What will be happening at the nation's ports and harbors this May Day? Of
course, the ILWU has voted to do an eight hour shutdown at the West Coast's
ports and harbors on May Day 2008. And the port truckers are meeting and
deciding what actions to take on May Day also and on how to be in UNITY with
the ILWU as well.
Will Pacifica be covering these worker actions?
And is Pacifica covering the build up and organizing going all around the
country for May Day actions? The May Day actins are for anti-war efforts, for
immigration rights and for worker rights - all at the same time and all are, in
the end Worker actions.
And if Pacifica really did cover the build up organizing for the May Day
actions wouldn't thousands and thousands and thousands of new listeners be
added to the Pacifica supporters and wouldn't the entire nation begin to listen
to Pacifica to find out just how many of the nations' harbors and ports will be
shut down on May Day 2008 and just how many millions and millions and millions
and millions of dollars will be lost by American capitalist corporations as a
result of worker actions at the nations' ports and harbors on May Day 2008?
AND COULD THE WAR ON IRAQ REALLY CONTINUE EVEN ONE WEEK IF ALL OF THE
NATION'S PORTS AND HARBORS WERE SHUT DOWN BECAUSE THE PORT AND HARBOR WORKERS
AND THE PORT TRUCKERS REFUSED TO HAUL AND TO LOAD OR UNLOAD WAR MATERIAL???
Below is a very bad (computer) translation of a La Opinion article about
the 2004 May Day truckers strike.
The original Spanish version is set forth below.
I just thought that if we reminisce about some of the May Day actions that
happened in the past it might inspire us with some thoughts for future May Day
(and other days as well) actions.
For instance (for one thing and only one of the things) should we try to
get in contact with "The Guarura" (see below) i.e. Armando Gonzalez, and ask
him to go on KPFK and some of the other Pacifica stations (and on other media
outlets) and talk about his 2004 blocking of the 5 fwy. with his semi-truck and
about what some of the port truckers are thinking about for this May Day? (I
just tried Armando's old phone number and although I have not spoken to him in
quite awhile and I got a recording, it is definitely his voice on the
recording. I left a message asking him to call me. Armando can be contacted
at: 310-707-6284.
Why don't we have a Pacifica program interviewing "The Guarura" and other
port truckers asking them about port trucker plans to shut down the nation's
ports and harbors on May Day 2008? And about port trucker plans to refuse to
haul War material? And on the same program also interview ILWU members about
their plans to stop work on May Day 2008. And ask both the port truckers and
the ILWU members abut their plans to UNITE with each other to stop the War on
Iraq? (and yes I can work on this and even line up the port truckers and ILWU
members to be interviewed. La Opinion will be covering this. And probably El
Piolin and El Cucuy and even Business Week but will Pacifica be covering it?
Does Pacifica want the new listeners that would come from covering these issues
or are these issues too controversial for Pacifica? )
And many other things and many other people, of course.
Jim D.
310-673-4302
jdemaegt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
--------------------------
Truck drivers are united against the price of the fuel.
They come together in Wilmington from several points of the city; three arrests
to block freeway 5
Jose Source-Salt mines
Editor of the Opinion
01 of May of 2004
With improvised placards, without involving to parties nor political or union
organizations, but with a great police mass media and force deployment, the
Latin truck drivers pronounced themselves against the increase of the fuel.
>From different points from the South of California they were transferred to
>the Banning Park, of Wilmington, where a numerous contingent of patrols and
>three helicopters was watching the concentration that finished with the
>election of a provisional committee to follow its fight.
The truck drivers protest against the high cost of the diesel engine and the
gasoline, as well as of the taxes and costs of operation. According to the
affected ones, in the last weeks the prices in those crucial headings have gone
off to continue working.
"Right now all us they are raising it, and we are those that we are absorbing
the rises", Ramirez, a truck driver with 22 years in the office said to Javier.
"we had never lived a thing thus", affirmed.
Ramirez assured that weeks ago, the cost of weekly diesel engine was of about
950 dollars, whereas now it oscillates between 1.580 and 1.600 dollars.
