Who's for waterfront reform?
Recently, I had an opportunity to catch up with some professional stevedores at a city wine bar, whose name and location, for the moment, must remain a secret.
They were not your standard blue-singlet-type docker, not "wharfies" in the traditional sense of the term, but men of mature outlook and experience.
The illogical enthusiasm and language one usually associates with primitive trade unionism failed to visit our conversation. Indeed, we had a jolly time, mainly because we all shared the same, or similar, outlook on the question of waterfront reform.
How the hell are youse? I said. Still workin' the port?
We are, they said.
Still loadin' them ships?
Still loading.
Still the ones driving reform?
Still the ones.
You know, it makes me so glad to hear it. You're a great bunch of Aussies, you know that, a great bunch. I mean it. You should be real proud of yourselves. Despite all that abuse and the name calling, despite them yelling out ... what's that they say?
Scabs. Yeah. Despite what they say, you're a great bunch of Aussies. With the union reckoning 15 containers per hour was the limit, you're loading ... ?
Three.
Right. Three. Well, you're new on the job, aren't you? Give it time, eh? But the main thing is the progress we're making. We're reforming the waterfront. And the key aspect of that is —
Smashing the union
— increasing productivity. That's the ticket. Gettin' the product from A to B cheaply and quickly. Who could fail to support such a lofty ideal? There's hardly a man or woman alive who isn't on your side. Australians one and all are saying, "Reform, we want it!".
We want it.
Of course you do. You want the jobs that will follow. The prosperity. And it's all ours just as soon as we defeat the archaic work practices that now cripple and enslave us. Because in our way stands —
The trade unions.
— a culture of bludging, of overtime, which this dispute has highlighted so well. And the essence of productivity reform is —
Lower wages. Longer working hours.
Who said that? Come on. Own up. We're as one here. Reformers all. Don't go dumb on me. It's not that, is it? The essence of productivity is ... is ... anyone?
An end to the power of the trade union movement.
That's the ticket. Union power is what stands between us and reform, between us and more jobs, between us and prosperity — and it always has. So what do we say? What do the scabs have to say?
Waterfront reform — we're for it!"
Sure we are.
By Dave Riley