No ILWU Official Sanction Dec. 12 Occupy Ports Action, Shut Down To Proceed December 10th, 2011 December 12 is the day when Occupy Wall Street activists will be attempting to shutdown the Ports on the West coast. Most of these will be symbolic efforts, perhaps shutting down a few terminals as this is a community based action and is not sanctioned by the ILWU Union as a whole. Individual members of the Union are supportive and if enough protestors show up, the Union arbitrators may decide the dock is unsafe and shut down particular terminals up and down the coast. This is what happened in Oakland at the attempted General Strike on Nov. 2. 2011. As this is a political action and not a labor action, it will be interesting to see if many people do show up and if much economic damage can be done to the corporations operating out of the ports. This port shutdown will show how much strength there is in the Occupy movement on the west coast, and how many people are ready for this kind of action.
Because sympathy strikes are illegal in the USA the union leadership cannot officially support this action. How many of the rank and file are supportive is to be seen. A lot depends on how many people show up for the protest and picket. Below are statements from Occupy Long Beach, articles by media, and the official union statement. Occupy Long Beach Information about December 12 Port Shutdown Event. THIS EMAIL CONTAINS: 1. Event list for Sunday and Monday 2. Getting there and parking info for port action on Monday 3. Why we are taking this action 4. Plea for peace keeper volunteers for port action 5. How to follow the event via twitter and live streams 6. Additional links/attachments of supporting information On Dec. 12, as part of the March and Boycott for full legalization and jobs for all, Occupy LA, Occupy Long Beach and the Occupy movement are holding a port action, "Occupy the Ports! A Day without Goldman Sachs!" This legal rally, march and community picket Monday Dec. 12th 5:00 AM - 5:00 PM Harry Bridges Park in Long Beach, 1126 Queens Highway, right outside the Queen Mary. People from all over southern California are planning on coming, do not miss this historical event. BRING YOUR CAMERAS!!! Join us the evening before at Occupy Long Beach at Lincoln Park. The General Assembly is on Sunday at 4:00 PM, and the General Strike Preparation Committee of OLA will hold its final planning meeting at 6:00 PM there. We'll also be making signs for the protest, but bring your own, too, as well as noise-makers, drums, etc. Also happening on Sunday: Noon: Sing making for port action. 2pm: A teach-in on "Why We Occupy" and discussion about what is next for Occupy Long Beach. Getting there and parking info: Take the 710 to the Queen Mary, park in the Queen Mary lot ($12 flat rate) and walk right back out to Harry Bridges Park. Or head into downtown Long Beach, take the BROADWAY EXIT. You can park in downtown Long Beach at several locations, most street spots are metered, so you will have to park in one of several parking structures, all located close to Broadway and Pine. We recommend that you park at the garage on Pacific Ave between 1st and Broadway, directly across from Lincoln Park. Parking Garage is cash only and is $3 to park all day, there is a chance that it will be free if no attendant is there yet, you pay upon entry. Or take the Blue Line or LB Transit to the Long Beach Transit Mall Exit. 1 block from parking structure and footsteps from transit mall is 1st and Pine Ave, go to bus stop on west side of pine ave and take the C PASSPORT Bus to the Queen Mary, the first pick up of the day is at 5am. Passport to queen mary is free. You can walk to Harry Bridges Park from Lincoln Park, its about a 30 minute walk. There are buses, vans and tons of cars offering carpool help. We are working on routing vehicles coming from out of town to first stop by Lincoln park or first congregational parking lot to pick up anyone who needs a ride over to Harry Bridges. Another email will go out Sunday with specific info on this. Why are we taking this action: In solidarity with port workers, including the port truck drivers, we are focusing on SSA Marine, a global company owned by the investment bank Goldman Sachs, as an example of the corporate greed that is ruining the lives of the 99%. Goldman Sachs, the parent company, was the recipient of billions of dollars in bail-out money. SSA Marine which has multiple terminals in LA and Long Beach and other facilities in the area, as well as terminals in other ports, is a major military contractor that ran the port in Iraq under the US occupation. In Bellingham WA, where they are trying to build a dirty coal terminal, they were found guilty of illegally building an access road without a permit. In Oakland, they were discovered to have been carrying potentially explosive cargo without warning the numbers. Here in L.A., their