---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 2 Sep 1997 22:19:20 GMT From: LabourNet <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: Forum on Labor in the Global Economy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: ILWU Local 40 to TUC re: Liverpool From: ILWU Local 40 (Supercargoes and Clerks Union) 2401 N.W. Twenty-Third Ave. Portland, Oregon To: Mr. John Monks TUC General Secretary Great Russell St. London WC1B 3LS England August 29 1997 Dear Brother Monks: As trade unionists, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union has strong beliefs about what it is to belong to a Union. I can tell you that my nearly thirty years of learning what that means is engrained into my soul. There is only one voice for the working class in this world and that is the voice of the trade unionist. Our countries fought for peace together. The people of Great Britain and the United States supported decades of military actions in the name of "freedom" and "honor". That's why most of us went to war. I fought for "freedom" in Viet Nam. We rallied around our flags and many working class soldiers perished for "freedom" and "glory" together. Our two countries were very successful. We beat the communists and socialists and all those other "ists". The world is safe now. We are all free! Free of what? Globalization, Privatization and Casualization replaced the oppressions of the past. We traded "ists" for "izations". These have become the battle cries of the New World Order. Freedom meant the ability of the World Trade Organization, supported by the World Court and the World Bank (not under any national laws) to force compliance with the New World Order, the order of the New World capitalists. Their battle cry is world wide domination by controlling capital to force nations to relinquish their sovereignty and to eliminate impediments to free trade. They don't mean competitive trade they mean free trade. Free of any control or encumbrance such as Customs duty, quotas, filing of documents, labor schemes and contracts, no work holiday schedules, environmental restrictions and any local governmental control, not only in shipping but also in all aspects of commerce and banking. I only write to explain that the U.S. West Coast Longshore Union is and has been in this fight for some time and in some cases back to the 1930's. The issues relative to the Liverpool Dockers are critical to the survival of all Maritime Unions of the world. That is why so many Unions from so many countries are involved with the welfare of the Liverpool Dockers. We all know how important their victory is. At our recently held "Presidents Meeting" in San Francisco, California, August 26, 1997, support for the Dockers was unanimous. We made a commitment to step up our support for our Brothers and Sisters in Liverpool. Our motto is "An Injury to One is an Injury to All". That means to all workers. We understand some of the reasons that people in Great Britain do not officially assist in the labor action against Mersey Docks. We don't understand all of the reasons, and we are not going to judge other trade unionists on their level of support for their fellow Brothers and sisters. What I can do is assure you that the International Longshore and Warehouse Union will not let actions or inactions interfere with the support that we are sworn to give by our Union Oath. We have an absolute commitment when workers are harmed. We all speak English (mine isn't so good), and I can tell you that there are no English words that have been invented to describe the feeling that we have for the plight of the Liverpool Dockers! We ask that you convene an emergency debate on the Liverpool dispute in light of the worldwide actions slated for September 8, 1997. This fight isn't simply about 500 Dockers and their families that have suffered. It is a fight for Dockers and workers all over the world so that they too will not suffer. We must be a voice for the working class, not an alter ego of the capitalists that make decisions based only on profits and disregard the rights and needs of people. We call on you to ask for the Dockers reinstatement to their jobs and the removal of the "scabs" from the Port of Liverpool. We also ask that you join the international community of trade unionists in supporting the Dockers as most of the nations of the world have done. We appeal to you to increase your support for your countrymen. Victory to the Liverpool Dockers. In Brotherhood and unity, Donald R. Holzman Secretary-Treasurer/Business Agent ILWU Local 40
