Mark Szakonyi, Daily Content Editor | Dec 05, 2011 9:23AM EST
Moving aggressively to block any efforts to shut down the port next week, the Port of Oakland is launching a campaign to marshal the community against the Occupy movement's stated plans to halt work at West Coast ports on Dec. 12.
The campaign includes a Web site that stresses the port's critical role for business and workers in the city.
“Shutting down the Port of Oakland is a bad idea. It will divert cargo, tax revenue, and jobs to other communities. It will hurt working people and harm our community,” the Web site stated.
Oakland has become the West Coast center of the Occupy Wall Street movement after thousands of protestors halted nighttime operations at the Port of Oakland Nov. 2. Since the protest, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union has backed away from the movement, while the Teamsters have embraced Occupy protestors’ cause.
The West Coast occupy movement’s Web site features posters and flyers, schedules, videos and a donation page. According to the web site, the movement plans to shutdown the ports of Anchorage, Los Angeles-Long Beach, Oakland, Hueneme, Portland, San Diego, Seattle and Tacoma.
“When we say ‘Wall Street on the waterfront’ we point particularly to EGT and Goldman Sachs,” the Occupy Web site stated.
The ILWU has been fighting the opening EGT’s terminal in Longview, Wash., because the company has hired a contractor that employs non-ILWU labor.
“Goldman Sachs owns a large part of the SSA [Marine] terminals and is guilty of facilitating the exploitation of non-union and short-run, port truck drivers who have struggled for dignified and humane conditions in the workplace for several years now,” the Occupy movement said.
-- Contact Mark Szakonyi at mszakonyi@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter @Szakonyi_JOC