Shippers facility in Carson denies union representation with the ILWU to internal workers, even though the facility is legally part of the port and under ILWU jurisdiction. They were also exposed by CBS News for treating the truck drivers as independent contractors, avoiding FICA taxes and workers compensation, and denying the truck drivers the right to organize. We will be conducting a legal rally, march and protest and putting up community picket lines at one or more SSA Marine facilities. We are demanding economic justice for all. The 1% have pursued conscious policies of globalization, deindustrialization of the US, capital flight and super-exploitation of workers in other countries, with the result that "trade" at LA & Long Beach ports means eight or nine containers of imports for every one of exports. Rebuilding the economy and engaging in real, fair trade would mean good jobs for all, and plenty of work for everyone! We are building towards a general strike by organized and unorganized workers, as a path of direct action by working people and the 99% to define and protect our own interests. We understand that because of reactionary labor laws, rulings and court decisions, dating back to the Taft-Hartley Act and other cold war legislation that tried to limit workers' collective power and rights, unions are constrained from taking job actions based on solidarity or political demands. Just last week, the Clerks local of the ILWU was forced back to work over a technicality after they went out on strike. We are standing up for the rights of labor to organize by undertaking a "third party" community picket. The longshore and other port workers are threatened with fines and imprisonment. The port truck drivers are threatened with prosecution under anti-trust laws if they try to organize. But as concerned residents and working people, we are able to act independently and are doing so. We understand that our action on Dec. 12 will not shut down the ports of LA and Long Beach, and we never claimed we would. Only the working people of the ports, drivers, longshore, warehouse, clerks and others have the power to do that. That is why we see this as only a first step towards a General Strike on may 1, 2012, and we invite all of organized and unorganized labor and all communities to join in building towards that goal. For more information call 323-901-4269 or email occupythepo...@gmail.com WE NEED PEACE KEEPERS!! If you would like to volunteer as a peace keeper, please contact occupylboutre...@gmail.com TO TRACK OUR EVERY MOVE follow us on twitter #occupygenstrk Email zebra...@gmail.com BeGrouped text list. Please contact with your phone number. #occupylbc There will be several live streams to watch, please check the occupy long beach facebook page and/or occupy los angeles facebook page to see who is live streaming. Additional info/links: Occupy movement calls for Dec. 12 West Coast Port Shutdown. Featuring Boots Riley. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4pmjJ4l7PY ATTACHED: Letter of support from Iraq War Vet Scott Olsen - injured in raid on Occupy Oakland. ATTACHED: Word doc with talking points for Occupy the Ports action. ATTACHED: Flyer for port action attached, download, print, share, email, facebook it. To see all of the participating port shut downs, links to news and updates for the event go to: www.westcoastportsshutdown.com www.occupytheports.com >From Mother Jones Will Occupy Shut Down All West Coast Ports? By Gavin Aronsen | Sat Dec. 10, 2011 3:00 AM PST westcoastportshutdown.org Around nine o'clock on the night of November 2, after more than 10,000 people marched to the Port of Oakland in support of Occupy Oakland's call for a general strike, an independent arbitrator declared the port unsafe for its workers, effectively securing its closure for the rest of the night. This Monday, Occupy Oakland will try to best its 12-hour port shutdown with a more ambitious West Coast "port blockade" joined by more than a dozen occupations from Anchorage to San Diego. Occupy Oakland's renewed call to shut down the "Wall Street on the waterfront" was sparked in large part by the October firing of 26 port truckers in Los Angeles and Long Beach who wore Teamster T-shirts to work in defiance of their anti-union employer, the Australian-owned Toll Group. Monday's protests are also being billed as a protest against port terminals run by the Goldman Sachs-owned Stevedoring Services of America (SSA) and a show of solidarity with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union's rank-and-fileparticularly in Longview, Washington, where the union is engaged in a contract fight with Export Grain Terminal, a subsidiary of the agribusiness giant Bunge. Barucha Peller, a member of Occupy Oakland's West Coast port shutdown coordinating committee, said Monday's plans are an "unprecedented" stand for a movement that's only