Occupy Movement Vows To Shut Down Port Of Oakland Again On Monday
OAKLAND (KCBS) — Members of Occupy Oakland are calling for a second shutdown of the Port of Oakland and all West Coast ports on Monday, but they don't have full union support.
While several union workers stood in solidarity of the strike, the action does not have the support of the local or national International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU).
KCBS' Margie Shafer Reports:
Standing near the large white cranes at the Port of Oakland, Mike King with Occupy Oakland said the plans include shutting down the port for a second time. The last shutdown occured during a daylong protest on November 2nd.
"We will make history again on December 12, with non-union workers, rank and file unionists, retirees and children, teachers and students, and the unemployed. The port shutdown is bringing the fight back to the one percent," King vowed.
However, Isaac Kos-Read with the Port of Oakland, said the port needs to be kept open—because it is where the 99 percent work. He notes, the port's board is concerned about the state of the economy and adopted 19 initiatives.
According to Kos-Read, one of the initiatives is to enhance inclusive economic development strategy and to work day in and day out with partners throughout the region.
Kos-Read added that enhancing activist groups as well as environmental, labor and community groups were also key to the adopted initiatives.
"Shutting down the port is not going to help move any of this forward," Kos-Read said.
He noted that 73,000 jobs are tied to port activity.
In conjunction with the Obama Administration, Oakland is seeking to double exports from the port - which would create 5,000 new jobs in Oakland.
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