ILWU Refuses To Cross Antiwar Picket Line In Oakland

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/5967

ILWU Refuses To Cross Antiwar Picket Line In Oakland - 05/22/07

Port workers in Oakland have refused to cross picket lines set up by community members protesting war profiteering. Jesse Russell reports:

Three ships sat waiting to be unloaded on Saturday as workers represented by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union chose to not cross a picket line of more than 60 war protestors. The picketers were protesting Stevedoring Services of America, a company they allege is profiting off of the war by handling war material from the Concord Naval Weapons System. While the workers had been ordered back to work in the evening, they refused citing health and safety concerns due to a heavy police presence. In April of 2003 six ILWU members were shot by rubber bullets and wooden dowels that day as the protested the start of the Iraq War. Additionally, the protestors this weekend said that while the port brings in $33 billion annually it contributes zero dollars to local schools and social services.