Wilmington port workers join protest

[PhilipShore]

The News Journal
Wilmington port workers join protest
02/25/2006

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060225/NEWS/602250320/1006

WILMINGTON -- Holding signs reading "Goodbye Dubai, Secure America's Ports," union workers gathered Friday in a biting wind at the Port of Wilmington to voice their opposition to the proposed sale of operations at U.S. ports to a United Arab Emirates company.

Dave Clements, a longshoreman at the Port of Wilmington for 23 years and a union leader with a local unit of the International Longshoremen's Association, said the federal government has failed to give port workers and the public enough information about the pending acquisition.

"The workers have been the last ones to know about this," said Clements, whose union represents more than 200 longshoremen at the port. "We need to understand who we are working for. We've been left out of the loop."
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The veteran longshoreman was among 15 union workers, mostly Teamsters, who picketed in a parking lot just outside the main entrance to the Port of Wilmington. The protest, which lasted about an hour and a half, was peaceful and did not disrupt the steady

[northofdenali]

1. Don't mess with Delaware or Maryland -

all my mom's people are from those states and man, are they MEAN!!! (Love 'em)

[salin]

2. I would guess that the ports protests

will only grow in number and size.

[thecrow]

3. I predict these deonstrations will become

more widespread and more violent if the UAE deal is allowed to go through.
These guys (God bless them) could actually have the ports SHUT DOWN.

When I told my son about the deal he said "there will be MOBS protesting at the ports".

[drm604]

4. I'm believing more and more that this port thing really is the final straw

This is a small protest but it's different. This isn't the usual protesters.

[lumpy]

5. Kick

Might make you feel good to hear this. Citizen's speaking out.

[UrbScotty]

6. K&R (nt)

[babylonsister]

7. Angry longshoremen could shut this country down easily by

not working and protesting. This movement by these people will only grow and bring the ports deal under further scrutiny! Go, union workers! :applause: :woohoo:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

9. One of the last meaningful unions in the country.

Government, teachers and a few others.

[Yoda Yada]

8. I thought you meant Wilmington, CA....

....at first. Wilmington/San Pedro is adjacent to the Port of Los Angeles. They (longshoreman) also had a small demonstration on Friday with the "Goodbye, Dubai" signs.

Good to see the east and west coast longshore workers uniting! (ILA and ILWU) :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

These men and women mean business...get ready to give them your support.

(They will do the demonstrating....although you might have to go without a few of you favorite things for awhile. That's a far trade-off to me.)

O8) O8) Sacrifice builds character. O8) O8)

[NI4NI]

10. I tip my hat twice

to those men because it was windy and freezing, especially down along the Delaware River. I tip my hat to those guys for standing up against the government.....and for standing out in the cold.

[radfringe]

11. will port workers take it one step further

and strike?