In an historic action today, dockworkers from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) will close down 29 West Coast ports in the United States, striking for 8 hours – the first shift of 19th June.
This day, known as Juneteenth, marks the date in 1865 when Black slaves in Texas were first emancipated. Thousands of workers are joining the action in the wake of George Floyd’s killing, to show their solidarity with the Black Lives Matter protests and the worldwide call for racial equality and social justice.
157 years after the historic proclamation “our nations remains plagued by systemic racism as the murder of Mr Floyd so tragically demonstrated” said ILWU board member Melvin Mackay – “We can and must do better”.
