FORCED MAY DAY HOLIDay...and the government wants to drop American holidays like vet's day, thanksgiving etc.........kiss my grits

Troqueros - what is this a taco???

Troqueros Declare Victory! : LA IMC
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2007/04/197485.php

Troqueros Declare Victory!
by Leslie Radford Friday, Apr. 27, 2007 at 8:21 PM
leslie@radiojustice.net


Independent truckers announce the LA port will shut down on May 1, the first victory for the 2007 May Day Mobilization for Immigrants' Rights.

PORT OF AZTLAN, April 27, 2007--The independent truckers of the Port of Aztlan, working with the Industrial Workers of the World, made good on their promise to shut down the Los Angeles port on May 1, in support of nationwide migrants' rights protests scheduled for that day and the truckers' struggle to organize.* This morning the Los Angeles Port Authority declared the port would be closed for a May 1 "holiday," thereby avoiding potential litigation from shippers facing dockers' and demurrage fees for goods left on the dock during the truckers' strike.Ernesto Nevarez, spokesperson for the truckers, explained, "[The Port Authority] knows the truckers are going to do it [strike] anyway.* By calling it a legal holiday, they avoid liability for the shutdown.* We forced them to recognize May Day."The announcement culminated several months' worth of planning, according to the IWW representative at the Harbor protest this morning, who added that he hoped that "the Port Authority would make May Day a regular holiday, and that the troqueros would remember it every year."According to the IWW organizer, independent truckers at the independent truckers of the Port of Aztlan lost their right to organize thirty years ago, during the deregulation of the Reagan presidency.* The IWW has joined with trucking organizers to "assist with their organizing."Several truckers promised to use their day off on May 1 to join hunger strikers for immigrants' rights now in their fifth day of a fourteen-day strike at the feet of* La Virgen de Guadalupe mural outside La Placita Church.* Navarez recalled the independent truckers 2006 port shutdown in conjunction with last year's May 1 immigration boycott and their commitment to the May Day 2007 National Mobilization to Support Immigrant Workers.* "Migrants are just the victims of the global economy and politics, people who want to survive.* That's why we're out here."* Nearly every other truck honked for the half-dozen guys packing up their signs calling for the May Day strike, while two police cars parked just down the block watched the developments.



Independent truckers of the Port of Aztlan to strike on May 1st -2007

Save Our State Forums
http://www.saveourstate.org/vforums/sho ... p?p=205964

Independent truckers of the Port of Aztlan to strike on May 1st
Los Angeles port to close for May Day

LOS ANGELES - The port of Los Angeles will shut down Tuesday as part of May Day mobilizations across the United States to support immigrant workers' rights.

Events will include a march in the Twin Cities. See the MIRAC website for details. For a complete schedule of events around the nation, go to www.mayday2007.org.

On Friday, the Los Angeles Port Authority declared the port would be closed for a May 1 "holiday." The decision came after the independent truckers of the Port of Aztlan, working with the Industrial Workers of the World, said they would stay from work as part of a national day to demonstrate the economic power of Latino workers and to demand reform of the nation's immigration laws.

The Port Authority decided to act to avoid potential litigation from shippers facing dockers' and demurrage fees for goods left on the dock during the truckers' strike, the workers said.

Ernesto Nevarez, spokesperson for the truckers, explained, "[The Port Authority] knows the truckers are going to do it [strike] anyway. By calling it a legal holiday, they avoid liability for the shutdown.
We forced them to recognize May Day." The announcement culminated several months' worth of planning. According to the IWW , independent truckers of the Port of Aztlan lost their right to organize a quarter century ago when Congress approved deregulation of trucking and other transportation industries. Now considered "independent contractors," the truckers struggle to make a living wage and provide for their families.

Truckers also shut down the port during last year's May 1 mobilization.
(NOTE SEE BELOW)
"Migrants are just the victims of the global economy and politics, people who want to survive," Nevarez said. "That's why we're out here."

This article is adapted from a report on the website, Aztlan Electronic News, www.aztlanelectronicnews.net/content/view/141/1/

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_3057
__________________
"Next time, maybe do a little research, huh?"

The Geico Caveman in Aztlan
http://youtube.com/watch?v=VjinZJEZYaI


May 1,2006:
Port at Aztlan (Los Angeles/Long Beach) shut down for 24 hours!

http://rankandfilers.blogspot.com/2006/ ... slong.html

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

May 1: Port at Aztlan (Los Angeles/Long Beach) shut down for 24 hours!

First, I would like to thank;

Industrial Workers of the World
Students for a Democratic Society
Southern California Anarchist Federation
Los Angeles Labor Collective
Anti-Racist
Socialist Workers Party
and everyone else

For their solidarity this May Day 2006.

I'm sorry that we kinda flopped with the park attendance as only about 100
troqueros showed up but with the solidarity of the community it doubled in
size and magnified in importance.
But, let there be no mistake.

The Port of Aztlan (Los Angeles/Long Beach), the largest container port of
entry in the United States, the very same port that strongly impacts all
asian countries, and is a central hub in international commerce,

CAME TO A COMPLETE HALT!

Further, word has reached us that all local rail activity was stopped as
well and our line haul brothers/sisters shut down the interior!

Was this a fluke, a result of the 2 major marches in Los Angeles?

The port was closed for the entire 24 hours and was only running at 20%
until mid-morning today, Tuesday, as most troqueros were reluctant to go to
work if there was a strike in the harbor. Many waited to see if there would
be picket signs. It was not a fluke. We shut down completely May Day 2004,
did it again this May Day, and will do it again sometime after May 13.

