From: "Macdonald Stainsby" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2001 15:14:58 -0700 To: "Rad Green" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [R-G] OAKLAND PORT - Action in Solidarity with Carlo Guiliani VICTORY AT THE OAKLAND PORT - Action in Solidarity with Carlo Guiliani Grassroots reports from the Bay Area and Portland on solidarity actions against Italian freighter, sent by: Michael Eisenscher <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; on August 18 2. Portland report, from Steve Ongerth, IWW, August 16 3. Leaflets used in Oakland demonstration Email alert which was used in Oakland 4. Background information sources ============================================ In response to an email alert, in fewer than 12 hours a spirited picketline was thrown up at the gate to the Howard Terminal at Berth 68 in the Port of Oakland Friday in protest of the arrival of the Italian ship Cielo di San Francisco and its sister ship which arrived just ahead of it. 20-40 pickets arrived at the terminal early Friday morning after receiving notice Thursday night that the Cielo di San Francisco was due to arrive from Portland, where it also had been picketed. After the initial alert went out, it was learned that the ship would not arrive until this afternoon. But this news came too late for those who showed up at 7:00 a.m. When they arrived, however, they discovered that another Italian vessel also owned in part by the Italian government was already in port. The morning picket succeeded in delaying unloading of the ship for a couple of hours until an arbitrator ruled that the picketline did not constitute a health and safety hazard to longshore workers as members of ILWU Local 10 had claimed in refusing to cross. The ship was then unloaded and departed Oakland. This afternoon the Cielo di San Francisco arrived and docked around 4:00 p.m. It too was greeted by a pickeline which grew to about 75 people over the next few hours. When the longshore gang arrived to unload the ship, the union members refused to cross the picketline, again citing their apprehension that doing so would constitute a health and safety risk. Management once again demanded instant arbitration. An arbitrator was dispatched to the port. This time, however, he ruled that the larger more militant picketline did pose a health and safety risk. The longshore workers were not required to cross but were ordered to stand by in the event that the picketline diminished to a point where they would not be able to claim a well founded fear for their safety. Meanwhile the union members were collecting full pay for standing by. Picketing continued until after 10:00 p.m. at which time the union business agent informed his members that the gang had been released to go home. This is a tremendous victory and sends a message to the Italian government that the brutalization of protesters and murder of Carlo Guiliani at the hands of the Italian state security forces and police will have real consequences for Italy's trade with the U.S. We have learned that the ship has been ordered to remain docked until 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning. Management will try to recruit a new longshore gang to unload the ship in the morning. To prevent this from happening, a picketline must again be established at 7:00 a.m. to greet the dockworkers as they arrive for their 8:00 a.m. shift -- if management can find enough union members willing to come in at overtime rates to do this work. The Cielo di San Francisco is scheduled to go next to Los Angeles. If an LA picketline can be organized, it is possible that the ship will have to leave the West Coast without ever discharging its cargo. This is reminiscent of the sage of the Neptune Jade, a ship from England that had been loaded by scab labor during the docker strike in Liverpool a few years ago when the Thatcher government sought to break the dockers union by privatizing the ports. Pickets at the Port of Oakland succeeded in forcing the Neptune Jade to leave port without discharging its cargo. Their example was emulated by protesters in Vancouver. Again the ship left port with its cargo still aboard. In Japan, its next port of call, the Neptune Jade again had to leave without off loading its cargo after Japanese dock workers refused to unload it. The Neptune Jade was subsequently sold with its cargo still aboard. The Cielo di San Francisco can become a pariah ship like the Neptune Jade. Carlo Guiliani was martyred for his principles. Hundreds of others were savagely beaten and terrorized for the simple act of demonstrating against the corporate globalization agenda of the G-8. Anti- globalization forces in Oakland have again set a standard for how to respond to the fascistic tactics we witnessed in Genoa. Carlo and the hundreds of others brutalized by the Italian government will not be forgotten. Their sacrifice has inspired a mounting fightback that will continue to grow. The Berlusconi government will pay a price for its thuggery. Global solidarity shall prevail! ============================================ 2. August 16, 2001 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Volume 2001.48 The Oread Daily ON THE WATEFRONT More than 60 persons appeared yesterday morning at Port of Portland's Pier 6 to picket an Italian ship. The ship owned by one of the Italian elite and the Italian Government was targeted as a protest to the police murder and brutality in Genoa during the anti-globalization demonstrations there last month. About 150 longshoremen and 20 iron workers left the Port of Portland and would not unload the Cielo Di San Francisco, said Elisa Dozono, spokeswoman for the Port of Portland. Electrical workers also honored the picket and many truckers expressed their support as well. The protesters were made up of union members, progressives, anarchists, and others. That evening another group arrived around 5:00 PM to join the picket on the traffic island. By this time, the second shift ILWU workers had arrived, but they would not cross the picket and enter the Terminal to start their jobs. At that time, the demonstrators cognizant of the situation faced by the workers met with International Longshoremen Workers Union (ILWU) to discuss the situation. They, then, decided to move to the other side of the road in order to allow the workers to get to work so that they could be paid. Gerry Washington, of Jobs with Justice, summed up the situation well: "If we move across the street, it can't be because the Port wants to unload the non-Italian ship. That's not our problem. If, on the other hand, our brothers and sisters in ILWU want us to move across the street, and pick our battle another time, then that's great." The same ship, Cielo