Charleston:
A Message from IUC President Carol Gay
I cry tears of pain and anguish for the people of Charleston and for all humanity.
I cry tears of outrage in the face of hatred and racism.
I cry tears of sadness knowing that economic inequality is the root cause of racial injustice.
If you cry too, march with us in Newark on Saturday July 25. Silence is complicity.
Stand up for love, justice, and equality on July 25.
Let me know if you will be there, and if you want to take the Bus For Progress from the shore, contact me at (732) 616-1751. Click here for a printable flyer.
In Peace, Love, and Solidarity,
Carol
Message of condolence to Ken Riley, President of the ILWU in Charleston from Clarence Thomas, ILWU can be found below. I also extend condolences to our sister Donna Dewitt, former president of the South Carolina AFL-CIO who lost her dear friend, Clementa Pinckney.
Brother Kenny:
I am extending my condolences to families of all the martyrs and Local 1422 member Tyrone Sanders who lost his son and aunt in the horrific act of racial terror at Mother Emanuel AME Church on the evening of June 17 in Charleston, South Carolina. This act was intended to intimidate more than just people in Charleston but African Americans throughout the country.
As an African-American longshore worker who has been engaged in the Black Liberation Struggle for over forty years, I am both angry and saddened at this attack upon Black people while engaged in prayer at Mother Emanuel, a leading symbol for the Black Liberation Struggle for freedom and democracy for Black people.
As a trade unionist, I have been particularly interested in hearing from organized labor not only regarding this tragedy but also on the question of Black Lives Matter. It is for that reason I am very encouraged to learn of the statements issued by the South Carolina AFL-CIO and the statement issued by Harold Daggett, President of the ILA.
Labor’s voice and solidarity needs to be heard now more than ever. Longshore workers represent one of the strongest sectors of organized labor which can challenge global capital. Container shipping is a $6 trillion industry that moves more than 95% of the world’s goods.
We are mindful of the leading role Local 1422 played in galvanizing the struggle against the confederate flag and the mobilization of the Charleston 5 along with other labor organizations, non-union workers, faith-based communities, and social justice activists.
Now is the time for Local 1422 to once again call on labor, specifically ILA and ILWU rank and filers, to mobilize a response to these attacks in Charleston and around the country challenging structural racism, racial terrorism, income inequality and austerity measures, against the working class. Harold Daggett, in the ILA News on June 18 issued a statement, “Let us honor the deaths of these nine parishioners by recommitting ourselves to eliminating all forms of hatred, and bigotry in our nation.”
Dockworkers can play a very strategic role in being able to facilitate the dialogue that must be held in this country regarding racism and white supremacy. The commerce of the world passes through our hands.
Once again our deepest sympathy to all of the families in Charleston in this hour of grief and look forward hearing how we on the West Coast can be of service.
In solidarity and struggle,
Brother Clarence Thomas
Past Secretary-Treasurer, ILWU Local 10
From Larry Hamm, Chairman,
People’s Organization for Progress:
Friends,
I need your help. In response to the epidemic of police murders of unarmed people, most of whom are black, a call has gone out for a Million People’s March Against Police Brutality, Racial Injustice, and Economic Inequality. It will take place in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday, July 25, 2015. To get a million people to attend the march we must at least invite a million people. Facebook is one way to do this. Please go to the Million People’s March Against Police Brutality event page on Facebook. Please tap “join” to indicate that you are going, and then tap the “invite” icon to invite your friends. Your list of friends will come up and then you will have to tap each one to have them invited. I know this sounds tedious but I have about a thousand friends and it only took me a few minutes. Also, you can only invite about 500 at a time. So, I had to do half the first day and the other half the second day. Is this too much to ask for all those who have been unjustly killed by the police? The scourge of police brutality, murder, and terror cannot go unanswered. If we work together and do this we could possibly have a history making event which would help build the movement against police brutality. Please join the page and invite your friends today. Don’t wait. Do it now. Thank you.
Larry Hamm