Occupy Oakland port shutdown: Mayor calls it "Economic Violence"

I attended the Occupy Oakland rally this afternoon after being on the early morning picket line that shut down the morning shift at the docks. We marched from 14th and Broadway in downtown Oakland to the docks once more to shut down the evening shift which occurred around 6.00pm.  I just checked channel two news online and it said there were 1000 people at the port but this cannot be true.  I can't say exactly by I believe there had to be between five and ten thousand who eventually turned up to close down the port this evening.

It was an inspiring crowd.  When I left, the group was deciding whether or not to extend the shutdown to the 3 AM shift.  As I left the berth entrance to return home another group of maybe 500 or more people were coming down Middle Harbor Lane toward the docks.  I was walking with two grocery workers and UFCW rank and file members who had 76 years of employment in that industry between them (see below).  They were astounded, as I was by the size of the crowd and the diverse nature of it. "There are blacks, white folks, young and old, children in strollers, people in wheelchairs, all sorts of people"  the guys said. It was very inspiring.



As I mentioned in an earlier blog, these developments are very positive and the Occupy movement has indeed shifted the debate on who is to blame for the economic crisis in this country. But it has its weaknesses that have to be addressed and if not addressed will prevent the movement from moving forward and building a lasting presence that can begin to change the course of history in a more permanent way.

As I walked to the docks tonight I talked with a number of trade Unionists that were there, rank and file folks who were appreciative of the Occupy movement, and critical, as most workers are that our own leaders continue to do nothing in the face of a vicious assault on our wages and working conditions by the bosses and their two Wall Street parties. But a friend who had talked with some of the Longshoreman at the earlier picket said that some of them were a bit "pissed off" and felt left out.  This is understandable in that all the events I have attended over the years that have involved some sort of work stoppage at the docks has never actually included the rank and file ILWU members, those guys who actually work there.  They have always been passive observers even if supportive. They have never to my knowledge really been part of the process.

This stoppage or "community picket line" as it is called as opposed to a regular Labor sanctioned line is no different; the actual workers are not involved, somebody is doing it for us.  The heads of the local Labor movement distanced themselves from this action and publicly opposed it in order to keep their members apart from the OWS movement. The hundreds of thousands of rank and file Union members in the area were never really approached.  In the main, the Occupy movement has been weak in this area and when reaching out to organized Labor has tended to connect not with the ranks and the workers in the workplaces but the bureaucracy or its "progressive" wing and there is no desire from any section of the Labor bureaucracy to reach in to the depths of the movement and mobilize its membership. This has to change if the movement is to grow and not find itself isolated.

There were also a number of independent truckers that were ambivalent or not supportive of the action.  It is not that they don't support it in general but these workers are independent owners of their rigs and stand to lose considerable income through picket lines like these. Even those supporting such actions will not do so for ever--the rent has to be paid the truck maintained. There has to be something in this for them other than "Occupy everything".

As we have written on this blog it does appear that the OWS movement is beginning to make more effort to reach out to the working class and involve itself in home defense actions for example.  But the tendency of influential elements within the Occupy movement to focus entirely on actions and the occupation of public spaces while refusing to put forward a clear set of basic demands that can be taken in to the working class in the Unions and workplaces has to be overcome if the movement is to grow.  The attacks on pensions, wages, public services, education---in short, the austerity measures that are being introduced in order to solve the crisis of capitalism have to be taken on and the OWS movement must sink deep roots in the working class and our communities to do this.

The Labor officialdom is increasing its influence in this movement and will do what it can to direct it in to a harmless campaign to elect Obama and the Democrats in the coming elections. There are also some rank and file workers who are involved in the Occupy Oakland movement and who are involved in "Labor" outreach but this outreach is predominantly building links with the bureaucracy or its left wing while making no significant efforts to link the Occupy movement with their own fellow Union members and co workers on the job.

The OWS movement has been a truly inspiring development but to build a permanent presence that can transform the present situation in a significant way, the ranks of organized Labor and the working class in general must be drawn in to the movement not remain as passive bystanders as other fight seemingly on our behalf.

Late note: I just heard on the news that the Mayor, a former Maoist called the stoppage "economic violence" and you can bet the issue of terrorism will soon raise its head.  Truckers were also interviewed and explained how much money they were losing as they were many miles from their families.  This has to be addressed buy the movement