It's been around many of the @ newslists; but what, apart from the company's show of beneficience, has been the response? From the left? Govt?
Angela
at 11:00 am 2000-01-10 +1200, you wrote:
>don't know if anyone noticed this but here's a sad piece of news , the port
>company in a touching show of sympathy is docking peoples pay for attending
>the funeral (who says business doesn't have a heart). This is the first
>death in a dispute since 1913, though some one bombed the wellington trades
>hall in the 1980's killing a care taker.
>
>
>02-jan-00 07:44 pm
>
>christchurch, jan 2 - a lyttelton woman who died from injuries
>she received on a picket line will be seen as a martyr for the trade
>union cause, a union leader says.
>Christine clarke, 45, died on new year's eve from serious brain
>injuries she received when allegedly run over by a four-wheel-drive
>vehicle while on a picket line at the port of lyttelton last
>wednesday.
>The picket was protesting the lyttelton port company's decision,
>now stayed while further negotiations take place, to contract out
>its coal loading work.
>Waterfront workers union president les wells said today ms clarke
>would be viewed as a martyr and rallying point for the whole trade
>union movement in new zealand.
>``Nobody comes along to a picket thinking they might be killed.
>The worst you can expect is a rap across the knuckles with a baton
>and arrest. But the risk is always there when you get in front of a
>vehicle,'' he said.
>He expected a big trade union presence at her funeral at the
>catholic cathedral of the blessed sacrament on wednesday.
>The unions involved in the dispute over the coal loading issue
>would keep mrs clarke's death separate from any negotiations but
>port workers were angry. He believed it was the first death on a
>picket line since 1912.
>Lyttelton parish priest father jim consedine, a long-time friend
>of the clarke family, said ms clarke would have found her sudden
>public status ironic.
>``She was very self-effacing and humble and would have seen the
>irony in becoming a public figure in death,'' he said.
>He remembered her as a warm, open parishioner with a wonderful
>sense of humour.
>``From an early age she showed a strong sense of justice and
>compassion for the underdog. She had a strong faith which sustained
>her through a difficult illness,'' he said.
>About two years ago she had a brain aneurism which was followed
>by a stroke but she had fully recovered, father consedine said.
>She has two children, aged 16 and 10, and had worked for catholic
>social services, marriage guidance, and was electorate secretary for
>green party co-leader rod donald.
>Her family was appalled at the senselessness of her death but not
>angry with the driver who would have to ``live with whatever
>happened'', he said.
>``There is a strong anger in the lyttelton community at the port
>company for ignoring local issues rather than because of the
>incident.
>``However the reason chris was there remains unresolved. In this
>day and age these issues should not arise,'' he said.
>The driver of the vehicle had been charged with dangerous driving
>causing injury and would appear in the christchurch district court
>on wednesday. Police have said it was likely the charges would be
>changed at that time, possibly to dangerous driving causing death.
>
>