No Work Today! Justice For Oscar Grant! ILWU Shuts Bay Area Ports October 23, 2010

[Eastside Revolt]

No Work Today! Justice For Oscar Grant! ILWU Shuts Bay Area Ports October 23, 2010

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/10/26/18662324.php

Northern California ILWU longshore workers closed all bay area ports on October 23, 2010 to join a rally for justice in the case of Oscar Grant. Many trade unionists spoke out about the issues that brought them to the rally for justice in the case of Oscar Grant.

No Work Today! Justice For Oscar Grant! ILWU Shuts Bay Area Ports October 23, 2010
On October 23, 2010, the ILWU shut down Northern California ports to support
a rally for justice for Oscar Grant. Grant was murdered by BART policeman Johannes
Mehserle and the ILWU and other unions are demanding that the killer get a full
sentence of 14 years. This was the first labor action to protest the growing repression
of Black and Latino youth by police forces. Other unions joining the ILWU included
the Oakland Education Association, SEIU 1021, CUE-IBT UCB and rank and file
members of BART ATU 1555.
Produced by Labor Video Project laborvideo.blip.tv http://www.laborvideo.org (http://www.laborvideo.org/)
http://blip.tv/file/4297389

[Eastside Revolt]

I was a little annoyed to see such a lack of visible anarchist presence on the video footage.

But it is good to see that organized labour are getting involved in issues outside of their workplace.....

[RED DAVE]

This is a tremendous advance in the cause of the working class: that a section of the class would actually take a one-day strike on a political issue is of enormous significance. The presence of other unions is also important.

RED DAVE

[Ocean Seal]

I was a little annoyed to see such a lack of visible anarchist presence on the video footage.

But it is good to see that organized labour are getting involved in issues outside of their workplace.....
Consider this even better than an anarchist/communist rally. It is the mainline movement waking up and fighting for something that generally we have to do alone. This is a positive thing and indicative of revolutionary potential.

[Delenda Carthago]

Consider this even better than an anarchist/communist rally. It is the mainline movement waking up and fighting for something that generally we have to do alone. This is a positive thing and indicative of revolutionary potential.
This. It wouldnt change a damn thing if there were anarchists or whatever.The importance is on the strike itself,based on the reason.:)

[Jimmie Higgins]

I was a little annoyed to see such a lack of visible anarchist presence on the video footage.

But it is good to see that organized labour are getting involved in issues outside of their workplace.....I was annoyed to see such a lack of personnel support from unions other than the ILWU at the rally. The Alemeda labor council and a bunch of unions endorsed it but in the labor council emails that week, they told people to go out a register people to vote that weekend.

This is obviously significant, and I'm glad it happened and I'm really glad that the ILWU has taken this issue on - I think the first really big thing they did on this issue was when they sent people out to counter-protest the pro-cop rally. So anyway, I hate to be a downer, but I was disappointed in the rally turn-out. It was mostly other left (socialist) groups and aside from the IWW, even the independent anarchist numbers were thinner than they had been. Anyway, nothing really deep here, just my surface observation from that event.

It will be interesting to see what happens when the sentencing is announced on Nov 5th. From what the coalitions are saying, it sounds like there is a chance Mehserle will just get probation. Apparently, the defense asked the judge for time served with probation while the D.A. said that probation would be too light but did not argue for the 14 year gun enhancement charge or any other specific sentence.

If he does get off with just probation, I don't know if people will just be confused and demoralized or if people will be confused and think: "wait, the found him guilty and now he's walking!" and become hellza pissed! Also coming so close to the election might have an effect too - with big Republican wins, people might be demoralized and resigned or they might also be hellza pissed.

[The Red Next Door]

This is awesome; thanks for the news.

[Rusty Shackleford]

if i didnt have a god damn job interview(which i didnt get hired) i would have been there. its been a while since ive been at an event like that :(


comrades told me it was a well done demo though.


and i love the ILWU's will to fight.

[Red Rebel]

ILWU is constantly one of the most badass unions in the USA.

Shame the racist cop killer only got two years.. at least he did get a promotion..

[Blackscare]

I was a little annoyed to see such a lack of visible anarchist presence on the video footage.


Really?


I'm much more interested to see segments of the working class at large start to unite in a way that is class-conscious and offers a display of political and economic power through something like a strike, than seeing any particular ideologues waving flags in the background.

[Eastside Revolt]

Really?


I'm much more interested to see segments of the working class at large start to unite in a way that is class-conscious and offers a display of political and economic power through something like a strike, than seeing any particular ideologues waving flags in the background.

I guess you missed this part: "But it is good to see that organized labour are getting involved in issues outside of their workplace....." http://www.revleft.com/vb/revleft/misc/progress.gif