of Members resolves that the Union’s National Council ensure action is taken, including by way of rule change where deemed necessary by the MUA National Council, to ensure that only approved members are put on the roll of voters.

• Attendance at monthly meetings by invitation only

Furthermore, steps are taken at regular intervals each year to address and resolve all “unapproved members” on the MUA membership system.

2.7 - 01 GRADE DEFINITION

2.4 - RULE 6 – ADMISSION TO MEMBERSHIP

• $100 yearly fee • No voting rights • Associate Members will not be affiliated • No representational rights • No Member benefits

• Any Associate Member that seeks to bring the union into disrepute or are involved in actions that seek to injure, vilify or reduce the standing of the union in any fashion will have their membership cancelled without appeal. That this National Conference of Members resolves that the Union’s current dues structure be amended to commence at Grade 01 up to the highest Grade (currently Grade 14).

This MUA National Conference resolves that the MUA National Council institute checks to ensure that all applicants for membership are eligible to join the MUA Division and are covered in accordance with Rule 2(S) of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union.

Grade 01 Annual Gross Earnings to change to $0 - $10K with NO Special Purpose Levy to be added. Yearly Rate $200.00.

Furthermore, this MUA National Conference calls on the MUA National Council to put in place systems to reject any future membership that is inconsistent with the Eligibility Rule for the MUA Division.

3.1 – U NION RESTRUCTURE AND THE FUTURE OF OUR UNION

2.5 - R ULE 12(C) - MEMBERS SEEKING LEAVE FROM OCCUPATION (CANCELLATION OF MEMBERS NOT PURSUING INDUSTRY) Preamble: It is proposed to amend MUA Rule 12(c) to compel the cancellation of members who are not engaged or attempting to engage in an occupation covered by the Eligibility Rule. The Rule currently reads: “The membership of a physically fit member (whose Membership Book/Card has not been impounded) may be cancelled where the member has not for a continuous period of six months engaged or attempted to engage in an occupation covered by the Eligibility Rule.” The discretionary requirement requires removal to make the cancellation of ineligible members mandatory.

www.mua.org.au

3. UNION ORGANISATION/STRUCTURE

National Conference resolves that National Council undertakes a review of the current divisional structure of the Maritime Union of Australia Division of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union, aimed at seeking efficiencies and to ensure our organisational structure is fit for purpose in the current conditions and time. The review will seek to address long term structural issues with respect to national office and branch organisation including staff numbers, roles, numbers of officials and organisers, consolidation of branches, administrative systems and processes and overall financial and economic health of the union and the associated impacts of such a restructure on the membership. As part of the restructuring the role of the MUA Executive should in particular be reviewed identifying the importance of its role in ensuring Branch and National Officers having allocated responsibilities to meet the national and international needs of the division and its membership.

CONFERENCE The review should take into account in particular the changing role of the Presiding Officers in more than the chairing of the meetings. The Presiding Officers should be renamed President, Deputy President and Vice President with clearly defined appropriate and agreed new responsibilities as members of the Executive under the Rules, and accountabilities under the Rules. Nothing in this review is intended to change the responsibilities of the National Officers and National Secretary. National Conference endorses National Council to carry out the outcome of any review before restructure on the basis of National Council support and subject to appropriate ratification processes under the rules in reporting to the membership. 3.2 - UNION STRUCTURE AND THE FUTURE OF OUR UNION That this Conference of members resolves that the Union undertake a review to discuss the future direction and structure of the MUA and report back to the Membership. The objectives of this review are to formulate recommendations on how we improve, grow, and develop our Union for the current and coming decades. The report will be conducted by the National Council with a view of using whatever resources are required to examine all matters, democratic processes, resourcing requirements, income and expenditure and any rules and structures that may have to be adjusted. National Council will determine the framework of the review and it will be reported back to the Membership on its recommendations and any rule changes that may be required for their endorsement and support. The review will be focused on identifying the necessary changes for a sustainable future and should include synergies and opportunities of sharing resources with other Divisions of the Union. 3.3 - MONTHLY MEETINGS National Conference resolves to reaffirm its commitment to the Monthly Meeting as a vital democratic function of the union which sets us apart from other unions and continues the history of rank and file engagement through this process. That the National Council continue to improve reporting methodology for monthly meetings and AGM’s. 3.4 - MUA NATIONAL OFFICE LOCATION National Conference resolves that the amalgamation that formed the CFMMEU was based on positive improvements of the financial position and the union as a whole. Further, this conference resolves to actively pursue options to share national office accommodation with the CFMMEU, including shared national office accommodation. Further to this, in particular, the national office should investigate sharing with other divisions of the CFMMEU in Sydney. This may allow for the further consolidation and strengthening of functions in a shared office including legal, communications, organising, and possible other resources.

directed back to the Union and not to the elected Officials concerned. The National Conference further resolves that despite any other regulatory requirements on reporting, all payments received that is consistent with this resolution is reported to the membership on an annual basis.

5. CLIMATE, JUST TRANSITION & RENEWABLE ENERGY 5.1 - STAR OF THE SOUTH National Conference of Members notes that The Star of the South project is the first offshore wind farm in Australia. This project will provide critical jobs for MUA members. National Conference resolves to commit to providing full resources to ensure that this project or any offshore wind project will consist of high quality, safe, union jobs. All campaigns will endeavour to maximise the amount of jobs for MUA members. The union will ensure that all its progressive policies, for example apprenticeships and employment for First Nations people, will be applied to the campaign. The union acknowledges that continuous engagement with the Gunaikurnai and Bunurong people is extremely important to the unions campaign. 5.2 - JUST TRANSITION National Conference of Members notes that we currently have many members that work in ‘sunset industries’ such as fossil fuels. National Conference of Members further resolves to recognise that any transition from these industries should be a just transition and workers should not have to assume negative impacts on working arrangements and condition due to a lack of national leadership from successive Australian Governments. We commit to the principles in ‘the putting the ’Justice’ in a Just Transition’ report developed by national office, which can be found here. 5.3 - ZERO NET EMISSIONS National Conference of Members reaffirms its consideration to all members whose job security is dependent on the coal, oil and gas and all sunset industries. The Union supports and will fight for a net zero emissions future. Workers must not be held responsible for the destructive policies of successive governments in addressing the climate catastrophe that confronts us all. A jobs guarantee with similar conditions of employment for all emissions intensive workers across the country will ensure this. Infrastructure must be built now that moves us closer to a net zero emissions future. 5.4 - CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY

4. UNION GOVERNANCE & FINANCE

The National Conference of members resolves to consider all members whose job security is dependent upon the fossil fuel industry when framing all and any climate change policies. This should include long term planning for the transition of these members job to secure employment, consultation with these members and a reassurance that the union supports them in their current role. No member should be made to feel isolated however we recognise that climate change is real, and these workers should be taken with us not left behind.

4.1 - UNION FINANCES

5.5 - CLIMATE CRISIS

National Conference of Members reaffirms the importance of optimising all of the union’s resources, functions and finances, to sustain the rights and futures of our membership. This includes examining synergies and opportunities of sharing resources with other Divisions of the Union. This is essential in the current political and industrial circumstances where the union is under sustained and direct political attack. The union movement in general, the CFMMEU and MUA division in particular is under sustained political industrial and political attack from neoliberal governments and corporate elitist interests.

This National Conference notes that science tells us that global heating due to carbon emissions must be kept to 1.5°C in order to avoid catastrophic changes to our climate. Average temperatures have already increased by 1°C in the past century and the world is presently on track for a 3.7 to 5°C increase. The world needs to move to zero net carbon emissions by 2050 or earlier and halve carbon emissions each decade. Yet emissions in Australia and globally continue to increase and will increase even if all countries meet their COP21 Paris Agreement targets. Australia and 2/3 of other countries are not meeting even these insufficient targets.

4.2 - D IRECTORS FEES REMITTED TO THE MUA TO BE VISIBLE IN FINANCIAL REPORT

The capitalist ruling class have created this climate crisis and they appear to have no capacity or intention of fixing it. The crisis is already causing immense human suffering, intense bushfires, hazardous air quality, melting glaciers, sea level rise, extreme storms, heatwaves, drought, soil salination,

The National Office of the MUA division will remain in Sydney.

The MUA national conference reaffirms the Union’s policy that Directors fees for MUA elected Officials on various boards are

54 www.mua.org.au

CONFERENCE deforestation, desertification, and species extinction. Even with a 1.5°C increase, between 70-90% of reef building coral systems are expected to die. Poor and working-class people are bearing the brunt of these changes to our land, sea and atmosphere. National Conference resolves that it is necessary for the working class to lead the way to fundamentally change our economy and restructure society to recognise the extent to which the survival of human society relies on the earth’s systems. Moving to net zero carbon emissions requires a total reorganisation of our energy, transportation, manufacturing and agriculture systems. It also runs counter to the entrenched interests of the Australian and international ruling class. Trade unions must play a role in campaigning for a real and just transition of our economy and society to one with much lower carbon emissions. Jobs must be created in onshore and offshore renewable energy and manufacturing, improving public transport and freight transport infrastructure, and construction and renovation of buildings. We must fight for these to be union jobs with good wages and conditions. Renewable energy has the potential to offer workers a more stable employment alternative to the boom and bust of oil price cycles, if it is properly implemented. The transition to a zero net emissions economy cannot be left to the market – public ownership, control, planning and investment is essential to ensure that workers are not disadvantaged, and the transition happens effectively and quickly. Piecemeal privatised development of renewable energy is not giving us the transition we need and is resulting in poor reductions in wages and conditions. The Australian electricity network is in a fragile and disjointed state due to the history of privatisation and needs proper planning and investment to facilitate new renewable energy systems. National Conference resolves that the Union will: • Support campaigns to create the new jobs and new energy, transport, manufacturing and food systems necessary to move to zero net emissions, such as the One Million Climate Jobs campaigns in a number of countries. Jobs must be unionised, secure and well-paid. • Support a joint union assessment of what is needed in Australia to move to zero net emissions, the jobs that will be created, and the workers who will need support through this process. • Support the work of Trade Unions for Energy Democracy and their insight that investment in renewable energy must be publicly planned, supported, and controlled, or workers will be negatively and unfairly impacted. Essential electricity generation and distribution systems should be nationalised. • Support the ACTU’s effort to establish an Energy Transition Authority for workers in the coal- fired electricity sector and investigate the extent to which it could be expanded to include other workers in the coal supply chain and in the oil and gas sector. Lessons must be learnt from the closure of the Port Augusta power station (with no transition plan) and the Hazelwood Power station (where companies have rorted the Worker Transfer Scheme). • Ensure that that jobs and conditions are maintained for members in any transition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A “just transition” requires good jobs with union wages, conditions and agreements in a decarbonised economy. This includes clear job guarantees, training, and direct transition and worker transfer measures put in place by government for fossil fuel workers. • Work to secure strong union agreements in future industries as a respected part of the social movements campaigning for these new jobs and industries. We will be able to secure more government investment and better support and protections for workers if a transition can be properly planned with plenty of notice. We must

www.mua.org.au

endeavour to educate students and all parts of the climate movement about the essential role that unions must play to ensure a just transition. • Support the development of industry and supply chain bargaining processes to cover workers in industries affected by the need to reduce carbon emissions. The right to strike, particularly secondary boycotts, is also necessary to support these workers. • Support land and water rights for Indigenous peoples, which is essential to support the rehabilitation of damaged ecosystems. Funding for Indigenous-led land management must be massively increased, with jobs on country to repair ecosystems, reduce emissions and reduce fire risk. • Support reductions in port and shipping emissions by requiring ships to plug into shore power linked to renewable energy sources, which can create a healthier work environment and more jobs onshore. • Support increasing wages and conditions across all low-carbon jobs, particularly those involved in health, education and care that have historically been devalued. • Support the inclusion of the Earthworker Cooperative and their products in Enterprise Agreements. 5.6 - O FFSHORE RENEWABLE ENERGY IN AUSTRALIA National Conference of members notes There were over 4,500 grid-connected offshore wind turbines in Europe by the end of 2018, and offshore wind projects are being built in the USA, China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, India and Thailand. Yet there is still no regulatory framework for offshore renewable energy in Australia, despite the Star of the South offshore wind project in Victoria having been in development since 2012. There is very significant potential for offshore wind energy to supply the Australian electricity grid, and an urgent need for it to be built due to the current climate crisis. The CSIRO has estimated that within 50km of the current electricity grid 3,600 TWh/yr could be generated from offshore wind in water depths of less than 50m, expanding to 5,611 Twh/yr in depths of up to 200m. Electricity generation in Australia in 2014-15 was 252 TWh/yr. Excess energy can be stored as hydrogen or ammonia and exported in tankers. Australian seafarers could transfer their considerable experience of building large maritime resource projects to the renewable energy industry. Transitioning fossil fuel workers to the renewable energy industry should be a part of a just transition in the Australian economy as a whole. Offshore wind turbines are more efficient than those onshore, as the wind is stronger and more consistent. Individual turbines can be larger, and projects can be built on a larger scale. With the bulk of Australia’s population located near the coast, offshore wind farms can also be sited close to sources of energy demand, reducing transmission costs. Large projects minimise the need for expansion of the grid to multiple smaller projects onshore. Offshore wind is often strongest in the evening when electricity demand is the highest. Offshore wind projects can be attached to the grid in the same places as current power stations (particularly those scheduled to close in the coming decade). Studies have identified potential locations for offshore wind in Victoria, South Australia, West Australia and Queensland, but this research needs to be updated in light of the development of new floating offshore wind projects which can be built in deeper waters, for example off the coast of NSW. National Conference resolves that the Union will campaign for: • The Commonwealth government to expedite the approval process for the Star of the South offshore wind project in Victoria. • The Commonwealth government to play a direct role in developing publicly owned offshore wind, potentially through the Snowy Hydro energy company which is wholly owned by the Commonwealth and operates power stations across NSW, Victoria and South Australia. 55

