ILWU shuts down West Coast ports in War protest
By John Amato Wednesday Apr 30, 2008 2:45pmThe International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) made good on its threat to stage a virtual strike on May Day, effectively shutting down all U.S. and Canadian West Coast ports. The one-day “work-stoppage,” said ILWU officials, is to protest the war in Iraq and comes at a time when the union is in the middle of contract talks with the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA).
For shippers, however, the event may signal that more trouble lies ahead. “Longshore workers are standing-down on the job and standing up for America,” said ILWU president Bob McEllrath. “We’re supporting the troops and telling politicians in Washington that it’s time to end the war in Iraq.”...read on
There's also a march planned.
On May Day 2008, longshore workers and other trade unionists will join together in a march starting at 10:30 AM at Mason St. & Beach St. and will rally at the Justin Herman Plaza. They will also join with the immigrant rights marchers. At 6:00 PM there will be a potluck at ILWU Local 34 which is located at 2nd St and Embarcadero next to the AT&T ball park.
Login or Register to post comments.
First.
How about another Million Man March against the War?
Good for them!
Aaron, if you don't remember, there was one of the biggest protest marches EVER on this planet BEFORE the war started, and the media ignored it.
Marches don't have any political traction anymore. They just seem to attract goofballs and morons who treat the marches as a good time to party.
sweet. Seattles gonna be a mess today-the port's shut and there are three big marches getting ready to start, then converging downtown.
I guess it's a good thing those big rigs won't be driving around.
I'm the son of a longshoreman.
After seeing unions and union workers take it in the neck since 1980, this is a GREAT DAY.
Good for them!!
Be Patriotic: DON'T shop.
My hat is off to the men and women of the ILWU. Way to go!
I've long thought it's about time for another General Strike (more to protest the outsourcing than the war, but hey, whatever reminds the pols that we the people are the ones in charge).
Daniel W. @ 7:
Mine, too! Finally, civil resistance with tooth in protest of the war!
My grandfather was a longshoreman (and was actually in a few crowd scenes in ON THE WATERFRONT). I'm very proud on his behalf. As Liberal and Proud said, hooray for our unions!
So, apparently not ALL blue collar workers are going to vote for McWar.
Good for them and I hope they keep in mind which ones of the candidates were in favor of the war from the beginning.
I also wish I could believe their efforts will make a difference. Remember before the war countries around the world held giant protests against it and their protests were just blown off.
Awesome.
This is why the corporate overlords don't want to have to deal with pesky citizens anymore. Sooo.... they want to send the Chinese (and other Asian) imports in through Mexico and bring them up the "NAFTA highway", presently being sold as Keep Texas Moving.
Sweet!!!!
This is fucking GREAT news!!!!
My hats off to these fine Americans as well!
Who cares about this crap. I want to know what Reverend Wright is up to. (Sarcastic)
Good for the long shoreman! Let's see corporate Amerika just try and ship their jobs overseas.
Now these folks are demonstrating what true patriotism is all about.
Once Bush hears about this, he will send all the troops home, right away. Yeah.
Whatever.
As a CUPE brother in BC I tip my hat to you guys. Well done,but make sure you keep aware of the blackshirts in case they decide to drop in uninvited.
MSM cover this? I am out of the country.
Forget marches, protests that are ignored. This is what will work, hit them in the POCKETBOOK. The same place the bums are getting us. Shut down commerce for a couple days and see what happens.
DC @ 21:
I haven't seen anything about it but I haven't been near the tv all day, just once in a while.
DC @ 21:
NYTimes, LA Times, Reuters, AP...
b-b-but PMA is mad!!!
“We are very disappointed and angry about the event,” PMA spokesman, Steve Getzug, told LM today.
is democracy spoiling your profit margin steve?
I'm pleased that the longshoreman have taken a stance, however, with our economy on the brink of financial disaster, anything that shocks the economy could trigger economic depression.
We really need to be smart about how we handle ourselves "as a nation" over the course of the next few years.
A general strike affecting the entire west coast shipping, would be a very very bad thing.
The moron's in washington (congress specifically, the president is secondary), have done so much damage to our economy, we really can't take any more significant hits.
Keep that in mind please.
Captain Bitter Elitist Hussein Kangaroo @ 16:
Yeah! I bet Wright is converting white xtian women to Islam. And selling dope to grade schoolers disguised as a nun!
Fabulous!!!!!
MORE UNIONS NOW.
Dan-in-PA @ 26:
Perhaps, but the aggression itself was committed for our "economic benefit" (oil), and that selfish shit needs to stop.
