Transport Workers Solidarity Committee

12/15 Yolo County Courthouse For ILWU Local 10 Longshoreworkers

ILWU Rally December 15

Defend Longshore Workers Rights!

Stop Racial Profiling!

Drop The Bogus Charges Now!

“Port security” under the guise of the “war on terror” is being used to attack workers. On December 15, 2008 at the Yolo County Court House two ILWU Local 10 longshore workers, Jason Ruffin and Aaron Harrison, will go on trial. Their crime?—going to work! Yes, that’s right. These two brothers were beaten and arrested by police when they returned to work after lunch in the port of Sacramento on August 23, 2007. SSA terminal security guards demanded they open the car trunk to be searched. The guards cited new repressive (MARSEC) maritime security regs. When the longshoremen called their union business agent to find out their rights, police assaulted, handcuffed, maced and arrested the two black union members. They were initially charged with "trespassing" (!) and "resisting arrest". The "trespassing" charge was dropped, but the absurd charge of “resisting arrest” of a false charge remains. The port security video shows that they did nothing wrong.

West Sacramento police have a record of racist attacks on African American and Mexican American youth. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is defending minority youth in West Sac against unconstitutional police measures. The defense of our brothers is critical not just for them and the ILWU but for all unions and working people. Port workers face the brunt of this repressive legislation. TWIC cards and MARSEC will be used to fire port workers with past criminal records, to target port truckers many of whom are immigrants and to ban union actions on the docks like picket lines.

The ILWU has a proud history of standing up to the government use of "national security" during the McCarthy witchhunts of the'50's that shackled the trade union movement. Now, the government is simultaneously waging a “war on terror” and a criminal war in Iraq and Afghanistan costing billion. And as the economic crisis deepens the politicians give a $700 billion bailout of Wall Street fat cats as workers lose their jobs and homes! Labor and minorities must stop this war on workers!

Stand up for workers' rights! Demand that the charges against these longshore brothers be dropped!

The Sacramento Central Labor Council will be mobilizing workers along with the ILWU. Join our rally in Woodland (near Sacramento) at 8:00 AM Monday December 15, 2008. Buses will leave ILWU Local 10 at 6 AM (400 North Point St. by Fisherman's Wharf). We call on unions, community organizations, antiwar activists, civil liberties groups to participate in this mass protest rally.

Send letters of protest to:

Yolo County

District Attorney Jeff Reisig

301 Second Street

Woodland, CA 95695

Fax: 530-666-8423

Send letters of solidarity to:

ILWU Local 10

400 North Point St.

San Francisco, CA 94133

Fax: 415-441-0610

ILWU RALLY SUPPORT COMMITTEE

for more info email us at maydayilwu@gmail.com or phone 415-776-8100??