three months old. Activists have learned from the previous shutdown, she believes, and will work to avoid repeating mistakes such as blocking truck drivers mistakenly thought to be incoming nonunion workers. "November 2 we were organizing on the fly," she explained. "Now we're communicating a lot better with the port truckers and flyering a lot more down at the port." Both truckers and the ILWU members, she added, have had "really positive responses" to the plans. Stan Woods, a member of the ILWU Local 6 in San Francisco on Occupy Oakland's port shutdown committee, believes that Monday's plans are in line with the union's decades-long history of picketing in support of social-justice causes (which former communications director Steve Stallone details here). "I have no doubt the national leadership believes what it says," Woods said, "but the ILWU, despite its problems, is one of the most democratic unions, with lots of autonomy." Solidarity strikes have been illegal since 1947, but ILWU workers have a history of protesting without official union sanction. The ILWU leadership is against another port shutdown. Last Wednesday evening, ILWU communications director Craig Merrilees attended a meeting of about 40 members of Occupy the Hood's Oakland chapter to hand out a letter from union president Robert McEllrath, which disputed occupiers' claims. "Support is one thing," the letter read (PDF). "Organization from outside groups attempting to co-opt our struggle in order to advance a broader agenda is quite another and one that is destructive to our democratic process and jeopardizes our over two year struggle in Longview." McEllrath wrote that criticism of the ILWU's position "is shortsighted and only serves the 1%." A separate letter from the Port of Oakland (PDF) made a similar argument that port shutdowns would hurt average citizens by "diverting cargo, tax revenue, and jobs to other communities." Of course, disrupting commerce is the whole point of Monday's protests. According to the Journal of Commerce, the West Coast ports are responsible for more than 50 percent of the country's containerized trade, and a 10-day lockout of longshoremen in 2002 cost an estimated $1 billion a day. Occupy Oakland's November blockade reportedly caused $4 million in revenue loss. In the video announcing Monday's protest, local hip-hop artist and Occupy Oakland organizer Boots Riley declared the movement's intention to "shut down all West Coast ports" to "not only make a statement but cause a lot of profit loss." (Watch his statement below.) In reality, though, the Occupy movement has no intention of actually trying to shut down all of the more than three dozen ports along the West Coast of the United States and Canada. According to the protest's website, occupations in 14 coastal citiesincluding Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Tacoma, and Vancouverwill participate, but they don't all plan to shut down their respective ports. The Port of Los Angeles, which adjoins the Port of Long Beach, is the nation's largest with 43 miles of waterfronttoo large to realistically bring to a halt. Michael Novick, a member of Occupy Los Angeles' general strike preparation committee, said his group instead sees the protest as a "first step toward a general strike" in his city next May. Occupy LA, he said, only plans to picket at one or more SSA terminals at the two ports. Port of Los Angeles spokesman Phillip Sanfield isn't especially concerned about a shutdown. He said officials at the port will take a "thoughtful approach" that will "protect the First Amendment and allow people to demonstrate." Just as Oakland's November 2 "general strike" wasn't really a general strike in the truest sense, the absence of a total West Coast port shutdown won't prevent the Occupy movement from making another bold statement. An untold number of occupations, from Houston to Denver to Wall Street, have direct actions planned Monday to express support for the port shutdown. Even rail workers in Japan are participating. As at other Occupy events, getting people to show up is half the battle. As Peller asks, "What's it going to look like when tens of thousands are marching on the coasts?" http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/12/occupy-oakland-west-coast-port-shutdown - >From Guardian.uk Occupy plans to shut down US west coast ports Action relates to union battle over Longview terminal though union itself has disowned the planned shutdown Adam Gabbatt guardian.co.uk, Friday 9 December 2011 19.41 EST The Occupy movement will attempt to shut down all the major ports on the west coast of the US in support of a union battle in Longview, Washington, despite the union opposing the action. Thousands of protesters from various west coast occupations are expected to take part on Monday 12 December. The action is intended to support a long-running International