6 Harold Clark Says: Be Patriotic: DON’T shop.
=============================
Hear hear. It's the fastest way to get their attention; moreso than protests!!!! But both are cool with me. Heck: do both, and keep nagging your Reps.
[Deleted. Off topic-Sitemonitor]
I haven't seen any mention of this strike on CNN or MSNBC. I sent an E-mail to CNN criticizing them of not complying with their licensing mandate to provide service to the public. I accused them of censoring the news because of its anti-war stance. I also stated that the public should have the ability to rescind a corporation's license by initiative. In CNN's case it would involve a national referendum. A Republican FCC has proven its reluctance to support the interests of the public.
26 Dan-in-PA Says: I’m pleased that the longshoreman have taken a stance, however, with our economy on the brink of financial disaster, anything that shocks the economy could trigger economic depression.
==========================
Put down the Kool-Aid. Turn off the TV.
Dan-in-PA @ 26:
the point is to make it hurt.
the war is THE biggest drag on the economy. if there is a general work shut down that creates enough political pressure (due to economic pressure) to actually help shut down the iraq-money pit then i say good.
the problem, as i see it, is that the standard protests and marches are simple for the eilte to ignore. i think this is the only type of protest that actually makes a difference. which is the point, or at least it should be.
the politicians and the corporations ignore the will of the people and, from time to time, the people actually say 'no, fuck you, you will listen to us. NOW'
tips hat to ILWU
Meanwhile, as of 2:22 MDT, no mention of this on CNN's main webpage. However, "Is the future of TV on the Web?" is listed among the "latest news".
Dan-in-PA @ 26:
Remember which party still has enough votes to block all progress. (Hint: It aint the Democrats)
I see this hastening the superhighway from Mexico. I foresee businesses trying to bring goods up thru mexico and bypassing the union workers. Keep voting republican dumbasses and keep losing jobs to foreigners. Democrats may not be that good either but they are a thousand times better than republicans when it comes to saving US jobs.
[Deleted. Off topic-Sitemonitor]
6 Harold Clark Says: Be Patriotic: DON’T shop.
Sorry dude, but I have to make a beer stop on the way home.
Workers of the World Unite!
With this news today, the ILWU of both my father and mother in the forties, fifties and sixties...is the ILWU of my father and mother. This union has a history of courageous and progressive social work and should be thanked.
Petro@29…
“Perhaps, but the aggression itself was committed for our “economic benefit” (oil), and that selfish shit needs to stop.”
I had to comment because this is the dummest comment I have read all year!!
Bush started this war so my gas prices would stay low? When you say “OUR benifit” it makes me think you have some potential financial gain from this war or that you are mentaly retarded.
Bet we don't see the police pushing these guys around like they did the mexicans in LA. Good show, we need these people with us! These are the kind of things that hit the rat bastards right where it hurts.----CEO
Tom A. @ 35:
Or this gem: "Barbara Walters: I had affair with U.S. senator"
Everyone needs to make a quick call IN SUPPORT of what this union is doing!!!
They're facing the threat of legal action for STANDING UP TO CORPORATE POWER!
They need to hear that millions of Americans are fed up and we're not taking it anymore..
This war has to end NOW!!
Call them...it only takes a minute and your participation is the fuel that will make things
like this happen across the country!
[Deleted. Let people look it up. Putting it in the post just makes it too easy for the hatas-Sitemonitor]
Leaveus @ 42:
Just because the foolish scheme failed doesn't change the initial motivation. What other strategic interest do you think think we might have in the ME? It's always economic...
Interesting and impressive. At the very least, this move by the ILWU demonstrates that the American people potentially have vast reserves of grassroots power at their disposal, provided that we're creative and motivated enough to tap it. Considering how many of our Congresscritters seem to have forgotten the fact that they're supposed to be serving all of us instead of the other way around and/or only serving those select few with large amounts of ready cash, it occurs to me that grassroots movements like this may be one of the only remaining options left to us if we want to have any hope of bringing about change in this country.
"A small group of thoughtful people could change the world...indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." (Margaret Mead)
Dan-in-PA @ 26:
Your"concern" is duly noted.
Awesome!! There are still plenty of good folks who care enough to stand up for their country out there.
watched a little bit of cable news today. Nothing about this strike. But they did cover immigration protests.
Go Union!
