Activism
ILWU leads May Day Protest down Market Street in San Francisco
“The best way to protect worker unity is to protest racism, patriarchy and xenophobia,” continued Davis. “Labor united will never be defeated.”
As participants assembled in front of the Ferry Building at the Embarcadero in San Francisco, a group of wearing blue jackets and white painters’ hats could be seen moving to the front of the group.
The group, workers from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, were on hand to lead the May Day march and rally from the Ferry Building down Market Street to San Francisco City Hall.
“This is the real Labor Day and this day is celebrated all over the world,” said Trent Willis, the head of the ILWU’s Local 10 longshoremen’s union. “In 1886, the first fight for workers was for the eight-hour work day.”
May Day is the celebration of labor and working classes, promoted by the international labor movement and occurs every year on May Day, May 1. The ILWU in San Francisco has spearheaded for the day in the Bay Area and it has been leading the rally and march for the past 15 years.
Political activist and college professor Dr. Angela Davis, was a keynote speaker at the rally and she marched along Market Street in between ILWU members. Willis led the march of over 5,000 people with the ILWU, the Teamsters Union, teachers’unions and other unions from San Francisco. Adjoining streetswere blocked off to allow the crowd walk freely.
As they walked, the ILWU drill team yelled out chants. They stopped in front of the Flood Building, where Willis said he,along with others from the labor movement, stand in solidarity with the Chilean Dock Workers Union, who are in the middle of a contract negotiations with the Chilean government for higher wages and better working conditions.
The marchers continued to San Francisco City Hall, where Willis, Davis and other labor union officials, got on the back of a flatbed truck and spoke to the crowd.
“We need to fight systematic racism,” continued Willlis. “If you don’t stand up against systematic racism and systematic oppression, racism keeps us from talking to each other.”
Willis said that when people aren’t talking to each other, the differences they have cannot be understood or resolved. He said talking is needed in order for people to get along and resolve situations, working conditions and move society forward.
Davis,looked out on at the crowd, saying that she was proud to be a part of the march and rally.
“There is no place I would rather be then to be standing up for the rights of workers,” said Davis. “In solidarity with workers from all over the world.”
Davis said that workers need to stand up and fight so there will not be any more George Floyds, Breonna Taylors, Stephen Clarks, Oscar Grants and Sean Monterrosa. Monterrosa was the San Francisco man who was killed by police in Vallejo last year. His family was on hand, holding a banner with his name.
“The best way to protect worker unity is to protest racism, patriarchy and xenophobia,” continued Davis. “Labor united will never be defeated.”
Willis said he will make Davis an honorary member of the ILWU, which is an honor that has only been bestowed on Paul Robeson and Dr. Martin Luther King. He said the struggle for workers continues across the world and within the United States, but it will be a push the ILWU will be vigilant in fighting for to improve working conditions for working people.
