(05-01-2008,9:05 am PST) In an attempt to head this off last night the PMA went to court,

"Employers, represented by the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), will not agree to it, and threatened union leaders with court action under Taft-Hartley if they don’t call it all off." (see previous story)

but the judge refused to take any action, until there is concrete action by the union in violation of their contract. This is a rank and file action by union members who are united by their opposition to the war. They disagree with the decision of the arbitrator who has dis-allowed the choice of May Day, by the ILWU, as a "day for union business" for workers at all 29 ports on the west coast. A "day for union business" is allowed by their contract. Their original intent was to use this day for their official protest, but official or not, the protest is on.

Thomas affirmed that this is not to be confused with the negotiations between the union and their employers. The hard-won contract of 6 years ago is set to expire, and talks are going well. But on the issue of taking a day off for union business, the rank and file of Local 10 is going their own way and will close down the ports in protest of the ongoing wars of the Bush administration. This may be the beginning of a record setting anti-war action, since the vast majority of supplies and munitions for our current wars are shipped from the 29 ports on the West Coast, in California, Oregon, and Washington. All 29 will close today.

Protests in the Bay Area began early today, led by Direct Action to Stop the War. DASW organized the famous march on Washington that gathered 500,000 people from groups across the nation. Today, they will close down the war effort in San Fransisco. Their effort to shut down the Union Pacific Rail lines began at sunrise this morning. Indybay reported:

7am: DASW is picketing at the Port of Oakland to ask rail workers to join dock workers in shutting down the port, at the Union Pacific rail yard on 7th St and at the APL terminal on Maritime St.

Direct Action to Stop the War brings its anti-war focus to May Day actions in San Francisco and Oakland on Thursday, May 1st. Starting at 5:45 a.m. at West Oakland BART, DASW will lead a community picket to shut down the Union Pacific rail lines at the Port of Oakland. From 12:30-2:30pm, DASW will march from Justin Herman Plaza to protests at the Armed Forces Recruiting Center (670 Davis St. at Broadway) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (630 Sansome St. at Washington St.). DASW will also have a contingent at labor and immigrant rights demonstrations on May Day.

David Roknich 9:05 AM PST

Here is some background from union proceedings which I've archived:
Longshoremen Will Write History on May 1, 2008

David Roknich,
Editor

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