CONFERENCE • The urgent development of a regulatory framework to support offshore renewable energy development. Grid-connected offshore renewable energy should be regulated through an agency that understands the challenges facing an electricity system in the midst of a transition and is already involved in managing that system. The regulation of the electricity grid is already extraordinarily complex and fragmented. The National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) has no experience in the electricity grid. • A regulatory framework for offshore wind that is not modelled on the existing oil and gas industry model of exclusively commercial developments, where private developers competitively bid against each other to pay millions of dollars for rights to develop a specific area. One of the advantages of offshore wind is that projects can be sited on land that is not already privately owned, so this aspect of costs can be reduced (compared with onshore wind). • Workers in offshore renewable energy to have the same WHS rights as other seafarers and shoreside workers, and not be subject to the poorer provisions of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act. • The Commonwealth Government (including the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and the CSIRO) to carry out research on the potential for offshore wind in Australia, develop an Offshore Wind Master Plan to map the best locations for offshore renewable energy, and establish a plan to facilitate the speedy development of the industry. • Superannuation investment in democratically controlled renewable projects to be facilitated through governmentissued bonds or a government superannuation investment agency. The Union will organise and campaign to ensure that jobs in offshore renewables are good union jobs, and that the number of jobs is maximised through local procurement, good rosters and reduced hours of work. Workers in fossil fuel industries should be able to transition directly to these jobs, with a job guarantee and no forced redundancies. Training must be funded and apprenticeship ratios in place, including for women and First Nations workers. 5.7 - OPPOSING FRACKING National Conference notes that Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is a method of extracting gas from under land, involving pumping large volumes of water, chemicals and sand underground to increase gas flow. Chemicals from water can pollute underground aquifers, and large quantities of toxic wastewater is subsequently stored at the surface in holding ponds or released into waterways. Gases released during fracking have significant health risks. Gas fields industrialise the landscape with thousands of wells, access roads, pipelines, processing plants and compression stations. National Conference further notes that Fracking also releases very significant greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global heating. Methane in particular has 80 times the heating effect of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. 51% of the Northern Territory landmass is currently covered by fracking exploration licences and applications. First Nations people in the NT have reported that fracking companies are not conducting proper consultations with affected groups or obtaining informed consent to drill. Impacted communities are concerned that fracking will damage song-lines and sacred sites. Many communities across the NT are already experiencing unprecedented drought conditions, and some have run out of drinking water. Fracking risks the viability of entire communities who are already experiencing shortages of water, for drinking, farming, tourism and the environment.

There is currently a global oversupply of gas around the world* and the NT is already exporting record volumes of conventional and offshore gas. The high cost of remote gas extraction and transportation to markets makes NT shale gas uncompetitive on the global market and means there is less justification than ever to force fracking onto unwilling Territory communities. National Conference resolves that The Union continues to support community efforts to stop invasive fracking and calls on the NT Government to immediately withdraw all public subsidies from the development of onshore fracking and enact a permanent ban on the use of hydraulic fracturing in the NT. National Conference further resolves that The Union continues to assist First Nations communities through the development of social compacts to advocate for and implement clean energy solutions to address energy poverty in the NT and help local communities to adapt to the climate crisis.

6. SUPERANNUATION 6.1 - MARITIME SUPER National Conference of members resolves that Maritime Super should also invest in a clean energy future partnering with sustainable businesses and approaches that secure the rights and interests of workers. Further, National Conference of Members resolves that Maritime Super provide an ethical investment option for members as an option, this will include ensuring that the product is worker positive and climate positive. National Council will create a Superannuation Ethical Investments subcommittee to draft and present the request to Maritime Super. The Conference recognises the continued leading work of Maritime Super to provide strong standards of ethical investment in environment, social and governance matters (ESG) to ensure that our investments are supportive of workers and workers’ rights, our climate positive and sustain long-term investment returns. National Conference notes the continuing attacks on industry funds by banks, elitist financial institutions and neoliberal, political and economic organisations, including the use of fake news and misreporting on the performance of Industry Funds in general and Maritime Super in particular. National Conference notes the long-term superior return in the all investments options in Maritime Super and the retention of our funds are directed solely to the interests of Maritime workers and their families in employment and retirement. National Conference further resolves to reaffirm that the superannuation vehicle for all maritime workers in the MUA division is Maritime Super. 6.2 - MARITIME SUPER National Conference of Members supports Maritime Super merging with other compatible Industry funds, and in particular Mining Superannuation who are our partners in Unity Bank. Conference further reaffirms the significant potential benefits to members a larger merged industry fund would provide including lower fee structure and scale for investments and returns. 6.3 - SITE / AREA / WORKPLACE COMMITTEES TO HAVE CONTACT PEOPLE TO ATTEND TO UNITY BANK AND MARITIME SUPER MATTERS National Conference of Members resolves that all committees at all worksites ensures one committee member is designated as the contact person for Maritime Super and Unity Bank, to attend to matters and ensure the two-way flow of communication. National Conference further resolves that the union, maritime super and Unity Bank and where possible maritime employers support and practically assist in the establishment and work of the register of contact committee members. 6.4 - EBAS – SUPERANNUATION National Conference of Members resolve that all negotiated EA’s should have greater super than the SG minimum. The

56 www.mua.org.au

CONFERENCE model clause will be expressed as an additional contribution to the statutory minimum to ensure that superannuation contributions made under our agreements continue to rise in front of statutory minimums.

7. OFFSHORE 7.1 - FPSO’S National Conference of Members resolves to establish clearly understood responsibilities on who represents FPSO members as industry sector. The National Conference further resolves that the Union continues to campaign for job security and the right to work in the hydrocarbon industry.

8. INTERNATIONAL 8.1 - M UA SUPPORT FOR FURTHER ORGANISATION INTERNATIONALLY IN THE COMPANY TRANSDEV National Conference of Members resolves that the Union be fully involved in the establishment of the ITF international organising network within Transdev and involvement of the MUA in subsequent meetings of the Unions in that network 8.2 - AFFILIATION The Union will support Branches wishing to affiliate to the International Dockworkers Council. Explore recommendations for the state branches to affiliate. 8.3 - INTERNATIONAL DOCK WORKERS MOVEMENT National Conference of Members resolves that The MUA will continue to actively engage in the international Dock Workers movement activities and campaigns. National Conference of Members further resolves to continue to support the National Secretary as Chair of the ITF Dockers section and continues to support the building of a militant ITF and international Dockers movement. The Union will continue to work to build unity across the international dockers movement and will work with all organisations, particularly the ITF and IDC, who are working in the interests of protecting and advancing the interests of dockers internationally. The Union will continue to participate in industry forums, conferences and campaigns locally, nationally and internationally, building the widest cross-section of unity across the movement opposing the anti-worker and antiunion demands of global capital, particularly in the dockers, seafaring and maritime industry. National Conference reaffirms to stand in solidarity with and support dock workers in struggle anywhere in the world in defence and construction of their industrial, political and social entitlements and interests. National Conference of Members further resolves that in the continuing organisational strengthening across global union federations and international organisations the Union will also continue to develop strong bilateral relationships with dockers unions internationally with the aim of strengthening the power of workers and unions through practical and coordinated solidarity campaigning. 8.4 - DOCKER SOLIDARITY National Conference of Members resolves to continue to support the organising campaigns of the ITF in support of dockworkers in their struggle against all global terminal operators.

9. SOCIAL & SOLIDARITY 9.1 - LIFE NEEDS National Conference of Members resolves to continue to campaign for its policies of essential services that guarantee all of life’s needs to be provided by publicly owned and operated institutions.

9.2 - SPIRIT OF EUREKA that the MUA nationally endorses the Spirit of Eureka (SOE) and encourages members to actively participate in its activities. The SOE was formed in 2004 on the anniversary of the Eureka Rebellion. It was formed in Victoria and now has Branches in NSW and SA. The Union recognises the Eureka Flag as a symbol of workingclass hope and struggle and rejects the appropriation of this working-class symbolism by any right-wing organisations. 9.3 - REFUGEES The National Conference of Members notes that under both Australian and International law, there is no such status as an illegal refugee. Australia is the only OECD country that imposes mandatory detention of asylum seekers while their claims are being examined. It is the only country that expels asylum seekers to third countries to be processed and refuses resettlement to those found to be refugees. This policy, which is largely based on racism at government level, must be changed to one that accepts the legal rights of refugees and provides community housing, care and work rights while their claims are investigated. The Maritime Union of Australia calls for: • The end of all offshore processing, and to immediately bring all asylum seekers from Manus Island and Nauru to the Australian mainland abolish and create one transparent and accountable system for processing the applications of all asylum seekers and workers in Australia. Abolish the exclusion of Australian territory from the effect of the Migration Act. • Unequivocal opposition to temporary protection visas. • The complete opposition to the policies of both Liberal and Labor parties to intercept and turn-around refugee boats at sea without a proper assessment of people’s claims for protection. Such policies needlessly put both asylum seekers and seafarers in danger. • All governments to commit to receive and process all asylum seekers requesting protection in Australia. • Legislation that protects the rights and security of all asylum seekers. • The immediate end of the mandatory detention of asylum seekers and for all asylum seekers to live and work in the community while their claims are being processed. Enhanced funding to ensure adequate needs are being met for refugees and asylum seekers. All detention centres to be closed and reopened as socially useful infrastructure in the interests of communities; • The repeal of the Border Force Act, and the Migration and Maritime Powers Legislation Amendment Act which outlaw whistle-blowers and which restricts appeal rights for asylum seekers and empowers the Commonwealth to intercept asylum boats on the high seas in contravention of international maritime conventions; • Ending unjust forced deportations of refugees and asylum seekers, including to Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka or to active war zones or oppressive dictatorships • The immediate removal of all children from detention and to end children in detention forever. • An amnesty for all those who have been found guilty of crimes linked with protesting the inhumane policies of the federal government. • There should be free movement of refugees and asylum seekers. Free the Indonesian boat crews and no mandatory sentencing. Safe alternatives to boat transport include providing asylum seekers with plane tickets or alternatively allowing any individual a visa to have their claims processed so they can catch regulated transport. • The Union opposes any legislation that would prevent asylum seekers sent to Nauru and Manus Island ever entering or obtaining resettlement in Australia.

www.mua.org.au

CONFERENCE • The Union opposes the abuse of s501 of the Migration Act whereby people with criminal convictions who were raised, educated and convicted in Australia, are deported to New Zealand or other countries where they have no social connections, aside from others deported on the same basis. Conference calls on each branch to support and be involved in refugee solidarity campaigns. 9.4 – PEACE IS UNION BUSINESS The National Conference of Members recognises that maritime workers have always stood for peace, justice and independence. The burden of war has taken its toll on Maritime workers whose lived experience is one in eight seafarers dying during WWII. The Union has always opposed aggressive imperialist wars. From opposition to Pig Iron shipments to Japan in the 30s to consistent opposition to wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. Our opposition to imperialist war continues to this day. We recognise that it is working people that pay the price during wars that are not waged in the people’s interest. The National Conference of Members supports the Union calling for the bringing home of all Australian troops not engaged in humanitarian missions. It supports global disarmament of all weapons of mass destruction including but not limited to, nuclear weapons in all their various forms, cluster munitions and landmines. Furthermore, the National Conference of Members calls for an independent foreign policy for Australia. The union opposes any foreign military bases or jointly-run facilities within Australia and calls for the abolition of the ANZUS treaty and the US Alliance which places Australia at grave risk as we are embroiled in wars not of our making and not in our interests. We strongly oppose Australia being an arms dealer and condemn Federal Government support for weapons exports to Saudi Arabia. The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union will maintain its affiliation and activity within the Independent Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN). The Union will continue to support IPAN’s Peace and Justice is Union Business organising initiatives within the trade union movement. National Conference of Members resolves that all branches should engage with local and state- based peace groups with similar aims to the union.The Union will continue to stand in solidarity with the people of war-torn nations and continue to fight on the side of the people. The Union will continue to organise and participate in IPAN’s national conferences and its affiliates activities as well as traditional days of the peace movement such as Hiroshima Day and Palm Sunday. 9.5 - N UCLEAR WASTE (JOINT SESSION WITH FIRST NATIONS) National Conference of Members notes the extensive MUA policy on nuclear issues, including the longstanding opposition to nuclear waste dumps being established on First Nations lands against the will of Traditional Owners. The National Conference of Members further notes the current plans of the Federal Government to temporarily relocate Australian produced Intermediate level nuclear waste from the Lucas Heights facility in Sydney to South Australia. The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union commits to banning the handling of the waste, noting the extreme health and safety risks, and further commits to communicating with other transport unions on the issue. Furthermore, the National Conference of Members resolves that The Union supports a proper scientific process to determine both the method of storage and location of a storage facility to ensure the safe long-term storage of nuclear waste at Lucas Heights and/or any other facility. Further there should be a genuine process of consultation with First Nations communities.

9.6 - NUCLEAR ISSUES (JOINT SESSION WITH FIRST NATIONS) The National Conference of Members resolves the following: The Union recognises the unique threat the nuclear industry poses to the environment, local communities and workers involved in mining, transportation and handling of nuclear radioactive materials, in this context The Union will work to ensure that its members are not exposed to the hazards of radioactive or nuclear materials. This exposure can occur through exposure to or movement of radioactive containers and cargo, as well as handling of radioactive materials used in offshore oil and gas. The Union recognises the ongoing disaster at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant in Japan and acknowledges that uranium mined in Australia was present in the crippled reactors. The Union is unequivocally opposed to the mining and transportation of uranium. The Union strongly opposes attempts by nuclear industry advocates to paint nuclear power as a ‘clean’ technology that can mitigate climate change and will campaign against development of a nuclear power industry in Australia. Renewable energy from the wind and sun is a much safer alternative for low emissions power. The Union opposes consistent attempts by the Commonwealth government over the past two decades to establish a remote national radioactive waste dump in Australia. The Union recognises the deadly threat of nuclear weapons and the necessity for complete global disarmament. The Union acknowledges that export of uranium from Australia can further increase nuclear insecurity as seen by the debate over uranium sales to India and other nuclear weapons states. The Union calls on the Australian Government to sign and ratify the United Nations’ Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. National Conference of members calls upon the Union to encourage our members to lobby their local governments to sign and ratify the ICAN (International campaign to abolish nuclear weapons) cities appeal which is a global call from cities and towns in support of the UN treaty on the prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Australia has not yet joined the Treaty, which is why it’s important to do this to help change this in the near future. The Union will support and act in solidarity with workers and communities opposing nuclear projects and nuclear transportation in Australia, including Traditional Owners across Australia on the frontline of resisting projects. The Maritime Union of Australia calls for a transition away from the production of nuclear medicines using a nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights towards production through non-nuclear reactor-based means like cyclotrons. We oppose our members handling nuclear fuel assemblies imported for use at Lucas Heights and the spent fuel that is exported for reprocessing. Where MUA Officials or Officers sit on boards or are involved in Workers’ Capital initiatives or campaigns, we will not invest in the nuclear industry in any respect. The Union will actively support moves by workers or communities to resist the expansion or further development of the nuclear industry in Australia including through provision of financial or in-kind advocacy and campaign support. The Union will urge the union movement and Trades and Labour Councils to develop and support campaigns against the nuclear industry. 9.7 – 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNION 150th Anniversary of the Union This National Conference of Members notes that 2022 will be the 150th anniversary of the first meeting of the unions that have come to form the MUA in 1872. National Conference resolves we celebrate this anniversary nationally and in all branches as a major and important milestone in the Union’s

58 www.mua.org.au

CONFERENCE history both nationally and internationally and highlight the enormous contribution the union has made to peace, justice and international solidarity and workers’ rights.

