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Port of Oakland Shut Down! We won! Twice!

Posted by
May 20, 2007

This morning we shut down the port of Oakland. The ships that had supplies bound for Iraq sat idle.

At 6:30 am group of various antiwar activists, teachers, and union members went to the SSA Terminal at the port of Oakland. Lucky for me, it was only a 10 minute bike ride from my house. I was part of Bay Rising Affinity Group (BRAG!) - that’s us with the giant dove - and was rockin with UCLA and Bay SDSers. We set up a picket line, which the Longhshoremen Union (ILWU), had agreed not to cross.

Why? SSA (Stevedoring Services of America) has profited in an ugly way from the war in Iraq– privatizing Iraq’s main port in a no bid Halliburton-style deal, and has led efforts to bust the ILWU locally. And, it was at the gates of SSA that peaceful protesters were attacked by police on April 7, 2003.

After a couple hours bright and early the Union Arbitrators showed up. It is their job to determine if our picket is legal or not. If it’s legal, then the workers get to go home and still get paid time and a half. If it’s not, then the union is supposed to cross it. The arbitrators ruled against us.

In a staggering act of solidarity, the ILWU decided to STILL refuse to cross it. The workers upheld our picket and all went home - knowing that it would mean losing the time and a half weekend pay. It was a huge victory and a huge demonstration of the power of community support and unity. We had successfully shut down the port for that day.

The next shift was slated for 6pm. Activists that were able committed to returning in the evening (I couldn’t come back). Organizers went back to the port….and we won again. Those ships aren’t going anywhere.