>From the Australian, at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/index.asp?URL=/national/4374791.htm Kelty wades into brawl on wharf By SID MARRIS 6feb99 ACTU secretary Bill Kelty has intervened in a brawl between the Maritime Union of Australia and the Transport Workers Union that threatens to rip open the waterfront peace settlement struck last year. The demarcation battle at the Newcastle dock has re-emerged over transport company Tolls' desire to use its TWU employees to work a berth it leases. The MUA went on strike on Monday after Patrick did not include forklift drivers to work a timber ship at the Tolls dock, the first ship it had received in four months. Tolls and Patrick are considering their legal options over the strike while the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has written to the MUA demanding an explanation. ACCC chairman Professor Allan Fels confirmed this week it was investigating a complaint the MUA had breached undertakings over behaviour on the waterfront secured last year. It is understood Mr Kelty has been negotiating with national officials from both unions to try and secure a compromise. The move comes as the ACTU faces a separate outbreak of demarcation brawls with unions using the Howard Government's laws to poach members despite a policy opposing competitive unionism. Unions, such as the MUA and the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union have allegedly set up bargaining agents to recruit members in outside of the areas they are entitled to work. In response, some right-wing unions such as the Australian Workers Union have attempted to set up rival unions to compete. TWU legal officer Richard Marles described it as a "storm in a tea cup" and said it was rightly in the hands of the ACTU. But he said the TWU would not be backing down from the right of their members to do work in a transport yard where they had been employed for some time. Tolls logistics divisional director Don Telford has warned a planned $30 million expansion was now at risk. The issue is expected to come to a head in three weeks when another timber vessel from the US is due to dock. Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html The Year 2000 Bug - An Urgent Sustainability Issue http://www.peg.apc.org/~psutton/grin-y2k.htm
