West Coast Occupy and ILWU rank and file January ACTION

[Ele'ill]

Edit- This is a call for community support


http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2012/01/413321.shtml


ILWU rank and file, Occupies in Longview, Portland, Seattle, Oakland, LA and other West Coast Occupies are organizing to blockade a grain ship coming to Longview. This ship is intended to load scab cargo from the EGT terminal. The date won't be known until 3-4 days in advance, but is anticipated to be sometime in January.
[In Portland] Come hear Port shutdown organizers from Occupy Oakland speak alongside rank and file Longshore workers from Oakland and Longview about the significance of the Longview struggle, and what we can do when this grain shipment arrives!

[Paulappaul]

http://nwlaborpress.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Melee.jpg

This time we won't go down so easy.

[The Douche]

And yet some people claim occupiers actions hurt the longshoremen, and that the longshoremen hate occupiers.:laugh:

[Kadir Ateş]

I just hope they coordinate with the rank and file, not the shop stewards or union bureaucrats.

[A Marxist Historian]

And yet some people claim occupiers actions hurt the longshoremen, and that the longshoremen hate occupiers.:laugh:

Such people are either stupid or finks.

But the fact is that this is an action initiated by the longshoremen themselves, albeit initiated formally by the union officers rather than by a rank and file rebellion against them. And now West Coast OWS can swing into action supporting it, giving it something serious to do now that just about all the occupations have been smashed by the cops.

That's the right way to do it, not the other way around as previously. With all its faults, the ILWU is an organization of the working class, whereas with all its merits, OWS is the movement of "the 99%," i.e. not the working class when you get right down to it, dominated by middle class radicals with a populist anti-Wall Street rather than a socialist or explicitly working class program.

-M.H.-

[ellipsis]

January gonna be a big month for Occupy-West Coast Syndicate.

[Ele'ill]

Figured I'd drop some more links here

http://www.longshoreshippingnews.com/2012/01/ilwu-pres-mcellrath-prepare-to-take-action-when-egt-vessel-arrives/

http://tdn.com/news/local/protest-planned-for-first-ship-to-dock-at-egt-grain/article_e9b1d6e0-38d7-11e1-aac5-001871e3ce6c.html?mode=story

[Uncle Rob]

Occupy broadening itself to labor. Just the direction it needs to go. This is exciting news.

[Ele'ill]

Occupy Longview member discusses looming port protest with commissioners

http://www.longshoreshippingnews.com/2012/01/occupy-longview-member-discusses-looming-port-protest-with-commissioners/

[Ele'ill]

Columbia River pilot wary of being caught in middle of EGT labor dispute


A veteran Columbia River pilot says he’s concerned that he could be compelled to steer a ship to the EGT grain terminal at the Port of Longview — even if mass protests create a risky environment.

Phillip Massey, 62, of Kalama, said he isn’t taking sides in the ongoing labor dispute between union longshoremen and EGT. However, he said pilots could be caught in a pinch: They risk losing their licenses if they decline to pilot a vessel, and they risk possible retaliation from protesters if they do.

A large number of protesters is expected to greet the EGT ship. Massey said he’s not concerned that local longshoremen will cause problems for the pilots, but fringe elements from the hundreds or even thousands of out-of-town protesters might resort to harassment even after the ship has come and gone.

Also, a strong law-enforcement presence might add fuel to the fire, Massey said.



http://www.longshoreshippingnews.com/2012/01/columbia-river-pilot-wary-of-being-caught-in-middle-of-egt-labor-dispute/

[blake 3:17]

Could somebody give a little overview? Like five sentences?

Great to see Occupy and ILWU working together. The West Coast ILWU has done great stuff on broader social questions for a long time -- over Palestine, Brother Mumia and against the invasion of Iraq.

I've tried to get a handle on what the main issue is and I'm not getting it.

All power to the people!

[ckaihatsu]

Wisconsin Labor Council Tells Obama to Order Coast Guard to "Stand Down"; Jan. 23 Demonstrations Called to Defend Washington Dock Workers [U&I]


Wisconsin Labor Council Tells Obama to Order Coast Guard to "Stand Down"

January 19, 2012

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear President Obama:

With over 200 present at our monthly meeting on Monday, January 16, delegates to the South Central Federation of Labor heard a very disturbing report about the planned use of U.S. military to intervene on the side of management in a crucial labor dispute in Washington State, and voted unanimously to condemn such intervention.

The International Longshoremen Workers Union is engaged in a crucial struggle at the Port of Longview, Washington, where a multinational company, EGT, is attempting to operate as the West Coast's only non-ILWU facility, despite promising otherwise when it received millions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies to build its grain exporting terminal. Now, as the first ship makes its way to the port to fill up with grain bound for Asia, it is reported that Coast Guard ships and helicopters will be used to escort this ship. Use of our tax dollars and our military to assist such union busting is horrifying.

Mr. President, as Commander in Chief, we call upon you to order the Coast Guard to stand down, to not interfere on the side of management in this labor dispute.

