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Correspondence
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Spring 2002
RUSTY HOOK GOES INTERNATIONAL
From TONY ADCOCK Kiama, Australia:
"Dear Friends,
Many thanks for the copy of the RUSTY HOOK & for
your kindness in responding to Robert McEllrath's request that retired
ILWU branches make contact with us here.
We had great pleasure in being part of the welcoming
group of Port Kembla members and retirees to the ILWU delegation that
visited Australia last April. Also having the opportunity to personally
thank Robert & Co. for the marvelous demonstration of international
solidarity displayed by our union during the horrors of the M.U.A./Patricks
dispute. The blacklisting of the vessel, Columbus Canada was one of the
finest points of our people winning the dispute. The dispute, as you may
well know, our organization was and still is severely wounded by that
struggle.
I have distributed copies of your fine bulletin,
sending one each to the Ports of Sydney and Newcastle (N.S.D.) Our branch
here in Kembla, although quite small, showed much interest in the
publication & it caused much discussion.
A similar threat of privatization of ports around the
coast is being tried and contained within. The plans are to abolish our
long established rights to claim the work in part of the sea-going &
and certainly the shore based areas.
Our last meeting also expressed much sorrow over the 11
th Sept. incidents & join with you in your grief. We also pledge to
work for world peace & a solution around this and other issues, which
exist around the globe.
We have a Federal election coming up on the 10th of
November, 01 & most of us, if not all, are working and hoping for a
change in the government.
As you may know our current leaders are there under the
title of Liberal Party, but nothing could be further from the truth, in
working class terms. So we will be doing our best to install the Labour
Party. It will be no easy task.
Again thank you for the bulletin. We hope we can keep up the contact.
Our people here around this industry have always held much respect for
Harry Bridges and the ILWU.
Some of us remember correspondence from your member
JERRY TYLER, who used to send articles to the Maritime Journal. Please
extend our best wishes for an early recovery for his health.
Best wishes to you all for 2002.
Warmest greetings from Port Kembla retirees.
Yours, TONY ADCOCK
(President, P.K.R. Association)
Brother ADCOCK also sent us a very interesting copy of
the recent issue of Australia's National Maritime Union Journal. Thanks,
TONY
We wish we could reply to TONY's very interesting,
friendly and informative letter, but our space is much more limited than
we would like. However, if the brothers in Port Sydney and Newcastle would
like to receive the RUSTY HOOK we would be glad to put them on our mailing
list. Let us know.
Finally, we may be calling on your National Maritime Union for some
real international solidarity in our coming struggle against the Pacific
Maritime Association's threat to lock us out if we don't agree to their
anti-union demands. This issue of the RUSTY HOOK explains the critical
nature of that struggle.
Wish us well!
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