McCain the Liar @ 37:
Nothing to worry about there. Because we, the U.S. have to import so much “stuff” (because we don’t make anything anymore) all the ports are running at full speed, maximum strength, full potential, 100% capacity. Whatever you want to call it. They need the “super Highway” from Mexico to keep up capacity otherwise we will not have the cheap cloths and shitty contaminated food and pharma drugs. You can bet that if this ‘super highway” was any threat to the dock workers you would have heard about it loud and clear.
Captain Bitter Elitist Hussein Kangaroo @ 16:
Yeah, and if Paula is still confused and whether or not Brooke is still crying!
Will this protest slow down the shipments of cheap plastic shit going to Wal-mart?
We can only hope.
Dan-in-PA @ 26:
Right Dan. Those were my initial thoughts as well.
Did anyone read the links? They indicated that 'most' of the traffic is through suez and to the east coast. Meaning - this was mainly symbolic.
Then need to forget the calendar (May 1) and shutdown all the ports.
Paul @ 17:
They are already working to do that.
http://www.securityinfowatch.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=&id=3651
http://ifcln001.worldbank.org/IFCExt/spiwebsite1.nsf/2bc34f011b50ff6e852...
I don't know what kind of security they will have to check containers being off-loaded, but I do know that once they are loaded on trains of or picked up by truckers it will be easy to move them across our border because all our security will be trying to stop the same people they can't stop now!
About time.
There were 2 million workers on strike in the US in 1943--fuck you, Uncle Sam. I'm getting mine before you get yours.
This is why they hate unions so much.
A union can shut down business for any reason at any time and there's not a damn thing management can do about it.
Unless they're willing to go Ludlow on the picket line.
Unfortunately, after the recent public safety disasters ranging from poisoned pet food to toxic children's toys to FUCKING AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE, I'm not so sure they wouldn't.
Wooohoooo! Finally some good news! Kudos to this union!!!!! W A Y T O G O!!!!!
This is the way! We've been waiting for Nancy Pewlosi and Feather-Duster Reid and the spineless democrats we put in there to do something. "Oh the republikkkans will fillibuster, oh, the repukes blocked it, oh, wring my fucking hands, oh they'll blame us."
National One-Day Strike!!!! The unions have shown the way! Individual action to start the snowball rolling.
Dan-in-PA @ 26:
Hurt the economy how? Worse than expatriated jobs? Worse than underpaid workers?
Since Reagan -
Homes up 800%
Cars up 800%
Gas up 1600%
CEO salaries up 1800%
and typical wages up 33%
.. that is what happens when sound economic policy (balanced supply side and demand side) is replaced with corporate finance - supply side. (That and Greenspan stated - twice - that his job was to keep preasure on labor)
You are protecting THEIR economy NOT yours.
You need to make it yours not theirs.
Aaron @ 1:
yes and this time we march thru the whitehouse arrest the criminals inside and then do the same at the house of congress!
A friend in Seattle that they are staging FEMA/Homeland Security games today. What IS going on?!
Last time Cheney did something like this was 9/11/01.
Wow this is the most uplifting news I hope a wave of human protest can finally rise from the citizens of this country against this illegal and immoral invasion and occupation. Let the End to the tyrannical reign of George Bush the horrible incompetent come to an end
Petro @ 46:
Failed???
Failed?? So you are retarded then. My deepest sympothy to your care takers.
The war has been an unqualified success and shows NO SIGNS of abaiting any time soon. All Busshes buddies made out like BANDITS and we have almost no constitution left, but we do have a huge and growing debt and have been left in a disadvantaged position by every for of measurment available.
How can we fail to loose with so many really missing basic thinking skills...
I just called their headquarters to thank them.
My father was a card carrying ILWU member. The best lesson I ever learned from him was how ridiculous it is to believe that some suit making $60 million a year sitting on his ass is worth very nickel while some blue collar guy making $60 grand a year standing on his feet is over paid and owes him an apology for it.
Good Bless Harry Bridges.
Yippee! I'm proud of these guys... Take a longshoreman to lunch... It's the least we can do.
A great example of meaningful protest. Can you imagine if all of the unions in every sector, including non-union workers, went on strike to oppose this stupid criminal act in Iraq?
This is exactly how you get their attention ($$$), not by meaningless street protest & blogging.
Dan-in-PA @ 26:
I’m pleased that the longshoreman have taken a stance, however, with our economy on the brink of financial disaster, anything that shocks the economy could trigger economic depression.
We really need to be smart about how we handle ourselves “as a nation” over the course of the next few years.
A general strike affecting the entire west coast shipping, would be a very very bad thing.
The moron’s in washington (congress specifically, the president is secondary), have done so much damage to our economy, we really can’t take any more significant hits.
Keep that in mind please.