There was a meeting and conscensus was reached on the following;

1) The showing at the park was spirited and we did believe that we had
support but not enough to call for a prolonged strike. We need more
visible support and will have a meeting on May 13 at noon to set a date for
a strike and will begin to mobilize for it.

2) If anyone in the community gets fired for boycotting work and puts up a
strike sign we will honor the call and not deliver the containers.

3) If the migra continues more sweeps of any terminal we will ALL boycott
that particular terminal until the migra leaves. This goes for ALL
troqueros, even citizens.

4) The upcoming strike will be centered on the cost of diesel.

This May Day was a success because other than shutting down the harbor
99.9%,

the troqueros saw the solidarity from "los wobblies". The IWW is well
recognized by the troqueros as one of the 3 major unions; the other two
being the AFL-CIO and the Change to Win.
Without knowing all the details we understand that the IWW is the mother of
the Port Labor movement and is highly respected. The IWW was ready to run to
the harbor to put up a sanctioned picket line at any terminal that had any
substantial activity. During the day when we needed reports from the Line
Drivers the SDS was networked with the workers at different locations,
including the line drivers. The SWP, as always, brought reading material
and gave a very encouraging solidarity statement. The Troqueros saw for the
first time, an entire community that came out to support us. Students,
grass roots organizations, and the one "BIG UNION." Even the County
Commission on Human Relations and surpisingly, the local councilperson
Janice Hahn joined us for a few minutes. Can u imagine, an elected official
that came to a park full of "radicals?" Neither Villaraigosa nor the
Cardinal cared to join us at Banning Park. The troqueros saw that there is
an entire world out there that wants the port to change.

What the community saw, most for the very first time, was a real union
meeting the way it was meant to be and how it was 100 years ago. A bunch of
workers in a big circle all voicing their opinions, using their best
judgement, and coming to a democratic decision. A Labor Union with no
structure, no rules, no funds, no politicians, with only their labor to
bargain with. A Union Meeting in the open park, no permits, no stages,
nothing except the workers, and now, OUR COMMUNITY!

The meeting turned into a celebration as two sisters, threw out a grito, and
damm, just like that, there was a marcha going through Wilmington. The kind
not seen since the 1960s and the days of the Brown Berets! About 150 left
the park for a 3-4 mile marcha and about 250 marchers returned! We went
down Avalon blvd then west on Anaheim street to Wilmington Blvd to PCH and
then back to the park! My down syndrome daughter stayed at the park but
while marching I spotted 2 other down syndrome girls, one a little on the
heavy side but she MARCHED, all smiles at the rear of the procession! She
became my marching buddy. The cops were overwhelmed and at one point yelled
at me to get people off the streets and to stop going across red lights. I
was at the back and wasn't about to run the three blocks to the front to
take control. So much to his dismay I ignored the demand. While on the 2
hour spontaneous march all the cars slowed down, honked, and many waved
flags. We crossed the red lights and everyone honked in solidarity. No one
complained, except the nervous cops. Cars stopped in the middle of the
street, passengers jumped out and joined us, children waiving flags from
apartment buildings, cars slowing down and passing out water......

Upon returning to the park, one of the cars following us pulled over in the
temporary no parking zone to pass out some water and, a half-dozen patrol
cars encircled the car and forced it down to Eubank. I saw a 100 marchers,
children, middle aged women, students, run across the park to stand watch
over the 3 petite teenage girls, none over 110 pounds and 5' 2". A dozen
macho cops, most over 200 pounds, gave them a parking ticket. What I saw in
the faces of the community was a genuine concern for the safety of the
girls. There is something wrong in our society when the citizenry fears for
the safety of its' children at the hands of the police. It wasn't about a
$40 parking ticket. It was to remind the community and the workers as to
who carried the guns. We stayed with our sisters until they were released
and returned to the park. The troqueros then responded in the normal way, a
colecta was taken to cover the ticket and costs as the ticket was all of our
responsibility. It was meant to intimidate and I'm sorry if I offend anyone
but I have tried to validate the action as anything else and I can't. I
have delayed writing this report as I have attempted to ommit it but I
can't. It was wrong what the cops did. It wasn't about the parking
infraction. It was an attempt to communicate authority and demand
submission.

Our response was seen at the harbor as INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE stopped for a day. Even better, the bond between the community and the troqueros has been
solidified and can never be broken.

Afterwards, I thought about running downtown or to Santa Ana to attend one
of the major marches with jointly over a million people. Instead, I went
home, closed my eyes, and tried to prolong and re-live as best I could, the
greatest May Day ever, May Day 2006 at the Port of Aztlan!!!

Solidarity to everyone that attended this small but historical event! (is
shutting down international commerce "small"?) : )

Ernesto Jesus Nevarez
Port of Aztlan

# posted by dave @ 10:42 AM **

Comments: PLEASE, PLEASE correct the title of this account. The troquero strike did NOT happen in San Diego (which is mostly a military harbor) but was at the combined port complex of Los Angeles-Long Beach. Either of these side-by-side ports would be the largest intermodal cargo container ports in the U.S., but combined they make the 5th biggest container port in the world. They are the prime entry point for goods coming from China and the rest of Asia into the North American market.

When there was a coastwide strike at the ports of the West in May 2004, the California Chamber of Commerce reported that it took weeks to clear up the backlog. With the inward traffic probably being even heavier just before this Mayday, I'm sure it will take even longer for the capitalists to clear up their gridlocked commodity supply lines. This definitely shows one of the most vulnerable points in the global "just in time" production system.

All I can say is BRAVO! Long Live the West Coast Troqueros!

Gifford
SFBay@FlyingPicket.org