10. STEVEDORING 10.1 - STEVEDORING AUTOMATION National Conference notes the rapid escalation of automated port processes is continuing across the world and is acute in Australia. This ongoing development of port and container terminal automation and the rise of advanced new technologies has given employers the opportunity to systematically displace human beings and replace them with machines and algorithm driven computer programs. It is mostly being aimed at higher wage, unionised operations where the predominant cost of stevedoring is variable capital in the form of wages. The potential impact for workers is mass unemployment. We live in the age of automation and technology, but we ask why should robots and machines be used in a way that does not contribute to any positive social development besides reducing a worker’s standard of living. The only gain is for employers who make huge profits at the expense of their redundant workforces. This is a short-sighted approach that neglects people, our communities and our society. It is not a pro-human or pro-community view of the world. It is not a union view of the world. The threat to workers’ jobs and the economic and social impacts on the community are very real. Automation and technology are being used for personal private gain at the expense of the community. Automated terminals are objectively less productive and consequently offer few social benefits to communities. They offer even less opportunities and benefits to workers. They offer no opportunities for our children. The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union’s ongoing policy position on automation will be guided by the following principles: 1. No highly automated terminal will be established, or highly automated equipment deployed. Highly automated for purposes of this clause refers to machinery/equipment devoid of human interaction in the operation of machine or equipment control / exemption functions. 2. No introduction of semi-automated terminals, or technology except by agreement by both parties prior to its implementation. 3. There will be no loss of jobs due to automation or technological change. 4. No existing or future terminal machinery, equipment, terminal operating systems or terminal access and entry gates will be operated by remote control outside of the terminal area to the exclusion of workers covered by this agreement. All terminal machinery and operating systems shall be operated and covered by workers under this agreement. This includes all non-management roles within the terminal. 5. Therefore, the MUA shall have coverage of all new roles, classifications, categories, and/or jobs that are created as a result of automation or technological change despite the change in the way the function is carried out as a result of automation or technological change. All roles in connection with terminal operating systems and equipment will be covered under this agreement. International work on Automation National Conference of Members resolve to continue to involve itself at all levels of the international movement in the struggle against automation of the stevedoring industry. The MUA will work with all global union organisations, including the ITF and IDC, as well as unions internationally, particularly those in struggle, to expand the capacity of the international dockers movement to combat the existential threat of automation to wharfies. The MUA will form alliances and coalitions with the international dockworkers movement as required to advance the struggle against stevedoring automation. www.mua.org.au

National work on Automation National Conference of Members resolves that the Union will seek to build broader forms of opposition to automation locally, working with other national unions whose industries and workers are under threat from automation and technology. Furthermore, the Union notes that licensing regimes can be used to ensure that stevedoring work is not outsourced to be carried out internationally.

11. HEALTH, SAFETY & MENTAL HEALTH 11.1 - ASBESTOS AND HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES National Conference of Members notes that asbestos is still a major hazard in the maritime industry. Asbestos is a known carcinogen. Workers from many industries have suffered long illnesses and died painfully and prematurely as a result of being exposed to asbestos. Our members & maritime industry workers generally have been affected by asbestos because of negligent employers and poor safety standards for many years. This continues across various industry sectors. The importation of asbestos was banned in Australia in 2003. Internationally the IMO banned the installation of asbestos in all vessels in 2003. Despite this asbestos is still being installed on Australian crewed vessels undertaking docking and repairs overseas, mainly in Asia in countries such as China. Chinese workers use no safety precautions whatsoever often cutting asbestos jointing at worksite by hand to install on vessel machinery. Australian crews are at risk of exposure to asbestos and other hazardous substances due to poor regulatory framework in Asian countries and ship owners lack of procedures or will to prevent asbestos being installed on Australian crewed vessels. The union acknowledge our collective responsibility to ensure that current and future maritime industry workers are never exposed to asbestos that can cause harm. The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union undertakes to take action against employers found to have engaged in negligent and deceptive conduct in exposing or risking exposure of our members to asbestos. Furthermore, the National Conference of Members resolves that the Union develops a national approach to dealing with asbestos and hazardous substances in the maritime industry. Where HSRs, delegates and members report instances of asbestos and/or hazardous substances to the union they are given the full support of our officials and organisation. Where delegates or HSRs report to the union that asbestos has been found on a vessel, branch officials responsible must be informed, if there is no successful resolution the state secretary, then relevant national official may be notified. As an outcome is achieved, all involved parties should be notified. Delegates and HSRs should be informed they have the full support of the union in this area. The National Conference of Members resolves that all campaigns against asbestos be supported globally, noting a world-wide ban would be ideal. National Conference of Members notes in particular Indonesia’s importation of vast amounts of asbestos for the production of a range of commodities including roof sheeting, insulation, car parts etc. The MUA has for many years now supported the struggle to get asbestos banned in Indonesia, including through supporting our comrades there leading the struggle – Local Initiative for OSH Network (LION Indonesia). National Conference supports the MUA’s ongoing solidarity with the Indonesian campaign. Every effort should be made to reduce or eliminate workers’ exposure to the firefighting foams PFAS or AAF or derivative. Any worker exposed to these substances should have their medical testing, monitoring and treatment to be paid for by the employer. These substances are known carcinogens and the likelihood of cancer is high. 59

CONFERENCE 11.2 - AIR QUALITY AND WORK The MUA National Conference recognises that the recent poor air quality, largely due to bushfires, is a direct result of successive governments’ inaction on climate change. No worker should be harmed because of this - we will not pay for the crisis they have caused. Our health is more important than their profits.

11.3 - P ROVISIONAL IMPROVEMENT NOTICES (PINS) AND SUPPORT FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES (HSRS) National Conference of Members notes vessel owners routinely target and threaten HSRs and delegates when they have been issued with PINs used to identify serious shortcomings in safety and refusal to act by ship owners and employers.

Conference notes that although current events were unprecedented, such events are set to increase in frequency and intensity as the climate crisis becomes worse.

National Conference of Members resolves where HSRs issue PINs on Australian crewed vessels or worksites, they are fully supported and protected by the union.

The Union has taken a strong lead developing temporary standards to guide our immediate response. Many members have been forced to stand up against hostile managers trying to force

Where delegates or HSRs issue a PIN, or undertake any other function relevant to the HSR, branch officials will be notified. The official must be informed and kept up to date with progress of having the PIN resolved and any instances of intimidation by employers towards HSRs or delegates must be dealt with by the official. Should the PIN notice not be adhered to by the ship owner or employer, the state secretary should be informed, following this the national official with responsibility to that area that a PIN has been issued and steps the branch are taking to resolve the issue and protect the safety of our members

them to work in unsafe conditions. This includes refusing do strenuous outside work such as lashing cargo on vessels, when the AQI is above 150. Provision of appropriate PPE such as fitted rubber masks is essential but in many circumstances is not sufficient to mitigate risk. We support workers to stand together and follow union advice designed to keep them safe. Utilising our position within peak union bodies to lobby both State and Federal Governments to: make Live monitoring of the PM2.5 and PM10 levels available to workers and the community; develop a National hourly exposure standard for PM2.5 and PM10; provide consistent Air Quality health advice, through relevant agencies, to workers and communities; ensure adherence to all relevant WHS legislation through proper guidance to Employers about their obligations to control the risks to workers from compromised Air Quality from Bush fire smoke and other atmospheric pollutants It is important that the MUA develop a National Air Quality policy that assists workers to properly assess the risk posed by declining Air Quality and develop safe systems of work to eliminate their exposure. The MUA will continue to campaign for urgent action on climate change. Conference resolves: • The Union will continue to investigate the impact poor air quality (for example, high levels of PM2.5 and PM10) has on workers. • A national position to reduce harm to workers should be developed and adopted by all branches as a matter of urgency. • The Union will continue to support all workers who exercise their rights under the WHS Act to not expose themselves to risk, including through refusal to undertake regular work if air quality is deemed hazardous or poor enough that it may impact on the health of the worker. • To respond to the air quality crisis we will continue to fight for urgent action on climate change, including through a transition to 100% publicly owned renewable energy. • The Union will campaign across the union movement for the establishment of minimum standards for work when there is poor air quality and enforce these standards through collective action and inclusion in EBAs of an Air Quality clause

11.4 - HUNTERLINK National Conference of Members notes that Hunterlink was created as an initiative of the Union, in support of the lives and wellbeing of MUA members, their families, their communities and the industries that we belong to. Conference further notes that this initiative has been extended to support international seafarers on flag of convenience vessels. Conference further notes that in the areas of counselling, early intervention and employment assistance, many members do not seek help in addressing mental health issues when it may be of assistance. Conference further notes the often-negative impact of this on individuals, their families, workplaces and communities. National Conference of members resolves that Hunterlink remain the primary support mechanism for maritime workers. Conference further commends Hunterlink on the building of networks both nationally and internationally in this area in support of working women and men and their families. National Conference further resolves the establishment of an on the job network of appropriately trained network of members to facilitate better access to those support services from Hunterlink. Conference further supports Hunterlink continuing to consolidate a wider network of support services in working communities. 11.5 - MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union negotiate with Hunterlink to ensure adequate access to free drug and alcohol services at minimal cost. The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union continues to work closely with Hunterlink, with the possibility of expanding to having one full time councillor / spokesperson in each state to regularly visit worksites. 11.6 - MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING This National Conference recognises the increasing carnage that mental illness is wreaking in the community, in our workplaces and in our families.

The Union shall develop a nationally consistent air quality benchmark appropriate to our industries.

The isolation, alienation and discrimination that is a consequence of capitalist exploitation is increasing psychological damage and must be reversed as mental health and wellbeing is a human right

The Union supports the development of a national air quality standards and air quality index that incorporates the needs of workers including a clear benchmark as to when work will cease.

Employers and governments must be held responsible for this on the basis of their policies and legislation and the union will campaign to secure the health and wellbeing of the community.

The Union shall conduct further research on the relation between increased smoke levels and UV exposure, heat and humidity.

The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union will continue to prioritise the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Maritime Workers. Psychological health should be given the same importance as physical health and safety in workplace health and safety (WHS) laws. The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union continues its active role on the ACTU’s mental health working

60 www.mua.org.au

CONFERENCE group, developing the framework for legislative change and the inclusion into WHS legislation, robust provisions that address controls for mental health and psychosocial hazards and risks, which arise as a result of working conditions. The Union identifies that a complete approach to assisting members to better manage their mental health and wellbeing is essential. The Union will campaign for the inclusion of a nationally consistent template clause into EBA’s that require employers to pay and secure the adequately resourced provision of mentally healthy working arrangements; access to personal leave, whether workers are experiencing physical or psychological illness; awareness, education and training programs; and, on-the-job assistance to help workers connect with the best support to better manage their mental health and wellbeing. The Union will continue its partnership with Hunterlink and will work closely with them on all aspects of implementing this policy. 11.7 - PROTECT The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union continues to support Protect as the Union’s Income protection provider and resolves that Income protection become a core claim in enterprise agreements. National Conference resolves that a model Protect clause be negotiated for all MUA Enterprise Agreements. Conference calls on the MUA to continue to seek improvements in the policy where possible and that consideration be given to the age and salary cap provisions. Conference resolves to investigate the possibility of individual fund options where income protection is not incorporated into their agreements. 11.8 - SAFETY National Conference resolves that safety is a primary industrial issue and we are committed to fighting for the safest workplaces with maximum levels of participation and engagement by all members. The MUA objective is for workers to be trained and fully understand and use the power they have to determine the best safety outcomes on-the-job. Conference resolves to expand a network of Health and Safety representatives through the establishment of a National Safety Unit, representative of industry sectors and drawing on the experience within all Branches. The aim is to develop and implement national policy positions across all areas of the Maritime Industry, engaging with the broader trade union movement, State and National regulators and providing the basis for safer systems of work, campaigns, more industry specific HSR training and safety communication across the country. Conference resolves that the MUA will develop a standardised ship inspection tool, available as an application for mobile devices and will continue to develop and implement a national ship inspection regime. 11.9 - SONIC HEALTH National conference of members resolves to campaign in opposition to the corporate, employer friendly preemployment medical provider, Sonic Health. This company is anti-union, anti-worker and actively engages with employers against the best interests of working people. Sonic Health discriminates against older workers making working people undertake unreasonable tasks that undermine their capacity to be employed including tests that require workers to undertake tasks that would clearly fall outside of and in breach of the WHS Act. The Union will work to ensure that employers do not engage Sonic Health, through a range of measures including: EBA Clauses, direct action against Sonic Health raising WHS breaches with relevant WHS regulators.

