Demonstrations planned near the ‘low bridge’ on Monday

For the first time since Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Seattle began, related protests are planned for this area. John sent a note to point out that the protest website says the Seattle action for next Monday’s “West Coast Port Shutdown” protests announces:

… there will be two rallies near the port at 3 pm and 6 pm at the Spokane Street fishing area, just to the east of the Spokane St. bridge, near the intersection of SW Spokane St & SW Manning St. under the West Seattle bridge.

It’s not actually a protest against the port itself, the website says (and as commenters point out, it is not union-endorsed); organizers say it’s meant to show opposition to unionbusting, Governor Gregoire‘s planned budget cuts, and evictions at “Occupy” protests across the country. Preceding the rallies in this area, supporters plan to march from Westlake downtown, starting at 1 pm Monday.

qjpnzebz December 8, 2011 (2:17 pm)

”West Coast Port Shutdown””to show opposition to unionbusting” with the ILWU and other unions not participating. Odd.

WSB December 8, 2011 (2:21 pm)

Their contract says they can’t just walk out, but could just not show up at the hiring hall, per this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/occupy-movement-pledges-to-shut-down-west-coast-ports-despite-rejection-by-longshore-union/2011/12/08/gIQAFCDtfO_story.html

qjpnzebz December 8, 2011 (2:33 pm)

The longshoremen rank-and-file, and the President of the locals don’t endorse this action. Call ’em.

WSB December 8, 2011 (2:45 pm)

Indeed, nobody may show up, and that’s not my concern – we just published this so folks know, as a traffic alert if nothing else, that there is a protest planned, which was the intention of the person who sent it to me.

Tuesday December 8, 2011 (2:51 pm)

Yes, disrupting people that have jobs and pay taxes for all the programs they don’t want cut is a brilliant plan.

uh oh December 8, 2011 (3:06 pm)

If they plan to be on that bridge— any word that the Coast Guard might get involved?

WSB December 8, 2011 (3:06 pm)

It would be Seattle Police – they have the land-side enforcement. – TR

visitor December 8, 2011 (3:13 pm)

it’s a good thing to be clear that ILWU does NOT endorse this action. This is NOT a work slowdown or a wildcat strike or a work stoppage of any type. The ILWU does NOT have a contract issue or complaint against the employer at this time. This is an idea and concept and action of Occupy Seattle and no one else.

WS Steve December 8, 2011 (3:22 pm)

Yes, because not causing disruptions has worked awesome so far.

I’m going to hate what this does to my commute, but ports represent the loss of millions of American jobs as they bring cheap goods in from overseas. They are a logical target for “Occupy.”

This, by the way, would be an excellent time to remind the state what it will do to the port and the taxes it generates if we don’t fix this traffic corridor. It’s proper that Seattle not be footing the entire bill for the tunnel.

Al December 8, 2011 (3:26 pm)

This is not likely to shut down Port traffic or traffic along Spokane Street. If you know where that “park” is, it’s more likely to effect the bike/pedestrian route if there’s enough people that show up for it.

Kara December 8, 2011 (7:39 pm)

That’s also a Seahawks game day…5:30pm.

AJ December 8, 2011 (9:12 pm)

Can’t think of anything more patriotic than a protest. It’s a right we fight to preserve, even if I don’t agree w it, I’m glad I live in a country that allows it.

John December 8, 2011 (9:55 pm)

Another brain dead Pro-Obama rally – seriousl.

John December 9, 2011 (8:13 am)

I doubt that.

Dizzle December 9, 2011 (8:38 am)

I agree that ports represent millions (if not billions) of products coming from overseas. But, how many of these occupy protesters only own US made products? I would guess a fair amount of them have iPhones, foreign cars, etc. yet they want to hurt the local employees by shutting down the ports and those that spend money in our local economy! To me it seems they are only hurting their neighbors, especially during Christmas time.

Aaron A. Browne December 9, 2011 (9:03 am)

*** Where is the LOVE!???! The 1% have provided us with amenities like a black President, the hand-over-fist loans during G.W.Bush’s second term, the Dot-Com boom, the World Trade Organization (which provides us the opportunity to move to Inida in order to be employed in the USA by being outsourced), and the EV1 electric car to lease (until they recalled all of them and destroyed them). We need to show appreciation for the 1%!!! The 1% are PEOPLE too!!!

*** We the 99% are pretentious, lazy, and ignorant. As long as we 99% have access to purchases which the 1% allow us: flat screen TVs, video games, shopping sprees, sport stadiums, music venues, SUVs, and alcohol/drugs -we really could care less about the difference between our ‘capitalist democracy’ and being a ‘democratic republic’. How can we NOT have a ‘1%’??? WE the 99% should show some graditude. The 1% should hire a bunch of Indians and Mexicans to occupy the ‘Occupy Movement’ -that’ll teach us!

*** As far as Seattle goes,… how can they have an effective protest by people from the NorthWest? What, they are going to try pretentiously to make people jealous that they are living in tents and hardly getting by??? >sea-town sold itself out during the Dot-Com boom. You have to communicate with people in order to really get your message through, and any thing that is comprised of avoiding eye contact and facial expressions just doesnt hack it -good luck and may the passive aggressive, smug, hick mentality of the North West be w/you (as long as you STAY in the NW, please).

