OntheWilderSide

Green Party congressional candidates ‘applaud’ ILWU work stoppage at SF & West Coast ports on May 1 to protest wars in Iraq, Afghanistan

Green Party congressional candidates said today they “applaud” the ILWU work stoppage scheduled May 1 here and at other California ports to protest the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

ILWU West Coast longshore workers vow to stop work May 1, and have called on the AFL-CIO, Change to Win and other labor organizations to join them May Day against the war and to commemorate International Workers Holiday. Dock workers were brutalized by police in a similar protest in Oakland in 2003.

In San Francisco, laborers and supporters will rally in the morning at the Longshore Hall and march to Justin Herman Plaza for a Noon rally. The action moves to a military recruiting center and then to Delores Park for a 2 p.m. Immigrants’ Rights May Day March. There’s another action at the Oakland Ports later Thursday. Actions at other ports were also scheduled.

“The acts of the ILWU, in contrast to those of the Democratic leadership, show more clearly than ever that neither of the major two parties in America care about representing the American people; both parties are in love with the idea of an overbearing and belligerent America that attempts to dominate the rest of the world,” said Peter Myers, candidate in the 15th CD (Campbell).

“The Democratic Congress under Nancy Pelosi is full of hypocrisy. Many Representatives say they oppose the continued occupation of Iraq, but vote
for continued funding. That’s why I’m running against Dem. Mike Thompson,
who typifies this sort of hypocrisy. I applaud the ILWU action. We need strong examples of protest (to) the ongoing horrors in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Carol Wolman (www.carolwolmanforcongress.com), candidate in CD 1 (North Coast).

“Giving President Bush all the money he wants to wage war is outrageous and only serves the interests of war profiteers and oil companies. Congress should take ILWU’s lead. If Congress were actually serving the people, members would cut the war funding and begin impeachment hearings immediately, before Bush could expand the war into Iran,” said Carol Brouillet (www.carolforcongress.org), candidate in CD 14 (Santa Clara/Palo Alto).

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