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25,000 Dockworkers Shut Down West Coast Ports in Historic Antiwar Protest »

Posted by: tehranchik 4 months ago

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In the largest labor strike since the invasion of Iraq, ports along the West Coast all twenty-nine of them were shut down as some 25,000 dockworkers went on a one-day strike to protest the war.

Read Full Story at democracynow.org

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tehranchik4 months ago

This is a little more than 'they took the day off' printed from the LATimes.
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aniokly4 months ago

Those damn union thugs will do anything for a day off.
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  tehranchik4 months ago
  
  I especially like what Jack had to say.
  JACK HEYMAN: Well, yeah. We were really proud here on the West Coast, as far as the longshore union, the ILWU, making this stand, because it's part of our legacy, really, of standing up on principled issues. And this, I think, is the first strike everâ;;well, I would call it a stop work, work stoppage, whatever you wantâ;;workers withholding their labor in demandâ;;and demanding an end to the war and immediate withdrawal of the troops.
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  CRYMTYPHON4 months ago
  
  How many union members do you know?
  How many of them are thugs?
  Do you get your opinion about unions from news corporations?
  How do corporations view unions?
  In my grandfather's time, union members risked life and limb to get basic rights we take for granted.
  It's been quiet a long time.
  Too quiet.
  
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    miklkit4 months ago
    
    Shh. Her hubby is a retired union man.
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aniokly4 months ago

There is no line between the Union, and management. Chicago is a big Union city. My husband retired from a large trades Union. They always endorse the Democrats by name. They work election day to get out the vote. They are the Democrats in Chicago. Funny thing has happened this election. On the back of the Union Journal it says, "vote". No candidates are named, no party affiliation is named. Last election this union voted 40% for President Bush, the Journal touted Hanoi John, but the rank, and file didn't listen. It will be interesting to see how they go this election.
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Georgia504 months ago

At least in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia the unions have their wildcat strikes for something productive...like deer hunting.
But I can't say I don't admire the longshoremans' thinking...let the ports get even more clogged up with containers, then reap the OT getting work caught up.
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aniokly4 months ago

The reason I call them thugs is because years ago when they were going to strike they told my husband to bring tire tools, and chains. These are hard drinking, rough guys. They take that Strike business serious.
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  Georgia504 months ago
  
  My dad ran an independent contractor outfit in Ohio. Once on a trip to Columbus, he was approached by a little greaseball with a goon trailing behind. The greaseball said, "I'm with such and such union, and I want to talk you about your work in Columbus." Dad stepped through the greaseball, tossed the goon aside, and walked out.
  How greedy was my dad? Many's the widow who got her home repairs done and Dad never sent the bill.
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  miklkit4 months ago
  
  It's been a while since I walked a picket line. The last time only one man was killed. A picketer got ran down by a guy driving an 18 wheeler from Louisiana making the minimum wage. and no benefits.
  Organized labor: The people who brought you the weekend.
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aniokly4 months ago

My husband never took part in any fights, but plenty of them did. I have no use for Union Leadership.
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