The ILWUs between the lines press release about yesterday night: Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union were unable to report to work Sunday night at SSA Marine’s terminal in Oakland, Calif., due to volatility associated with a large demonstration and significant police presence at the gates of the facility. In 2005, Oakland police fired rubber bullets in similar circumstances, wounding several longshoremen who were trying to report to work. The demonstration at the Oakland International Container Terminal was in protest of Israel’s occupation of the Gaza Strip and was directed at the calling of a Zim Integrated Shipping Services vessel associated with the State of Israel. The ILWU has taken no position on the issue associated with the demonstration, but in cases when unsafe circumstances arise at the point of entry, the union must protect the safety of its members in the workplace. When it was ascertained that last night’s demonstration and associated police presence created an unsafe environment, dispatched ILWU-represented Longshoremen and Clerks that arrived at the SSA gate to work stood by instead at a safe location away from the demonstration point. SSA, after recognizing the safety situation associated with ingress to their gates, released all ILWU manpower at 7:30 p.m. – ILWU Coast Longshore Division news release
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 19:30:26 +0000