PERTH: A campaign by mining giant Hamersley Iron (a subsidiary of CRA) to smash the West Australian branch of the Electrical Trades Union* is rapidly collapsing. Hamersley initiated a $70 - $100 million legal action for damages against the union for opposing the introduction of scab labour in 1992-93. Hamersley has been a closed shop since 1969 and has lost all battles over union membership since that time. This looks set to continue, despite the behaviour of some union officials who tried to ignore the whole thing.
Union branch secretary Bill Game told Militant that, 'We have had almost no support from other unions, the Trades Hall Council or the ACTU in relation to this battle. We have had to prepare all our material ourselves and while we have offered the movement briefings on where we are at, nobody seems interested or concerned...and yet despite all the efforts of the company, their scabs, their high-priced lawyers and now a sympathetic government, we will win.'
In a bizarre twist, the scabs themselves are now suing Hamersley for failing to protect them from union action! When the scabs had served their purpose they were abandoned by the company.
Initially a Jehovah's Witness working on site claimed that he couldn't join a union on religious grounds and the union has evidence that he was encouraged by the company to find 'fellow travellers' who would serve its union busting operation.
A strike which began at Mt Tom Price quickly spread throughout the industry and the key scab was removed from site while the troubles ran their course. The union now has affidavits from scabs and other workers which indicate that there was a conspiracy aimed at the ETU leadership in particular. Minutes of meetings between the company and their lawyers indicate that they expected to deal with the union with the help of a 'friendly bench'. The aim was to wipe out the union in WA.
A dozen scabs were dredged up and the battle commenced. Hamersley's battle plans included sending a delegation to Japan to ensure that there would be no problems from buyers of their iron ore.
The union has accumulated a mountain of evidence that shows collusion between lawyers for the company and witnesses and separate charges are being prepared against lawyers involved in misconduct. As the case goes to appeal the union is confident of success.
The Hamersley general manager was recently sacked and lawyers retained by the union are convinced that their case is watertight.
* The ETU is a branch of the CEPU conglomerate.