Waterfront dispute 10th anniversary

Date: 04 April 2008

Today Stevedores on the Fremantle docks will stop work for two hours and march through the streets to mark the tenth anniversary of the iconic Patrick waterfront dispute.

Hundreds of community members are expected to join the rally including MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin, WA branch secretary Chris Cain and local Member for Fremantle Melissa Parke.

"Ten years ago the Howard Government conspired with Patrick boss Chris Corrigan to sack 2000 Australian workers and replace them an overseas-trained scab workforce," said Mr Crumlin.

"Security guards in balaclavas with dogs were hired to pull workers off the job and lock them out their workplace simply for being members of a union."

Mr Crumlin says the Fremantle picket was particularly brutal because of the policies of the anti-union Court Liberal Government but the community remained strong.

"Here in Freo, thousands of local people came out and supported the MUA and these workers in their struggle," said Mr Crumlin who in 1998 ran the Fremantle picket.

"They brought food and supplies and more importantly, stood side by side the Patrick workforce.

"The extent of the Howard Government's involvement in the conspiracy to sack and replace the union workforce remains untold to this day.

"The MUA will continue to attempt to uncover the truth and hold the Howard Government to account for their disgraceful and illegal attack on ordinary Australian workers."

The march will begin at 2:00pm at The Esplanade and proceed through Fremantle, then returning to the Union Hall.

Hundreds march to commemorate tenth anniversary of Waterfront dispute

For further information

Contact:	Paddy Crumlin
Union:	MUA
Contact Mobile:	0418 379 660
Email:	muano@mua.org.au
WWW:	http://mua.org.au/

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