Laborfest: Film: Labor Strike Against Israeli Apartheid

Workers Stand Against Israeli Apartheid (48 min.) 2010
BRING YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY TO SEE THIS HISTORIC MILESTONE OF LABOR HISTORY: THE FIRST TIME AMERICAN WORKERS TOOK LABOR ACTION AGAINST ISRAEL IN ITS ENTIRE 62 YEAR OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE.

In a historic labor/community protest on June 20, 2010, more than five hundred people joined picket lines in the Port of Oakland SSA terminal to call on ILWU Local 10 and ILWU Local 34 members not to cross the picket lines and work the Israeli Zim ship Shenzhen. This was both a protest of the racist Israeli government, a military base for US imperialism to protect US oil profits, and a protest of the military attack by Israel on the aid flotilla going to Gaza on May 31, 2010 when 15 people were killed, 9 bodies being returned to Turkey and 6 believed thrown overboard, and the ongoing blockade of Gaza by Israel. All of Israel's heinous crimes are paid for with US tax dollars to the tune of $6 billion a year, making Israel the 4th largest military power in the world, while we have no schools, medical care, social services and the like as Israel is part of the US war machine, supported 100% by the entire Democratic and Republican parties at all levels of office.

The longshore workers refused to cross the picket line and the protesters as a result were successful in stopping the work on the SSA terminal for 24 hours halting the ship's departure until the following day.

This labor documentary shows the link and continuity of this action with the 1984 apartheid picket of a ship from South Africa. ILWU workers and others make comparison of these pickets and also why they consider Israel an apartheid regime. Footage of this action and the action today provide a striking connection over 26 years. The port boycott picket was also endorsed by the Oakland Education Association OEA and the San Francisco and Alameda Central Labor Councils. Many Bay Area trade unionists, who joined the picket line speak out on this issue and why they have taken a stand.
Production of Labor Video Project
http://laborvideo.blip.tv
http://www.laborvideo.org

See also:
http://www.indybay.org/international/palestine/
http://www.laborfest.net/2010/Films.htm
http://www.laborfest.net/2010/2010schedule.htm