di San Francisco, is now steaming toward the south down the California coast. The ship is most likely to dock at the Port of Oakland at the Howard Terminal near Jack London Square tomorrow morning. Any ideas, gang? Source: IMC, Associated Press posted by:Steve Ongerth, IWW ============================================ 3a. Text of the leaflet: Why we're out here... This action is being undertaken by local activists to protest the violent and inhumane treatment of protesters during the recent anti-GS protests in Genoa, Italy. Hundreds of thousands of people turned out for the demonstrations in Genoa last month to show their concern and outrage over the policies of the G8 leaders (George Bush and his counterparts from France, Britain, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Russia) that put profits for corporations first, and human need last, the demonstrations, which included trade unionists, students and human rights activists from around the world, were met with horrifying police violence that left one young man dead and hundreds severely injured. To this day, there are activists who remain behind bars in Italy for their participation in the demonstrations. Why this ship? The ship we are targeting, the Cielo di San Francisco, is managed by a company called Italia Di Navigazion. The company was privatized in 1998 to the detriment of workers and to the benefit of its owners, who have close personal ties to the right wing government of Italy that directed the police actions in Genoa. What we want... * all demonstrators to be released from prison immediately -all charges be dropped against demonstrators * resignation of the right-wing Berlesconi government What we're working toward... * a truly democratic society - this includes the right to demonstrate, organize a union, and to participate in the political process (even if you aren't the millionaire son of an ex-president) * an end to police brutality.- this means that the police don't have the right to attack or kill you if you are demonstrating, walking a picket line, walking down the street, driving in your car, or reaching for your wallet. * a world where human need comes before corporate greed.- this means that every person has enough to eat, but Bill Gates might have to do without his 42 car garage. this means that we put more money into schools that educate our children and not into prisons that lock them up. this means that no man or woman who has worked hard their whole life will have to worry about whether they have enough money to pay medical bills, rent or the PG&E bill. How you can help... * Ask your union, church or school to write a statement condemning the brutal treatment of anti-corporate demonstrators in Genoa. Or write one on your own. Send it to the Italian government, your congressperson, your local paper. * Organize your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers. Stand up to corporate greed and police brutality whenever it rears its ugly head. This leaflet is for informational purposes only. Labor Donated ============================================ 3b. email alert which was used to mobilize: SOLIDARITY ALERT!: ITALIAN SHIP HEADED FOR OAKLAND An Italian vessel docked in Portland was greeted by a picketline to protest the fascistic murder of Carlo Guiliani and violation of the basic human rights of G8 protesters at the hands of the Italian state security forces, police and government. As a consequence of this picket, members of the International Longshore & Warehouse Union refused to unload the ship, citing a threat to their health and safety. That ship, the Ciello de Francisco (I'm not sure of the spelling) is reported to be headed to the Bay Area. The Ciello de Francisco is believed to be owned in part by the Italian government. Best estimates are that it will dock at the Port of Oakland at the Howard Terminal near Jack London Square early Friday morning. If this proves to be accurate, a longshore gang would normally be dispatched to start unloading the ship at 8:00 a.m. However, if a sufficiently large number of people show up to picket that ship, ILWU members might determine that crossing this picketline could constitute a health & safety risk. It is possible that they too would refuse to unload the ship. Social justice activists will recall that a picket of the Neptune Jade in Oakland in response to the attempt to break the dockers union in Liverpool resulted in that ship leaving with its scab-loaded cargo. Dockers in Vancouver and Japan also refused to off-load the Neptune Jade. It was ultimately sold with its cargo still aboard. This is an opportunity for Bay Area social justice activists to send a clear message to the Italian government. Monitor your email for notice as soon as there is confirmation of the time of arrival of the Ciello de Francisco. Be prepared to come to the Port of Oakland to give an appropriate greeting to this symbol of the Italian state. Alert your networks and be prepared to act on short notice. Bring appropriate signs and banners. Tell Berlusconi that what happened in Genoa will not be forgotten and the Italian government will continue to suffer the condemnation of the world community until all the perpetrators within his government, the police and other security services are brought to justice. Do this for the martyred Carlo Guiliani and for those who were brutalized, terrorized and arrested. Do this for justice!!!!! M. Eisenscher ============================================ 4. Here is some background information: http://sf.indymedia.org/display.php?id=103159 http://sf.inhdymedia.org/ http://portland.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3037&group=webcast portside (the left side in nautical parlance) is a news, discussion and debate service of the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism. It aims to provide varied material of interest to people on the left. Post : mail to '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' Subscribe : mail to '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' Unsubscribe : mail to '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' List owner : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web address : <http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/portside> Digest mode : visit Web site ------------------------------------------- Macdonald Stainsby Rad-Green List: Radical anti-capitalist environmental discussion. http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green ---- Leninist-International: Building bridges in the tradition of V.I. Lenin. http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international ---- In the contradiction lies the hope. --Bertholt Brecht _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
