Liam Mitchell
Tens of thousands of trade unionists participated in rallies in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane on September 15 to demand that the James Hardie company, which dominated the Australian market for asbestos products throughout the 20th century, pay full compensation to victims of asbestos-related diseases.
The rallies coincided with a "shareholders' information" meeting at Sydney's Darling Harbour convention centre. Most of the company's shareholders live in Australia. But in a bid to avoid having to pay out billions of dollars of compensation to victims of its asbestos products, James Hardie moved its nominal headquarters to a small office in the Netherlands in 2001. A formal annual general meeting was held in Amsterdam two days after the Sydney "shareholders' information" meeting.
In Sydney, 5000 unionists marched to a rally outside the Darling Harbour convention centre. Speakers at the rally included Bernie Banton, acting president of the Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia, who thanked the participants and unions for their support for sufferers.
Paul Bastian, NSW secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), told those attending: "We want three things — one, compensation for the victims; two, James Hardie to give funds to a public education campaign [saying] that one asbestos fibre can kill; three, the CEO, Peter Macdonald, to resign or be thrown out."
Construction, Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) NSW secretary Andrew Ferguson said: "It's not just the corporations. The government knew about the deadly effects of asbestos, but didn't ban it until massive union action. The kind of democracy we want is not of the politicians, but workers' and unions' control."
Maritime Union of Australia NSW secretary Robert Coombs told the crowd that there was a double standard in the law. While companies like James Hardie could legally get away with killing workers, when unionists take industrial action to defend their health and livelihoods they "are persecuted, brought up before the courts, even jailed".
Tony Iltis reports from Melbourne that 15,000 workers, mainly from construction unions, marched on the Melbourne Stock Exchange to protest against James Hardie's actions.
Addressing the marchers as they assembled at Trades Hall, CFMEU Victorian secretary Martin Kingham described James Hardie's actions as "the biggest corporate crime in history". He reminded the crowd that James Hardie had known about the deadly effects of asbestos since the 1950s but continued making asbestos products until 1985.
Kingham also pointed out that former AMWU Victorian secretary Craig Johnston was unable to be at the rally because he has become a political prisoner, being jailed for nine months for his involvement in industrial action to defend workers' jobs. Kingham's remarks were greeted by loud chants of: "Craig Johnston, here to stay!"
The unionists marched to a rally outside the stock exchange.
Jane Staley, of the Asbestos Diseases Society, told the rally: "Our message to James Hardie is: You cannot reap profits at the expense of human lives! If the directors of James Hardie don't voluntarily do the right thing we will make them!"
Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Leigh Hubbard said that asbestos-related illnesses caused by the company would kill 40,000 to 60,000 Australians in the next few decades. He explained that the company had offered to bring its assets back to Australia if state governments capped compensation payments. "We have a message to that", he said, "No! Don't give in to blackmail! Bring back the money, no strings attached!"
Hubbard called on the federal government to sign a treaty with the Netherlands that would allow reciprocal compensation obligations for corporations in the two countries.
Bill Mason reports from Brisbane that about 2000 unionists, mostly construction workers, and victims of asbestos-related disease rallied in the Roma Street Forum.
"The way they've restructured the company will leave a shortfall for victims and the rally was to call on James Hardie to do the right thing for the people left with death sentences around Australia", Queensland Council of Unions assistant general secretary Chris Barrett told the rally.
Former building construction supervisor Bill Read, who was diagnosed with mesothelioma 13 months ago, said: "I did not even pick up a hammer. I did not pick up a tool. I just walked on to the sites when they were using sheeting for internal and external cladding on homes."
From Green Left Weekly, September 22, 2004.
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