Fiji Labour Party 2003 Annual Conference / Annual Delegates Convention

(Posted 25 July 2003, 9.00)

Tony Sheldon - State Secretary
The Transport Workers Union
NSW Branch

i) Opening Remarks

The Party President, Secretary General, Honourable Members of Parliament, Fiji Labour Party Members, Delegates, Officials and supporters it is a great honour and pleasure to be able to address you here today.

I extend to you all, fraternal greetings and support of all members of the Australian Labor Party and the Australian Trade Union Movement.

Before I begin my address, may I first congratulate the Fiji Labour Party for its stupendous victory in the courts in its fight to be included in Cabinet.

This win has the potential to be a momentous victory not just for the Labour Party but for all who believe in the concept of democracy, justice, and fairness for all - irrespective of differing political and ideological belief.

The Qarase government needs to be mindful that his reluctance in not applying the Supreme Court ruling on the multi party cabinet will adversely affect investor confidence, socio economic stability and retard efforts to work on the much needed process of national reconciliation and nation building. Mr Qarase should now seize the opportunity and exhibit the traits required of a national leader in putting the interests of the nation before his own. Fiji can ill afford to have this golden opportunity go to waste.

ii) Interest in Fiji's Political / Union Activism

As some of you may be aware, for the past three years a large number of Australian unions, including my own - the Transport Worker's Union, have taken a particular interest in the events and developments in Fiji.

Much of this interest has arisen from the political upheaval, the threat to the democratic process and the attempt by the incumbent Government to suppress the trade union movement in Fiji since May 2000.

In your ongoing struggle for Peace, Freedom, Justice and Democracy for All Fiji citizens and their families, we have helped where we can.

Like you we will never give up a fight that is just and right!

Your recent success, in last week's decision by the Fiji Supreme Court is testimony to this.

And as I have already made clear, my colleagues and I are committed to doing whatever we can to see that the court's decision is implemented.

iii) Australian Political / Union Struggles

Like you, we in the Australian labour movement also have a strong history and commitment to the struggle for Peace, Freedom, Justice and Democracy.

In fact, the similarities between our respective labour movements are remarkably striking:

• Like your Fiji Labour Party, our equivalent in Australia (the Australian Labor Party) was also born at a meeting of trade unionists committed to fighting for a better, fairer and more just society for all working people, their families and their children.
• Like your Fiji Labour Party, our ALP also enjoyed initial success.
• Where your great Dr. Timoci Bavadra successfully became Fiji's second Prime Minister representing the Labour Party in a Coalition Government back in 1987, our Edward Barton lead the first ever national Labor Government in the world back in 1901.

As we all know all too well, however, just like your recent legal success these early victories were only the start of our ongoing struggles to continually improve the lives of those that we represent - the workers, the farmers, the youths and with no less emphasis the rights of women!

As proven elsewhere, the struggle of the workers, the poor and the farmers in Fiji has nothing to do with race. Rather, it is about the haves and the have-nots.

I note that the current Qarase Government has been condemned by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination all forms of Racial Discrimination for its racially based policies.

May I add that in this day and age, there is no place in this civilised world for racism and racially biased policies.

iv) The Struggle for the Ordinary Person

The price of fighting for the rights of ordinary workers to enjoy the same rights and privileges as those enjoyed by the privileged in society has been met with much resistance by conservative political interests who seek to protect and promote their own self interests ahead of those of the ordinary citizens.

Yet it is this common struggle - for fairness, equity and equality for working people - that binds Labour Parties and trade union movements all over the world.

As the famous American Civil Rights advocate Clarence Darrow once said:

"trade unions have done more for humanity than any other organisation that ever existed. They have done more for decency, for honesty, for education, for the betterment of race…. than any of other association."

In my opinion you could most certainly add Labour Parties in Fiji, Australia and elsewhere to this group of organisations - instrumental in protecting and promoting the rights of working people in tandem with the trade union movement.

In Australia, like many of my colleagues in the Fiji Trade Union movement, my organisation has been pivotal in this fight.

One of my early predecessors in fact, William Morris Hughes - or Billy Hughes as he was known - rose to serve as Australian Prime Minister during the first world war (WWI).

Currently more than 6 TWU members still serve in Australian State and Federal Parliaments.