www.mua.org.au

12. UNION TRAINING & EDUCATION 12.1 - UNION INDUCTIONS National Conference notes that the principles by which our union was built are under attack from employers and rightwing Governments and that it is vitally important that we instil the political and industrial values and trade union principles into all members in the industry and to new members in particular. The Conference resolves that the Union undertake to develop a national induction package to provide to each new or prospective members/entrants. Current and retired members and officials should be used (where available) to educate new members in union principles, structures and history of our organisation. 12.2 - DELEGATE STRUCTURE National Conference reaffirms that delegates need the support of the union to perform what is an increasingly difficult job under anti-trade union campaigns by both employers, neoliberal governments and other anti-worker organisations. National Conference resolves that the union undertake to conduct more regular delegate training and provide the organisation’s full support and resources when delegates request them. 12.3 - ITF EDUCATION AND TRAINING National Conference notes the importance of the ITF and their associated campaigns in an international maritime industry dominated by multi-national stevedoring, ship owners and other freight forwarders in the supply chain. Conference resolves to commit to providing additional education, training and opportunities for members to participate. Branches will commit to providing access for ITF representatives to inform members at mass meetings and other branch events. 12.4 - MEMBER EDUCATION Conference Resolves that standardised induction member packs should be developed that go to every new member joining the union regardless of which branch they join, to be developed by National Office. Branches could supplement that packs with local/branch specific documents etc. The packs should include a history of the union and the branch, Application and Direct Debit forms, Maritime Super information, Unity Bank, RT Health, Stickers, Diary etc 12.5 - TRAINING AND EDUCATION National Conference reaffirms the importance of Education and Training for MUA Members in providing the basis and understanding our fighting history, working-class politics and the many challenges confronting the Union and our members. National Conference further reaffirms that our Union education is built around about passing on the awareness of the struggle of the working class and maritime workers specifically and how that struggle is the basis of our successes. The Union Education and Training programs must continue to focus on the nature of society, the workplace and the basis of exploitation as a background to the necessary and required skills that delegates and WHS representatives must have in dealing with employers. National Conference reaffirms that the MUA training facility at St Georges Basin is the primary continuous focus for union training and education nationally and has been for nearly 40 years. Conference believes that in recent times it has been underutilised and this should be addressed. Conference further reaffirms the importance of a national training and education officer in the delivery of union education. Conference further resolves that the union establish an Education and Training Unit to improve delivery, scope and quality of union education and continue to support the St Georges Basin training school in the delivery of that training and education. This unit and school will assist in the delivery of a National curriculum and provide ongoing review of training effectiveness in conjunction with Branches. 61

CONFERENCE

National Conference continues to support a National curriculum that ensures that members across the country are given the best information through industrial, WHS, political and social modules; delivered by Branch Trainers and veterans; providing knowledge, skills and methods that can be confidently applied on-the-job. National Conference resolves to creating an on-line learning system will be developed to provide a more convenient method of delivery for members who have limited access to face to face training. National Conference of Members resolves to also research in-house delivery of skills-based desktop courses for HSR’s, in initial and refresher training; WHS specific modules for Delegates and First Aid training. It is essential that workers confidently occupy the WHS space, to gain the best outcomes for Maritime Workers. All training is aimed at delivering confidence to members in applying the significant HSR powers under all WHS legislation.

13. POLITICAL 13.1 - AFFILIATION National Conference resolves that the Union will only continue[ET1] affiliation and financial contribution to political parties that will legislate for the support of workers’ rights, including the right to strike. 13.2 - MEDICARE National Conference resolves that the Union continues to reaffirm the retention and improvement of our universal health care system, Medicare. 13.3 - POLITICAL CAMPAIGN TO REPEAL ANTI TRADE UNION LEGISLATION National Conference resolves that the Union continues the political campaign to repeal anti trade union legislation that has been, and is continued to being proposed, enacted through the Federal parliament. 13.4 - AFFILIATIONS This National Conference resolves that a new approach to political affiliations be examined by the Union, including the ability of individual branches to determine if they will affiliate to the ALP at a State level and review the National position when required on Union affiliations to organisations including the ALP, Trades and Labour Councils and community affiliations.

14. FIRST NATIONS 14.1 - LAND MANAGEMENT- CULTURAL BURNS FOR FIRE REDUCTION First Nations communities have managed their country for countless generations using traditional cultural burning techniques. Contemporary practitioners including the Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation promote this method for fuel and hazard reduction, supporting the health of particular plants and animals and creating fire intervals across the landscape. Firesticks Alliance advocates that “implementing fire to enhance ecosystem health within culturally connected landscapes improves habitat condition and connectivity.” The 2019/2020 bushfire crisis across Australia shows that vast funding increases are needed for land management and rehabilitation. The catastrophic impacts of climate change make this all the more urgent. The Maritime Union of Australia National Conference 2020 calls on all levels of Government to provide a coordinated and well-funded cultural burning program across the country, with training and rollout of the programs to be developed and controlled by local First Nations community members, ultimately, with the support of a First Nations Voice structure as called for in the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The MUA supports the continuing struggles for First Nations people to have rights to land and responsibility for leading the management of their traditional country.

14.2 - RECOGNITION OF TRADITIONAL OWNERS The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union continues the funding of the National Indigenous Officer and continue to support the campaign to achieve a national just recognition through a voice to parliament. The National Conference of Members further resolves that the Union reaffirms that the traditional owners of this land are recognised at all meetings, functions etc at every level of the union. The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union continues to campaign for a change of date for Australia Day to a date that is representative to all Australians. 14.3 - MUA SOLIDARITY WITH FIRST NATIONS The National Conference of Members notes the Union is proud of its solidarity with First Nations people and will continue supporting them in their ongoing struggle for selfdetermination, land rights, constitutional recognition, justice and equality. We are determined to continue to be a leader amongst First Nations allies. The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union will do this as proposed by First Nations leaders, and by continuing to: • Organise solidarity on the ground at protests, rallies, and other First Nations Islander led events • Develop, maintain and honour social compacts between First Nations and our union • Negotiate clauses in all enterprise agreements that further Indigenous employment prospects and conditions of employment, including cultural leave and requirements for all employees to undertake CHCDIV002 - Promoting First Nations cultural awareness • Politically lobby and organise in support of First Nations led campaigns, such as the Uluru Statement campaign, and to see greater representation in political decisionmaking processes • Encourage and support First Nations member participation, employment and leadership in the union • Continuously improve union policy and education programs • Support and resource the establishment of First Nations Member committees in each Branch and nationally. 14.4 - ULURU STATEMENT FROM THE HEART The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union will continue to be an active supporter of the Uluru Statement from the Heart campaign. We are committed to work with First Nations Islander activists and their allies in this campaign to see the establishment of a First Nations Voice (representative body) in the constitution, and a process of truth telling and treaty making (as described using the Yolgnu word — Makarrata). 14.5 - C ONDEMNATION OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM The National Conference of Members notes that the Union condemns the LNP Governments Community Development Program (CDP) and will campaign to see that it is abolished. The CDP is a racist program that discriminates against First Nations people through its punitive measures and disempowering requirements. The program disempowers First Nation communities and perpetuates a cycle of social dysfunction. We will support the First Nations Workers Alliance campaign to end CDP and we will seek to replace CDP with a program that is designed and led by First Nations people themselves. 14.6 - OPPOSING OF THE BASICS CARD The National Conference of Members notes that the Union opposes the use of the Basics Card to control and discriminate against First Nations People. The basics card, where imposed without community leadership and control, has been proven

62 www.mua.org.au

CONFERENCE

to worsen the impoverished situation of Indigenous people on welfare, causing further social dysfunction, incarcerations and hardship. The National Conference of Members opposes the use of the Basics Card, Cashless Debit Card, and any similar restrictions on the freedoms for people on welfare to control and discriminate against First Nations People. The basics and Cashless debit card, where imposed without community leadership and control, worsens the impoverished situation of Indigenous people on welfare, causing further social dysfunction, incarcerations and hardship. We call on the Government and all political parties to abolish the Basics Card and Cashless Debit Card. 14.7 - ACTU INDIGENOUS COMMITTEE The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union will continue to participate in the ACTU Indigenous Committee and support the First Nations Workers Alliance (FNWA) campaigns against CDP and for the Uluru Statement from the Heart. National Conference calls on all Branches and members to become members of the FNWA.

The Maritime Union of Australia National Conference resolves: • To support First Nations people organising events that are protesting or opposing the Cook 250 commemorations. • To advertise the First Nations events to members and encourage attendance to discuss the true history of colonisation.

15. WOMEN 15.1 - M UA SEEKS TO IMPROVE REPRESENTATION AND CAREER PATHWAY OF WOMEN IN STEVEDORING AND SEAFARING ROLES The National Conference of Members recognises the significant contribution women make to the maritime industry and seeks to further encourage involvement, representation and employment of women in our industry via formalised and dedicated career paths for women within industry.

16. YOUTH

14.8 - SOCIAL COMPACTS

16.1 - YOUTH ENGAGEMENT

The National Conference of Members congratulates comrades Ian Bray and Terry O’Shane for their work establishing Social Compacts with the Quandamooka, Gureng Gureng and Malu Lamar Nations as well as the North Queensland and Kimberley Land Councils. We support further development of social compacts between the union and First Nations peoples and the improvement of these social compacts as important social, political and industrial means of improving both unionism and the empowerment of First Nations peoples and their communities.

The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union reaffirms its commitment to the development of our young members and to the structure set up for the youth to gain education and to be an active voice within the union.

14.9 - POLITICAL PARTIES AND THE ULURU STATEMENT FROM THE HEART The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union supports the struggle of our First Nations comrades to achieve a Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution, a Treaty and national truth telling. The MUA seeks formal commitment from all political parties that they also support these goals wholeheartedly. Should political parties not fully commit to these objectives then all support (financial and other) will be removed. 14.10 - MUA SEEKS TO IMPROVE REPRESENTATION AND CAREER PATHWAY FOR FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE IN STEVEDORING AND SEAFARING ROLES The National Conference of Members recognises the significant contribution First Nations people make to the maritime industry and seeks to further encourage involvement, representation and employment of First Nations people in our industry via formalised and dedicated career paths for First Nations people within industry. 14.11 - CAPTAIN COOK 2020 marks 250 years since Captain Cook claimed Australia for the British Empire. Cook’s party shot and injured a Gweagal man at Kamay (Botany Bay) before even disembarking. This was the beginning of colonisation and the dispossession of many people from their land that continues to have horrible consequences for First Nations across Australia. Many culturally significant artefacts were also stolen by Cook’s party. The Australian Government is investing significant funding into memorial events marking 250 years, including a circumnavigation of the country- a journey never completed by Cook on the Endeavour. This is an offensive display of support for imperialism and racist, ignorant nationalism. First Nations people around Australia are organising a series of events celebrating the resistance to the hostile landing in 1770 and continuing resistance today.

www.mua.org.au

17. SHIPPING 17.1 - REVIVAL OF AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING CAMPAIGN National Conference resolves to continue and fully resource a national campaign, directed at winning wide Community support for the revival of Australian Shipping. A campaign should fully engage the rank and file and veteran members. 17.2 - JOBS EMBASSY National Conference of Members resolves the importance of continuing to run and resource the Jobs Embassy on the lawns of parliament house to progress our maritime campaign, particularly for our campaigns on cabotage, shipping and the rights of Australian seafarers and on behalf of Australian unions campaigning for the rights of maritime workers and other trade unions. Carried unanimously as amended 17.3 - CAMPAIGN FOR AUSTRALIAN CREWS ON CEMENT VESSELS National Conference notes that Numerous vessels are carrying cement products around our coast. One of those vessels, the Goliath, is manned by Australian seafarers. Other vessels in this trade include the; Acacia, Adelie, CSL Reliance, Stadacona (Cona), Kondili, and Luga. All these vessels at one time were also manned by Australian seafarers. National Conference calls on the Union to allocate resources and to collaborate with the CFMMEU broadly, (and possibly) the AMOU and AIMPE and run a campaign to have these ships manned by Australian seafarers in the future. National Conference resolves that the shipping campaign, including with other maritime rights to work campaigns, should continue to closely involve the CSL vessels in the retention and expansion of Australian seafarers’ rights. 17.4 - RIGHT TO OUR WORK CAMPAIGNS National Conference recognises that relying solely on parliament to secure justice for Australian seafarers has not resulted in a right to work on the Australian coast for our seafarers. The Union will fight with every available measure to put MUA seafarers up gangways of vessels. The National Conference further resolves that the Union continues to fight with every available measure to put MUA members up gangways of vessels including ITF affiliated seafaring international unions, the cabotage campaign committee, the international dockworkers movement and other Australian unions, particularly in the supply chain. 63

CONFERENCE

17.5 - CABOTAGE IN THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY National Conference notes that cabotage is the principle of reserving a nation’s domestic maritime commerce for its own citizens. Cabotage means that cargoes carried between Australian ports should be carried by Australian national seafarers on Australian registered and crewed vessels. Due to the undermining of cabotage provisions by conservative forces, Australian seafarers have been systematically replaced by the most exploited seafarers in the world, on poverty wages with little to no rights or say in their working lives. National Conference resolves that the Union continues to work with parliamentary representatives to legislate a watertight shipping policy that reserves the right of Australian seafarers to work on their own coast and that provides opportunities to rebuild the Australian merchant fleet. The components of cabotage commonly include requirements to fly the national flag, limit ownership to majority control by national citizens, crewing limited to national citizens, and where possible, domestic construction. Such elements provide firm underpinning not only for nation’s economy, national security and environmental policies but also complement a nation’s attempt to maintain a presence in international trade as well. Cabotage is not only a policy with a long tradition but is widely accepted by the international community. A cabotage policy is not only fundamental to the retention of a national maritime skills base but also a political declaration on the intent and the importance of retaining a maritime skills base. Cabotage is a logical extension of a country’s transport, environmental, economic, national security and employment practices. The potential for achieving these benefits for nations with limited or no cabotage policies is enormous and should be pursued with vigour. It is a prerequisite for an integrated transport policy and for the inclusion of a maritime component which makes it sustainable. National Conference further resolves that The Union will continue to pursue the following strategies to implement this policy: • Defending the Bass Strait shipping trade. Roughly half of Registered Australian Vessels (RAVs) employing Australian seafarers operate on this domestic route. It is imperative that the union maintain the high standards and conditions of employment on the Bass Strait trade. • Noting the lack of an energy security policy by the Federal Government, the union will campaign to secure tankers in a Strategic Fleet crewed by Australian seafarers to secure the energy supply that Australians rely on to meet their daily needs. • Campaign for the Australian government to establish a national Strategic Fleet to ensure that shipping is available to meet needs for energy, disaster relief, community supply, and environmental protection, and to ensure that seafarers are trained with the maritime skills necessary to run Australia’s ports. • Rio Tinto’s current fleet of vessels supplying bauxite to its Gladstone alumina refineries from Queensland and the NT must be maintained and expanded to meet the terms of the agreement that Rio Tinto signed with the MUA. • Explore further opportunities for increasing seafarer’s employment on auxiliary support vessels engaged with the ADF. • The Union continues to explore the best international practice of cabotage regimes that are most suitable for Australian conditions. • Note the support we have already received through the ITF’s Cabotage Taskforce and its members from other countries. The union will continue to support and develop the work of the Cabotage Task Force.

