US Protests Australian Waterfront Sackings
South News
April 9, 1998

San Francisco: Seven American union workers have been arrested after blocking the entrance to the Australian Consulate in a protest against the sacking of the wharfies in Australia. The San Francisco-based International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) is the latest international organisation to support the sacked workers from Patrick stevedores in Australia.

A delegation from the ILWU met with a consulate representative in San Francisco, and delivered a demand for the Australian wharfies to be re-instated. The American unionists then blockaded the front door of the consulate before the police were called. The arrested unionists, including the ILWU president Brian McWilliams, have been charged with trespassing.

Mr. Price says further industrial action in support of the Australian workers is expected. In a dramatic move on April 7, anti-union employers Patrick Stevedores announced that they were sacking their entire waterfront workforce of 2100 workers after negotiations over new working practices broke down. The ICFTU is calling for international solidarity from unions worldwide and is alerting its Human and Trade Union Rights Committee to the situation.