Awesome Video! West Coast port shutdown announcement (from Occupy Oakland).mov

[sabrina 1]

Run time: 06:41 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGqncu3wlEI   Posted on YouTube: December 04, 2011 By YouTube Member: niltiacenaj Views on YouTube: 40206   Posted on DU: December 10, 2011 By DU Member: sabrina 1 Views on DU: 1100

 
This is a beautifully and, it seems, professionally made video explaining why the Occupy Movement is going to join the ILWU (fighting to stop the Multi-national Grain Corp, EGT from trampling on their rights and crushing their Union and the Port Truckers (fighting Goldman Sachs ) to shut down the Western Ports on December 12th.

It's worth watching for the music alone, imo. It features Boots Riley, political activist and hip hop artist ( he works sometimes with Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine who I think is one of the best public speakers I've seen lately). I love Boots Riley's spoken intro in this video, very effective imo.

'Fiona' does the last song on the video, called 'Which Side Are You On'. I think she does it beautifully.

Also on the video from the ILWU expressing their gratitude to the Occupiers for their support are Dan Coffman, Local 21, Longview WA and Anthony Levierge who expresses his sense of awe at the support the ILWU has received from the Occupiers in their battle against EGT.

The Occupiers have issued a statement to the Police regarding any of the kind of brutality we have witnessed around the country and especially in Oakland against the protesters.

If they do it again, brutalize the protesters, the Blockade will be extended.

Good for them. In fact it was partly in retaliation for the brutal attacks on Occupy Oakland especially on Scott Olsen and Kayvan Sabhegi who they nearly killed that brought out nearly 100,000 people to shut down the port in Oakland last time.

I read that the ILWU was not supportive of this action. Anyone who thinks that should watch this video.

Here's Why Longshoreworkers Are So Angry

Here’s why:

EGT Development is a joint venture of Japan-based Itochu Corp, South Korea’s STX Pan Ocean and St. Louis-based Bunge North America. Like so many corporations that promise good jobs to get what they want, EGT got a special state tax exemption and a sweetheart lease deal from the Port of Longview to build a $200 million grain terminal there. The government even seized adjacent land for the project. But as soon as the deal’s ink was dry and the ceremonial first shovel of dirt was overturned two years ago, EGT began running the project on the cheap.

Despite high unemployment in Cowlitz County and the availability of hundreds of skilled union building trades workers, EGT imported the vast majority of its construction crews from low-wage communities out-of-state and did not pay area standard wages, leading to howls from the local labor community.

After the terminal was built, EGT decided to ignore the Port of Longview’s contract with ILWU Local 21 to hire union labor on its leased site. Instead, the multinational conglomerate hired non-union workers — claiming it would save the company $1 million a year (a figure the company later admitted had been plucked from the sky) — and EGT sued the Port, arguing it was not bound by the contract with the ILWU.

For months, ILWU picketed EGT and attempted to pressure the company to negotiate with the union. Those protests gradually grew in size as EGT refused to meet with the union, culminating in a major rally on June 3, when more than 1,000 ILWU supporters from Washington to California rallied outside EGT’s headquarters in downtown Portland. The protest was loud, but nonviolent.

Worth reading all of it. This is how they are keeping the salaries down in this country and it's shameful that the workers have to fight for what they already fought for before, against these Multi-National Corporations.

The Port Truckers earn only $50 a day, have no Health Care, must buy their own gas and maintain their trucks, while Goldman Sachs makes millions from their labor. Time to start that 'trickle-down' Reagan promised decades ago.

Should be a great day for the workers!

Oh yes, if you are a member of Utube, OCCUPY THE COMMENTS! The rightwingers are there in force as always, although they are outnumbered by a vast majority thankfully.

[Huey P. Long]

1. occupy

[sabrina 1]

2. Everywhere!

:-)