Sounds too good to be true, but it is.

[hekmatista]

This is real, people. Everyone needs to be doing something in solidarity with these guys.

US West Coast dockers:
1st May Workers Action to Stop the War

ILWU
26 Feb 08

M/S/C as amended
FOR WORKERS’ ACTION TO STOP THE WAR

WHEREAS: On May 1, 2003, at the ILWU Convention in San Francisco resolutions were passed calling for an end to the war and occupation in Iraq; and
WHEREAS: ILWU took the lead among labor unions in opposing this bloody war and occupation for imperial domination; and
WHEREAS: Many unions and the overwhelming majority of the American people now oppose this bipartisan and unjustifiable war in Iraq and Afghanistan but the two major political parties, Democrats and Republicans continue to fund the war; and
WHEREAS: Millions worldwide have marched and demonstrated against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but have been unable to stop the wars; and
WHEREAS: ILWU’s historic dock actions,
1) like the refusal of Local 10 longshoremen to load bombs for the military dictatorship in Chile in 1978 and military cargo to the Salvadoran military dictatorship in 1981 and
2) the honoring of the teachers’ union antiwar picket May 19, 2007 against SSA in the port of Oakland stand as a limited but shining example of how to oppose these wars; and
WHEREAS: The spread of war in the Middle East is threatened with U. S. air strikes in Iran or possible military intervention in Syria or the destabilized Pakistan;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That it is time to take labor’s protest to a more powerful level of struggle by calling on unions and working people in the U. S. and internationally to mobilize for a “No Peace No Work Holiday” May 1, 2008 for 8 hours to demand an immediate end to the war and occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan and the withdrawal of U. S. troops from the Middle East; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED:
That a clarion call from the ILWU be sent with an urgent appeal for unity of action to the AFL-CIO, the Change to Win Coalition and all of the international labor organizations to which we are affiliated to bring an end to this bloody war once and for all.
Submitted by:
ILWU Local 10
passed overwhelmingly after thorough debate
If you need any further information or wish to send messages of support and solidarity please contact Bob McEllrath, International President, ILWU, 1188 Franklin Street, San Francisco, California 94109.

[hekmatista]

April 23, 2008

The Port Workers May Day Organizing Committee is proud to announce that Cynthia McKinney, former Congresswoman from Georgia; Danny Glover, renowned actor and political activist; and Cindy Sheehan, Gold Star mother whose son Casey was killed in Iraq four years ago, will be among the featured speakers at our "No Peace, No Work" Holiday mobilization in San Francisco on May 1st.

The West Coast longshore workers have voted to stop work to protest against the ongoing war and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. The Port Workers May Day Organizing Committee and the other rank-and-file committees in ports up and down the West Coast have received pledges of support from labor councils, local unions and anti-war, anti-racist, immigrant and other social justice organizations across the country and around the globe.

The "March with Longshore Workers" will assemble at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 1st, at the Longshore (ILWU) hall at Mason & Beach, and will march down the Embarcadero for a noon rally at Justin Herman Plaza.

[hekmatista]

Subject: [nysnet] Fw: S. F. Labor Council backs ILWU May Day action in
West Coast ports
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:23:57 -0400


Whereas, the San Francisco Labor Council has a longstanding position
calling for an immediate end to the US war and occupation in Iraq;
therefore be it

Resolved, that the San Francisco Labor Council supports the decision
of
the Longshore Caucus of the International Longshore & Warehouse Union
(ILWU) to stop work for 8 hours on Thursday, May 1, 2008 --
International Workers Day -- at all West Coast ports, to demand "an
immediate end to the war and occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan and
the
withdrawal of US troops from the Middle East." The Council supports the
decision of Branch 214 of the National Association of Letter Carriers
to
observe 2 minutes of silence in all carrier stations at 8:15 a.m. on
May
1st, in solidarity with the ILWU action and to express their opposition
to the war in Iraq; and be it further

Resolved, that the San Francisco Labor Council encourages other unions

to follow ILWU's call for a 'No Peace-No Work Holiday' or other labor
actions on May Day, to express their opposition to the US wars and
occupations in the Middle East; and be it finally

Resolved, that the San Francisco Labor Council send a letter of
congratulations to ILWU President Bob McEllrath for his union's bold
initiative to use the occasion of International Workers Day to stop
work to stop the war.

