Unions fight for safety of port workers at rally

[PhilipShore]

Seattle Post Intelligencer
Unions fight for safety of port workers at rally
February 25, 2006

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/260835_portlocal25.html

The uproar over the sale of several domestic shipping operations to a United Arab Emirates-owned company continued Friday, as about 100 people rallied in Seattle and called for it to be stopped for national security reasons.

Standing near the Port of Seattle's Pier 46, protesters -- most of them Teamsters and International Longshore and Warehouse Union members -- questioned whether the sale to Dubai Ports World would harm the country's safety.

Al Hobart, a Teamsters International vice president, said the United Arab Emirates has had a spotty record on national security and that two of the Sept. 11 terrorists were based there.

He also criticized President Bush for saying he was unaware of the deal until it was late in the process.

[lovuian]

1. The Unions better question if they will exist under the Dubaii

organization...

[salin]

2. On another thread I saw some pictures of the action

good going!

[lumpy]

3. Kick for unions.

Let's join the protests!

[heidler1]

4. I won't be surprised if the guts of the deal is to lower Union wages.

Thus making more profit for the shippers. I'd guess quite a few Union members voted for Bush, remember the Air Traffic Controllers. They voted for Raygun and he fired them after the election.

[Amonester]

5. Kick

Labor Unions Picket Dubai Ports Deal (Oakland)
KGO By David Louie

Feb. 24 - KGO - Labor unions that work in the nation's ports are joining the outcry about the sale of six East Coast facilities to a firm from the United Arab Emirates.

The teamsters who truck the cargo containers to and from America's port terminals made their opposition clear. They say having facilities managed by Dubai Ports World will weaken homeland security.

Chuck Mack, Teamsters West Coast vice president: "That's the absolute epitome of irresponsibility and we have got to say here in Oakland and across this country, 'no, we're not going to accept that.'"

More:
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=business&id=3939828