As you know maintaining this sort of representation is never easy.

Yet it is critically important to the futures and livelihoods of the people we represent.

It is something we cannot afford to do without.

The democratic right to be heard and represented in a free and peaceful parliamentary democracy is too important to give up.

You all know too well, the future of our members, their children and their children's children is what is at stake.

v) Industrial Relations

Like your current struggle, ours too has taken its toll.

In the great strike of the 1917, TWU member Mervyn Flanagan was shot dead by a boss carrying a load of goods into Darling Harbour, Sydney.

Countless others have beaten, bashed and abused fighting for wage justice and their industrial freedom over the years.

Like you and your organisations, however, adversity has only strengthened our resolve.

Even today, - when contrast to the terrible atrocities of two illegal coups and the appalling associated crimes that have been perpetuated on Fiji trade unionists over the past 20 years, Australian unionists live in comparative bliss.

But, we cannot rest on our laurels, as our current Federal Government certainly does not spare any sympathy for the trade union movement.

In its term of office over the past 7 years it has pursued an industrial and political agenda designed to limit and recede the rights of trade unions and place restrictions on their freedoms to collectively bargain in favour of a confrontational, deregulatory, individualist approach designed to serve the interests of big business.

In the TWU's industry - the transport industry - some of the results of the Government's approach are played out in a horrific road toll, which has seen 741 people killed in truck accidents on Australian roads since 1998.

Over 30% of drivers in our long distance trucking industry are also being forced to resort to stimulant abuse just to be able to satisfy the excessive driving hours required of them by bosses.

The suicide rate for male truck drivers is estimated to be as much as 30 times higher than the national average.

In light of these frightening statistics from our industry, I am concerned that your current Government has based much of its proposed reforms to your industrial relations systems on the Australian Workplace Relations Act.

If adopted on its principle clauses, it will spell disaster for working Fijians and their families, particularly the most marginalised and un-organised.

I have no doubt that the Fiji Labour Party and the Fiji Trades Union Congress will strenuously oppose this proposed bill.

Better still, last Friday's decision will hopefully change the dynamics of the proposals.

In spite of our Government's policies I am happy to report that Australian unions are fighting back.

We have not given up.

In the face of the appalling statistics in my industry, how could we?

Our fight is too important.

Whether it is our struggle for 100% protection of workers entitlements or better wages, pay and safety for transport workers - or your unions' struggles to stop the racially motivated exploitation of sugar farmers, garment, airline or hospitality industry workers - none of us can afford to give up the struggle to bridge this inequity and to not correct this injustice.

As the Greek philosopher Plato said centuries ago:

"Imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics."

By adopting a strident organising approach aimed at developing community links, activating our membership over community issues and building networks around right and just causes, I am happy to say that in Australia we are winning.

All of the unions with me here today as part of this Australian delegation, the Health Services Union, the Textile Clothing and Footwear Union, along with the TWU have enjoyed real increases in our membership numbers over the last twelve months.

For the TWU's part, I am proud to say that no small part of our success in the past has come from the strength and solidarity we have drawn from our relationship with the unions in Fiji and the Fiji Labour Party.

At Sydney International Airport, your fight for Peace, Justice, Freedom and Democracy have been a rallying cry for a large part of our aviation industry membership of over 5000 members.

At the airport in fact the relationship between our union and yours go back to a dispute our members were involved with against Qantas in 1978.

Thousands of our members were on strike for a wage increase of $24, having not received a rise in over 6 years.

The courts awarded the $24 increase. Their employer, however - despite agreeing to abide by the courts decision - appealed and got the increase down to $8.

Our members wanted the original $24 increase and were determined to stay out on strike.

The strike went on for weeks and the Australian Prime Minister, then Malcolm Fraser, and leader of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (future Labor Prime Minister, Bob Hawke) sought to intervene.

The TWU made an appeal to international unions for support.

Fiji unionists at the airport took up the call and went out on strike in support.

The then government took draconian action, and jailed five striking Fijian unionists and forced a return to work.

Despite the intervention of the Australian Prime Minister to broker a settlement, our members refused to return to work until their jailed colleagues in Fiji were freed.

Our Government was forced to negotiate their release and our members returned to work with a pay increase.