Longshore Workers' Union (ILWU) fight to prevent a terminal operator using workers from a different union. However, a row has broken out in advance of the shutdown, with the ILWU asking Occupy protesters to call off the action. Occupy Oakland, which organised a "general strike" and shut down Oakland's port in early November, has partnered with occupations including Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego, Tacoma and Seattle in a bid to stop all port activity on America's west coast. Protesters will march to port terminals and create picket lines in the same way Occupy Oakland did last month, aware that local ILWU arbitrators are then likely to rule that longshore workers should not cross the lines for safety reasons. "The West Coast ports will be blockaded on December 12th in solidarity with longshoremen and port truckers struggles against EGT and Goldman Sachs," the west coast port shutdown website says. EGT Development built and operates a terminal at Longview port in Washington, however the ILWU says the company has reneged on a Port of Longview contract that specified only ILWU labour could be used at the site. On 8 September hundreds of ILWU members stormed the terminal, a day after blocking railroads so grain could not reach Longview. Despite the apparently common interests, the ILWU has criticised Occupy protesters' plans, with a senior figure accusing them of being "disrespectful, arrogant and misguided". Craig Merrilees, communications director at the ILWU, told the Guardian that the union was "not supporting that at all". "[Occupy organisers] have been very disrespectful of the democratic decision-making process in the union and deliberately went around that process to call their own action without consulting workers," Merrilees said. "It's the second time they've done it. The first time they had very little support from workers in their so-called general strike [the Occupy Oakland action on 2 November]. "This is being promoted by a group of people who apparently think they can call general strikes and workplace shutdowns without talking to workers and without involving the unions." Merrilees's comments come after the Port of Oakland took out a full-page advertisement in the Oakland Tribune to ask protesters not to shut down the ports, saying it would "hurt working people and our economy". Merrilees said no one had contacted the ILWU to consult it over the shutdown, which he said was a "suicidal strategy for the Occupy group, that's being driven by extremists that are driving away allies and marginalising the movement". While the ILWU "supports the goals of the Occupy movement to call attention to the abuse on Wall Street and growing inequality", Merrilees said, the 12 December shutdown was "alienating the allies and broad support that Occupy needs among the general public". He added that "most workers are really concerned about this". Protesters involved in planning the 12 December shutdown say they do have the support of rank-and-file union members if not the ILWU leadership. Jared Lorio, who will take part, said that while the ILWU was not supporting the action, "nothing else could really be expected". "Legally they can't be seen to support it as an organisation, as they are not in contract negotiations at the moment," Lorio said. "This action is in support of the longshoremen, not in support of the union itself as an organisation. That is a big distinction, on our part and theirs." Lorio said the lack of leadership support did not detract from the 12 December action. "I personally know for a fact that we do have rank-and-file support from longshoremen and the communities affected by the action. "[The lack of support from the ILWU] sheds light on the fact that our unions have been hamstrung and made ineffective by laws designed to curtail workers organising for their rights to better pay and conditions in this country," Lorio said. Stan Woods, an ILWU member who supports the port shutdown, said he was "sorry [union leadership] had taken that stance" but even without their backing it was likely rank-and-file workers would honour picket lines. Asked about Merrilees's statement that most workers were concerned about the action, Woods said: "The ones I've spoke to aren't, the ones I've spoke to are strongly in support of the Occupy movement. "I guess we'll see on December 12th." http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/10/occupy-shutdown-west-coast-ports?newsfeed=true >From ILWU Web Site ILWU clarifies position regarding third-party protests at ports November 22, 2011 3:01 pm SAN FRANCISCO, CA (November 22, 2011) In response to recent third-party announcements that community activists will attempt to shut down various West Coast marine terminals on December 12, 2011, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) sent a memo to its 15,000 longshore members and leaders emphasizing the