2004-02-01 from "OWC CAMPAIGN NEWS" [www.owcinfo.org], distributed by the Open World Conference in Defense of Trade Union Independence & Democratic Rights (c/o S.F. Labor Council, 1188 Franklin St., #203, San Francisco, CA 94109), [ilcinfo@earthlink.net] [415-641-8616], posted at [http://www.labornet.org/news/0104/allout.htm]
Global online communication for a democratic, independent labor movement
:IN THIS MESSAGE
1) All Out February 6 in Support of the Oakland 25 Antiwar Protesters!
2) Letter from Jack Heyman, ILWU Local 10, San Francisco: Longshore
Union to Shut Down Port On March 20 to Protest War on Iraq
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ALL OUT ON FEBRUARY 6 TO DEFEND THE OAKLAND 25 ANTIWAR PROTESTERS!
DEMAND THE CHARGES BE DROPPED! DEFEND THE RIGHT TO PROTEST!
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6th
Rally - 12:00 noon at Superior Court
7th & Washington Sts, OAKLAND
Hearing at 2:00 p.m. in Department #115
On April 7, 2003, the Oakland Police Dept. opened fire on a peaceful antiwar picket line in the port of Oakland protesting the war profiteers shipping military cargo. The demonstration was called by Direct Action to Stop the War. Dozens of demonstrators and 9 longshore workers, members of ILWU Local 10 (who were honoring the picket line ) were seriously injured by the indiscriminate police use of so-called ''non lethal'' weaponry, including wooden dowels, rubber bullets, concussion grenades, and ''bean bag'' projectiles. 25 were also arrested including Jack Heyman, Local 10 business agent, who was dragged from his car, roughed up and then arrested for the ''crime''of trying to warn his members of the violent police attack. They're now facing bogus criminal charges for exercising their democratic right to demonstrate.
For more information call 415-273-1649
Committee to Defend ILWU Local 10 Business Agent Jack Heyman
[Please Note: An attractive leaflet has been produced for the rally and can be sent to all who need it for wider distribution to friends and coworkers. Please contact us at ilcinfo@earthlink.net or atsrsndln@pacbell.net if you want us to send you the PDF version of the leaflet.]
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Letter from Jack Heyman, ILWU Local 10, San Francisco:
Longshore Union to Shut Down Port On March 20 to Protest War on Iraq
Dear Sisters and Brothers:
The San Francisco longshore union voted at our last membership meeting to hold a "stop work" meeting on March 20th to protest the war in Iraq. We will demand an end to the war, an end to the occupation and the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops now!
This is not a "strike." We are implementing a provision within our contract that permits us to stop work once a month for a "stop work"meeting. We are trying to organize all ports on the U.S. West Coast to take the same action as Local 10. If they decide to follow our lead, it will send a powerful working class message to the warmongers in Washington that we don't support imperial wars like the one in Iraq.
We used this same tactic successfully in 1999 to shut down West Coast ports to demand freedom for framed black political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. Longshoremen in Los Angeles last month used their "stop work" meeting to mobilize support for the striking grocery workers in Southern California.
We hope this action by U.S. longshore workers will help put an end to the needless slaughter in Iraq.
In solidarity,
[signed] Jack Heyman, ILWU Local 10
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