On 10/5/97, at 10:35 PM, TJ Baker <lotta_continua@hotmail.com wrote:
The Province October 5, 1997 Page A3
Protesters turn 'scab' ship away
By Christina Montgomery Waterfront Reporter
Labor activists quickly chased a freighter they had branded a "scab ship" out of Vancouver waters yesterday.
The group was angry that the Singapore-registered Neptune Jade - loaded with containers in England by non-union longshoremen - was attempting to dock in the port of Vancouver after being chased from ports along the U.S. coast by similar labor protests.
About 30 people gathered in the driving, early-morning rain to hoist soggy picket signs along a line at the entrance to the Vanterm docks in Vancouver.
Longshoremen arriving shortly afterward refused to cross the line and, after hasty negotiations in the Vanterm offices, departed.
By early afternoon, the Neptune Jade had set sail for the Japanese port city of Okayama, its reported cargo of seven containers still aboard.
The protest is part of an international campaign to support 500 British longshoremen fired in a dispute two years ago for refusing to cross a Liverpool picket line.
Supporters attempt to target ships like the Neptune Jade that are loaded at, among others, non-union docks in London.
Organizers of yesterday's protest said the Neptune Jade "is a scab ship filled by scab labor and we're stopping it."
A similar picket line immobilized the Neptune Jade for three days last week in Oakland, Calif.
Longshoremen there successfully fought an injunction sought by Hapag, the vessel's owner, in a bid to force them to unload the ship. It left Oakland last Wednesday.
Rick Rondpre, president of local 500 of the longshoremen's union, said yesterday he was "disappointed they tried an end run into Vancouver.
"And we were not about to cross that picket line," he said.
Neither Hapag nor Norton Lilly, the ship's agent, could be reached for comment.
**** CBC radio news also carried coverage of the picket on Sunday morning.
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This poem was written by a Liverpool docker who wishes to remain anonymous (no wonder!!)
On 10/6/97, at 11:52 AM, dockers@gn.apc.org <dockers@gn.apc.org wrote:
Ballad of the Neptune Jade
Sailed into Oakland on a Sunday morn Moored at the dockside blowin her horn But the Captain's lookin a bit forlorn There's a picket of the Neptune Jade
The company say we gotta cross the line Took us to the courtroom 4 more times Singing "time is money and the money's all mine So get them boxes movin"
Midnight Tuesday she was in a spin Sailed around the Bay tried to come back again But the picket was holding and we wouldn't go in We're a longshore union
The Neptune Jade's had a change of name She's the Flying Dutchman once again Hapag Lloyd must be insane To call in Liverpool
Headed up to Canada lookin for a berth Thamesport's screaming for all that they are worth On Saturday the picket brought them down to earth Vancouver's in the union
So sail around the world with your hot cargo Order us to scab and we'll say no Dockers of the world are set to blow We're all from Liverpool
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