The Flame That Lit the World

Liverpool Dockers End Dispute
Statement by the Liverpool Dockers Victory Defense Committee
Oakland/San Francisco

January 28, 1998

In a stunning, short statement issued Monday January 26, 1998, Jim Nolan chairman of the Merseyside Port Shop Stewards notified longshore workers and supporters around the world that "the Liverpool Dockworkers decided to call an end to their long running dispute."

The stewards recommended a collective settlement providing a $42,000 buyout and continuity of pensions for those employed by Mersey Docks and Harbour Company. About 80 young dockers employed at Torside and Nelson Freight are not covered by the terms of the agreement. There is no guarantee for job re-instatement for the 500 dockers.

AFTER THE PRIVATIZATI0N OF THE DOCKS IN BRITAIN IN 1989, DOCKWORKERS' UNIONS HAVE BEEN BUSTED IN PORT AFTER PORT.

THERE IS NOW NOT ONE UNION PORT IN BRITAIN WITH A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT SOLIDLY IN PLACE.

LIVERPOOL WAS THE LAST!! SUCH IS THE LEGACY OF 20 YEARS OF TORY AND NOW "NEW LABOUR" GOVERNMENT'S SERVICE TO CAPITAL!!

After nearly 2 1/2 years of waging a militant fight against the company, international shipping conglomerates, the government, and even their own Transport & General union leadership, the Liverpool dockers, perceiving dwindling national and international support, decided to end the strike.

Two Liverpool stewards, Bobby Morton and Tony Nelson, will be making one last West Coast tour to thank ILWU members, supporters and especially Neptune Jade picketers for our solidarity. They will be featured speakers at our February 26 rally in front of PMA headquarters (500 12th St., Oakland) at 8 AM protesting PMA lawsuits against ILWU locals and the Neptune Jade picketers.

The Liverpool dockers will then lead the march to the courthouse (12th and Alice Sts.) site of the 10 AM hearing on our anti-SLAPP motion seeking to dismiss these lawsuits. It is important that all trade unionists, defenders of free speech, students, community and political activists rally in support of the right to demonstrate for international labor solidarity.

Although our brothers in Liverpool have been defeated in a valiant effort, through no fault of their own, they have awakened workers around the world and taught us all a critical lesson: 

"UNITED ACTION THROUGH INTERNATIONAL LABOR SOLIDARITY IS THE ONLY WAY TO CHALLENGE THE POWER OF INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL". If we absorb this lesson it will be a victory for the Liverpool dockers, their shining contribution to the international workers struggle embellished forever in the pages of labor history.

The Liverpool dockers concluded in their January 28 letter to supporters quoting the great Irish trade unionist James Larkin:
"Who is it speaks of defeat? I tell you a cause like ours is greater than defeat can know it. It is the power of powers."

Help build the February 26th rally and march, which precedes a hearing on a motion filed under provisions of California's Anti-SLAPP Suit (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) law to remove the name of one of the defendants from the PMA suit. If successful, the motion could lead to dismissal of the suit itself.

The PMA suit seeks damages from those who picketed the Neptune Jade as a result of losses suffered during the days when the ship sat in its berth in Oakland, ultimately leaving port with its cargo still on board. An injunction sought by the PMA requires longshoremen to cross picket lines at that berth.

Furthermore, the employers are seeking to require each defendant to name every other demonstrator (so they too can be sued), identify every organization involved (ditto!), AND for each to reveal all of their current and past union and political affiliations.

This McCarthyite witch-hunt is intended to intimidate and harass those who picketed, but also to discourage similar solidarity efforts in the future.

The defeat of this lawsuit is in the interests of every trade unionist, every civil libertarian, and everyone who understands the importance of the right to picket and to organize international solidarity.

The dispute in Liverpool has ended, but the struggle to defend labor's rights continues. A large turnout on February 26 will send a message to the employers here and around the world that Bay Area labor will not be intimidated and that the flame of international solidarity, lit by the Liverpool dockers, continues to burn as bright as ever.