Australian Waterfront Dispute of 1998: 'Scabs' sticker stuck to non-union bus window
Photographer
Jeremy Piper
Date1998
Object number00003027
NamePhotograph
MediumSilver gelatin print
DimensionsOverall: 305 x 405 mm, 0.034 kg
Image: 215 x 300 mm
Display Dimensions: 305 x 405 mm
Image: 215 x 300 mm
Display Dimensions: 305 x 405 mm
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionThis photograph taken by Jeremy Piper in 1998 was taken of a bus carrying non-union workers into Patrick Stevedore's terminal at Port Botany early in the Maritime Union waterfront dispute at Port Botany. Unionists stuck the label 'Scabs' on the window of the curtained bus.HistoryThe maritime dispute began in September 1997 with a failed attempt by US mining company Freeport McMoran to use non-union labour in the port of Cairns. It was followed by an aborted attempt in December 1997 to train a non-union, waterfront labour force in Dubai. That attempt was followed on 28 January 1998 by Patrick Stevedores leasing Webb Dock in Melbourne to the National Farmers Federation's P&C Stevedores to train non-union labour. On 7 April 1998 Patrick Stevedores dismissed all union members on its wharves and contracted P&C Stevedores to replace them. The Maritime Union of Australia picketed Patrick's wharves around Australia and sough injunctions against their dismissals. A series of court cases resulted in MUA members being reinstated. Redundancies and new work practices were then negotiated.
The issues continued with dissatisfaction amongst Sydney wharfies with new work practices, moves by P&O to introduce similar work practices and a continuing view within the Commonwealth Government that the MUA are an obstacle to the changes it wants.
Jeremy Piper worked on the picket at Port Botany for about five weeks from 9 April 1998. He was doing free-lance work for The Australian newspaper, working eight hour shifts. However, he developed a strong interest in the dispute and worked well beyond that time taking photographs for himself. Piper spent 40 percent of his time working for the newspaper and 60 percent of his time as an individual on the picket line.SignificanceThe 1997-98 maritime dispute was one of the bitterest dispute in the history of the waterfront and it threatened the survival of the Maritime Union.
