Community Picket and Labor Shutdown War Profiteers at the Oakland Port
Submitted by pirate on
Breaking News: Activity at the Port of Oakland was successfully halted this morning after the ILWU locals chose not to cross the community picket lines. Pickets will continue throughout the day and organizers are calling for urgent support for picketing before a second shift of longshoremen arrive. 
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On Saturday, May 19th, the Oakland Port Action Committee will hold a direct action to block war shipments at the Port of Oakland. Starting at 6:30 AM, community members will picket the gates of war profiteers APL and SSA so that business is shut down at both shipping companies. The Port of Oakland is a departure point for military shipments destined for the war in the Middle East. The day-long blockade will highlight the longlasting struggle of the independent truckers, the environmental damage caused by the activities of the port and the lack of financial contribution to the city despite the $33 billion dollar annual profit, some of them from war shipments.
The Ports of Oakland have been shut down by a small group of antiwar protesters and organized workers.
Although union arbitrators did not “We did not succeed in winning the arbitration for them, what people saw today was a much more powerful demonstration of solidarity than we had a right to expect,” said Port Action Committee organizer Chris after Longshoremen agreed to walk off the job in honor of the picket.
“The IWU gave up. [longshoremen] gave up hundreds of dollars, time and a half [weekend pay] to respect our picket lines. You need to realize that the IWU stood by us. They didn't win the arbitration [so] each one of them is taking a personal loss to help us here today, to stand with us today.”
PEOPLE ARE NEEDED TO CONVERGE ON THE PORT OF OAKLAND TO CONTINUE THE PICKET AT THE NEXT SHIFT AT 5PM TODAY (Saturday May 19th)
“I think the message is loud and clear,” said one union leader today at the port. “If longshoremen at the Port of Oakland can honor picket lines against the war in Iraq, then they can do that in other ports.”
American Presidents Line (APL) had also been targeted, but with no ships in port it was already closed.
But kudos to the longshoremen for not working the day shift today!