PROTESTS: ILWU march during work stoppage Friday for Juneteenth

| Port of Seattle | West Seattle news | West Seattle protests

The next major rally/march near our area will be on Friday, for Juneteenth, commemorating the abolition of slavery in the U.S. – Seattle’s ILWU Local 19 has announced a march during a West Coast-wide work stoppage:

This Friday, June 19th, members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) will cease operations for the day shift along the entire US west coast, including Seattle, comprising 29 ports from Bellingham to San Diego, in observance of Juneteenth.

At the vacant Terminal 46 downtown, ILWU longshore workers will host a Rally and March to Stop Police Brutality and end Systematic Racism. The event will begin 9:00 a.m. at the ILWU Local 19 Union Hall – 3440 E Marginal Way S (corner of Spokane and East Marginal). Longshore workers will march as part of the coast-wide work stoppage and with other local labor, community, and faith leaders, including leaders from MLK Labor. 

Participants will march (or car-caravan) to Terminal 46 for a rally and show of solidarity before continuing on to the WA Department of Corrections (DOC) Day Reporting Center, 1550 4th Ave S. This rally will call attention to victims of the criminal justice system while incarcerated. Recent concerns have been raised about incidents of retaliation by the DOC against incarcerated laborers, who requested PPE and appropriate safety measures to protect against COVID-19 infection.

pilsner June 16, 2020 (11:01 pm)

Downtown? Oh boy.

Geoff June 17, 2020 (7:55 am)

I am sorry Pilsner that you may be inconvenienced,
- K. Davis June 17, 2020 (10:01 am)
  
  @Geoff. I didn’t hear Pilsner complaining about being “inconvenienced”. I actually have no idea what Pilsner meant, although I assume it might be a comment of concern about another protest downtown. And while I might disagree with Pilsner about that concern – protest is a right and at this particular moment in history, a pretty dang important thing to be doing – I don’t feel the need to get all “woke” at a comment that I might not agree with. Why do you feel the need to do so? I ask because I am seeing the pearl-clutching “woke” folks who like to use social media to judge and condemn non-conforming thought (ya’ know … like in “1984” … or North Korea). A little too much of that going on with some folks just now.
  - karma llama June 17, 2020 (10:32 am)
    
    ‘I don’t feel the need to get all “woke” at a comment that I might not agree with. Why do you feel the need to do so?’
    
    Wait, isn’t that what you just did there? And arguably more offensively?
    
    Why do you feel the need to do so?
    
    Maybe Geoff is a POC who is tired of hearing people complain about how inconvenient the protests are?
- pilsner June 17, 2020 (12:36 pm)
  
  Sorry if I confused y’alls. I was concerned about violent people hijacking a movement for equality and trashing downtown and giving the equality movement a bad name.
  - TJ June 17, 2020 (9:16 pm)
    
    Please explain what “violent people” are you talking about? – Proud Local 19 family member.
    - pilsner June 18, 2020 (4:43 pm)
      
      The violent people that have nothing to do with any movement, who just use a large gathering of people as cover to riot and loot. I dont know why people are getting all bent out of shape with what I am saying. Im equal with everyone. I hope you guys have a productive and safe march – Local 174 Teamster

Katy Lloyd June 17, 2020 (7:48 am)

Grateful to the ILWU for lifting up past and current injustices. It’s past time to make Juneteenth a national holiday. As a white person I only learned of Juneteenth about 6 or 7 years ago. That right there is how systemic racism works.

Blbl June 17, 2020 (9:25 am)

Thank you, ILWU. I plan to go observe and show my support.

John W June 17, 2020 (10:55 am)

Agreed, it’s past time to make Juneteenth a Washington State Legal Holiday. It’s current status in our state is a “legislatively recognized day.”

Laura Rodriguez June 17, 2020 (12:20 pm)

I heard there was one in West Seattle on Friday. Does anyone know about that one?

WSB June 17, 2020 (12:45 pm)

There is a demonstration planned on the Delridge/Oregon overpass. Just got word of that, will be publishing a separate announcement.

Js June 17, 2020 (2:23 pm)

Is the hall hiring?

ally cat June 17, 2020 (3:34 pm)

For anyone interested in learning more about the topic of white perspective/experience/privilege/fragility and implicit bias, there is a show/talk on the Seattle Channel tonight at 5pm with the author of ‘White Fragility’ that may be of interest.

You can watch it here:

http://seattlechannel.org/watch-live

If this is a new conversation for you, it’s totally normal to initially feel defensive, hurt, confused, annoyed, etc. It’s a difficult conversation and it’s difficult work to look at these issues and our place in them. The more you identify with being aware, kind, empathetic, etc. the harder this conversation may be for you, because, how could you possibly not already be fully aware and doing everything right… right? This doesn’t make you a bad person. It just means there may be more to learn and understand, and it may be a little painful. Just keep listening.

ally cat June 18, 2020 (8:39 am)

If you’re interested but missed the airing yesterday, you can watch it here:

http://www.seattlechannel.org/misc-video?videoid=x93076

Atticus June 18, 2020 (9:05 am)

Just wanted to point out a slight inaccuracy. Juneteeth does not commemorate the abolition of slavery. It actually commemorates the physical freeing of enslaved persons in the deep south approximately 2 years later.

Holly D June 18, 2020 (3:32 pm)

Proud of the ILWU up and down the West Coast. This is HUGE. I was at the Othello March and saw guys in ILWU sweatshirts and had to look twice to make sure they were wearing the title I thought they were. For whatever reason I did not expect to see this group of people marching. Neither did the people I was with. And I am a female in the construction industry. Goes to show that, among other things I need to 1) check my bias and 2)industrial industries and industrial workers can and do show up to shut it down. Thank you!

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