# Australian crew dragged ashore ...



## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

See www.theage.com.au › victoria › guerrilla...

John T


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## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

This link works:
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/g...f-alcoa-ship-mv-portland-20160112-gm4lcs.html

The term 'strikebreakers' springs to mind.


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Thanks ML - I seem to have a lot of trouble posting links on my iPad.

A couple of points of clarification:

The article indicates that there was a crew of 40 on the ship. This is wrong - when that ship came out years ago there was a crew of 25 and subsequent losses would have made a crew of 20. Presumably there were 40 crew members on two swings - they have to go home some time.

For anyone who is feeling sorry for ALCOA and their no doubt inflated shipping costs, remember that the major cost in the production of aluminium is electricity and this is subsidised to the hilt by Victorian taxpayers. 

On the bright side, ALCOA in Portland employs around 500 people and about 25 of them are locals.

John T


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

Is that altogether fair John. Aluminium smelters are usually built near sources of cheap wholesale electrikery (hydro, nuclear etc.). It would be a bit strange to build one near a windfarm and then demand subsidy.


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

No cheap electricity in Portland, Vic, David. ALCOA was lured to the town by the State Government's promise of subsidised power (generated by traditional power stations). The Government wanted ALCOA for the cudos the jobs would give them - typical short term government thinking because once the plant construction was finished the jobs disappeared.

Oddly, the ship's hijacking by company thugs hasn't taken off in Australia. Probably because it happened in Sleepy Hollow, Victoria. No doubt lf it had been in Sydney it would be all over the news. If they'd pulled this stunt years ago, ports all over Australia would have been at a standstill.

The incident is reminiscent of the Globtik Venus affair in the '70s.

John T


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