Socialist Viewpoint

In this day and age the sight of black suited, jack booted, billy club wielding riot cops assaulting the citizenry they are allegedly sworn to protect, evokes images of WTO protests in Seattle, or other conflicts where youth protested against the global menace. We have come to expect it, unfortunately.

When workers strike or form informational picket lines we don’t expect this response. Rarely is such an image reflected in our history books even though such attacks were as common as rain showers in April.

The brutal unprovoked and unjustified attack on members of the ILA Locals 1422, 1422A and 1771 in Charleston proves to us that history ain’t long gone.

This vicious clubbing of ILA 1422 President, Ken Riley, by Charleston riot police and the false riot charges lodged against the Charleston Five proves once again how history repeats itself. We live in a new century yet the earnest and hard fought conflict between labor and capital continues unabated.

ILA’s picket line was a righteous response to the violation of a labor contract that assured that shippers at the port at Charleston would use union labor. For daring to protect their just bargaining rights and the right of working people to a living wage ILA’s leaders are beaten, its members imprisoned on trumped up charges and a proud historic union is maligned in the corporate press.

I support the Charleston longshoremen fight for freedom to protest free from state violation and judicial repression.

All working people should unite behind this union fight in defense of the First Amendment right to assembly and protest and to defend the right to fight for compliance with a broken, shattered contract.

When the Danish ship owner Nordana brought in non-union scabs to work the jobs, they created an affront to union members accustomed to loading and unloading.

Charleston was once a flash point of great civil conflict in this nation that raged into a war. The rich and powerful planters thought nothing of forcing tens of thousands of people, men, women and children to labor for free for centuries. The war has ended. But there remains bitter resentment over the simple demand that laboring people be paid a living wage in accordance with their contract.

Let Charleston once again spark a conflict where the right of working people is first, is fundamental, and is respected. Throw out the charges against the Charleston Five and leave labor alone.

I thank you. Ona move.
Long live John Africa.

Your union brother,

Mumia