Touch One, Touch All premiered
By Margaret Perrott
WOLLONGONG — On October 21, 50 people attended the launch of the new film by Peter Ewer, Touch One, Touch All, about government attacks on unionists in the Illawarra. The film draws parallels between the current legal case against painter and dockers union ex-official Eric Wicker and the attack on unionists Fred Lowden and James McInerney during the 1917 coal strike.
The film was introduced by John Rainford, Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union organiser and chair of the Eric Wicker Defence Committee. Rainford explained that Wicker had been caught up in a dispute which has been going on since 1946 — the right of Australian workers to work on foreign-owned ships in Australian ports.
The notorious Illawarra Mercury first alleged that Wicker and prominent unionist Stan Woodbury had "demanded money with menaces" in 1991. There was no investigation by police until after Woodbury's death in 1993, and the case did not proceed until 1995.
Further moves against Wicker occurred at the same time as federal industrial relations minister Peter Reith and Patrick Stevedores boss Chris Corrigan were plotting this year's assault on the Maritime Union of Australia.
The film features Wendy Bacon, who explains that the 1982 Costigan royal commission did not reveal any malpractices by waterfront workers but rebounded on the government by turning into an investigation of company tax evasion by shipping companies.
Touch One, Touch All also surveys the militancy of Illawarra workers from 1917 to today. Footage from the 1998 Wollongong May Day shows several thousand people gathered in the pouring rain to support the MUA.
People are urged to demonstrate outside the Wollongong Court House on Monday, November 9, 10am, when Eric Wicker goes to court.
[More on the Eric Wicker case, page 14.]