"Imagínate that in Reindeer, Nevada, the price of the diesel engine is of 1,71,
whereas in California is here of 2,45", said shortly before leaving in a
caravan that began in freeway 5.
Espontaneidad
The protest of had much of spontaneous yesterday. There a group that left the
Gayhart street and Washington boulevard prepared same placards that they placed
in the back part of the trucks. Many truck drivers arrived with their units,
whereas others did it in their particular vehicles.
Several expressed that the idea that the truck drivers gain much is more and
more a chance, due to the high cost of operations: license, fines, fuel and low
payment of loads. Many even considered excessively the form rigorous in which
the Patrol of Carreteras (CHP) punishes these workers of the steering wheel.
"the speed limit for us is of 55 miles per hour, but, already we have the
patrol raises as soon as we went through one", Ramirez said.
The group of truck drivers who left Washington blocked freeway 5 for a moment,
reason by which was arrested Javier and other two, known in the union like "the
Guarura" and "the Gavilancillo".
"When they stopped themselves, immediately the motorcyclists left to them. They
did not give chance them of anything ", said Patricia Ibañez, a embroideress
who changed her work in the seam by the one of truck driver.
Later, in freeway 110 course to Wilmington, the police infraccionó to two of
them, apparently to lead at low speed in more of a track.
The truck drivers generated a great amount of support of the motorists who lead
in the other tracks, due to the form in which also to them he is affecting the
rise of the gasoline.
The Opinion followed all the passage of the truck drivers, from freeway 5 and
110, to the city of Wilmington, where capital was supported the Latin
concentration of the city.
However, the labor bureaucracy despised the manifestation of the truck drivers
and was few samples of solidarity.
In an official notice to means, Stephanie Williams, vice-president of
California Trucking Association, was pronounced completely "opposite" to this
tactics that described as "civil disobedience".
Nevertheless, the branch of the Teamsters in Washington, showed its support to
the truck drivers of California and they even indicated that from before the
rises to the fuel, the truck drivers already were "on the brink of madness the
bankruptcy".
In the Banning Park, the situation was put tense when three helicopters made
the rounds constantly, and a very numerous contingent of patrols parked in the
Pacific Coast Higway, contingent that seemed to exceed the number of
demonstrators.
After blocking three blocks from the Avalon avenue, the manifestation seemed to
decrease, but around the 11:30, to initiative of a spontaneous lawyer, Jim P.
DeMaegt, they crossed the fence, using the sidewalk, to pronounce itself
elsewhere of the center of Wilmington.
Finally, around the one of afternoon, volunteers took the microphone to invite
to form the first committee of popular fight.
In a sense and unexpected speech, Oscar Domínguez, a truck driver who took the
microphone, fustigó to the labor aristocracy:
"Many they are seeing us us like the ugly patito of the port", said, "but we
teach to them that we have our License Class ' Á".
Veteran lawyer Jim DeMaegt described that spontaneous action like "democracy
walking".
-----------------------------
Camioneros se unen contra el precio del combustible
Confluyen en Wilmington desde varios puntos de la ciudad; tres arrestos por
bloquear la autopista 5
José Fuentes-Salinas
Redactor de La Opinión
01 de mayo de 2004
Con pancartas improvisadas, sin involucrar a partidos ni organizaciones
políticas o sindicales, pero con un gran despliegue de fuerzas policiacas y
medios de comunicación, los camioneros latinos se manifestaron en contra del
incremento del combustible.
Desde diferentes puntos del Sur de California se trasladaron al Parque Banning,
de Wilmington, donde un numeroso contingente de patrullas y tres helicópteros
estuvieron vigilando la concentración que terminó con la elección de un comité
provisional para seguir su lucha.
Los camioneros protestan contra el alto costo del diesel y la gasolina, así
como de los impuestos y costos de operación. Según los afectados, en las
últimas semanas se han disparado los precios en esos rubros cruciales para
seguir trabajando.
