Bay Area

Alcatraz Ferry Workers Want to Unionize

If the workers do secure a union, it won’t be the first time Alcatraz ferry workers have been unionized. The companies that had operated the ferry from its opening in 1973 until 2006, had always hired union workers. But when Hornblower Group took over the ferry in 2006, they set up Alcatraz Cruises, an operation that representation for ferry workers, and the Alcatraz ferry workers have been nonunion since then.

Published

3 years ago

August 27, 2022

Oakland Post

“I’m concerned for the safety and well-being of my co-workers and the guests,” said an Alcatraz ferry worker, who asked not to be named due to fears of retaliation. “I really feel the union would have our back and give us an added protection.” (Photo: iStockphoto / Post News Group)

By Zack Haber | Post News Group

Workers who operate and provide services to customers riding the ferry that runs from San Francisco’s Pier 33 to Alcatraz Island are attempting to form a union.

“I think if we formed a union this would be a happy place,” said Erik Anfinson, who works as a captain with Alcatraz Cruises, which operates the ferry. “We used to have that, but now it’s gone.”

Anfinson feels that working conditions and morale have deteriorated since the ferry reopened post-COVID. He’s one of 68 workers who signed a letter in mid-July asking Hornblower Group, the company that runs Alcatraz Cruises, to recognize their union. About 85 employees, according to Anfinson, work at the ferry. These employees include other captains, as well as deckhands, maintenance, ticket booth, and food and beverage workers.

Hornblower Group has chosen not to honor the workers’ request for them to voluntarily recognize their union.

“We enjoy and value being able to directly communicate with our employees, and believe that the company, our employees and our guests are better served when such communications occur directly between the company and its employees rather than through any third party, including a labor organization,” reads a statement that Hornblower Group Vice President of Communications Melissa Gunderson emailed to this reporter.

Ultimately, the workers are attempting to unionize by joining the Inlandboatmen’s Union of the Pacific, which is also known as the IBU, and is a part of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). A recent post on an Instagram account representing the proposed Alcatraz ferry union says, “We are organizing because we deserve fair scheduling, predictable raises, job security, adequate training, respect and a seat at the table.”

For the union drive to be successful, workers will have to go through a formal vote organized by the National Labor Review Board. They currently are working through that process and hope to unionize in coming weeks.

If the workers do secure a union, it won’t be the first time Alcatraz ferry workers have been unionized. The companies that had operated the ferry from its opening in 1973 until 2006, had always hired union workers. But when Hornblower Group took over the ferry in 2006, they set up Alcatraz Cruises, an operation that opposes representation for ferry workers, and the Alcatraz ferry workers have been nonunion since then.

Anfinson hopes that a union contract will help him secure some stability with his work schedule. He says his work hours change from week to week in an unpredictable manner.

“I want to know when I can make doctor and dentist appointments,” he said. “Not having a set schedule makes it tough, you can’t plan anything.”

In her email, Gunderson, of Hornblower, attributed the unpredictability to problems related to COVID, but said that the situation is now becoming better.

“Like most employers across a host of industries, the pandemic caused staffing challenges at Alcatraz City Cruises, and this issue was compounded by unpredictable government restrictions and related tourist demand that rapidly changed with COVID variants,” said Gunderson’s email.

Gunderson did not respond when asked to provide current and pre-COVID staff numbers. According to Anfinson, Alcatraz Cruises has less than half the employees it had before COVID, which forces him and other workers to take on more tasks and work longer hours than they used to.

“They don’t want to hire more employees, and I don’t know why,” said Anfinson. “I think they’re just trying to cut back on everything.”

An Alcatraz ferry worker, who asked not to be named due to fears of retaliation, told this reporter they feel a union could help workers secure safer working conditions and a smoother, safer operation for customers. Workers expressed frustration at unnecessary ferry delays that occur multiple times a week and described sewage lines backing up and overflowing at least three times this year.

“I’m concerned for the safety and well-being of my co-workers and the guests,” said the worker. “I really feel the union would have our back and give us an added protection.”

A worker criticized the company for hiring two business consultants they say have been talking with staff to dissuade them from unionizing. The consultants work for The Redd Group, a company that lists “union prevention” as a service it offers on its website. The worker wishes the money Hornblower spends on consultants could go elsewhere.

“That money would be better spent doing permanent repair work on our boats,” the worker said.

In her emailed statement, Gunderson compared their two consultants to Northern California ILWU Organizer Evan McLaughlin, since all three people are paid to talk with workers about union-related issues.

“It would be unfair to let the union tell our employees only one side of the story,” Gunderson wrote. “We have engaged these consultants to ensure that our employees are informed, hearing both the pros and cons of unionizing from credible sources with knowledge of union governance and dues.”

“We’ve been talking about unionizing for years,” said Anfinson. “But they let people go during the offseason and we have to start all over; it’s like a revolving door.”

Anfinson feels an urgency to get to the vote soon, and that momentum is building for a unionization. On Sunday, at noon, the workers are hosting an event, which is open to the public, at Pier 33 in San Francisco, to celebrate their union’s formation, and show the worker’s optimism.

