The militant Longshore Workers protest is in the patriotic tradition of the real Boston Tea Party

[Better Believe It]

The Longview longshore workers protest is grassroots in the tradition of the real Boston Tea Party

The Fighting Side of Me
Organized Labor’s Great Day at Longview
by DAVID MACARAY
September 9, 2011

Yesterday, September 8, a group of longshoremen estimated at between 500-1,000, all members of the ILWU (International Longshore and Warehouse Union), stormed the gates a Longview grain terminal (located in southwestern Washington state) to protest the company’s (EGT Development) anti-union policies. The ILWU insists that the EGT contract, along with the provisions of the Northwest Grainhandlers Agreement, guarantee ILWU representation.

After overwhelming Longview’s security guards, the longshoremen allegedly dumped grain, broke the windows of the guard shack, and severed the brake lines of several railroad cars. Police were called in and 19 arrests were made. Meanwhile, dockworkers in Seattle, Tacoma and Everett walked off their jobs in support of the Longview action.

The Longshoremen are understandably outraged. Besides the prospect of losing jobs that were promised to them, the ILWU is fearful of the long-term effects this audacious end-run could have. They fear that EGT will break the relatively weak IUOE (Local 701), and that after busting this union and coming away perceived as the victor (a la Ronald Reagan with PATCO), they will move against the ILWU, undermining contracts up and down the west coast.

And as for those upright, uptight citizens who will condemn the Longview demonstration as “lawless” or “renegade,” they need to recalibrate. They need to see this thing for what it is. The Longview uprising is self-determination personified. It’s American, it’s patriotic, it’s grassroots, and its antecedents can be traced back to the Boston Tea Party. The real Boston Tea Party. Indeed, Longview is what the so-called Tea Party movement wishes it were.

Please read the full article at:

http://www.counterpunch.org/2011/09/09/organized-labor%e2%80%99s-great-day-at-longview/

Some people are constantly complaining that working people are "busy" watching TV instead of fighting back against those who are attacking their rights and living standards. And yet, when workers begin to fight back these same people denounce working people for being too militant and aggressive! BBI

[Little Star]

1. k&r

[msongs]

2. will you be happy when you find someone has cut the brake lines on your car and they fail? nt

[Better Believe It]

4. What does that have to do with the longshore workers action?

[sabrina 1]

9. That's more likely to be done by the Corporate thugs and their

scabs who already nearly killed two of the Union protesters by ramming through them with their truck.

Will you be happy when Multi-National Corps have completely leveled American wages so that they are in line with China's?

The Longshoremen are the only the latest Americans to come up against he foreign invasion by Multi-National Corps and their mercenary security forces.

I don't know about you, but I don't like this invasion and their brutal, thuggish attacks on American workers, especially since our tax dollars are going towards subsidies they are receiving.

But defend them if you want, I admire the Longshoremen and am amazed at how patient they have been over the course of this battle, and it is a battle against American workers, one of many taking place across the country right now.

[Fuddnik]

10. First of all, the brake lines on a rail car are tested before they move.

They are air brakes, meaning that the air pressure holds the drakes OFF. If you cut the lines, the pressure never comes up to release the brakes.

In case you can't understand that, it means the rail car ain't going anywhere, unlike the brakes on your car.

GO LONGSHOREMAN!!!!! It's about time somebody started giving it back to these fascist rats, like they've been doing for to us for 30 years.

And, I'll try not to break any laws, like jaywalking or disobeying an ossifer of the law or anything in DC on Oct. 6th.

[BlueCheese]

3. I'm not sure why vandalism and destruction are necessary.

You can protest and block trains and sit-in without breaking things. Martin Luther King would never have countenanced this kind of behavior. Not only was it deeply against his principles, he also understood that it would lose public support and cloud the morality of the issue.

[Better Believe It]

5. Are you at all familiar with labor history and the great battles fought and won by working people?

Study that history.

In fact, you might want to study American history.

Do you think slavery could have been overthrown and independence could have been won using Dr. King's methods?

We've had many violent clashes in our history between the forces of progress and those of reaction including between labor and capital. We can't simply surrender to the judicial, police and other government forces controlled by the employers.

Dr. King felt compelled to use his strategy and it was the right strategy for that time and for that specific kind of battle. It was not a political principal for Dr. King. It was the only sound strategy to achieve his limited objectives.

[BlueCheese]

6. BBI, I really like your posts...

You post a lot of good articles. I especially like the way you include the logos to make the source clear.

I wish you wouldn't suggest that I only hold my opinions because I'm not "at all familiar" with labor history or American history.

[Obamanaut]

7. Vandalism under any name remains vandalism

"...dumped grain, broke the windows of the guard shack, and severed the brake lines of several railroad cars...."

[white_wolf]

8. Sorry if you are offended, but there is class warfare going on

and people have to pick a side. The working class or the ruling class. I know what side I'm on, and judging by your post I guess we know what side you're on.

[socialist_n_TN]

13. Yep wolf. That's EXACTLY it..........

IF you're on the side of the workers, at some point it WILL be illegal if it is effective. Because any EFFECTIVE defense of the working class in a capitalist system IS GOING TO BE ILLEGAL.

And yes, people have to pick a side. The time to hesitate and waffle and quiver like jello in the middle of the road is over. Choose whose side you're on.

[Fuddnik]

12. Threw tea in Boston Harbor, tarred and feathered tax assesors......

Threw England out of the Colonies they owned!

The barbarity of it all.

[flying rabbit]

11. K&R nt

[bvar22]

14. Solidarity!

Solidarity!
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