Port Workers Unite
Port Workers Unite
Port Workers Rally
April 1, 1999 Seattle, Washington
There was about 1,000 people who marched for union solidarity and support for non-union workers trying to organize.
We marched from Pier 37 down to Pier 66 where the ITF ship The Global Mariner was docked for the week to inform the world about the use of Flags of Convenience. Where a global shipping line will flag a ship in a country where there are few laws or laws that benefit the shipowners and exploit the crew
Workers March for Union Power On Seattle Waterfront
By Joseph Dallas
1,000 Longshoremen, Teamsters, Boatmen, Sailors, and other union members
marched in Seattle on April 1st for union power on the waterfront. The
ILWU, The Inlandboatmen's Union of the Pacific (IBU) and Teamsters Local
174 (IBT) jointly sponsoring the rally to support the right of
waterfront workers to organize, union representation for owner-operator
truckers, and tugboat workers who are in a tough contract fight with the
major towboat employers.
In a scene reminiscent of the 1930's, workers took over the street and marched up the waterfront from pier 48 to pier 66 were the Global Mariner was docked. The marchers were addressed by union leaders and rank and file workers speaking from the gangway of the Global Mariner, a ship dedicated to organizing the brutally exploited third-world seamen on "flag-of-convenience" ships.
The speakers addressed many issues on the waterfront, including the drive by teamster Local 174 to organize the owner-operators who haul many of the containers unloaded by longshoremen, and the double breasted activities of Foss Maritime, which is using a non-union towing subsidiary, Sea Coast, to drive down wages and conditions in the industry. Foss's union towboat employees are currently in a contract battle with the company.
Canadian Longshoremen spoke about their efforts to keep union representation for samplers, testers and other workers that employers are trying to cut out of the ILWU.
ILWU International President, Brian McWilliams and LA longshore leader Jim "Spinner" Spinosa both addressed the marchers, pledging support for waterfront solidarity. The current West Coast longshore contract expires July of this year.
