out: ON ON THE COURTS he didn't mention was that Patrick had syphoned off £68.1 million from the ports last September. Peter Reith, the Industrial Relations minister has said that the government supports the company's 'right to introduce reform' and has called on unions not to 'over-react' and to examine the company's 'generous' redundancy package.
The dispute is now widely seen across as the government's attempt to break the most militant section of the trade union movement, in the same way that Thatcher took on the British miners. At the start of the dispute public •AS LONGAS support for.
HE GOV'T STEPS IN WHEN NEEDED the wharfies was around 20%, this has now increased to over 60%. The police union, itself in dispute with the government, initially threatened to refuse to intervene on behalf of the bosses until the government stepped in and insisted they try to break the picket lines.
In the most important port in Melbourne, hundreds of police moved to break the picket line on the morning of 17 April. 1,500 building workers immediately downed tools and marched to the port on hearing this, effectively surrounding the police - who promptly retreated.
The ruling class in Australia is Australia being thrown into dissaray by the dispute. Government ministers have turned up on the picket line to show their support for the wharfies. The federal court granted an injunction against the sacking of the wharfies which, as we go to press has been given a stay of execution as Patrick appeals to the high court. The Australian government has legal teams on standby in Britain and Australia in an attempt to block international solidarity action in support of the dockers. Already dockers in San Francisco have protested to the consular officials and organised a blockade of the Australian Consulate, and Japanese waterfront unions have expressed their support.
Australian Confederation of Trade Unions ACTU officials have warned of a titanic struggle if the sackings go ahead and the Australian Workers Union has threatened a national oil-industry strike in their support. It is clear that the outcome of the dispute will have an enormous impact on the future of organised labour throughout Australia and internationally. Support and solidarity must be organised throughout the labour movement in defence of the wharfies heroic struggle. • The Maritime Union of Australia can be contacted at 46 Ireland Street, West Melbourne, -Victoria 3003, Australia Fax: 9328 1682.
This attack was seen as the