National Conference further resolves to support the current Queensland state Labor government’s review on shipping to promote the campaign and further commits resources to ensure that the Victorian government review fully encompasses and supports cabotage and coastal shipping and further that the WA Labor government implement a review with the same objects. 17.6 - REDUCING TRANSPORT EMISSIONS AND INCREASING COASTAL SHIPPING National Conference notes the increasing the use of coastal shipping can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport, which will be necessary to prevent global heating from exceeding 1.5⁰C. Ports Australia say that shipping produces one-fifth the carbon emissions of road transport per tonnekm. Emissions from transport make up 19% of Australian greenhouse gas emissions and are increasing (by 3% in 2018). There has been a 63% increase in transport emissions since 1990 – more than any other sector of the economy. The International Maritime Organisation (including Australia as a member state) has agreed to reduce emissions from international shipping by 50% by 2050. This will require zero-emissions international cargo ships to be operational by 2030, which means that the technology and infrastructure for engines and fuel will need to be developed in the 2020s. A lack of frequent and integrated coastal shipping services is a barrier to shippers using ships to transport goods. These barriers and the necessary capital investments and organisational changes to overcome them should be identified as part of our ongoing campaign for Shipping Reform, support for Australian shipping, and our input into the National Ports Strategy. The Union: • Calls on government to develop a comprehensive plan to systematically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport. This can be achieved by shifting freight on to ships, and by shifting to zero- emissions shipping powered by hydrogen or ammonia powered cargo ships. Rapid development of these new technologies will require significant government investment and regulation. The Australian government could begin developing and testing these fuels and technologies on ships in a future Australian Strategic Fleet. Initial development could take place in coastal routes. • Supports regulations to move the global shipping industry to use cleaner forms of fuel due to its effects on the health on seafarers, wharfies, port communities and the environment. 17.7 - MARITIME SAFETY, MANNING, TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS The National Conference of Members notes that the implementation of the Marine Safety (Domestic Commercial Vessel) National Law Act 2012 (DCV Act) and the revision of the Navigation Act in 2012 has had a significant impact on the safe operation of commercial vessels in Australia. This effect was worsened with government agencies being instructed to conform with a ‘Deregulation Agenda’ from September 2013, and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) becoming the national regulator for approximately 26,000 additional vessels and 80,000 additional seafarers. Vessels that trade interstate are now by default covered by the DCV Act instead of the Navigation Act and must opt-in to the higher standards of the Navigation Act. The DCV Act relies on a significant degree of operator self-regulation and has substantially lower standards for qualifications, manning and training than the Navigation Act. Regulations for the DCV Act are based on the National Standard for Domestic Commercial Vessels (NSCV), which were only intended for inshore vessels. Most internationally accepted standards for vessel safety, manning and training are not required under the DCV Act (including on keeping a lookout, carriage of dangerous goods, tanker, ro-ro operations and passenger vessel operations).

64 www.mua.org.au

CONFERENCE

Already 40% of the Major Australian Trading Fleet have become DCVs and are permitted to operate with General Purpose Hands or uncertificated crew, and more could follow. Overlapping jurisdiction between the Navigation Act and DCV Act means two identical vessels can perform the same task in the same area, but with totally different standards for safety, crewing, training, qualifications, and oversight. AMSA has also issued some manning documents allowing Near Coastal Certificates of Competency issued under the DCV Act to be used on Regulated Australian Vessels regulated under the Navigation Act. These qualifications are often not suitable for the work with which these seafarers are tasked. The National Conference of Members resolves that the Navigation Act sets the standard for safe vessel regulation in Australia and its jurisdiction must be significantly expanded to ensure it covers all appropriate vessels. The MUA will explore educational tools for members and officials to cover the issues outlined in this resolution. The National Conference of Members further resolves that the following changes are necessary to ensure a robust system of maritime safety: Raise minimum crewing & manning quality and levels • Remove the right of operators to determine ‘appropriate crewing’ (under Marine Order 504 and the DCV Act) and ensure that Minimum Safe Manning Documents (MSMDs) or crewing determinations assessed and issued by AMSA are in place for all vessels over 12m. • Ensure that effective consultation with crew representatives takes place before the issue of crewing and manning documents and determinations, and that an appeal process for these decisions is created. • Ensure that crew are properly qualified with recognized national qualifications that correspond to their duties and functions on board. • Ensure that hours of work and rest for seafarers meet Australian standards and guidelines. • The Navigation Act and Marine Order 21 should be amended to ensure that all Regulated Australian Vessels under the Navigation Act must be crewed with seafarers with qualifications issued under the Navigation Act. Preserve and enhance qualifications • Ensure that Integrated Ratings and Chief Integrated Ratings are valued as an essential part of the maritime industry. • Ensure that all DCV qualifications are as robust as possible and closely aligned to STCW training components. • Improve the quality and length of training courses on offer for all DCV qualifications. • Creation of a wholistic and integrated system of qualifications and training that aligns with STCW and encourages career progression from the domestic to the international fleet. • Remove the label of ‘low-complexity’ from DCV qualifications which allows RTOs to do assessments of these qualifications. Increase safety on commercial vessels • Aim to ensure that Australian WHS standards and Codes of Practice set the standard for all majority-Australian crewed vessels operating in the Australian EEZ. • Better integration between AMSA, state safety regulators, Safework Australia and Seacare on all WHS issues, including inspections, guidance, analysis and enforcement of work health and safety (including mental health and ongoing surveillance of health issues in the maritime industry).

• Reporting and analysis of all maritime industry injuries and fatalities in line with Safework Australia practices as a minimum. Increase incident investigation and analysis and publish ‘lessons learned’ in a timely manner. • That the incident reporting requirements of the Navigation Act, the DCV Act and the Transport Safety Investigation Act be streamlined and simplified and include requirements for reporting of medical emergencies and suicide. • That the Australian Transport Safety Board be responsible for investigating and reporting on all maritime incidents including medical emergencies and suicide. They are currently restricted to incidents on interstate vessels. Align appropriate Domestic Commercial Vessel regulation with that of the Navigation Act and Marine Orders, and international conventions such as the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), Standards for the Training and Certification of Watchkeepers (STCW), Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), and International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code. • Vessels that are RAVs and DCVs must be clearly identified as such. This information must be available on the list of registered vessels online, and onboard for the information of passengers, crew and special personnel. • The Navigation Act and DCV Act must be amended so that exemptions issued by AMSA must only be issued after an appropriate risk assessment and vessel inspection, subject to the approval of two or more managers, and published on AMSA’s website. Seafarers’ Rights • The bulk of the provisions of Marine Order 11 (Living and Working conditions on vessels) must be applied to Domestic Commercial Vessels as a matter of priority. • The seafarers’ rights provisions of the Navigation Act 2012 should also apply to DCVs over 12m in length and on voyages over 12 hours. These include regulations regarding the supply of provisions of food and water, medical care and repatriation, as well as exemption from jury duty.

18. SKILLS & SKILLS TRAINING 18.1 - LINES RESOLUTION National Conference resolves that The Union seek through enterprise agreements to have all members engaged in mooring activities trained to MAR20116 - Certificate II in Maritime Operations (Linesperson) or any future upgrading of this certificate. The Union will continue to campaign for this to become a minimum mandatory requirement. This resolution recognises the dangerous work of lines operations and the subsequent skill set required, to ensure the work is performed safely. Conference applauds the work of the Newcastle members who have campaigned in the area for an extended period of time.

19. POLICY & RULES 19.1 - E STABLISHMENT OF THE MUA POLICY AND PLATFORM National Conference resolves that the Union, following the conclusion of the 2020 National Conference formalises the MUA Policy and Platform including the resolutions from this conference. Furthermore, all resolutions from the 2016 MUA National Conference shall be included, unless varied or amended by the 2020 National Conference. The creation of the MUA Policy and Platform is to be completed and made available to members and shall be accessible on the website.

• Develop a Code of Practice for the Domestic Commercial Vessel industry.

www.mua.org.au

CONFERENCE 19.2 - RULE 2 - ELIGIBILITY RULES NATIONAL RULE 2(S) (ELIGIBILITY)

(b) A member shall notify the Division of changes to the member’s records and details including:

National Conference of members resolves that the National Rules relating to Eligibility needs to be reviewed and modernised. The focus of the review should be to maximise and modernise opportunity for growth and coverage. The matter should be conducted by the membership committee and reported back to National Executive and National Council.

(i) Name

(ii) Residential Address

(iii) Postal Address

(iv) Divisional Branch

(v) Rating or Classification

19.3 - RULE 7 - MEMBERSHIP OF DIVISIONAL BRANCHES

(vi) Employer

(vii) Worksite or Vessel

The National Conference of Members endorses this rule change. RULE 7 - MEMBERSHIP OF DIVISIONAL BRANCHES (a) A member shall be a member of the Divisional Branch which embraces the area in which the member is registered. (b) A member who is not registered shall be a member of the Divisional Branch which embraces the area in which the member is employed. (c) Where a member is not registered and is not employed within the area of one Divisional Branch then the member shall be a member of the Divisional Branch which embraces the member’s place of residence. (d) The Divisional National Secretary shall be responsible for ensuring that members are members of the appropriate Divisional Branch in accordance with the Divisional Rules. (e) Members shall be able to transfer from Divisional Branch to Divisional Branch provided that written approval has been obtained:

(i) From the Divisional Branch Secretary of the Divisional Branch from which the member wishes to transfer; and

(ii) from the Divisional Branch Secretary of the Divisional Branch to which the member wishes to transfer; and

(iii) from the Divisional National Secretary.

(c) A ny member who is required to pay contributions or levies in conformity with Rule 10 and who has not paid that amount for a continuous period of 24 months since that amount became payable shall have their name and postal address removed from the register of Members of the Division within 12 months after the expiration of the 24 month period. 19.5 - R ULE 10 - FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS TO MEMBERSHIP The National Conference of Members endorses this rule change.

10 - FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS TO MEMBERSHIP Membership Contributions (a) M embership contributions per annum or per week shall be set by Divisional National Council but at no time shall exceed 5% of a members’ annual or weekly classification rate of pay respectively. (b) D ivisional National Council may set contributions at different levels for different groups of the membership. (c) S ubject to sub-rule (i) hereof contributions shall be paid in advance and may be paid fortnightly, monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or yearly.

RULE 7 - MEMBERSHIP OF DIVISIONAL BRANCHES

(d) Deleted

(a) A member shall be a member of the Divisional Branch which embraces the area in which the member resides.

(e) S ubject to sub-rule (i) hereof a new member shall commence paying contributions by paying four weeks in advance.

(b) The Divisional National Secretary shall be responsible for ensuring that members are members of the appropriate Divisional Branch in accordance with the Divisional Rules. (c) Members shall be able to transfer from Divisional Branch to Divisional Branch provided that written approval has been obtained:

(i) From the Divisional Branch Secretary of the Divisional Branch from which the member wishes to transfer; and

(ii) from the Divisional Branch Secretary of the Divisional Branch to which the member wishes to transfer; and

(iii) from the Divisional National Secretary.

19.4 - RULE 9 - REGISTER OF MEMBERS The National Conference of Members endorses this rule change. 9 - REGISTER OF MEMBERS

Levies (f) Divisional National Council may from time to time impose a levy or levies on all members of the Division or any group of the membership. Any such levy shall be due on the date or dates specified in the resolution of Divisional National Council imposing the levy. Provided that a member shall not be required to pay in any financial year a total amount in levies exceeding one-half of the amount of membership contributions per annum applicable to the member. Payment of Contributions (g) A ll contributions and levies shall be paid to the Divisional Branch Secretary unless otherwise determined by Divisional National Council.

(i) name

(ii) date of birth

(iii) postal address

(iv) date of joining the Division

(v) Divisional Branch

(vi) membership record

(vii) financial status

(h) P ayment of contributions by payroll deduction or by deduction from an account in the members’ name in a financial institution may be made where a member has authorised an employer or a financial institution to deduct the contribution from the member’s wage or account and the employer or financial institution has agreed to make such deduction and regularly submit the contribution to the Divisional Branch Secretary or the Division’s account. Subject to sub-rule (j) (i) hereof a member who elects to pay contributions in accordance with this Sub-Rule shall be deemed financial from the date of authorising such deduction provided the member owed no arrears in contributions prior to authorising the deduction.

(viii) rating or classification

Unfinanciality

(ix) registration (where applicable)

(x) port of registration (where applicable)

(a) There shall be a Register of Members of the Division to be kept by the Divisional National Secretary at the National Office of the Division which shall record each member’s:-

(i) A ny member who has failed to pay membership contributions within 12 weeks after the day upon which they became due shall be unfinancial until all such contributions have been paid.