“I think the work atmosphere will be better,” said Anfinson. “I feel confident like there’s going to be some change.”

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Alameda County

Bling It On: Holiday Lights Brighten Dark Nights All Around the Bay

On the block where I grew up in the 1960s, it was an unwritten agreement among the owners of those row homes to put up holiday lights: around the front window and door, along the porch banister, etc. Some put the Christmas tree in the window, and you could see it through the open slats of the blinds.

Published

11 hours ago

December 21, 2025

Oakland Post

Christmas lights on a house near the writer’s residence in Oakland. Photo by Joseph Shangosola.

By Wanda Ravernell

I have always liked Christmas lights.

From my desk at my front window, I feel a quiet joy when the lights on the house across the street come on just as night falls.

My father, the renegade of the block, made no effort with lights, so my mother hung a wreath with two bells in the window. Just enough to let you know someone was at home.

Two doors down was a different story. Mr. King, the overachiever of the block, went all out for Christmas: The tree in the window, the lights along the roof and a Santa on his sleigh on the porch roof.

There are a few ‘Mr. Kings’ in my neighborhood.

In particular is the gentleman down the street. For Halloween, they erected a 10-foot skeleton in the yard, placed ‘shrunken heads’ on fence poles, pumpkins on steps and swooping bat wings from the porch roof. They have not held back for Christmas.

The skeleton stayed up this year, this time swathed in lights, as is every other inch of the house front. It is a light show that rivals the one in the old Wanamaker’s department store in Philadelphia.

I would hate to see their light bill…

As the shortest day of the year approaches, make Mr. King’s spirit happy and get out and see the lights in your own neighborhood, shopping plazas and merchant areas.

Here are some places recommended by 510 Families and Johnny FunCheap.

Oakland

Oakland’s Temple Hill Holiday Lights and Gardens is the place to go for a drive-by or a leisurely stroll for a religious holiday experience. Wear a jacket, because it’s chilly outside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at 4220 Lincoln Ave., particularly after dark. The gardens are open all day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. with the lights on from dusk until closing.

Alameda

Just across the High Street Bridge from Oakland, you’ll find Christmas Tree Lane in Alameda.

On Thompson Avenue between High Street and Fernside drive, displays range from classic trees and blow-ups to a comedic response to the film “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Lights turn on at dusk and can be seen through the first week in January.

Berkeley

The Fourth Street business district from University Avenue to Virginia Street in Berkeley comes alive with lights beginning at 5 p.m. through Jan. 1, 2026.

There’s also a display at one house at 928 Arlington St., and, for children, the Tilden Park Carousel Winter Wonderland runs through Jan. 4, 2026. Closed Christmas Day. For more information and tickets, call (510) 559-1004.

Richmond

The Sundar Shadi Holiday Display, featuring a recreation of the town of Bethlehem with life-size figures, is open through Dec. 26 at 7501 Moeser Lane in El Cerrito.

Marin County

In Marin, the go-to spot for ‘oohs and ahhs’ is the Holiday Light Spectacular from 4-9 p.m. through Jan. 4, 2026, at Marin Center Fairgrounds at 10 Ave of the Flags in San Rafael through Jan. 4. Displays dazzle, with lighted walkways and activities almost daily. For more info, go to: www.marincounty.gov/departments/cultural-services/department-sponsored-events/holiday-light-spectacular

The arches at Marin County Civic Center at 3501 Civic Center Dr. will also be illuminated nightly.

San Francisco

Look for light installations in Golden Gate Park, chocolate and cheer at Ghirardelli Square, and downtown, the ice rink in Union Square and the holiday tree in Civic Center Plaza are enchanting spots day and night. For neighborhoods, you can’t beat the streets in Noe Valley, Pacific Heights, and Bernal Heights. For glee and over-the-top glitz there’s the Castro, particularly at 68 Castro Street.

Livermore

The winner of the 2024 Great Light Flight award, Deacon Dave has set up his display with a group of creative volunteers at 352 Hillcrest Avenue since 1982. See it through Jan. 1, 2026. For more info, go to https://www.casadelpomba.com

Fremont

Crippsmas Place is a community of over 90 decorated homes with candy canes passed out nightly through Dec. 31. A tradition since 1967, the event features visits by Mr. and Mrs. Claus on Dec. 18 and Dec. 23 and entertainment by the Tri-M Honor Society at 6 p.m. on Dec. 22. Chrippsmas Place is located on: Cripps Place, Asquith Place, Nicolet Court, Wellington Place, Perkins Street, and the stretch of Nicolet Avenue between Gibraltar Drive and Perkins Street.

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Alameda County

Oakland Council Expands Citywide Security Cameras Despite Major Opposition

In a 7-1 vote in favor of the contract, with only District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife voting no, the Council agreed to maintain its existing network of 291 cameras and add 40 new “pan-tilt-zoom cameras.”

Published

11 hours ago

December 21, 2025

Oakland Post

At the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference, Flock Safety introduces new public safety technology – Amplified Intelligence, a suite of AI-powered tools designed to improve law enforcement investigations. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

The Oakland City Council this week approved a $2.25 million contract with Flock Safety for a mass surveillance network of hundreds of security cameras to track vehicles in the city.

