US May Day action

ILWU members at 29 west coast ports on the west coast of the USA called for an end to the war in Iraq on May 1 with an eight hour stoppage.

"We won't stand by while our country, our troops, and our economy are destroyed by a war that's bankrupting us to the tune of 3-trillion dollars," said ILWU International President Bob McEllrath. "It's time to stand up."

In San Francisco, more than a thousand people marched from Local 10's union hall to a noon rally at Justin Herman Plaza. Speakers included actor-activist Danny Glover and Cindy Sheehan, whose son was killed in Iraq.

Meanwhile the General Union of Port Workers in Iraq shutdown the ports of Umm Qasr and Khor Alzubair for one hour in solidarity with the action of ILWU members.

The union also condemned attacks on union rights in Iraq and the privatisation of oil and gas.

A second release demanded endorsed by more than 30 Iraqi unions called an immediate withdrawal of all foreign troops from Iraq and the passage of a labour law.

The ILWU contract negotiating team attended the MUA conference,where they won the MUA's full support in case there is a repeat of the 2002 lockout on the West Coast.