66 www.mua.org.au

CONFERENCE Notwithstanding the foregoing, where a member arranges in accordance with this Rule to pay contributions to the Division and payments fail to be submitted in accordance with the arrangement, the member shall be deemed financial. The Divisional National Secretary may notify the member in writing of the failure and that unless the member pays contributions due in accordance with SubRules (e), (f) and (h) of this Rule within 60 days of the date of the notice, the member shall be unfinancial from the expiration of that period until all contributions due in accordance with the Rules have been paid. Once so notified, any deeming provisions shall expire after 60 days from the date of notification. (j) A member who has failed to pay a levy within 12 weeks of the date upon which it is due shall be unfinancial until it has been paid. Consequences of Unfinanciality (k) A member who is unfinancial shall not be entitled to take part in the Division’s affairs or claim any of the privileges of membership until all arrears, including any late payment fines, have been paid up, except as otherwise specifically provided by the Rules. An unfinancial member shall not be included as a member for the purposes of assessing members for any quorum, requisition, nomination or election. A member who remains unfinancial for a continuous period in excess of 6 months and who has not complied with a Payment in Arrears Notice issued by the Division, may have his/her membership cancelled in accordance with Sub-Rule 12 (d) of these Rules. (l) Deleted (m) Deleted Exemptions (n) Divisional National Council may in any case in which it appears appropriate, exempt any member wholly or partially and for such period as it may specify, having regard to the circumstances of the particular case, from payment of the contributions, levies that only apply to any unpaid period. 19.6 - RULE 45 – NOMINATIONS The National Conference of Members endorses this rule change (the italicisation of Sub-Rule (g) 45 - NOMINATIONS

(g) A member shall be eligible to nominate if at the close of nominations the member is financial and has remained a member for at least one year immediately prior to the close of nominations and has been engaged or reasonably seeking to be engaged in an occupation covered by the Eligibility Rule for that year. Provided that for the purposes of this Sub-Rule a member:

(i) w hilst holding an elected Office in the Division shall be deemed to have been engaged in an occupation covered by National Rule 2(S) (Eligibility); or

(ii) w ho after becoming a member of the Division is employed by the Division to assist in the work of the Division shall be deemed to have been engaged in an occupation covered by National Rule 2(S) (Eligibility).

(h) N o member shall be eligible to nominate for more than one Office of Officer of the Division. If a member nominates for more than one such Office each such nomination shall be void. (i) N o Officer of the Division shall be eligible to nominate for a different Office of Officer of the Division at an election (including an election to fill a casual vacancy) unless such Officer has given written notice to the Divisional National Secretary of intention to do so. An Officer of the Division who does not intend to nominate for election to any Office of Officer of the Division at an election shall give written notice to the Divisional National Secretary accordingly. Notices under this Sub-Rule shall be irrevocable and shall be given at least 28 days before the opening of nominations. The Divisional National Secretary shall inform the membership of a notice as soon as possible. Election Statement (j) A candidate in an election may forward with the candidate’s nomination form a head and shoulder photograph and a 200 word statement for forwarding with ballot papers in accordance with Rule 47(c). The statement shall require the approval of the Divisional National Returning Officer and shall meet all requirements of the law. Scandalous or defamatory matter will not be forwarded. Words in excess of the 200 word limit will be deleted from the end of the statement.

(a) Nominations for Offices to be filled at a Quadrennial Election of the Division shall open on February 25 and close at 5pm on March 25 in the year of the election.

19.7 - RULE 46 - ROLL OF VOTERS

(b) All nominations papers containing the nominees name as contained on the Roll or as abbreviated, derived or consistently used, shall be signed by the nominee an two members of the Division who are financial as at the close of nominations.

46 - ROLL OF VOTERS

(c) All nomination papers shall be forwarded by mail or delivered addressed to the Divisional National Returning Officer at a post office box under the control of the Returning Officer. Where the nomination papers are forwarded by mail the nominee shall retain verification of the date and means of postage. (d) A nomination once received by the Divisional National Returning Officer may not be withdrawn. (e) If the Divisional National Returning Officer finds a nomination to be defective the Divisional National Returning Officer shall before rejecting the nomination notify the member concerned of the defect and where practicable give the member not less than 7 days from the day of such notification to remedy the defect. Eligibility to Nominate (f) Subject to the Rules nominations for all Offices shall be open to all members of the Division who are financial as at the close of nominations.

The National Conference of Members endorses this rule change. (a) F or all elections of Officers of the Division and for any other ballots a preliminary Roll of Voters showing each voters: (i) name, (ii) postal address, and (iii) Division member (iv) Divisional Branch shall be prepared by the Divisional National Secretary at least 28 days before the date of the opening of nominations and a paper copy and electronic copy of the Roll shall be provided to the Divisional National Returning Officer at least 21 days before the date of the opening of nominations. (b) A final paper copy and electronic copy of the Roll of Voters shall be prepared by the Divisional National Secretary as at 10 days before the opening date of nominations comprising those persons whose names appeared on the preliminary Roll together with new members and members who became financial members of the Division since the compilation of the preliminary roll, but not including those persons who have ceased to be financial members of the Division since the compilation of the preliminary roll. (c) A ny member listed on the final Roll of Voters whose resignation takes effect in accordance with Rule 11 of these Rules, prior to the ballot being closed, or whose

www.mua.org.au

CONFERENCE membership is cancelled in accordance with Sub Rule 12(d) by reason of ceasing to be a financial member of the Division as a consequence of Sub Rule 10(k) of these Rules, prior to the ballot being closed, shall not be eligible to vote. (d) Candidates for all Offices will be entitled to receive the final Roll of voters in paper and/or electronic form, provided that the Returning Officer is satisfied that the candidate has signed an appropriate undertaking regarding the use of the Roll, including applicable privacy legislation requirements and the right of Members to opt out of receiving communications from candidates. (e) The Returning Officer must report to the Divisional National Secretary any and all allegations of Candidates using the Roll other than in accordance with these Divisional Rules and/or applicable Privacy Legislation following which the Divisional National Secretary may take action including in accordance with these Rules and/or applicable Privacy Legislation. 19.8 - MUA BRANDING The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union consider our branding into the future. In an environment of the need to have community support the MUA should consider an all- encompassing messaging campaign that continues to be developed over the years that is relevant and representative of our membership. 19.9 - SOCIAL MEDIA National Conference resolves that the Union develop clear, enforceable guidelines, to be reinforced, as to what constitutes principled involvement of members on social media considered in conjunction with application of the rules. 19.10 – AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ON NATIONAL EXECUTIVE National Conference resolves that the Union will take steps to ensure that a woman is elected to National Executive of the Maritime Union of Australia Division of The Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union from the elected national councillors. 19.11 - QUADRENNIAL CONFERENCE OF MEMBERS National Conference resolves that where practical, the Quadrennial National Conference of Members be rotated through the States and Territories that the MUA branches are located. 19.12 - MUA QUADRENNIAL ELECTIONS National Conference resolves that rules be modified for candidate election materials to be more efficiently circulated. As well as the original 200 word statement by candidates printed in the Maritime Journal, and as well as the current and expensive practice of an Australia Post mail out, we call that the National Returning officer facilitate two more statements and or candidates flyers be sent out to all voting members of respected branch (or nationally for national positions) via email.

20. INDUSTRIAL & GENERAL 20.1 - RIGHT TO STRIKE MOTION The National Conference of Members reaffirms the Union’s historical and long-standing policy that it is the fundamental right of working people to exercise their industrial power at any time they democratically determine to do so. Employer offensive The rules are stacked against workers and unions, in favour of corporations and conservative governments. The erosion of our right to strike has been accompanied by a growth in inequality, and increased attacks on workers’ and social rights. National Conference condemns all anti-trade union law, and notes that employers and conservative governments are on the offensive, for example: • terminating hundreds of Enterprise Bargaining Agreements (EBAs) through the Fair Work Commission (FWC) and reverting workers to award rates • engaging in long and crippling lock-outs, eg. at Esso, Streets Ice Cream, Port Kembla Coal Terminal, and Glencore Oaky North mine. • cutting penalty rates for hospitality and retail workers • targeting militant construction unions with special draconian laws • introducing the Ensuring Integrity Bill to give government unprecedented powers to interfere in unions Anti-strike laws Anti-strike laws are used to punish and dissuade the use of industrial action, as well as undermine the effectiveness of strike action when it is used, for example: • Militant unions, such as the MUA, are hit with massive fines for taking actions simply to protect their members. • The prohibition on strikes outside the designated bargaining period, and solidarity strikes (“secondary boycotts”), limits strikes to one “enterprise”/workplace. This allows employers to use outsourcing and collaboration to undermine the power of strike action. • So-called “protected” action is highly restricted, for example, forcing unions to notify employers of intended action 3-7 days in advance. • The Fair Work Act allows the FWC to unilaterally terminate industrial action on the basis it will cause “economic damage” – this provision was used against Sydney Train Drivers in January 2018. The National Conference of Members recognises that the ability of workers to withdraw our labour is what gives the working class its unique strength. The right to strike is a necessary tool to defend the collective democratic will against the unchecked power of the capitalist class. Fundamentally, strike action demonstrates that it is workers who keep society running.

One email at the announcement of the qualifying candidates. The second email at one week prior to ballot papers being issued. All materials to meet the rules of the election under MUA rulebook administered by the national returning officer. All members are afforded the opt out option.

Action

19.13 - MUA QUADRENNIAL ELECTIONS

The ACTU campaign launched last year to “Change the Rules” was an important step in recognising the need to challenge current industrial relations framework.

National Conference resolves that the 2023 MUA quadrennial elections are ran internally by the union according to our long-standing AEC exemption and policy. Conference further resolves to move to an electronic voting system to encourage the maximisation of involvement of the membership in the Quadrennial Election. All matters in connection with the proposal including rule changes, security matters, endorsement by the AEC and other related issues, should be dealt with by National Council and reported back regularly. Those members without email can elect to vote via current mailing system.

The National Conference of Members resolves that challenging the anti-strike laws is a matter of urgency. Unchecked, the anti-strike laws present an existential threat to our union movement.

We cannot rely on a future Labor government to grant us our rights. We need a powerful cross- union industrial movement, with a focus on winning the unrestricted right to strike in line with ILO laws. The Union will use all available industrial and political avenues to campaign against the anti-strike laws. These laws are fundamentally unjust. We therefore pledge to continue to support any group of workers who break bad antiunion laws to defend their conditions and the right to organise.

68 www.mua.org.au

CONFERENCE A worker’s ability to withdraw their labour separates us from slavery, it creates leverage to secure a better and safer workplace and creates a more democratic atmosphere to achieve industrial, social and political outcomes as it has consistently demonstrated throughout history. The ruling class isafraid of workers power and therefore legislate against the fundamental right to strike. The Union will fight for the right to strike for workers when they democratically determine to do so in any circumstance and will fight on all platforms that seeks to secure it legislatively and in the streets.

20.10 - EBA NEGOTIATIONS 2

20.2 - WAGE STAGNATION

20.12 - RIGHT OF REPRESENTATION

National Conference resolves that low wage growth is detrimental to the lives of working men and women and their families and communities, is damaging to the national economy and continues to polarise the distribution of wealth within Australian society. Conference resolves to continue to campaign within the trade union movement and within our own industry to continue to campaign and fight within our industry for the best possible wage outcome.

The National Conference of Members resolve that:

20.3 – ALLIANCES National Conference resolves that the Union continues to campaign and develop strategies including alliances in order that we can increase the power of MUA members and other workers in that those industries. National Conference further resolves that alliances should also be explored where we have cross coverage with other unions to ensure that we best utilise union resources. 20.4 - LONG SERVICE LEAVE National Conference resolves that the MUA develop comprehensive sector specific model clauses for Long Service Leave (LSL) to be placed in all agreements. We need to ensure recognition of casual service is included and remove the current ambiguity by removing link references to Awards, LSL awards, the NES and State Acts. 20.5 - MEMBER BENEFITS National Conference resolves that this National Conference of members support a standardisation of member benefits across the CFMMEU. In particular, the provision of Ambulance Cover and Travel Insurance be investigated and implemented if financially viable.

National Conference of members resolves that where National Council makes a decision that changes the direction of members decision in Enterprise Bargaining, there be a proper process of explanation to the delegates negotiating those agreements before any contact is made with the company. 20.11 - WA BRANCH DISABILITY ACCESS WA branch to have proper disability access, which may mean modifications.

1. All Officials and organisers who have had their ROE taken off them under these anti-union, anti-worker laws, vote unanimously to take the appropriate action until the officials concerned are allowed back into the workplace. 2. That the union will seek enforceable mechanisms to ensure ROE for all officials. 3. The union will continue to campaign industrially to ensure that all members have the ability to be represented by officials in their workplace. 4. The union will continue to campaign politically for the removal of all restrictions on the right of members to be represented by union officials in their workplace at any time.

21. EMERGENCY RESOLUTIONS 21.1 - T RANSPORT SECURITY – ATTACKS ON WORKERS This quadrennial national conference of the MUA condemns and rejects the Transport Security Amendment (Serious Crimes) Bill as yet another attack on honest hard working transport workers. Further, the Morrison government’s efforts to force secretive “criminal intelligence” checks against 250,000 transport workers is divisive and has nothing to do with transport security. This conference demands that the government address real gaps in national security such as coastal shipping, fuel security and the corrupt FOC system.

National Conference resolves that the issue sin this Resolution will be raised with the CFMMEU.

21.2 - D RAFT FILIPINO SOLIDARITY MOTION FOR MUA NATIONAL CONFERENCE

20.6 – MARINE TOURISM AND CHARTER VESSELS AWARD 2010

We the Maritime Union of Australia 2020 National Conference

The National Conference of Members supports a significant upgrade to the Marine Tourism and Charter Vessels Award 2010, noting that workers under this Award receive less the statutory minimum wage. Further noting that an upgraded Award would assist greatly in organising. 20.7 - EBAS – FIXED TERM CONTRACTS The National Conference of Members resolves that the Union develops sector specific model clauses around casual conversion to permanency in consideration of hours worked, time in casual role or successive contracts. 20.8 - EBAS – NEGOTIATION OF NEXT AGREEMENT CLAUSE National Conference resolves to develop and include a model clause relating to the renegotiation timeframe of an EA. Furthermore, a model clause be developed and included that requires delegates or representatives paid attendance when involved in bargaining or negotiations. 20.9 - TRAINING National Conference resolves that the Union needs to formalise a training package for delegates that just deals with teaching things on how to negotiate an enterprise agreement - such as putting together rosters and formulating appropriate salaries for those rosters, why there are certain clauses in all agreements, legal requirements, entitlements that have been won, award conditions and so on. Basically, teaching the history of enterprise bargaining which has been part of our industry now for over 20 years. Time to pass on and teach and important part of our history. www.mua.org.au

1. Express outrage at the massive human right abuses committed by the Duterte government in the Philippines, with over 27,000 people suffering extra-judicial execution since July 2016. In the strongest terms we particularly condemn: 1.1 T he murder of 46 union leaders, organisers and members to this date by state security forces under President Duterte. 1.2 the sustained persecution of trade unions which is causing workers, civil servants, unionists and activists to fear for their safety, privacy and civil rights. 1.3 the “red tagging” process where union leaders, organisers and members are denounced as enemies of the people and terrorists, to enable intense surveillance, arrest on false charges and even murder by military, police and paramilitary groups. 2. Demand that the Duterte government: 2.1 guarantee the security and safety of all union members and leaders. 2.2 r espect workers’ fundamental rights as guaranteed by international standards, including the ILO Convention on Freedom of Association (ILO C87), ratified by the Philippines in 1953. 2.3 a llow unions to operate without government interference.

