The Port of Tacoma said it will keep port customers and constituents updated on a planned Occupy protest at the port Monday with a new notice on its website.
“We’re monitoring the situation and coordinating with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, and will continue to do so to make sure people stay safe, terminals remains secure and cargo keeps moving,” the port said on the site.
While that Monday protest now appears to be planned as an informational demonstration, some Occupy movement fliers earlier had advertised the Monday gathering in Tacoma and at ports up and down the West Coast as a blockade.
The port said it respects the right of Occupy protesters to make public their grievances against the economic system, but raised questions about the utility of protesters shutting down port operations.
“Shutting down ports means putting people out of family-wage jobs,” the port said in a written statement.
“We respect that Washington is the most trade- dependent state in the nation,” the port said, “with an estimated one in three jobs tied to trade. Port of Tacoma-related activity is connected to about 43,000 jobs in Pierce County and 113,000 in the state.
“Those jobs include longshore workers, truck drivers, rail workers, inspectors, farmers in Eastern Washing shipping their apples, potatoes and hay to market, warehouse stockers and others who work hard to support their families,” the port said.
Occupy protesters say they’re mounting the protests to signify their solidarity with Longshore Union workers who are fighting for a new contract at a Longview grain export elevator and for truck drivers in Los Angeles trying to organize for better pay for shuttling containers to and from ships in that port.
But the Occupy followers don’t enjoy the support of the powerful Longshore Union for any attempt to halt commerce at the port. Longshore leaders said they don’t want outside parties taking up their causes without coordinating their strategies with them.
John Gillie: 253-597-8663 john.gillie@thenewstribune.com
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.