“Ahorita todo nos lo están subiendo, y nosotros somos los que estamos
absorbiendo las alzas”, dijo Javier Ramírez, un camionero con 22 años en el
oficio. “Nunca habíamos vivido una cosa así”, afirmó.
Ramírez aseguró que hace unas semanas, el gasto de diesel semanal era de unos
950 dólares, mientras que ahora oscila entre 1,580 y 1,600 dólares.
“Imagínate que en Reno, Nevada, el precio del diesel es de 1.71, mientras que
aquí en California es de 2.45”, dijo poco antes de salir en una caravana que se
inició en la autopista 5.
Espontaneidad
La protesta de ayer tuvo mucho de espontánea. Un grupo que salió de la calle
Gayhart y bulevar Washington preparó ahí mismo unas pancartas que colocaron en
la parte trasera de los camiones. Muchos camioneros llegaron con sus unidades,
mientras que otros lo hicieron en sus vehículos particulares.
Varios expresaron que la idea de que los camioneros ganan mucho es cada vez más
una casualidad, debido al alto costo de operaciones: licencia, multas,
combustible y bajo pago de fletes. Incluso muchos consideraron excesivamente
rigurosa la forma en que la Patrulla de Carreteras (CHP) castiga a estos
trabajadores del volante.
“El límite de velocidad para nosotros es de 55 millas por hora, pero, ya
tenemos a la patrulla encima apenas nos pasamos por una”, dijo Ramírez.
El grupo de camioneros que salió de la Washington bloqueó por un momento la
autopista 5, motivo por el cual fueron arrestados Javier y otros dos, conocidos
en el gremio como “El Guarura” y “El Gavilancillo”.
“Cuando se pararon, inmediatamente les salieron los motociclistas. No les
dieron chance de nada”, dijo Patricia Ibañez, una bordadora que cambió su
trabajo en la costura por el de camionera.
Posteriormente, en la autopista 110 rumbo a Wilmington, la policía infraccionó
a dos de ellos, aparentemente por conducir a baja velocidad en más de un carril.
Los camioneros generaron una gran cantidad de apoyo de los automovilistas que
conducían en los otros carriles, debido a la forma en que también a ellos está
afectando el alza de la gasolina.
La Opinión siguió todo el trayecto de los camioneros, desde la autopista 5 y
110, hasta la ciudad de Wilmington, donde el apoyo fue mayúsculo dada la
concentración latina de la ciudad.
No obstante, la burocracia laboral menospreció la manifestación de los
camioneros y hubo pocas muestras de solidaridad.
En un comunicado a los medios, Stephanie Williams, vicepresidente de la
California Trucking Association, se manifestó “completamente opuesta” a esta
táctica que calificó de “desobediencia civil”.
Sin embargo, la filial de los Teamsters en Washington, manifestó su apoyo a los
camioneros de California e incluso señalaron que desde antes de las alzas al
combustible, los camioneros ya estaban “al borde de la bancarrota”.
En el Parque Banning, la situación se puso tensa cuando tres helicópteros
rondaban constantemente, y un contingente muy numeroso de patrullas se
estacionó en la Pacific Coast Higway, contingente que parecía rebasar el número
de manifestantes.
Luego de bloquear tres cuadras desde la avenida Avalon, la manifestación
parecía decrecer, pero alrededor de las 11:30, a iniciativa de un abogado
espontáneo, Jim P. DeMaegt, cruzaron la valla, usando la acera, para
manifestarse en otra parte del centro de Wilmington.
Finalmente, alrededor de la una de la tarde, voluntarios tomaron el micrófono
para invitar a formar el primer comité de lucha popular.
En un sentido e improvisado discurso, Oscar Domínguez, un camionero que tomó el
micrófono, fustigó a la aristocracia laboral:
“Muchos nos están viendo a nosotros como el patito feo del puerto”, dijo, “pero
enseñémosles que tenemos nuestra Licencia Clase ‘A’”.
El veterano abogado Jim DeMaegt calificó esa espontaneidad como “la democracia
andando”.