Yardvark December 9, 2011 (10:38 am)

I love the Occupy movement but I’ve always been a little confused as to why they’d like to shut down the ports, especially if neither the union leadership nor the rank and file are behind the action.
There are a number of houses in West Seattle that went into foreclosure after their owners lost their jobs due to an economic collapse caused by blantant corruption. Wouldn’t calling attention to that be a little more to the point?

IowaBoyDave December 9, 2011 (12:57 pm)

This sutdown is as much about showing solidarity with other west-coast occupies as it stopping traffic to the POS. Ask almost any longshoreman worker, and you will hear personal support for this action because Occupy makes labor stronger. The Union cannot publically support it because of contract law…but they won’t cross the line if there is any safety issue.

Hard_Block December 9, 2011 (2:48 pm)

MIC CHECK!

HARD BLOCK. (Holding arms up & crossed)

Is “Occupy” encouraging a “safety issue” to trigger an appearance of spontaneous union support?

Occupy’s attempt to manipulate public opinion that it has support from the “rank-and-file” is played out. Produce one ILWU 19 person, that publically supports Occupy’s attempt to shut down the Port of Seattle on Monday and I’ll produce Jennifer Fox’s baby.

Go “Occupy” City Hall to protest your camp evictions.

Go “Occupy” Governor Gregoire‘s office to show opposition to budget cuts.

Go “Occupy” the Port of Seattle’s commissioners offices at pier 69 to show opposition to unionbusting.

Go “Occupy” the intermodal drayage company offices at Allstate Transport, Lion Trucking & RoadLink to show support for the 6,000 misclassified big rig port truck drivers.

UP TWINKLES. (Both hands raised fingers pointing up & wiggling)

robin December 11, 2011 (8:20 pm)

‎”There are some misconceptions about whether ILWU supports The December 12th West Coast Port Shutdown.

ILWU national leadership released a statement saying they “don’t endorse” the December 12th Shutdown.

This is exactly how it was done on November 2nd as well. They participated in and supported it just as much then as they do now.

Here’s how it works:
We block the gates to the docks, the arbitrator comes and declares it unsafe for the longshoremen to go to work, and the longshoremen then go home- with pay.

ILWU has to officially say that they don’t “endorse” the shutdown, this is the only way that they will be able to claim that the blockade is a safety hazard for longshoremen.

If they endorsed it, there would be no safety hazard. How could there be a safety hazard from an action that they endorse? It would be a “strike”, no pay for longshoremen that day, and ILWU would be liable for a lawsuit in the millions.

Do not believe the rumor that this means the longshoremen rank-and-file, and the President of the locals don’t individually support us. They do. ILWU just can’t officially do it as an organization.

This action is in support of Longshoremen in Longview, WA who are militantly fighting union-busting activities by the grain company EGT. The actions of the rank-and-file there are not officially endorsed by ILWU either. These are technicalities for legal reasons, not a measure of support in this case.

Here’s what ILWU Local 21 President Dan Coffman said to Occupy Oakland last week at a public rally: “You can’t believe what you people have done for my people!”

ILWU Local 10 Executive Board member Clarence Thomas said publicly: “These Ports are public. People have a right to come to the Port and protest. The ILWU has historically honored picket lines at the Port.”

The ILWU has always honored community pickets. They understand solidarity. This is all part of how it works.

They supported the November 2nd shutdown under the exact same circumstances. The longshoremen support this one too.

Please let folks know about this. The details of this action have caused some confusion among people that need to be clear about their support.

–Boots Riley”

An email forwarded from Occupy Oakland.

a December 12, 2011 (6:02 pm)

occupy protesters are just bored people who do not work hard or have responsibilities. They do not care about their community. They are selfish and most do not really know what and why they are occupying places. They cost communities money and hurt the poor. They cause delay and confusion for those who rely on public transportation and directly impact the working class who are trying to make it by in this tough time. Get a job – take what you can get and work to move up. Do everything you can to keep your job and don’t stop complaining, but act and occupy a cubicle, classroom, delivery van or whatever you can find. Don’t put yourself above any job. Take a job that might be beneath you and work it until it works for you or find something else. I know it is not easy, but milling about and shouting at port workers? Come on! You are costing the City of Seattle overtime money for police. Hey – you are lining thier pockets. They work for you now. They work hard. They are arresting people who are wasting public money. I wish the consequence for illegal public space occupation could be the requirement to actually work a 40+ hour/week job…Occupy protesters are wasting working class people’s time and gas money. Sitting in 2 hours of traffic because of protest marches is tough to swallow. I will never ever support occupy protesters. They are a waste of space.

blackwatch December 12, 2011 (7:55 pm)

I’m totally behind what the 99% are doing and I’ve marched with them, but I’ve never understood actions that adversely affect working people such as stopping traffic, sitting down in roadways,etc… and I believe it’s alienating the very people you’re trying to win over.

Having said that, the success of this movement is one of our last chances to save our forsaken government before it collapses under it’s own weight. Once the pride of the world now riddled with corruption and partisan stagnation.
I say Help these people any way you can…..

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