Soap issue while on board

[Des Taff Jenkins]

John.
I knew the walking delegates in Sydney and Melbourne, any problems they were the blokes to go to, that again should have been part of the UK shipping, mind you you had to get the right sort to do the job. One had to be working on the coast to appreciate the job they did.
Des

[j.sabourn]

I brought one ship down with an Indonesian crew Des and was told there would be an Australian crew waiting on arrival Dampier. On arrival no such luck, so phoned the MUA. It was the first they had heard of it. The indonesians were flown home the next day on arrival of an Australian crew. Sneaky ways of breaking agreements was brought up with them. An agreement is an agreement in my view. JS

[happy daze john in oz]

In Sydney a Rugy match was to be played in the afternoon, big match between Oz and NZ.
The dockers said they wanted time off to listen to it, no TV then.
Ship owners said no so dockers go on strike.
Eventually an agreement, loud speakers will be put on all ships so the workers can hear the commentary.
Great stuff, come kick off the dockers downed tools and sat on the quay side sucking on stubbies listening to the match.

[j.sabourn]

All I can say John which is what I have always stated and being at the forefront for any disputes between shipowner and unions , the shipowner always had control of the media and put out bad vibes about the unions. Both sides had their villains and these were the ones who should have been sorted out. Between 1991 and 2002 the agreements at the time
Were that offshore was a closed shop and the MUA held the strings to this, not the BSF and the likes of shipowners and government , the only failure to this there were too many unions in the shipping industry you had masters and mates in the Guild, seamen in the MUA
Engineers in their own union , and catering with their own reps. Sometimes they worked at cross purposes even though they all came under the heading of the MUA according to the media and which enabled them to publish stories which were not accurate but always maligning , and which they still do. The shipping offshore out here during my 11 years far exceeded the UK shipping condition wise as compared with the BSF. And the MUA was responsible for this . Today however whenever I bump into old aquaintances, they aren’t too happy, but you can’t fool all the the people all of the time. JS
During my time at sea I spent a total of about 6 years in foreign flagged ships and were no unions there whatsoever, on being interviewed for a job it was customary to be asked how much you expected for salary and nine times out of 10 it was accepted straight away. So myself in those days had no need of a union , but others do , and it is a very necessary necessity to the average seafarer to be able to plan his and his family’s future to have representation when required. JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

John.
The unions don't have as much strength today as they used to, but it is union pressure plus the rank and file of the Labour Party that has forced Albanese to change that tax legislation that the lib's brought in five years ago., $350 billion in tax cuts due in July for the rich is now going to be changed to be shared with the working people where many are struggling to pay their mortgage or rents.
Des

[j.sabourn]

Des I don’t have much faith in Albanese , For 33 years out here I’ve paid tax for 32 years of them , and I visualise him bringing it back in again for the OAPs JS.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
I'm safe there I haven't anything to tax. LoL Though there is talk of raising the tax on beer, that means one less beer a week.
Des
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Speaking with our finance guy the other day and he mentioned the proposed tax changes.
Looks good on paper, more for those on lower wages, but not good for the top Union guys in Unions such as the CFMMEU, they will get less tax relief.

But for the average guy, get even a 2.5% wage increase and it will put you into the next higher tax bracket.
Interestingly neither the Treasury or board of the bank were notified of the change.

Typical Labor, tax is all they know.

AS to foreign ships, from what I hear down at the seaman's mission in Melbourne unions are a non event.

[Austin Carl Largan]

# 2

Down the coast we used to have an expression.....let me see how I can phase this and get it past the censor.....

He who has Lux, F**xx

Austin

[Francis Ralph]

Back to soap again, the old ration of soap has left an indelible mark on me. My wife still berates me after 50-odd years for adding the last small flat piece of soap to the new bar I start using in the shower each day. Just can't bring myself to throw away a piece of soap. Precious stuff , that lux/Dove bar.
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