CONFERENCE 2.4 investigate the 46 reports of murders of trade unionists and cases of violent repression of strikes and pickets 2.5 accept the ILO High Level Tripartite Mission to undertake an investigation of the situation of trade union right in May 2020. 2.6 g uarantee transparent process, with robust terms of reference and full access, including Philippine and international trade union participation, within the ILO High Level Tripartite Mission scheduled for May 2020. 3. Call on the Australian government to immediately audit the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Program (and any other Australian security engagements in the Philippines) to ensure it is not building the capacity of Filipino security forces to undertake trade union repression and other human rights violations. The results of the audit and process should be made public. 4. Call on the Australian government to suspend participation in negotiations for the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free trade agreement until trade union repression ceases in the Philippines. 5. C ondemn global corporations for continuing to operate in the Philippines during the Duterte reign of terror, which has already far surpassed that of the 14 years of the Marcos Dictatorship. 6. Recognise that the Duterte tyranny is aimed at breaking the organised opposition of workers, farmers, students, women, media and other sectors to exploitation on behalf of global corporations and those parts of the Filipino elite who have sided with Duterte. 7. Stand as Australian unionists and internationalists in solidarity with our fellow unionists in the Philippines. We commit to support the international campaign to end trade union repression in the Philippines as it continues to develop. 8. Call on the International Committee of the ACTU to prioritize strategic action and effectively coordinate campaign activities to end trade union repression in the Philippines. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Escalating trade union repression in The Philippines: The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) global rights index for 2019 lists the Philippines in the top 10 worst countries for workers’ rights. Trade union repression has increased significantly under the Duterte administration (2016 - ). Over the last three years, 46 union leaders, organisers and members have been killed by extrajudicial violence in the Philippines. The persistent anti-union climate is causing workers, civil servants, unionists and activists to fear for their safety, privacy and civil rights. Recently the persecution has increased, through a process known as “red tagging” where union leaders and members are denounced publicly, spied on, portrayed as terrorists, arrested and even killed by military, police and paramilitary groups. This is a concerted attempt to muzzle civil society and over- ride the rule of law.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has resolved to send a High-Level Tripartite Mission to the Philippines to investigate the human rights situation, but despite the urgency, the government has delayed the process and tentatively allowed it to proceed in May 2020. It is noted with concern that the technical working group formed to prepare for the ILO delegation does not include union representation. Australian Government support for the Philippines: The Australian Government has a strong bilateral relationship with the Philippines. From December 1, 2019, Australia increased its military engagement in the Philippines by instituting an Enhanced Military Cooperation Program to replace its most recent program which was titled Operation Augury – Philippines. This announcement was made by Australian Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana in the margins of the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting - Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Bangkok, Thailand on 16 November. The Enhanced Defence Cooperation Program is focused on allowing the Australian Defence Force to continue delivering the capacity-building support for counter-terrorism cooperation requested by the Philippines. The total cost of The Enhanced Defence Cooperation Program is not public, however it estimated to be in excess of the AUD 40.1 million spent on the program it replaced in 2018-19 financial year. Australia’s total Overseas Development Assistance to the Philippines for 2019-20 is estimated at AUD 79.7 million. This includes some direct support to the Philippines Commission on Human Rights. The Philippines Commission of Human Rights has expressed a desire to be able to properly investigate the cases of trade union rights violations, however it suffers from low capacity due to a lack of funding. About the KMU: The Kilusang Mayo Uno (May First Movement) is an independent national trade union centre in the Philippines that was formed in 1980. The KMU is a long term friend of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and Philippines Australia Union Link, partner of Union Aid Abroad –APHEDA and affiliate of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). The KMU has nine affiliated federations, representing over 115,000 union members across most industries in the Philippines. The following representatives are touring Australia in February 2020 to raise awareness of escalating trade union repression: Mr Elmer Labog – Chairperson, KMU Ms Meryl Quero-Asa – Vice-President, International Affairs, KMU

All ITUC-affiliated national centres are subject to this; however the KMU and its affiliates are increasingly targeted. On the 31 October 2019, coordinated police raids saw weapons being planted on KMU and its affiliates’ premises, and children held at gunpoint. That day, 57 people were arrested on false charges of illegal weapons possession, 28 of whom were bus workers who had been attending a meeting of their trade union. On the 22 January 2019 the Philippines National Police along with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority launched the Joint Industrial Peace Concerns Office to coordinate efforts to suppress trade union rights in the export processing zones under the banner of “Safeguarding against the harassment of communist insurgents in the area.”

70 www.mua.org.au

CONFERENCE

APPENDIX A: WOMEN’S EQUALITY CHARTER The MUA believes in equality and justice. Struggling for Equality is something we DO. We have put together this document as a statement of our principles of equality and the actions we will take to support those principles. This document will be a resolution to the National Conference of members 2020 and endorsed as a package. It is intended that we dovetail the work of the union and women’s committee with these principles. They are designed to guide our work. OUR PRINCIPLES OF EQUALITY • We take on injustice • We give voice, we listen, we speak up • We believe in work-life balance • We build power by standing together • We believe in fairness • We empower through education This means: WE TAKE ON INJUSTICE • We work toward and believe in the elimination of violence against women • We take part in the 16 days of action from November 25 every year • W negotiate Domestic and Family Violence Leave Clauses in all EBAs • We support the campaign for 10 days paid dv leave in the NES • We campaign for the government to ratify ILO convention 190 Violence and Harassment convention 2019 • We give voice, we listen, we speak up • We take steps to increase the number of women delegates, officers, organisers and officials • We encourage women to run for office, in the union, in political parties and local government • We ensure that women are on all committees in the union. (Branch, Site, OHS, Women’s, EBA Bargaining) • We listen in a structured way – we have contacts in each branch • We keep and tell women’s stories – we document the past, and we promote the work of women now for the future • We make and take opportunities to participate • We include women on all delegations to events and conferences WE BELIEVE IN WORK-LIFE BALANCE • We ensure that increase parental leave is in all EBAs • We provide and fight for flexible working arrangements for parents and return to work after parental leave • We believe superannuation should be paid on parental leave • We want access to safe facilities for expression of breast milk • Children are important to our union and we consider them and include them • We deal with issues especially affecting women around income protection WE BUILD POWER BY STANDING TOGETHER • We participate across our own union and workplaces • We are a part of ACTU Women’s Committee • We are active in ITF Women’s Committee • We work with and are active in CFMMEU National Women’s Committee • We are involved in State Trades and Labour Councils women’s committees • We support other unions campaigns with regards to supporting women workers

www.mua.org.au

WE BELIEVE IN FAIRNESS • Access to clean, convenient and appropriate toilet facilities is important • We set recruitment targets for intakes of employees to increase number of women and indigenous workers • We work to end the gender pay gap – including the super gap and job stratification • We take on discrimination in all its forms – no matter where we see it • We advance and promote women in the union • We are not bystanders when we see matters of gender inequality or violence WE EMPOWER THROUGH EDUCATION • We actively identify women leaders – and we support them to become delegates, elected leaders, HSRs and activists in campaigns • We ensure women have access to delegates training • All officials and officers to complete VTHC gendered violence and domestic and family violence training run by VTHC or equivalent • We invest in and work to develop women members, so they are represented in our workplace and branch committees • We support WIMDOI and women’s participation in it • We support women to participate in conference and activities where the experience will build capacity and power FURTHERMORE: • The National Women’s committee will: • Create a workplan on these principles • Develop a Union/Branch/Committee Equality Check List and pair up committee members with key contacts in each branch to progress the actions in the charter. • Measure progress regularly DEFINITIONS: • Struggling - striving to achieve or attain something in the face of difficulty or resistance. • Injustice - lack of fairness or justice • Equality - the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, or opportunities. • Dominated - to be the largest or most noticeable part of something: • Unionism - an organized attempt by workers to improve their status by united action • Empower - make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights. • Gender Pay Gap - The gender pay gap is the gap between what men and women are paid. Most commonly, it refers to the median annual pay of all women who work full time and year-round, compared to the pay of a similar cohort of men. Other estimates of the gender pay gap are based on weekly or hourly earnings or are specific to a particular group of women. • Feminism - the advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes. • Work-Life Balance - the division of one’s time and focus between working and family or leisure activities. • Discrimination - the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex. • Gender Violence - The term “gender violence” reflects the idea that violence often serves to maintain structural gender inequalities, and includes all types of violence against men, women, children, adolescents, gay, transgender people and gender non-conforming. This type of violence in some way influences or is influenced by gender relations.

They said it could not be done. But the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, contractor, Ardent Oceania Pty Ltd, and a bunch of Australian seafarers, proved them wrong. For just under two years ship owner Yang Ming had refused to retrieve all 81 containers they lost overboard in heavy weather from the YM Efficiency in June, 2018. Frustrated with YM’s inaction, AMSA contracted Ardent for the deep sea salvage operation last year. In turn Ardent hired an Australian crew for their state of the art salvage vessel MV Pride. MUA ship’s crane operator David (Duck) Williams said the operation was a world first. He put his hand up for the job. “I wanted in,” he said. The MUA crew totalled 17 on one five-week swing. “We’ve got the seafarers manning and catering jobs,” said Duck. “We’ve also got MUA IR riggers on deck working with the salvage crew.” The job was going to take 60 days. But Duck and the MUA team worked out a safer and more efficient way of doing the heavy lifts and halved the time. “We’ve got it on a roll and made it work,” said Duck. Who should foot the $15 million bill for the salvage operation is now at the heart of a legal battle between Yang Ming and AMSA. Yang Ming and their insurers covered costs for the initial clean up when containers and debris polluted the foreshore. The remaining boxes, they argued, lay too deep, did not constitute pollution and were best left undisturbed. The company commissioned a university study to back their case. Yet over five weeks (Duck) Williams and his crew mates are able to hoist around 50 sodden boxes from the ocean depths on deck without incident. “It took us two to three days to work out how best to do the job,” Duck said in April. “Once we got the first lift out

of the way we just flew through them. It’s good that they listened to us and put a bit of trust in us.” Duck said the crew usually had to deal with the political ideological thing of management not wanting to listen to workers. However, “We’re all one team on this ship,” he said. The salvage team was retrieving boxes at 130 metres deep. The first container came in at 126 tonnes. “We let it drain over the edge of the ship for a bit and then it weighed 106 tonne,” Duck said. Below deck in the control room the Helix ROV operator worked the giant hands of the robot under water remotely. Robot arms clutched the disintegrating containers and delicately placed them in a wire cage one by one. Any debris that spilt, the robot carefully retrieved and put in the cage with the box it came from. Just about everything from the bathroom sink to car tyres, two Chevy trucks, dozens of racing bikes and lots of paper surfaced, Duck said. It was all being offloaded at the Port of Newcastle and recycled. Meanwhile an Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation found poor container stowage planning was behind the boxes going overboard. ATSB found the weight and distribution of the containers in some bays exceeded the allowable force limits as set out in the ship’s cargo securing manual. The stowage was not checked against the CSM. Nor did the ship’s officers check once it was on board, ATSB found. “Safe and effective container stowage planning is the primary control measure in managing the risks involved in carrying containers by sea,” said ATSB Chief Commissioner Greg Hood. Within a month of the clean up operation a second flag of convenience ship, the APL England, lost 40 containers overboard off the east coast, closing beaches as debris and face masks littered the coastline.

72 www.mua.org.au

Ship detained, master charged, after 50 containers go overboard off flag of convenience vessel APL England, in May, polluting Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coastline and closing beaches.

www.mua.org.au

Some of the mangled containers Duck and his crew mates helped bring ashore from the seabed off Newcastle, after the YM Efficiency Flag of Convenience ship-owner refused.

INDUSTRIAL

VICT WORKERS REJECT NON-UNION AGREEMENT Workers at Victoria International Container Terminal (VICT) at Webb Dock in Melbourne have overwhelmingly rejected an extension of management’s nonunion enterprise agreement. Deputy National Secretary Will Tracey said the current enterprise agreement is the only non-union agreement at an Australian container terminal. The agreement is due to expire on 19 October 2020 and the company wanted to roll it over.

However, workers voted against the agreement 89 to 43. A total of 132 of 137 eligible workers took part in the ballot. The MUA has asked VICT to negotiate on a log of claims endorsed by the workforce. The claims include wage rises to bring VICT workers into line with workers at other Victorian stevedoring companies (Patrick, DP World, Qube, Linx and Toll), more permanent jobs, and a fairer roster to provide greater job security, certainty of hours, and work/life balance.

MUA MAKES WAVES FOR TOURISM DIVERS The MUA is making waves in the Cairns diving industry by challenging employers who pay a day rate and expect employees to work through their breaks. The MUA and the Australian Maritime Officers Union (AMOU) went to the Fair Work Commission on behalf of workers employed by a Cairns dive company. Commission Deputy President Ingrid Asbury ruled that “on the balance of probabilities employees are regularly working hours in excess of the maximum daily hours under the Diving Industry Award”. Deputy President Asbury said, “Employees who are directed to take their meals in the dining saloon with passengers and to remain there for a specified period are working.” The MUA’s Queensland Assistant Branch Secretary Paul Gallagher said the ruling sets a precedent that will help divers across the industry. Gallagher said that in the next enterprise agreement, hours worked in excess of the maximum daily hours in the Diving Industry Award would have to be paid at such a rate as to leave employees “better off overall” than the Award. Without passing this test, any new agreement cannot be approved. “This decision goes to show that it pays to belong to a union,”Gallagher said. “We have reset the bar and will continue to push this precedent on to other non-complying companies in the marine industry in Cairns.”

