Free Republic

AS the Abbott government begins to take on union power and corruption, a timely new book reveals the union movement's role in one of the most shameful periods of Australian history. What the wharfies did to Australian troops - and their nation's war effort - between 1939 and 1945 is nothing short of an abomination. ..... One of the most obscene acts occurred in October, 1945, at the end of the war, after Australian soldiers were released from Japanese prison camps. They were half dead, starving and desperate for home. But when the British aircraft-carrier HMS Speaker brought them into...

The twentieth anniversary of the death of Eric Hoffer, in May 1983, passed with very little notice of one of the most incisive thinkers of his time -- a man whose writings continue to have great relevance to our times. How many people today even know of this remarkable man with no formal schooling, who spent his life in manual labor -- most of it as a longshoreman -- and who wrote some of the most insightful commentary on our society and trends in the world? You need only read one of his classics like The True Believer: Thoughts on...

The container carriers and port operators, represented by the U.S. Marine Alliance, want to cap the royalties at 2011 levels, saying they've morphed into a huge expense, totally unrelated to their original purpose, which hurts the industry's competitiveness as it tries to keep up with new technology. The alliance says the royalty payments now amount to a bonus averaging $15,500 annually for East Coast workers who already earn more than $50 per hour.

The angry longshoreman who unleashed a profanity and threat filled tirade on TV crews after last week's union stoppage in SW Washington has been arrested, thanks to his video appearance. Witnesses reportedly identified 45-year-old Ronald Patrick Stavas from the video that's gone viral. The Associated Press reports the Kelso longshoreman is accused of assaulting a guard and breaking into the EGT terminal on Thursday. He was arrested for first-degree burglary and second-degree assault. Bail was set at $50,000.

This occurred at International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU Local 21)ILWU Local 21 617 – 14th Avenue, Longview, WA 98632 Dan Coffman, President Shelly Porter, Sec.-Treas. Longshore phone: 360.423.0950 fax: 360.423.5498 email: ilwu21@iinet.com Meeting date: 2nd Wed. each month

This occurred at International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU Local 21)

As the scent of burning electrical wire and the pulverized dust settled over Manhattan in the wake of the 2001 World Trade Center attack, a certain book disappeared from New York City bookstore shelves. Within a week, that book rocketed from No. 8,000 to No. 125 on Amazon.com rankings. It described the nature of fanatics, offering a powerful window of understanding into the people capable of blowing up those two towers. "The True Believer" was published in 1951. Its author, Eric Hoffer, was a self-educated longshoreman born in New York City to a German cabinetmaker and his wife. His keen...

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The executive director of the nation's busiest port resigned Friday amid a probe by prosecutors into the awarding of contracts at the port and other city departments. Officials did not disclose the reason for the resignation of Larry Keller, who ran the Port of Los Angeles for seven years. A search to replace the director will begin immediately, the mayor's office said. "Larry's tenure saw the Port of Los Angeles grow into America's largest maritime gateway and the prime economic generator in the Southland," Mayor Jim Hahn said. "I wish him well in all his future...

Union Official Charged in New York Waterfront Mob Extortion Case By Michael Weissenstein/Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) - A reputed mob associate was charged Tuesday with conspiring to extort money and power from waterfront businesses and officials of the International Longshoreman's Association. Law enforcement authorities described the arrest of union official and alleged Genovese crime family associate Harold Daggett as part of a broader effort against a union deeply under the sway of organized crime. Daggett is the third ILA official to face federal criminal charges in recent months. He was arraigned on a federal extortion conspiracy charge and released...

<p>OAKLAND, CALIF. -- To American unions, globalization is a nefarious force that has wiped out the jobs of millions of well-paid blue-collar workers.</p> <p>But the members of one union have played the global-trading system as well as any international investor: the longshoremen. They wield so much power that they have managed to obtain cradle-to-grave benefits and salaries to make many white-collar college graduates envious. For the longshoremen, globalization has been nothing but a blessing.</p>

“Contract, Yes! Government intervention, No!” was the message of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), the AFL-CIO, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and many mayors at rallies up and down the West Coast, Aug. 12. Thousands took to the streets in protest of a threat by the Bush administration to take over ports militarily in the event that the union decides to strike. “Contract, Yes! Government intervention, No!” was the message of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), the AFL-CIO, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and many mayors at rallies up and down the West Coast,...

Wednesday, October 2, 2002All quiet on the Western waterfront during third day of lockoutBy PAUL NYHANSEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTERLongshore pickets moved across the Puget Sound waterfront, but little else budged, as contract talks remained stalled and West Coast ports were silent for a third day yesterday.Negotiators for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association made little progress. The union stormed out of negotiations, accusing carriers of bringing armed guards to the talks.     Meryl Schenker / P-I   Containers sit unloaded on a cargo ship anchored in Elliott Bay on Day 3 of the West Coast...