Activism
Longshore Workers Shut Down Port of Oakland, Rally to Save Port and Public Schools
Trent Willis, past president of Local 10, called on union members to organize and fight. “We know what we stand for: we stand for equality, we stand against privatization, we stand against gentrification,” he said. “Every generation has had their battle, and this is ours. When it’s time to throw down, we have to stand up.”
By Ken Epstein
Longshore workers, members of ILWU Local 10, shut down the Port of Oakland Thursday, rallying at Oakland City Hall at noon to show their determination to halt the giveaway of public land to billionaire John Fisher’s real estate project at the Port and to show solidarity with the fight of Oakland teachers and communities to save their schools from being closed and given away to privatizers.
Trent Willis, past president of Local 10, called on union members to organize and fight. “We know what we stand for: we stand for equality, we stand against privatization, we stand against gentrification,” he said. “Every generation has had their battle, and this is ours. When it’s time to throw down, we have to stand up.”
The name of Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, when mentioned, was greeted by boos. Schaaf, who is viewed as an agent of privatizers like John Fisher, also has spoken publicly in favor of closing as many as half of Oakland’s public schools.
Melvin Mackay, ILWU Local 10 executive board member, emphasized that building of million-dollar condominiums is incompatible with the functioning of a 24/7 working port.
“If they ever put residential on maritime land, we’re done,” he said.
Said ILWU Local 10 member Linda Adams, “This is not about a ballpark. This is about prime real estate for billionaires.”
Nick Palmquest, who is a teacher at MetWest, said the struggle to save the schools and the Port are connected. “We must stop the privatization of our Port, and we must stop the privatization of our schools,” he said.
A group of teachers and others from Parker Elementary School, which is one of the schools scheduled to be closed in June, held a sick-out and joined the City Hall rally.
