Message from Irish Port Workers Liaison Group to the Brighton Conference

4 July 1997

On behalf of the Irish Port Workers Liaison Group—meeting which was held on Friday, 4 July 1997

Dear sisters and brothers,

We send our warmest and camaraderie greetings of solidarity to THE GENERAL SECRETARY, THE GENERAL EXECUITVE AND ALL DELEGATES TO THE BRIGHTON CONFERENCE.

At a meeting held in Dublin on Friday, 4 July, the Irish Port Workers Liaison Group came out in full support of the Liverpool Dockers and fully supported their fight to retain their jobs within the Port of Liverpool.

The Liaison Group of Irish Port Workers believe that the objectives of the Liverpool Dockers is simply that of all Dock workers around the world. The Group were of the opinion that the Brighton Conference should encourage and welcome the plan agreed in Montreal for industrial action to be taken against the shipping lines continuing to call in Liverpool, and that the Unions should use their influence in conjunction with the ITF to help in developing the co-ordination of all of the global supportive actions against Mersey Docks, in order to support the return to work of the Liverpool Dockers and in holding their conditions of employment within Liverpool.

All Union delegates and indeed union members are requested to play whatever part they can in participating in the actions as proposed by the Montreal Conference.

The Irish Port Workers Liaison Group is also requesting on behalf of the Liverpool Dockers that all Unions use whatever influence possible on the Labour Government to conclude a Parliamentary Enquiry into the Mersey Docks' behaviour and its use of public funds.

The Liaison Group, on hearing the plight of the Liverpool Dockers were aghast that Port Workers could be held out of their jobs/employment for more than twenty two months LITERALLY STARVING WORKERS OUT OF EXISTENCE, for nothing more than adhering to the principles of Trade Unionism, BY NOT PASSING THE PICKET LINE IN SUPPORT OF THEIR COMRADES.

Signed on behalf of the Liaison Group

Michael Corcoran, Marine Port and General Workers Union
Harry Redmond, Marine Port and General Workers Union
Tony McGauley, Marine Port and General Workers Union
Jimmy Homan, SIPTU
John Finnie, SIPTU
Christy Cullen, SIPTU
Kevin Penders, ATGWU
Jacko Smith, ATGWU