| Local
23 Bragging Rights
We see in the Seattle Times recently that the Port of Tacoma handled
more containers last year than Port of Seattle. Their record for 2001 was
1,320,274 T.E.U's, compared to 1,315,109 Port of Seattle. In other words
an edge of about 5,000 containers. According to latest figures, Tacoma has
more union members than Seattle. This is the first time since 1995 the
record shows. Its larger number of cargo shipments to Alaska explains
Tacoma’s edge. Also, the recession hit Seattle harder. Tacoma lost 3 to
5 percent while Seattle lost 12 percent. Whether this is a permanent
situation depends on the regular ebb and flow of shipping.
But there are more Tacoma local 23 advances. They know how to go
forward in gaining public support. For instance on Feb. 20, according to
the Peoples World, they sponsored "A Celebration of Black History and
Labor."
It was no simple local affair. A list of speakers present was
international. They included Ossie Davis, DR. Naomi Tutu, daughter of
Desmond Tutu, Joe Wenzl, Coast Committee, Paddy Crumlin, national
secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia, Prince Cedza Dlamini,
grandson of Nelson Mandela, and Cicely Tyson. When it comes to meeting the
challenges of the PMA, such broad public events strengthens our public
strength.
Way to go, Local 23 |
