I'm proud to be a docker
A man along the shore
To wear my union button
Some thirty years or more.
I'm proud to be a wharfie,
Call me what you like
And when threatened by the shipowner
I'm proud to take a hike

I'll walk the Piers and side walks
To strike for what is right
To serve with pride and dignity
Protect my right to fight
To fight for what I toiled for:
These long and hungry years
When as a lowly Casual
Accepted by my peers.

Those who went before me
And gave me what I got,
Those proud and loyal dockers
When back to back we fought.
We fought the mean oppressors;
That multi-national lot,
Who think we're Serfs and Peons,
Abunch of worthless sots.

We gave with sweat our labour
Our bodies ached and sore
In fair and lousy weather
We toiled along the shore.
Along came mechanization
To make conditions light.
Along with bastard shipowners,
Prepared to scare and fight.

To take what we fought for;
To put us on the dole:
But we still have pride and dignity
We won't go in the hole.
We'll hold and stand together
And back to back unite.
We're proud as hell as dockers
And we're always ready
And back to back we'll fight.

Fight to be a union
And a union we will be:
Regardless of what the employers
Would wish and like to see:
A bunch of wimps and backless
Peons
Not men along the shore.

History can and will repeat itself
If warnings we ignore.
So be prepared to fight for right
Sister and brothers stevefores.
In gangs along the shore.

Anonymous

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© Copyright graphic by Dora 2003
April 4rd, 2003