Sincerely,


James A. Cavanaugh
President

c: Rich Trumka, Sen. Kohl, Sen. Johnson, Rep. Baldwin, ILWU

Jim Cavanaugh, President
South Central Federation of Labor
1602 S Park St #228
Madison WI 53715 * (608) 256-5111
http://www.SCFL.org

* * * * * * * * * *

http://www.facebook.com/pages/South-Central-Federation-of-Labor/335944538615

[]
TAKE ACTION to STOP Coast Guard union busting in Longview


PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE
Jan. 23 Demonstration Called to Defend Washington Dock Workers
Protest Use of U.S. Coast Guard for Union-Busting


PRESS CONFERENCE
WHEN: Monday, January 23, 2012 [1:30 p.m.]
WHERE: 1111 Broadway, Oakland, CA Homeland Security Office

PROTEST DEMONSTRATION AND MARCH
WHEN: Monday, January 23, 2012 [2:30 p.m.]
WHERE: Federal Building 1301 Clay St., Oakland, CA
For further information, contact: Jack Heyman 510-501-7080 or Michael Eisenscher 510-693-7314

On Monday, January 23, Occupy Oakland and labor organizations have called a demonstration to protest the use of armed Coast Guard cutters and helicopters to escort a ship into the port of Longview, Washington to load grain from a terminal. It is being picketed by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). EGT, a giant grain consortium which has built a new $200 million dollar terminal is violating the port's contract which provides for ILWU workers to perform waterfront labor.

In addition, with protests called by the Cowlitz County, Washington AFL-CIO, local and state police are expected to be out in force. There have been 220 arrests of union supporters in Longview and fines of over $300,000 for blocking trains and trespassing on EGT port property.

A Jan. 9 resolution by the San Francisco Labor Council condemned, "in the strongest terms," this "first known use of the US military to intervene in a labor dispute on the side of management in 40 years," since President Nixon called out the U.S. Army and National Guard in an attempt to break the 1971 postal strike. The Obama Administration's planned action is strongly reminiscent of Reagan's wholesale firing of PATCO workers, using 1248 military air traffic controllers to replace the union strikers.

The use of the military against longshore workers comes when the U.S. has chided governments around the world for unleashing the armed forces against their own citizens. In the SF Bay Area, ILWU Local 10, longshore union, and the SF Labor Council as well as Occupy Oakland are organizing a caravan to Longview to meet the ship upon arrival, possibly this month. Occupy movements in Portland and Seattle are also mobilizing supporters to go to Longview. The ILWU has a record of militant dock actions over contract issues and social protests including South African apartheid and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Anthony Leviege, a longshoreman and an organizer of the demonstration called the Longview union struggle "a watershed struggle for organized labor. No more PATCO's!".

-30-

[Ele'ill]

http://www.longshoreshippingnews.com/2012/01/carpenters-local-156-now-is-the-time-for-all-of-organized-labor-to-stand-with-ilwu/


Carpenters Local 156, longtime friends of Operating Engineers Local 701, has written the ILWU the following letter, which is worth reading start to finish:


Dear brothers and sisters:

We send this letter to express our support of your struggles with EGT in Longview. We are humbled by your passion and commitment to securing work for your members. All members and leaders in organized labor should take note of your efforts.

As members of the working class, we must stand together in all clashes between Labor and Employer. Labor must stop taking the wrong path as we have so many times in the past of fighting each other on behalf of the employing class. The struggle with EGT is a prime example. Early on, EGT was feeling pressure from all of labor for turning their back to the ILWU, but as we have all too often, and to our detriment, we have made this a fight of Labor versus Labor. This tactic by EGT has been played out by employers for all history and has been the leading cause of struggles of the Labor Movement.

The ILWU has been a beacon for all workers in the fight for a better life through conditions at work. The ILWU has long been the first members of Organized Labor to join a struggle and support workers around the world in their times of need. Now is the time for ALL of Organized Labor to stand with you in this time of need. The members of Carpenters Local 156 understand the gravity of this struggle as much more than gaining a few jobs for its members. This is a line in the sand where all of labor wakens to the attempt of the employing class to erode the rights and working conditions around the world by continuously pitting one group against another.

The members of Operating Engineers Local 701 have been the best friends and biggest supporters of Carpenters in Oregon and SW Washington. That relationship will continue as the members of Local 156 will support Local 701 in all of their struggles with management. With the benefit of this close relationship, we must be the ones to point out when one of us is choosing the wrong path. Local 156 appreciates the attempts of Local 701 to secure more work for its members. However, in this situation Local 701 is doing more harm long term, for its members and all the Labor Movement.

An injury to one is an injury to all. This must be something more than just a saying or a logo we print on stickers and shirts. When all of us in the struggle of the Working Class embrace this as a belief and not just a motto, refuse to take on a fight on behalf of Management, and make decisions with the concern for all in the Labor Movement, and not just in a short term benefit to a select few, as a goal, we will truly see the power we hold and the tremendous change we can affect with it.

Good luck in your continued struggle and best wishes for a positive outcome. Please know that you have the support and deepest gratitude of the members of Local 156 and all of us in the Labor Movement.

In solidarity,

Ben Basom
Recording Secretary
On behalf of the members and Executive Board of Carpenters Local 156

[Ele'ill]

http://occupyportland.org/2012/01/18/longviewpr/


Press Release: Occupy Portland Stands with Longview to Stop Grain Shipment
January 18th, 2012


Caravan, flotilla, and protest planned in response to the labor struggle, food justice issues, and environmentally destructive practices of EGT and Bunge corporations

Portland, OR – Occupy Portland and other West Coast Occupations are mobilizing caravans to converge in Longview, Washington when the first ship to be loaded for export arrives at the new EGT grain terminal later this month. Occupy Portland, Oakland, and Longview all passed a resolution calling for the Occupy movement to come together in Longview to stop “EGT’s attacks on our communities, our food supply and the jurisdiction of West Coast Longshore workers.”

[Ele'ill]

Oh yeah and this centralized Occupy / Longview action website. For those of you in the area (and in Oakland) there is a caravan sign up for notification of the shipment and for transportation help. Use your better judgement regarding information you're willing to give out on the sign-up form. http://www.occupytheegt.org/content/sign-longview-caravan

http://www.occupytheegt.org/