Industrial Workers of the World

Here's an excerpt of Pat Mackie speaking on Mt Isa dispute 1965.
Alas it repeats after ten minutes or so.

http://violawil.multiply.com/music/item/1/New_Music

 
P. Mackie, E. Vassilieff. MOUNT ISA - THE STORY OF A DISPUTE
Hudson Publishing 6 Muir Street, Hawthorn 3122 Melbourne. 1989.  ISBN 0949873276.


" Questions were raised in parliament about Pat Mackie's birthplace and the Prime Minister's department were involved in a number of meetings with A.S.I.O. to see if they could "legally" deport Pat Mackie. Records released from the National Archives of Australia Series AI2009/115 clearly show that the Federal government was willing to bend the country's immigration laws to strip Pat Mackie of his Australian citizenship. After extensive investigation they decided that the Commonwealth didn't even have the glimmer of a case. "

http://www.takver.com/history/mountisa1964.htm


Special laws were enacted specifically to crush the dispute and police squads and reporters flooded the small mining town. The strike was on the front page of the newspapers more than any other event since World War II.
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2007/720/37350


Pamphlet by the UK Solidarity group on the 1964-1965 strike and lockout at the Mount Isa copper mine in Queensland, Australia, which placed miners in direct opposition to their union, employer and the Queensland State Government for almost seven months.
http://libcom.org/library/mount-isa-great-queensland-strike-solidarity
 

Pat Mackie successfully sued a newspaper owned by Australia media mogul Frank Packer in the early 1970s for defamation. Pat Mackie won damages totalling $30 000. $10 000 of this total sum was awarded for misrepresentation of Pat Mackie's criminal record, while $20 000 was awarded for misrepresentation of Pat Mackie's involvement in the Mt Isa Mines Dispute.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Mackie

In July La Boite Theatre is staging a musical theatre piece called 'Red Cap,' about Pat Mackie who was the leader of the 1964/65 Mount Isa Mines dispute. When I heard about the play I was reminded of another story of my youth, and while it relates to last week's story, I only learnt much later from my father in 2002.

The Mount Isa miners dispute was a major confrontation of miners with the company, the government, the arbitration system and even the leadership of their own union, the Australian Workers Union, who expelled Pat Mackie from their ranks, against the demands of the strikers, who had a number of grievances against the company, were looking to end contract labour, and work for wages. The government of the day led by the Country-Liberal Party coalition under Premier Nicklin declared a state of emergency, gave extraordinary power to police, and flew in a special squad of police who put a blockade around Mount Isa, to prevent support getting to the miners. The mine closed for four months, and when it reopened miners picketed the gates, virtually closing it for another two months. In a show of complicity, the AWU called on the government to take measures to end the picket. The government complied, putting into force exceptionally harsh legislation allowing police to enter houses without warrant, and to seize banners, pamphlets and other material used to support the strike. Meanwhile the Federal Government was taking measures to have Pat Mackie deported. Nicklin described him as 'a vicious gangster unfit to mix with decent society.' However his name became a household word as images of the strikers were frequently broadcast on national television.

Under these circumstances Pat Mackie went south to gain support for the cause.

When he arrived in Melbourne in February 1965 he was met at Essendon aerodrome by supporters, including the Federal ALP member for Yarra, Jim Cairns. At that time my father, David Hurse, a minister of religion in inner city Melbourne was friends with Jim, and shared his views on social reform. When Pat arrived in Melbourne Jim thought that it would be best if Pat stay hidden and asked my father to help - who would think of looking for a radical trade unionist in a Presbyterian church!

My father arranged for Pat Mackie to speak to the congregation of St Luke's Methodist church in Richmond on February 7, 1965 (I suspect it was all too much for the Presbyterians).

After the service Jim, Dad and Pat went down to Victoria Street in Collingwood, where they ate at the very same Chinese cafe that I mentioned in last week's story.

Pat returned to Mount Isa shortly after, and managed to avoid arrest sneaking through the cordon that the police had set up, and triumphantly entered a mass meeting of the miners. He had brought with him financial support and told his striking comrades about the tremendous reception that he had down south. He later described to friends a particular night with Jim Cairns, a Chinese cafe, and a chicken dish with a spicy ginger sauce that they had shared.

Pat later declared the strike 'A triumph of the human spirit'.

Lachlan Hurse from http://bushtelegraph.wordpress.com/2007/07/07/best-of-hoinanese-chicken-club-