74 www.mua.org.au

INDUSTRIAL

ALARM OVER TUG BOAT EXPLOSIONS

Maritime workers have raised the alarm over three engine explosions on tug boats at the Port of Gladstone. Each explosion blew the con rod out of the engine, caused oil spills in the engine room, set off fire alarms and required the engine to be replaced. The MUA said the exclusive provider of towage services, Smit Lamnalco, put safety at risk by outsourcing maintenance on its fleet of 12 tugs to a business without any marine qualifications. The workers held a protest outside Smit Lamnalco’s Gladstone office. MUA Queensland Branch Deputy Secretary Jason Miners said local marine pilots had recorded a long list of serious incidents involving the tug boats, including engine failures, winch failures, steering failures, and issues with fire alarms. Three of the vessels were also not firefighting compliant, meaning they were unable to be the standby vessel for LNG tankers. Miners said inspectors from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority instructed Smit Lamnalco to overhaul all Caterpillar engines on their tugs.

www.mua.org.au

MEDICOS LIKEN DIVER INJURIES TO WAR COMBAT

Doctors say seven divers suffered “chronic brain injuries” when they carried out Australia’s deepest commercial dive – a pipeline repair 273 metres underwater. The divers endured stresses beyond “the threshold of human tolerance” according to a medical team led by Dr Ian Millar, senior specialist in diving and hyperbaric medicine at The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. Dr Millar’s report, obtained by Perth newspaper The Sunday Times, likened some of their health impacts with those “suffered by combat veterans following blast concussion injury”. Ian Bray, MUA Assistant National Secretary said some of the divers are suing diving contractor DOF Subsea Australia for negligence in the dive operation off WA’s northern coast in mid-2017. The men, who spent up to 27 days in the pressurised environment, were disoriented, unwell and subjected to extreme heat and cold as they repaired a pipeline for Inpex’s Ichthys LNG project. Dr Millar reported that about half of the divers suffered “significant persisting adverse health consequences. The dominant problems are mental function impairment, headaches, balance difficulties and psychological problems sufficiently severe to require ongoing medical care and to prevent employment.”

COURT INJUNCTION ATTACKS RIGHT TO STRIKE

A Federal Court ban on workers taking legally protected industrial action at DP World on 1 February was an alarming attack on workers’ democratic rights. The court issued an interim injunction banning DP World wharfies from taking legally protected industrial action for a new workplace agreement until March 13, 2020. The injunction prevented action by more than 1800 workers at DP World container terminals in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Fremantle. MUA Assistant National Secretary Warren Smith said the injunction was the latest in a long list of aggressive moves by DP World aimed at forcing workers to accept management’s demands for a new workplace agreement. Smith said that in the last year, DP World had cancelled approved holidays, tried to strip away social benefits such as income protection, sacked workers, docked pay, prevented workers from meeting with their union representatives, cancelled Christmas bonuses, and threatened to dismiss 10 per cent of the workforce. “This injunction doesn’t only prevent wharfies from taking legally protected industrial action,” he said. “It is also an alarming attack on democratic rights that will give companies open slather to strip all Australian workers of longheld workplace conditions.” “Our members don’t like corporate thuggery and they won’t back down to intimidation. “They are willing to take the necessary steps to defend their hard-won rights and conditions and win new protections for themselves and their families.” 75

WESLEY FURTADO TRUE INTERNATIONALIST The San Francisco-based International Longshore and Warehouse Union has lost “an outstanding leader” with the death of its Vice President Wesley Furtado, said Paddy Crumlin, MUA national secretary and International Transport Workers’ Federation president. In a letter of condolences to ILWU President Willie Adams, Crumlin said Wesley Furtado was “an outstanding leader, a greatly respected and true internationalist, who always kept the spirit of Aloha in every thought and action on behalf of working men and women around the globe.” “Wesley’s union journey from the docks of Honolulu was as long as it was meaningful,” Crumlin said. “It was founded on the hard rock of his belief in social and economic justice for all

workers, and blessed with a gentle but pervasive charisma. “His achievements and actions bettered the lives of all he touched and were as steady as the Kona winds of his home. “It was my great honour to share in much of that journey with him, side by side with the many great leaders of your union, both of his generation or the next generations whether they be delegates, activists or officers of the mighty ILWU.” Crumlin said Wesley was also a “formidable and relentless activist for peace, an advocate for sovereign rights and true political independence and accountability, and of course a warrior for justice, equality and universal access to all material benefits regardless of race, gender, age or religious denomination.” In reply, Willie Adams said the solidarity and support the ILWU received from the MUA and ITF showed Wesley had made a “huge impact… not just on our union

brothers and sisters, but every person he met.” “Each and every day, Wes gave us the gift of ‘Ohana’ and the spirit of ‘Aloha.’ Brother Wes will be greatly missed but his legacy will live on for generations to come,” Adams said.

JACK MUNDEY COMMITTED ACTIVIST Jack was a person of great principle; an internationalist, peace activist and human rights defender. He also contributed important leadership to women’s rights, indigenous rights and sovereign national rights. While Jack is best remembered for his activism around Australian heritage buildings and functional community orientated town planning and development, his political, industrial and social contribution was far wider. Jack was one of the most articulate and committed activists in Australia against apartheid, the war in Vietnam and the political and human atrocities visited upon working communities world-wide. Jack Mundey’s social and political legacy is as visible today as his contribution to an understanding and commitment to community heritage and history. Jack never ceased to be involved in community and progressive actions and campaigns right up to his passing. He

was an articulate, knowledgeable and respected advocate for trade union and labour rights. Jack was as important to the development of Sydney socially and politically as much as any other individual. The difference was of course as Jack would have it - it wasn’t about the individual it was about individual rights in a truly democratic empathetic and accountable democratic collective. Click here for Jack Mundey video.

Jack was always easy to find around the Rocks and the Sydney CBD, a man of the people and of the community his life was embedded in both, particularly in Sydney. His voice and actions will continue to echo down the generations to come, inspiring people to fight for what they believe in, with his message of inspiration that the things most worth having must be fought for with determination and courage. - Paddy Crumlin

76 www.mua.org.au

JIM NEESON FREEDOM FIGHTER, REVOLUTIONARY, REPUBLICA Belfast identity Jim Neeson, Irish republican leader, community builder, Black Taxi founder and fundraiser, died in April, aged 79. Jim lost a long battle with cancer after escaping many attempts on his life during the long struggle to liberate Ireland from British domination and military occupation. A right-hand man of former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, Jim was tasked with raising funds for the Irish cause abroad. He was patron for the Casement Group in Melbourne and had strong ties with the Australian Aid for Ireland group in Sydney. Both groups helped raise funds for the families of prisoners back in Ireland. Paying tribute to Neeson, Paddy Crumlin, MUA National Secretary called him a comrade and true brother in arms. He was “a man of family, friends and community. A bad enemy to those who feed off others from their own interests and power; freedom fighter, a person of great good humour and deep courage.” Gerry Adams described Jim as “a gentleman, a dedicated family man,

ARILD STOLPNES SEA WAS HIS PASSION Arild Stolpnes first went to sea in his country of birth, Norway. After marrying Judith he found his way to Australia and the Seamen’s Union of Australia. Arild worked as a diver/coxswain at Mobil’s Port Stanvac refinery. In 1975 he started aboard his first ship on the coast, the bulk cargo vessel Rickie Miller. He had many jobs but spent 15 years on the Zincmaster. www.mua.org.au

a republican activist and one of the foremost community and business leaders in West Belfast for many decades.” Adams said Jim was best known as founder and chairperson of the West Belfast Taxi Association. He defended ‘The People’s Taxi service’ from British government efforts to demonise and close it. “As a result Jim, like his colleagues, was under constant threat,” wrote Adams. “Despite intense harassment by the British Army and RUC, and sectarian threats from unionist death squads, the Black Taxis, under Jim’s leadership, continued to provide an essential public service.” Over 20 years, Unionist death squads killed eight Black Taxi drivers. But Jim refused to be intimidated. Jim was charged and later acquitted of involvement in the killing of two British army corporals after they

drove into mourners at a Black Taxi driver’s funeral in 1988. In his autobiography “It’s been worth it” Jim highlighted his role pioneering the revolutionary transport system. Jim Donovan, MUA National Veterans Secretary first met Neeson 25 years ago. “Jim was such a quintessential bloke,” he recalls. “He never boasted about anything. He raised hundreds and thousands of dollars for the cause. He had great support here. He commanded an enormous following.” Donovan recalls Jim bringing Gerry Adams to Australia twice. “We held big meetings for him here – one filled the Sydney racecourse,” he said. On behalf of the MUA, Paddy Crumlin sent his deepest sympathies to Jim Neeson’s family, friends and comrades.

Arild spent several years on the Accolade II before discovering he had cancer in the liver and kidneys. He retired in 2000 and had successful surgery. However, he suffered for many years and in 2019 found that cancer had returned to his liver. After chemo Arild got very sick and passed away from organ shutdown at Flinders Medical Centre in South Australia on December 31, 2019. His passion was always the sea and he will be sorely missed by family and friends. RIP. Your loving son, David Stolpnes MUA number 6000621

Good weather, good waves and good crowd for the 2020 MUA annual surf comp

Peter Hayes took out the Comrades’ Cup longboard championship, his 2nd event win, at the MUA’s Working Waves surf championships held at Soldiers’ Beach, on the NSW Central Coast, on 28 February. Brett McPherson won the Comrade’s Cup.

78 www.mua.org.au

The event drew a record crowd of around 100 maritime workers, family and friends, including 50 competitors from Brisbane, Newcastle, Port Kembla, Port Macquarie and Sydney. “It went really well,” said co-ordinator Ryan Smith. ”The weather was perfect, the waves were good enough and we had a good turnout.” Ryan said the event was not just about surfing, but also the camaraderie of members, past and present, coming along. “We wanted it to be like a rally or protest, with everyone coming together in solidarity,” he said. “We had the older generation there educating the younger generations. The event had a back story built into the competition. It was not just about surfing.” The aim, he said, was to make the event family friendly and have women part of the surf comp. “There’s heaps of women surfers out there, we really want them to compete next time,” he said. Over time, Ryan would like to include other unions, especially other divisions of the CFMMEU.

MEN’S OPEN

•

1ST - Peter Heyes 2ND - Nick Wallace 3RD - Sean McCaffrey

OVER 45S 1ST - Mick Lown 2ND - Andrew Johnson 3RD - Con Paras

•

LONGBOARD 1ST - Kurt Martinov 2ND - Richardo 3RD - Scott Hilton

•

www.mua.org.au

IN H O N O U R O F DANNY

The 25th anniversary of Working Waves was held in memory of Danny Partridge, who died tragically after an accident in Thailand last year. “It was a very special eve nt for the Newcastle membership ,” Ryan said. “Danny Partridge was a 2nd generation MUA member and a pro ud member of the Newcastle Lines operatio ns.” Danny became an MUA member in May of 2012 and took part in every Working Waves until his last in 20 19 when he took out the Longboard Cham pion prize. “Over the years Danny als o played a huge role as a bus driver for some of the Newcastle members so that everyone he knew could participate and celebrate without worry. “He was selfless with his time and generous to those close to him. Da nny played a much greater role than he kn ew.”

ROCKHEAD RELAY team rally in memory of Mark Holland was won by Newcastle Branch: Adam Paris, Mitch Williams and Ben Reece COMRADES CUP RUN, Swim, Run event: Brett McPherson. Brett also won the MARITIME SUPER LUCKY DOOR PRIZE – a Steele Lewis Designs retro twin fin board. Winner of the SAM EGAN RETRO FLYER SURFBOARD raffle was the original first-ever Working Waves winner, Bounce McKean. Local Shaper Sam Egan made up all specialty trophies for first place winners. Raffle surfboards were shaped by Sam Egan and Steele Lewis from SLD in Newcastle. Sponsors for this year’s event were Unity Bank, Maritime Super and Sanbah Surf. 79

BIG RACE Port Botany wharfie Naomi Cain was the first indigenous woman to sail the Sydney to Hobart yacht race

“I don’t know if it was a mix of brave or crazy,” Naomi Cain said. “But how could I pass up an opportunity to be the first indigenous woman to be part of the first indigenous crew to sail the Sydney to Hobart? It’s history, it’s an honour and it’s a huge privilege.” It was the second sailing to Hobart for the Tribal Warrior, owned by the Tribal Warrior Aboriginal Corporation to run Aboriginal cultural cruises on Sydney Harbour. But 2018 was just a trial run. A friend of Naomi’s, Helen Condie, had sailed with the crew. They asked her if she knew any indigenous females who might be interested, and Helen put Naomi forward. “The guys back at the Port Botany wharves were all very supportive,” Naomi said. “A lot of them sent me videos of 20-foot and 60-foot waves with, ‘This is what the Sydney to Hobart is going to be like.’ All in jest. All wishing me the best and hoping I get there safely. Good on you fellows at DP. Thanks for you for support.” Naomi is a Gomeroi woman and descendant of Queenie Cain, land rights activist and indigenous leader. Naomi was keen to make some history too, but with just weeks to get her sea legs it was a big call. “I asked my son. He said, ‘Mum there’s nothing you can’t set your mind to do’.” “I was extremely nervous, I couldn’t eat my Christmas lunch,” she said. “But I woke up the next morning,

game face on, ready to go. I had a really experienced crew behind me, so I knew I was gonna be safe.” The yacht changed tack to head closer to the coast down past Yarra Bay and La Perouse for a traditional send off. “First Nations people were lighting fires along the coast, doing smoking ceremonies,” she said. “It was amazing.” It was not all plain sailing. The first couple of days was easy. Then a storm hit. “I looked at the navigation and it looked like we were on our way to New Zealand,” she said. “A massive storm was coming in. “I hoped it wasn’t going to hit on my shift. But it did – hail, rain and lightning lit up the sky. The reception in Hobart was big. “Thousands of people were cheering us,” she said. “I cried. We had a traditional welcome dance. People I’d never met before kissed and hugged me, saying how proud they were.” Naomi gave special thanks to Sydney Branch Secretary Paul McAleer and all the MUA branches all over Australia for coming up with the sponsorship that enabled the Tribal Warrior to participate in the race. “Without their support this wouldn’t have been possible. Thank you from the bottom of my heart comrades,” she said.