Rev. Jesse Jackson and Los Angeles leaders blast Bush in unity with the ILWU 
By Evelina Alarcon           

The Reverend Jesse Jackson joined elected officials, labor leaders and more than 300 unionists Sept. 5 at a press conference at the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor headquarters, to send a powerful message to the Bush Administration in solidarity with the ILWU.

            “Bush, stay off the docks!” roared Rev. Jackson with ILWU longshore Local 13 President Ramon Ponce De Leon and a stage full of prominent leaders by his side.

“Bush is mobilizing for union busting like Reagan did with PATCO. But Bush would not intervene to save workers from Enron, Global Crossing, WorldCom or Arthur Anderson,” Jackson said.

            “Bush has a one string guitar—terror. The economy, education, workers rights, equality are not on that guitar,” said Jackson, who chastised Bush for leading by fear not hope.

            Promising that Bush backing of the Pacific Maritime Association cannot be separated from the November elections, Jackson, who is leading a March in Washington D.C. Sept. 13, warned that “Bush should not underestimate our resolve. When we fight together, we win! That dock is your dock, workers have to fight.”

            “The ILWU is not alone. Labor in Los Angeles is with you and we have a lot of friends in the City Council, state legislature and Congress,” said Miguel Contreras, Executive Secretary Treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, who chaired the press conference. “If we need to be down on the docks, we will be there with you!”

            Proving Contreras right, labor leader after leader, representing tens of thousands of union members, stood up one by one and pledged to do “whatever it takes” to support the ILWU.

            Los Angeles City Council member Janice Hahn (San Pedro) rocked the press conference when she shouted, “If the federal government insists on waging war, then the brothers and sisters of labor and the city of Los Angeles will stand behind the ILWU.”

            “Harry Bridges fought for the right to strike and no one can take that away, and we have 3.8 million residents behind us,” chimed in Los Angeles City Councilman Eric Garcetti (Echo Park), a co-initiator with Hahn of a resolution unanimously passed by the City Council. Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn has also sent a letter to Bush calling on him not to intervene.

            Assembly member Alan Lowenthal (D-San Pedro), joined on stage by many legislators, upped that ante, announcing that the state legislature also just passed a resolution calling on Bush to butt out. “We represent 34 million people and this is our line to Bush—stay out of California!” Lowenthal demanded.

            “Pressure is working because the PMA called the ILWU and said let’s negotiate,” said Ponce de Leon to loud cheers. “Last night at 8:00 p.m. a tentative agreement was signed for a welfare package on MOB. We still have to put pressure on, but telling government to step back is helping to turn the tide.”

            “The ILWU owes a deep debt of gratitude to the rest of the labor movement and every legislator and elected official who have stood by us,” Ponce De Leon added.

            Miguel Contreras is keeping that pressure on by announcing a rally Sept. 19 in Los Angeles when Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, Elaine Chao, is scheduled to speak. “If this is not settled by then, we will be in front of the Biltmore Hotel with a message that Elaine Chao can take direct to Bush from us!” Contreras said.