Steve O'Shannessy, a wharfie for 23 years, is no fan of plans to screen and sack workers with a criminal record.
"Even if there are criminals in our industry, everyone's entitled to a second chance," he said. "Whatever happened to rehabilitation?"
He was not alone with such thoughts on Melbourne's waterfront yesterday, where the Federal Government's plans to conduct background checks on thousands of maritime and airport workers were met with fear and anger.
MUA state secretary Kevin Bracken said workers felt victimised by the move and were reminded of the 1998 waterfront dispute, in which many dockers were made redundant. "If people have committed crimes in the past and they've done their time, how can you stop them from trying to get on with it and work? People just don't think it's right."
Mr Bracken said the idea that criminal activity was rife at the docks was a myth created by the media's portrayal of the waterfront over many years.
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