Up the Gangway (part1)

 

The Iron Bogong was my first engagement in the Maritime Industry. I walked up the gangway on the 28th of July 1980 and signed on as a relieving assistant cook. I didn't know much and I was about to learn how to peel spuds with a boot knife.

Alan Mckeown was the chief cook that had to put up with me. I couldn't have had a better introduction to the industry. A Novocastrian catholic that went to mass and had been sober for 5 years. He knew my father, and my neighbour Joe Blatchford. He was the first person I recall to mention Paul Keating.

The Iron Hunter was the 2nd ship I joined and my first permanent job on the coast. Sister ship to the Iron Bogong which was older and in better condition. They were bulk carriers that were built in Whyalla, South Australia. I'd circumnavigated Australia on the Iron Hunter and Cockatoo Island, Port Hedland, Kwinanna, Port Kembla and Newcastle were ports of call.

Both ships had a crew of about 44 that included 3 cooks. As an assistant cook I was often called the 3rd cook or the spud barber. Some cooks believed that one should have 4 years heavy duty cooking before joining the union. I never discussed or disputed the rule that had plenty of opposition. I knew about a bricklayer, shipwright, taxi driver, a painter and docker and a crane driver that become 2nd cooks. I was just a 20 year old assistant cook.

It was in September 1980 when I joined the Seamens Retirement Fund. Superannuation was not available to most workers at that time. I was grateful and believed it's purpose was to make me wealthy when I'm old.

The union I contributed to was the Marine Cooks, Bakers and Butchers' Association of Australasia. They had about 500 members and had been around for over 70 years.

Bill O'Malley was the last Newcastle branch secretary before it closed. I got to meet Bill Heath and George Crooks who were based in Sydney. Roger Chapman was hanging about and was always more than friendly. When I told this to my father he said, “That's because he wants your vote.” He was successful when stood for Federal Secretary but he didn't get my vote.

Bill heath had been in the job for over 17 years. He was involved with the retirement fund and union amalgamation was progressing. When Roger Chapman replaced him a lot of us were not happy. Things erupted after Roger assaulted the Sydney Port secretary George Crooks in the trades hall building. We made a special trip to a union meeting in Sydney expecting him to be removed. That didn't happen!

Later we went to the Central Markets Hotel for refreshments and a chat. I was with my father when he caught up with our union's president Lester Murphy. After a few beers Dad had some kind things to say about Bill Heath. He believed he was unfairly challenged in the union election. Lester Murphy proudly boasted, “I got rid off Bill Heath.”

The members were passionate about their union. Nowhere in the world was there association only for marine cooks. Originally there was a stewards and cooks union but the cooks broke away. Amalgamation with the Seamens Union of Australia was on the agenda. Most blokes that I knew at that time supported it.

My father once introduced me to a Chief Cook at the Swansea workers Club. They both had several beers and an argument started when this chief cook told me, “don't you support this amalgamation with the Seamen's Union.” His reason for not supporting it was because he hated the Seamen's union. My father was in favour. He always spoke well of John Brennan, Elliott and the delegates on the ship he sailed on. The cook said to Dad, “if you support this amalgamation you'll never again be my mate.” I bumped into him at an airport and said, “hello!” I got no reply.

As an assistant cook I had the best job in the galley. I would have liked to stay there forever but crew numbers were reducing. I was due on the roster after the Iron Hunter was decommissioned. On my way home from a union meeting in Sydney, I was told by the Newcastle representative, “you're upgrading to 2nd cook!”

When the Iron hunter was recommissioned in Brisbane I answered the call and upgraded. I was nervous and the Chief Cook sensed my fear. He was pedantic and began work before 5am in port. He locked the galley which was an unusual practice. He gave me the keys before he went home for the night. I went to the Hamilton Hotel and made use of the pool table. Because I was sober, a drunk AB got me to drive him home to Redcliffe. He insisted I spend the night and although I had the keys to the galley I did. When I got back in the morning the chief cook was fuming after he woke the captain to get in the galley. He had resigned and put it on record that he refused to work with me. The assistant cook went on compo before the engineers went on strike. We got a new chief cook from Sydney that immediately had an argument with the captain. We returned home for a couple of weeks as the crew stayed in a motel. The strike lasted for 17 days and when we returned to Brisbane the new chief cook got terminated. We eventually sailed with another chief cook that was a gentleman. He told me the bloke that resigned was an outspoken critic of the amalgamation.

After all the drama it was a good voyage. That was when I watched Parramatta beat Newtown in the Sydney Rugby League Grand Final. Vince Healy was the Bosun.

When I signed of the Iron Hunter on the 12th of November I never returned. I had Xmas at home and was due on the roster in late January. Changes in our award now allowed for 0.926 of a days leave for each day I worked. That was an improvement from 0.733 which was the previous rate.