union's internal democratic process and stating its rejection of third-party calls for job actions that have not been sanctioned by its Officers or voted on by member representatives. The memo stated in part, "To be clear, the ILWU, the Coast Longshore Division, and Local 21 are not coordinating independently or in conjunction with any self-proclaimed organization or group to shut down any port or terminal, particularly as it relates to our dispute with EGT in Longview." "The ILWU shares the Occupy Wall Street movement's concerns about corporate abuses and the future of the middle class, but we must be clear that any actions organized by outside groups, including the proposed December 12 shutdown of various terminals on the West Coast, have not been vetted by our union's democratically led process," said Robert McEllrath, ILWU International President. "Only ILWU members or their elected representatives can authorize job actions on behalf of the union, and any decisions made by groups outside of the union's democratic process do not hold water, regardless of the intent." Several announcements have been made by online activists claiming that they intend to shut down terminals in support of the ILWU's primary dispute with EGT, a multinational grain export terminal in Longview, WA, that broke off talks with the ILWU after nine months of negotiations. "The ILWU has received strong public support as people find out about multinational EGT's attempts to undermine American working conditions," said Leal Sundet, ILWU Coast Committeeman. "While people are inspired to support the fight for good jobs at EGT, the fact remains that our plan to reach an agreement with EGT is led solely by the longshore workers who have worked grain on the West Coast for the past eight decades." The ILWU represents 50,000 men and women on the docks and in warehouses and other industries in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii. http://www.ilwu.org/?p=3296 >From ILWU Web Site. ILWU Int'l President Bob McEllrath releases solidarty statement in support of `Occupy Wall Street' October 5, 2011 11:37 am October 5, 2011 Dear Sisters and Brothers, On behalf of 40,000 members in the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), I want to thank you for organizing your "Occupy Wall Street" protest in New York City which is inspiring millions of Americans. Most of us are tired of seeing a handful of the richest corporations and executives behave as though they're entitled to live like kings at everyone's expense: They aren't paying their fair share of taxes, so schools are cutting back and colleges are raising fees leaving students with obscene debts. It's time for the millionaires the richest 1% to start paying their fair share so we can support education and other vital services. They're destroying our democracy and right to a voice in the workplace. By making it almost impossible for workers to form unions and negotiate fair agreements, corporate America is dragging down the living standards for all working families. They're threatening to destroy Social Security and Medicare for future generations. We can't allow corporations to privatize and profit from these programs. Instead, we should close the loopholes so corporations and the rich start paying the same contributions as everyone else. Your decision to bring these and other issues to corporate America's doorstep is courageous and involves some risks. We weren't surprised that some of you have faced beatings and pepper spray from overzealous police. Your crusade to shine a light on the corruption and injustice that's infecting Wall Street is bound to ruffle some feathers. We've experienced some similar rough treatment in Longview, Washington, where ILWU families are also taking a stand against corporate greed. Our fight there is against EGT, a multi-national corporation that took taxpayer subsidies to build a grain export terminal then betrayed workers and the community. Like you, ILWU members in Longview have been arrested, beaten and pepper sprayed. We know that justice won't be won by asking greedy employers for permission or waiting for politicians to pass laws. That's why we hope that you'll stand your ground on Wall Street while we do the same in Longview because An Injury To One Is An Injury To All! Robert McEllrath International President http://www.ilwu.org/?p=3140 ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:laamn-unsubscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:laamn-subscr...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:laamn-dig...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:laamn-ow...@egroups.com?subject=laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:la...@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/laamn@egroups.com> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! 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