Miscellaneous
The shipping industry and conservative governments have been systematically manipulating laws so that bosses can fire their MUA seafarers, and directly employ non-union seafarers from south-east Asia. These seafarers are forced by the extreme poverty characterising the region to take these jobs, working the Australian coast. As a result, hundreds of MUA seafarers have been forced out of work by successive governments working with shipping industry bosses to slash wages by up to 98%. MUA Seafarers, wharfies and other maritime workers have been fighting like hell to prevent the shipping industry bosses smashing the union out of the industry. In this two-part Radio Stingray special we discuss the different tactics that the MUA has taken up in the fight for the future of union seafarers on the Australian Coast. In Part 1. we hear from Penny Howard, the MUA National Policy Officer, and WA Assistant Branch Secretary Danny Cain about the massive wind power stations proposed for the Australian southern coast. If they go ahead, these power stations will guarantee hundreds of jobs for maritime workers for decades. Even more importantly, this is a concrete, immediate way that union workers can stand in solidarity with the working class of the Pacific already suffering from devastating climate change, be a part of fighting the climate emergency, and building a future beyond coal.