A 30s style depression may be the only thing that could save our republic at this time in history. Corporations control everything in our lives now and Americans dont seem to be capable or have any inclination to take the action it would take to change that condition. The only thing that would break that power, is a world wide depression....or so says Gore Vidal.
Such a thing would indeed be terrible, but certainly not as horrible as a bloody revelution.
We need a general strike now. There are much greater issues at stake than the performance of the stock market.
proletariatprincess @ 71:
Save our economy at the expense of Iraqis & American lives, what's a life worth to you ???
Samson- @ 34:
Kudos to the ILWU.
And Samson, you and a few others have covered it.
And folks, let's face it.
We The People are hurting, and are GOING to hurt MUCH more, regardless of any blowback from actions like that of the ILWU.
If we're gonna hurt, let's do it by making sure the 1% knows We The People still have SOME say in things.
Riot control laser tanks and Blackwater aside, We The People DO have some recourses left.
As bad as the voting process is, ya GOTTA VOTE!!!
Then, there are any number of peaceful things to be done to impact the status quo and force politicians to bend to a better and saner moral ground than the one being shoved down our throats.
Thanks JA for posting this info. I was unaware of it so far.
As things get harder for the general public in terms of jobs, food, shelter, medical care . . . I think we'll see a continuing emergence (out of necessity) of the return of 'community' based supports.
And that will in turn, bring more and more people together. Focused.
In the long run, all the bad stuff will hit the 1% as much as anyone else when the power goes out, and there's no gas/fossil fuels to move products.
5 years of hardship would eliminate ANY reserves whatsoever even the 1% can hoard from the angry and unsettled masses.
Paybacks are a bitch, and mama nature and mama history are brutal dictates of how it went, goes, and will go.
If WE The People go down, so do the 1%. I'm not sure if they understand that, yet.
proletariatprincess @ 71:
Its amazing how many people here in the depressed state of Michigan walk around resigned to having to work for 30-40-50% less than what they were making years ago.
The sense of powerlessness/resignation is stunning.
It as though the "me first" thinking that got Bush elected is now working against everyone
to the degree that they can't see beyond their own situation to see the millions of other americans who are just as angry and frustrated.
There is strength in numbers.
Good for the ILWU!
What a great way to sent two important messages to the Repocons and their Big Biz backers.
why the hell are they joining up pro union/anti war with illegal immigration?
way to turn off the public to real causes
hey, ask the illegals what happens if they (or an illegal) were to protest in their home country
I watch all three evening news casts and NONE of them covered this story. It's time we let them know how angry we are they aren't being responsible to the public they are still suppose to serve.
So few thugs that control all comerce using Mafia intimatations to silence congress. I went to the paper yesterday and they do not think protection yourself agaisnt foreign troops is a very important story. So Israel according to Bush has the right to defend itself but we the people can not even form a state Malitia to do the same when National Guard is overseas.
Liberal AND Proud @ 5:
Hell yea!
Great news, thanks fellas at the ports, America is grateful.
UncleJoe@76: How dare those illegals come to our country when they're not even allowed to protest in their own countries! Especially when you think of all our tax money over the years spent trying to overthrow dictatorships and promote free speech in Mexico and Central America...NOT!
There are two kinds of people in this world: those that work for a living and those that don't. The ILWU is on the side of the 1st sort of people, and that's why they support illegal immigrants. I knew a lot of illegal immigrants when I worked down in the San Joaquin Valley, and just about every one of them were hard working decent people. Everything that I've seen indicates that they contribute far more to our society than they take from it. This recent movement to scapegoat illegal immigrants is blatantly racist and has been lead and promoted by conservatives in order to distract Americans from the real problem: the criminality and incompetence of the conservative movement.
If you really think illegal immigration is a problem, then end it. It's a very solvable problem, though no conservative wants to admit it. You don't need billion dollar walls or special IDs; in fact it's very cheap and easy. YOU GO AFTER THE EMPLOYERS! Give long-term jail sentences to a few millionaire farmers and a few meat-packing company executives and the problem would disappear overnight. Of course these people, in order to keep their labor force oppressed, are among those bankrolling the whole anti-immigrant movement.
And at the Port of Oakland, several dozen truckers, most of whom are self-employed, found out that they weren't going to make any money today. Some of the long-haul OTR drivers saw on-time bonuses vanish. All for a petty publicity stunt that had not one iota of effect on the Federal government or the current policy in the Middle East.
sorry guys, but I don't see this as any kind of positive event. Even out here in the SFBA, the story was buried fourth or fifth on most newscasts. All it did in my view (see my name) is cost hard-working truckers desperately needed miles.
