3 MUA Poems
Poems by John Tomlinson ©1998
What sort of Practice?
World best practice so they say.
Wharfies working without pay.
While wharfies picket one more day
Patricks seeks another stay.
World best practice so they say
taking all the jobs away.
World best practice it is new
coming to a job near you.
World best practice made for you
coming soon to your job too.
Picket Line
Oh we're relaxed and comfortable
Yes we're doing fine
we are relaxed and comfortable
out on the picket line.
I know you said you'd govern
you'd govern for all of us
we'd be relaxed and comfortable
and there'd be no fuss.
Well we are relaxed and comfortable
and so say all of us:
yes, we're relaxed and comfortable
we're feeling mighty fine
we are relaxed and comfortable
out on the picket line.
The rain might fall the wind might blow,
hard times come and hard times go,
there might be hail there might be snow,
but we're relaxed and comfortable
out on the picket line.
Cause in our hearts we're smiling
and we know we'll see sunshine.
Yes we will see sunshine
at the ending this struggle
when we lay our banners down
we'll be relaxed and comfortable
there'll be no need to frown.
Because we stand together
and together we will win.
We won't scab or lie or cheat
so in the end you face defeat.
Together we will win.
We don't need guard dogs
nor come in the dead of night
we struggle for each other
and we try to do what's right.
Oh we don't need to lie and cheat
we don't need to steal.
We try to tell it like it is
we try to make it real,
and in our trust of others
we have forged a force of steel.
You might look in wonderment
you might smile and sneer
but the picket line is stronger now
the end is coming near.
We don't lie to judges
we won't lie to you
we don't lie to each other
we will build a world anew.
We are relaxed and comfortable
I say we're doing fine
we are relaxed and comfortable
out here on the picket line.
Standing shoulder to shoulder
supporting one another:
brothers, sisters, children, wives,
fathers, daughter, mother.
Yes, we are relaxed and comfortable
out here we're doing fine
yes, we are relaxed and comfortable
out on the picket line.
Oh you can stick best practice,
and you stick your hate.
We're never voting for yer
once we're back inside the gate.
The artisan is partisan
Reith's seldom right
he's not too bright.
In fact he's f---ing stupid,
fallen in love with Corrigan
John Howard's playing cupid.
Blood on the street.
Blood on the stair.
Blood in your eyes
and blood in your hair -
industrial resolution.
World best practice in asset stripping.
Bottom of the harbour skinny dipping.
I know indeed
just what we need-
a worker's revolution.
Notes
Many thanks to John Tomlinson for permission to put these 3 poems in the Union Songs web site
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