Australia-China workers' anti-war solidarity commemorated

A solemn ceremony commemorating the Dalfram Dispute of 1938 was held in Port Kembla of Australia's New South Wales state on Nov 14. The event paid tribute to the local waterside workers, who, upon learning that the iron supplies due to be loaded onto the SS Dalfram would be used to make weapons for Japanese invaders against China, refused to load the cargo.

Attendees of the annual commemoration event remembered the Australian and Chinese communities that stood in solidarity against war, forging a strong bond that now holds a renewed significance amid this year's 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War.

"It demonstrates where communities, where countries, where people from different walks of life can come together … for peace, for harmony and identify where there are synergies and there's connection through their humanity," Jake Field, national secretary-elect, Maritime Union of Australia, told China Daily.

The maritime union traces its roots to the Waterside Workers' Federation, which organized the protest at the port in Wollongong city opposing the Japanese invasion of China.

The actions of the 180 protesters soon involved unions and other workers in the region and beyond, stretching over 10 weeks and leading to a lockout of ships, with led to about 4,000 steelworkers being laid off. The union action garnered support from local residents and drew national and global attention.

During the dispute, the Chinese community offered food and other assistance to the unionists, bonding in with Australian workers over their anti-war ties.

The Dalfram Dispute ended in January 1939 with the stevedores going back to work after negotiations between the union and the government that included future pig iron exports.

At this year's commemoration of the event, community leaders and representatives from the public and private sectors laid wreaths at a monument of the dispute and observed a moment of silence to remember the victims of war.

Chinese Consul General in Sydney Wang Yu said that the actions of the waterside workers "fully demonstrated the profound friendship of the Australian working class and ordinary citizens toward the Chinese people".

"We pay high tribute to them and will always cherish their memory," he said.

"China and Australia once fought side by side, and our peoples supported each other, jointly achieving victory in the World Anti-Fascist War," Wang said. "Today, facing a complex and changing international landscape, China and Australia should continue to move forward hand in hand to meet the challenges of our time together."

"Let us carry forward the friendship between the Chinese and Australian peoples, work together to build a brighter future for our two countries, and jointly safeguard peace in our region and the world," he said.

Linda Campbell, councillor and deputy lord mayor of Wollongong, said the Dalfram Dispute shows what people united can achieve and the strength of the community.

"That continues to define Wollongong today and hopefully well into the future," she said.

"As we reflect on the sacrifices that those workers and their family and our community made 87 years ago to oppose military aggression, we also acknowledge that our desire for peace is a great motivator for our solidarity," Campbell said.

Arthur Rorris, secretary of the South Coast Labour Council, said those involved in the dispute were doing it on behalf of their fellow workers in China, where victims of fascism and imperialism bore the brunt of the war.

"When you have that history, you've got no excuse," Rorris said. "We have a responsibility not just for ourselves, but future generations to stop any efforts, that are within our power of course, any movements towards militarism, towards war and things that threaten the peace."

Australian documentary filmmaker, Sandra Pires, whose award-winning work includes an account of the Dalfram Dispute, told China Daily commemorating the event is still very emotional for her.

It was "one of the most important actions and a wonderful story" of Australia-China relations, she said, adding that she hopes the annual commemoration "continues forever".