-- Resolution adopted by the San Francisco Labor Council March 24,
2008, by unanimous vote

[hekmatista]

Subject: VERMONT AFL-CIO CALLS ON WORKERS TO SUPPORT WEST COAST STRIKE
AGAINST WAR ON MAY 1stVERMONT AFL-CIO CALLS ON WORKERS TO SUPPORT WEST COAST
STRIKE AGAINST WAR ON MAY 1st

> by Vermont AFL-CIO (16 April 2008)
> The Executive Board of the Vermont AFL-CIO, representing thousands of
> workers in countless sectors across Vermont, have unanimously passed an
> historic resolution expressing their "unequivocal" support for the first
> US labor strike against the war in Iraq. Montpelier, VT .The Executive
> Board of the Vermont AFL-CIO, representing thousands of workers in
> countless sectors across Vermont, have unanimously passed an historic
> resolution expressing their "unequivocal" support for the first US labor
> strike against the war in Iraq. The strike, being organized by the
> Longshore Caucus of the International Longshore & Warehouse Union
> (ILWU), will seek to shutdown all west coast ports for a period of 8
> hours on the day of May 1st 2008. The Vermont AFL-CIO is the first state
> labor federation to publicly back the Longshoremen; other state
> federations are expected to follow. The resolution, among other things,
> calls the war in Iraq "immoral, unwanted, and unnecessary", states that
> the vast majority of working Vermonters oppose the war, and contends
> that the war will only be brought to an end by "the direct actions of
> working people." Many other Vermont labor unions and organizations,
> including the Vermont Workers' Center, have also made official
> statements condemning the war. The resolution also calls on working
> Vermonters to "discuss the actions of the Longshoremen, to wear anti-war
> buttons, and to take various actions of their own design and choosing in
> their workplace on May 1st, 2008." "Workers in Vermont and all across
> this nation are against this war. We have already demanded that the
> government end it, but they have consistently failed to heed our words.
> Therefore working people are beginning to take concrete steps to make
> our resistance known. If the war does not immediately end we, the unions
> and working people of Vermont, will also be compelled to take
> appropriate action," said David Van Deusen, a District Vice President of
> the Vermont AFL-CIO.
>
> Traven Leyshon, President of the Washington, Lamoille & Orange County
> Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, said, "Vermont labor has long called for
> an end to this war. The untold billions being spent on the war could
> instead be used to address our domestic needs. It is working people who
> pay the cost of the war - in some cases with our lives, but always with
> our sacrifices."
>
> ***
>
> Vermont AFL-CIO Resolution
> In Solidarity With Longshoremen's
> West Coast Strike Against War
> April, 2008
>
> Whereas the war in Iraq is immoral, unwanted, and unnecessary,
>
> Whereas this unjust war is opposed by the great majority of Americans &
> Vermonters, the bulk of organized labor, and by thousands of enlisted
> military personal,
>
> Whereas this unjust war has already resulted in over 4000 American dead
> (including a disproportionate number of brave Vermonters), and tens of
> thousands of service men & woman being wounded,
>
> Whereas this unjust war has further resulted in untold number of Iraqi
> deaths,
>
> Whereas the Federal Government has not made any constructive moves
> towards the ending of this war and the full removal of US troops, and
> instead has taken the course of escalation and indefinite occupation,
>
> Whereas the government of Vermont, and especially Governor Jim Douglas,
> have failed to find ways to bring Vermont National Guard troops home
> from Iraq,
>
> Whereas this war will only be brought to an end by the direct actions of
> working people,
>
> Therefore, Let It Be Resolved that the Vermont AFL-CIO continues to
> stand in firm opposition to this war, and unequivocally supports the
> decision of the Longshore Caucus of the International Longshore &
> Warehouse Union (ILWU) to shutdown the west coast ports for a period of
> 8 hours on May 1st, 2008, as a means of resistance.
>
> Let It Be Resolved that the Vermont AFL-CIO stands in full solidarity
> with the New York Metro National Association of Letter Carriers who have
> resolved to conduct two minute periods of silence on May 1st, 2008, at
> 1PM, 5PM & 9PM in protest of the war and in support of the Longshoremen.
>
> Let It Be Resolved that the Vermont AFL-CIO encourages all Vermont
> workers to stand in solidarity with the historic actions being taken by
> the Longshoremen & other labor unions to end this war.
>
> Let It Be Further Resolved that the Vermont AFL-CIO calls for all
> Vermont workers to discuss the actions of the Longshoremen, to wear
> anti-war buttons, and to take various actions of their own design and
> choosing in their workplace on May 1st, 2008 as a means of resistance
> against this unjust war.