<< Corporate Crooks Still Running Show | Main | Stewart Mocks Bush on Corp Crime >>

October 04, 2002

Now- that's Solidarity

Denouncing any attempt by Bush to intervene in the West Coast port lockout/conflict between longshore workers and management, unions have built an impressive array of supporters, including the mayors of the major ports from Los Angeles to San Francisco to Seattle. And the broader labor movement has declared that an attack on the longshore workers will be met with action by the whole labor movement.

“President Bush, if you close down the ports, we will close down San Pedro and we will close down Long Beach!” shouted Los Angeles County Federation of Labor Executive Secretary-Treasurer Miguel Contreras, who chaired the Long Beach rally.

“If you take on the ILWU, you take on all of the American labor movement!” Contreras continued, as he named the numerous unions represented at the rally. “If you want to challenge us, let’s get it on!”

“There is going to be economic justice for the members of the ILWU, or there is going to be one hell of a strike that’ll involve the entire labor movement,” Teamsters International Vice President Chuck Mack said to the Oakland rally. “[International Brotherhood of Teamsters] President [James] Hoffa asked me to tell you, whatever it takes, we’ll do to make sure there is a decent contract for ILWU members.”

Labor has made it clear that Bush will not get a PATCO moment out of the West Coast strike. Even his supposed allies like the Teamsters are telling him to butt out or face total rebellion in port cities across the West.

Posted by Nathan at October 4, 2002 07:54 AM

Related posts: