Open
World Conference of Workers
In Defense of Trade Union Independence & Democratic Rights
No to Union-Busting, No to Taft-Hartley
International Labor Solidarity Rally for the ILWU
Please send statements of solidarity to the ILWU support rally. Send
your statements to Steve Stallone, Communications Department, ILWU, at
Fax: 415-775-1302, or email <stevestallone@ilwu.org>.
Please send copies of your statements to the OWC Continuations Committee,
c/o San Francisco Labor Council at Fax: 415-440-9297, or email <ilcinfo@earthlink.net>.
Below is the text of the press release sent out this afternoon by the San
Francisco Labor Council to announce this rally:
No to Union-Busting, No to Taft-Hartley: International Labor Solidarity
Rally for the ILWU
San Francisco, October 9 - In response to yesterday's issuance of a
Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and the pending Taft-Hartley injunction
to end the lockout of 10,500 International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU)
workers in 29 West Coast Ports, ILWU Local 10 is sponsoring an
International Labor Solidarity Rally on Thursday, October 10 at 7:00pm at
the ILWU Local 10 union hall at 400 North Point Street in San Francisco.
The ILWU has long given support to labor and social justice struggles
around the world. Now the ILWU is shackled with Taft-Hartley and
finds itself in a life-and-death struggle. Unions from around the
world have responded and have pledged their solidarity with the ILWU. This
critical rally will help build international labor solidarity with the
West Coast dockers, sending the message: "No to Union-Busting,
No to Taft-Hartley."
Speakers at the solidarity rally will include Bjorn Borg, International
Dockworkers Council, Chuck Mack, Teamsters Joint Council 7, Walter
Johnson, San Francisco Labor Council, Judy Goff, Alameda County Central
Labor Council, Clarence Thomas, ILWU Local 10, Art Pulaski, California
Labor Federation, Asher Harer, ILWU 1946/48 Strike Committee, and Jack
Henning, California Labor Federation. There will also be greetings from
unions around the world.
In his letter of solidarity with the ILWU, Secretary-Treasurer Walter
Johnson stated: "If you take on the ILWU you are taking on the
entire labor movementŠWe intend to give new meaning to the words that are
part of the foundation of labor: Solidarity Forever."
This solidarity will be expressed boldly at the International Labor
Solidarity Rally on Thursday, October 10.