International university unions conference backs wharfies
11 February 1998
(ICUTO delegates at Webb Dock in Melbourne supporting the MUA)
The International Conference of University Teacher Organisations (ICUTO) has voted unanimous support to the Maritime Union in the current dispute on the Australian waterfront.
Forty delegates representing 20 higher education unions in 16 countries are meeting in Melbourne to discuss issues of international concern, including cutbacks in funding for higher education, the use of market forces in education, and attacks on the rights of university staff.
The Conference today suspended its planned agenda to consider the waterfront dispute. After hearing a report from Australia’s National Tertiary Education Union the Conference unanimously adopted the following resolution:
The delegates of International Conference of University Teacher Organisations (ICUTO), consisting of organisations representing university staff in 16 countries (USA, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Namibia, Norway, South Africa, France, Poland, Sweden, Finland and Australia) are meeting in Melbourne, Australia in February 1998 - in the midst of a major dispute in the Australian wharves (docks).
The meeting notes that the dispute has been initiated entirely by government and corporate forces which seek to deny employees the right to organise collectively through unions, to protect their conditions of employment.
This meeting of ICUTO notes that this attack on the rights of organised labour forms part of a global pattern of stripping-back the entitlements of employees, in a drive to increase \"competitiveness\" in an increasingly globalised economy.
As such, delegates to ICUTO recognise that the need for solidarity must now extend beyond national borders and among different industries.
Therefore, ICUTO expresses full solidarity with the Maritime Union of Australia and resolves to attend the picket of the Webb dock in Melbourne on Wednesday 4 February 1998.
Spokesperson Norman Swenson, President of the Cook County College Teachers’ Union of Chicago, Illinois (and representing the American Federation of Teachers) said at the conclusion of the debate:
\"Many people would see University staff having very little in common with Australian wharfies. However, all the delegates to the conference recognised the familiar pattern - breaking up collective organisation of employees as a prelude to cutting conditions of employment. The time has come when employees from all industries, and across national borders, must express their support for all workers under attack\".
A delegation of eight representatives from the ICUTO Conference will be attending the Webb Dock at 12.00pm on Wednesday 4 February to express that support. They are:
Trond Eskeland (Norway)
Rachel Hendrickson (USA)
Norman Swenson (USA)
Joyce Lorimer (Canada)
Elago T Elago (Namibia)
Katsuhiko Nonaka (Japan)
David Triesman (UK)
Rob Crozier (New Zealand)
Carolyn Allport (Australia)