[THS] Historic Victory at Oakland Port - Israeli Ship Blocked from Unloading

[The Harder Stuff in news and commentary]

http://answer.pephost.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=9656&news_iv_ctrl=0&abbr=ANS_

Historic Victory at Oakland Port – Israeli Ship Blocked from Unloading

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In a historic action and unprecedented action today, over 800 labor and community
activists blocked the gates of the Oakland docks in the early morning hours,
prompting longshore workers to refuse to cross the picketlines where they were
scheduled to unload an Israeli ship.

From 5:30 am to 9:30 am, a militant and spirited protest was held in front of four
gates of the Stevedore Services of America, with people chanting non-stop, “Free,
Free Palestine, Don’t Cross the Picket Line,” and “An injury to one is an injury to all,
bring down the apartheid wall.”

Citing the health and safety provisions of their contract, the International Longshore
and Warehouse Union workers refused to cross the picketline to report for duty.

Between 8:30 and 9:00 am, an emergency arbitration was conducted at the Maersk
parking lot nearby, with an “instant” arbitrator called to the site to rule on whether
the workers could refuse to cross the picketline without disciplinary measure.

At 9:15 a.m, after again reviewing the protests of hundreds at each gate, the
arbitrator ruled in favor of the union that it was indeed unsafe for the workers to
enter the docks.

To loud cheers of “Long Live Palestine!” Jess Ghannam of Free Palestine Alliance and
Richard Becker of the ANSWER Coalition announced the victory. Ghannam said, “This
is truly historic, never before has an Israeli ship been blocked in the United States!”

The news that a container ship from the Zim Israeli shipping line was scheduled to
arrive in the Bay Area today has sparked a tremendous outpouring of solidarity for
Palestine, especially in the aftermath of the Israeli massacre of volunteers bringing
humanitarian aid to Gaza on May 31.

With 10 days advance notice of the ship’s arrival, the emergency “Labor/Community
Committee in Solidarity with the Palestinian People” was set up. On Wednesday, some
110 people from unions and community came to help organize logistics, outreach and
community support. Initiating organizations included the Al-Awda Palestine Right to
Return Coalition, the ANSWER Coalition, the Bay Area Labor Chapter of USLAW and
the Bay Area Labor Committee for Peace & Justice.

This week the San Francisco Labor Council and Alameda Labor Council passed
resounding resolutions denouncing Israel’s blockade of Gaza. Both councils sent out
public notices of the dock action.

The ILWU has a proud history of extending its solidarity to struggling peoples the
world over. In 1984, as the Black masses of South Africa were engaged in an intense
struggle against South African apartheid, the ILWU refused for a record-setting 10
days to unload cargo from the South African “Ned Lloyd” ship. Despite million-dollar
fines imposed on the union, the longshore workers held strong, providing a
tremendous boost to the anti-apartheid movement.

Today’s Oakland action, in the sixth largest port in the United States, is the first of
several protests and work stoppages planned around the world, including Norway,
Sweden and South Africa. It is sure to inspire others to do the same.

The goal is for a 24-hour shutdown of the docks where the Israeli ship is docked, so
the protest is planned again for 4:30 p.m. Click here for details of the 4:30 p.m.
protest.