I like the idea of the Union guys walking out and marching. I disagree with them joining the illegals. That is kind of like the police joining the criminals in a march.
samdog @ 82:
Uh oh.
You've just upset the PC Police.
samdog@82:
threatdown@83: It's not about what's PC or not. Fuck the PC movement: I hate 'em. Illegal immigration could be ended in this country if the Feds targeted the people who HIRE illegals. They're not going after these people because they are mostly wealthy, often corporate and almost all Republicans. As long as the jobs are here, the illegals will keep coming and no wall will keep them out. Scapegoating poor, powerless people, who are willing to brave great danger and work very hard for low pay in order to support their families, is to be expected of the lowlifes who constitute Conservative America: shame on you two chumps for carrying their water.
Wonder about that long shoremen’s strike today. Do you think the labor union realizes just how much money is involved when they have a one day work stoppage. I have a couple articles about the LA Port describing how much merchandise they move. In 2005, The LA Port handled about 6 to 7 million containers of cargo. Doesn’t say the value of that cargo. However assume a value of $200,000 per each container. That is at least 12 X 10 to 11 dollars, or $120 billion dollars for 2005. Assuming the port operates seven days a week, 365 days a year, that $3.3 billion a day. The Port of Long Beach does similar business. There are also the ports of San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle-Tacoma, Portland and who know what other West Coast ports that closed just for a day. That is, perhaps $10-20 billion dollars of cargo did not move yesterday from West Coast ports. Of course, the Dumb Ass-in-Chief never noticed that they were protesting the war, but I’ll bet a lot of businessmen on the West Coast did. If it were any other president, my guess is he would have been dragged out of the Oval Office and locked in cell the next day ... maybe even by the end of the day. Why is Bush immune?
Vicki@85: The ILWU knows exactly what they're doing and exactly how much money is involved. Your per container cost estimate of $200,000 times 6 to 7 million containers per year actually comes to 1.2 to 1.4 TRILLION dollars. Thats about equal to the trade that comes through ALL U.S. ports each year - so I'd have to say that your estimate is very high. Remember that, though there are lots of containers full of plasma TVs and laptops, there are a heck of a lot more full of Asia's #1 export - Cheap Plastic Crap.
I'd estimate that 1.5 billion (tops) in cargo were delayed by a day. When you consider 1 company - EXXON - made 8 times that in PROFIT last fiscal quarter, well that should give you a good idea of why our Oilman President and Oilman V. P. continue to hold office.
Read up on the ILWU. The East Coast longshoreman (totally different union) are the ones from "On the Waterfront": they were mob controlled for years. The ILWU were run for about 40 years - from the 30s to the 70s - by a hardcore leftist Australian immigrant named Harry Bridges. J. Edgar Hoover claimed he was a communist and tried over and over again to deport him, but never succeeded. Harry's dead now, but they are still hardcore. The police body stencils of two union men shot dead on S.F. wharf back in the 30s are recreated in loving detail on the pavement outside the S.F. union local office. The last time their contract was up, in 2002, the shipping companies supposedly showed up to negotiate with 'security staff' - read as 'pistol packing goons'. Supposedly, the story goes, the ILWU had wind off this and let it casually be known that all their negotiators were armed to the teeth and ready for the O.K. Corral Part 2: the concessions the shipping companies wanted on the new contract didn't happen. HARDCORE.
That contract is up this summer. Supposedly, besides supporting the troops and an end to the war, this one day shutdown is meant as a display of solidarity and power to the shipping companies and terminal operators.
Kudos!
They have provided a proud example of what we should all be doing!
If only for one day, we could join in a similar protest just imagine the "Shock and
Awe" we could bring to Bush and Cheney and their War of Choice! Who knows, maybe
the MSM would even cover it 24/7 for at least three weeks..................
Trucker Doug @ 81:
Doug, the problems truckers face have nothing to do with what longshoremen do for a day. They have everything to do with the powers that deregulated their industry, that now permit Mexican trucks to compete with them and that started a war to raise oil profits.
There is alot of open country between the Mexican border and Duluth Minnesota. I sure as hell would not want to be one of the chumps driving a truck from Mexico north if and when the west coast ports get shut down and all the truckers loose their jobs. It would be like shooting fish in a barrel....
To abarts@63 keep an eye on fema in their little games, if it somehow goes live we all need to be ready to march on washington, we will not stand for another false flag operation and it will not work this time, so take heed george, dick,pearl,wolfie,rummy and the rest its you we will come for this time.