In recent weeks hundreds of local residents have spoken against the camera system, raising concerns that data will be shared with immigration authorities and other federal agencies at a time when mass surveillance is growing across the country with little regard for individual rights.

The Flock network, supported by the Oakland Police Department, has the backing of residents and councilmembers who see it as an important tool to protect public safety.

“This system makes the Department more efficient as it allows for information related to disruptive/violent criminal activities to be captured … and allows for precise and focused enforcement,” OPD wrote in its proposal to City Council.

According to OPD, police made 232 arrests using data from Flock cameras between July 2024 and November of this year.

Based on the data, police say they recovered 68 guns, and utilizing the countywide system, they have found 1,100 stolen vehicles.

However, Flock’s cameras cast a wide net. The company’s cameras in Oakland last month captured license plate numbers and other information from about 1.4 million vehicles.

Speaking at Tuesday’s Council meeting, Fife was critical of her colleagues for signing a contract with a company that has been in the national spotlight for sharing data with federal agencies.

Flock’s cameras – which are automated license plate readers – have been used in tracking people who have had abortions, monitoring protesters, and aiding in deportation roundups.

“I don’t know how we get up and have several press conferences talking about how we are supportive of a sanctuary city status but then use a vendor that has been shown to have a direct relationship with (the U.S.) Border Control,” she said. “It doesn’t make sense to me.”

Several councilmembers who voted in favor of the contract said they supported the deal as long as some safeguards were written into the Council’s resolution.

“We’re not aiming for perfection,” said District 1 Councilmember Zac Unger. “This is not Orwellian facial recognition technology — that’s prohibited in Oakland. The road forward here is to add as many amendments as we can.”

Amendments passed by the Council prohibit OPD from sharing camera data with any other agencies for the purpose of “criminalizing reproductive or gender affirming healthcare” or for federal immigration enforcement. California state law also prohibits the sharing of license plate reader data with the federal government, and because Oakland’s sanctuary city status, OPD is not allowed to cooperate with immigration authorities.

A former member of Oakland’s Privacy Advisory Commission has sued OPD, alleging that it has violated its own rules around data sharing.

So far, OPD has shared Flock data with 50 other law enforcement agencies.

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Activism

Lu Lu’s House is Not Just Toying Around with the Community

Wilson and Lambert will be partnering with Mayor Barbara Lee on a toy giveaway on Dec. 20. Young people, like Dremont Wilkes, age 15, will help give away toys and encourage young people to stay in school and out of trouble. Wilkes wants to go to college and become a specialist in financial aid. Sports agent Aaron Goodwin has committed to giving all eight young people from Lu Lu’s House a fully paid free ride to college, provided they keep a 3.0 grade point average and continue the program. Lu Lu’s House is not toying around.

Published

24 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Oakland Post

Tania Fuller Bryant, Zirl Wilson, Dremont Wilkes, Tracy Lambert and Dr. Geoffrey Watson. Courtesy Oakland Private Industry

Special to the Post

Lu Lu’s House is a 501c3 organization based in Oakland, founded by Mr. Zirl Wilson and Mr. Tracy Lambert, both previously incarcerated. After their release from jail, they wanted to change things for the better in the community — and wow, have they done that!

The duo developed housing for previously incarcerated people, calling it “Lu Lu’s House,” after Wilson’s wonderful wife. At a time when many young people were robbing, looting, and involved in shootings, Wilson and Lambert took it upon themselves to risk their lives to engage young gang members and teach them about nonviolence, safety, cleanliness, business, education, and the importance of health and longevity.

Lambert sold hats and T-shirts at the Eastmont Mall and was visited by his friend Wilson. At the mall, they witnessed gangs of young people running into the stores, stealing whatever they could get their hands on and then rushing out. Wilson tried to stop them after numerous robberies and finally called the police, who Wilson said, “did not respond.” Having been incarcerated previously, they realized that if the young people were allowed to continue to rob the stores, they could receive multiple criminal counts, which would take their case from misdemeanors to felonies, resulting in incarceration.

Lu Lu’s House traveled to Los Angeles and obtained more than 500 toys
for a Dec. 20 giveaway in partnership with Oakland Mayor Barbara
Lee. Courtesy Oakland Private Industry,

Wilson took it upon himself to follow the young people home and when he arrived at their subsidized homes, he realized the importance of trying to save the young people from violence, drug addiction, lack of self-worth, and incarceration — as well as their families from losing subsidized housing. Lambert and Wilson explained to the young men and women, ages 13-17, that there were positive options which might allow them to make money legally and stay out of jail. Wilson and Lambert decided to teach them how to wash cars and they opened a car wash in East Oakland. Oakland’s Initiative, “Keep the town clean,” involved the young people from Lu Lu’s House participating in more than eight cleanup sessions throughout Oakland. To assist with their infrastructure, Lu Lu’s House has partnered with Oakland’s Private Industry Council.

For the Christmas season, Lu Lu’s House and reformed young people (who were previously robbed) will continue to give back.

Lu Lu’s House traveled to Los Angeles and obtained more than 500 toys.