There is no question from anyone in our organisation that the support, courage and commitment shown by Fiji trade unionists for TWU members back in 1978 made all the difference.

We owe you a debt of gratitude.

And I am proud to say that in your current struggle we have sought to reciprocate some of the support the workers at the Airport in Nadi demonstrated for our members back in 1978.

For us, not only is supporting your cause right.

It is also in our organisations' and our members' interest.

vi) Aviation Security Concerns

Take the airline industry for example.

In response to international security concerns and heightened risk associated with our Government's decision to join the war against Iraq, for the past 18 months the TWU has been campaigning for appropriate improvements in Australian aviation security.

We are seriously concerned about the safety of our members working in the industry and of course members of the general public.

In the past six months, there have been 6 serious security breaches at Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport, including the discovery of a bomb device just prior to Christmas last year.

Most of the check in luggage and all freight on both domestic and international flights into and out of Australia go unchecked and unscreened.

None of the operators at Sydney Airport have introduced appropriate anti-terror induction and safety training for all employees and contractors working at the Airport.

This is an international issue for both of our countries to deal with and address.

It affects all aviation unions and all members of the travelling public.

Your national carrier - Air Pacific - is 46% owned by Qantas and operates regular flights into most major Australian cities.

I understand there is very little scrutiny and check of Air Pacific freight on inbound flights to Australia. In addition, anti terrorist serving personnel are also non-exorbitant on those flights.

In today's international security climate, this is just not good enough.

Immediate improvements are needed in the interests of both of our countries, the safety and security of our members, and our aviation industries.

Following talks with your aviation unions in the coming days, I will be taking up these issues with Qantas, the Sydney Airport Corporation and the Australian Federal Government on my return.

vii) International Terrorism

On another security front, in the wake of the terrible events of September 11 and the atrocities committed on innocent Australian in Bali, our Government has made much of the war on terror and the need for appropriate steps to be taken to reduce the threat to Australians and Australian interests.

Domestically, steps have been taken to increase the powers of security agencies to investigate, question and detain suspected terrorists.

Yet, despite all it's posturing on terrorism and the need for a strident response, the Australia Government's position in relation to Fiji, to date, has been nothing short of appalling.

The democratically elected Chaudhry Government was overthrown by force and the subsequent political turmoil of May 19, 2000 has been internationally recognised as illegal and unconstitutional. The action in dismissing Mr Chaudhry as Prime Minister was again held to be in breach of the constitution as late as a fortnight ago, where the court again reiterated its position that the action of the president in dismissing the Chaudhry government was unconstitutional.

If these are also not international acts of terror and threats to the peace and security of Australians, Australian interests and our region - what is?

And yet, implicated perpetrators and supporters of the May 2000 coup - international terrorists in other words - are being allowed to freely travel between our two countries.

The current information Minister Mr Simione Kaitani (a self confessed seditionist) has even visited Australia as part of Government funded review of the Australian electoral systems. Isn't this hypocrisy of the highest order?

In Mr Kaitani's case, it was only the actions of the Australian union movement and ALP members of Parliament that saw him being given the short shrift and shunned by the Australian Electoral Commission officials. I understand that he also caught an early flight home.

Persons like a prominent Australian garment manufacturer is also of interest to the our union movement and Labour Party, and we will be making representations to the appropriate Australian judicial and law enforcement authorities in relation to his alleged financial support for George Speight at the height of the May 2000 crisis.

Separately, on my return to Australia I will be immediately making representations to our Government, immigration departments and the Australian Federal Police on the movement of alleged terrorists and supporters of between our two countries.

Anyone who has any information is more than welcome to share it with me after the convention.

Similarly, if there are other Australian interests operating in Fiji - like those in the garment and textiles industry - and workers being exploited or their livelihoods, health and safety are being put at risk they may be ways we can help address this situation.
_____________________________________________

viii) Concluding Remarks

Ultimately, our struggles are the same.

Across the international labour movement we are all striving for democracy, freedom, justice and peace.

In Fiji, of course, your fight for democracy is currently at a critical stage.

And by working together, we all have a better chance of success.

To quote your party founder, the great Dr. Timoci Bavadra:

"Our fight is just and fair. We cannot fail. In the end we will prevail."

With these words of inspiration, I conclude my address to this convention.

Thank you.