Troop Movements in California

by MICHELLESURA@MAC.COM • Monday September 02, 2002 at 12:12 PM

MICHELLESURA@MAC.COM BOLINAS, CALIFORNIA

RUMOR that reserves in Western States being called up to break Longshoreman's strike and lock out in Seattle, Oakland, Long Beach and San Diego.

Can anyone confirm all night troops movements from Travis Airforce base? Seems like Reserves from as far away as Arizona are being called up this Labor Day weekend to act as strikebreakers on the docks of Seattle, Oakland, Long Beach and San Diego. The Longshoreman are about to go on strike, and feel this will be a real test of Union resolution and strength. I certainly hope Congressman Dennis Kucinich who is a true voice of the working man and woman finds himself on the California West Coast. When its just too quiet that's when it's time to stay in awareness.

MICHELLESURA@MAC.COM

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by Workers Independent News Service • Monday September 02, 2002 at 02:23 PM

laborradio@yahoo.com



audio: MP3 at 250.1 kibibytes

I just spoke to Steve Stallone, communications director for the ILWU. In this short sound bite, he confirms that Naval strikebreakers are assembling in San Diego to scab at docks along the West Coast in the event of a lockout.

Workers all over the country should engage in political strikes in protest against this outrageous act of strikebreaking by the illegitimate Bush regime.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: John Casey

August 28, 2002 (916) 319-2054

Lowenthal Resolution Urging Bush Administration to Stay Out of Labor Negotiations Passes Assembly

“Unions and shippers have managed to negotiate fair labor contracts for the last several decades,” said

Lowenthal, “ now, for some reason, the President is threatening the union with government intervention if

they should strike. Basically, that’s pointing a gun at the union’s head and then telling them to negotiate.”

During the week of August 5th, 2002, the San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times printed articles

in which Bush administration officials allegedly threatened to intervene in the labor negotiations concerning

West Coast dockworkers. The articles quoted a United States Department of Labor (DOL)

representative, speaking on condition of anonymity, who cited four possible courses of action that the

Bush administration might use to prevent a work stoppage should a breakdown in negotiations occur.

These options include 1) A declaration, by President Bush, of a national emergency and subsequent

invocation of the Taft-Hartley Act. 2) Granting of authority, by President Bush, to U.S. Navy personnel to

run the ports. 3) Attempts, by the Bush administration, at breaking up the Union’s coast wide bargaining

unit. 4) The introduction of Federal legislation to move the ILWU under the jurisdiction of the National

Railway Labor Act, which would give the courts and the administration far more power to prevent strikes

and impose contract settlements than does the National Labor Relations Act.

AJR 37 states that the use of this power, or even the announcement of the intentions to use it, will and

has upset what has been, up until now, a level playing field between management and labor. The

resolution further requests that the federal government refrain from interfering in the negotiations.

AJR 37 passed out of the Assembly on a 46-28 vote with Democrats in favor and Republicans

opposed. It will next be heard in the Senate.