#international longshoreman’s association

[lucythornwalter]

Port Strike 2024

Right on the heels of Helene we get a massive strike called by the International Longshoreman’s Association, which went into effect today and impacts ports on the east coast and in Texas. The ILA has not yet released their demands, but in their most recent statement from yesterday they highlighted the unfair nature of American shipping and the ways workers are fucked over for company profit. Same old same old.

What You Need To Know:

approximately 45,000 workers are on strike in US ports from Maine to Texas

immediate supply chain gaps will show up in things like imported produce - if you like bananas, stock up now, and freeze them or refrigerate them to maximize their usable lifespan

as of now we don’t know how we can support the strike, but check official ILA channels and accounts and their website linked above for updates

there will be a lot of bad press about this strike. I’ve already seen an article from Barron’s about how dockworkers make six figures but are demanding more. our enemies are NOT working people who make slightly more than we do! our enemies are the shipping companies and freight brokerages who make billions in profit while the ones who transport the goods make less than $1M/year! be prepared to advocate for workers who may be doing better than you’re personally doing - they don’t deserve less, YOU deserve more.

more on the strike from the Associated Press

UPDATE as of 12:00 EST 1 October 2024:

the ILA is asking for a 77% wage increase across the next 6 years and an end to all automation. the counteroffer that was rejected was a 50% increase and limits on automation.

will continue to update as new information emerges

[rmsqueenmaryonthisday]

Divine Intervention

From the Evening Independent, St. Petersburg, Florida, on this day in 1938: “St. Christopher should be made to join the union.” -Joseph P. Ryan, president of the International Longshoreman’s association in commenting on the docking of the Queen Mary without tugboats after her captain had looked at his St. Christopher’s medal.

[nawapon17]

ILA UNION ON STRIKE IN 36 US PORTS - Teamsters Warn Biden To 'Stay the F*ck Out of This Fight'

[lboogie1906]

Congressman Lucien Edward Blackwell (August 1, 1931 – January 24, 2003) was a boxer, longshoreman, and politician. He served as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (1973-75) Philadelphia City Council (1975-91) and the House of Representatives (1991-95).

He was born in Whitsett, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. After attending West Philadelphia High School, he took a job as a dockworker and pursued a career as a boxer. In 1953, he was drafted into the Army and served in the Korean War. He was a boxing champion during his years in the Army. He returned to the docks as a longshoreman. He became the president of the International Longshoremen’s Association, Local 1332.

“Lucien the Solution” was known as a vibrant member of the Philadelphia City Council from 1975 to 1991. While serving on the Council, he served several terms as Chairman of the Finance Committee, where he led the charge to divest pension funds from businesses doing business in South Africa. He sponsored Philadelphia’s first law to create opportunities for minorities and women to compete to obtain city contracts. He was involved in legislation to create the Pennsylvania Convention Center and in passing the law that broke Philadelphia’s long-standing building height limit, allowing for the construction of Philadelphia’s One Liberty Place. He was known for his fiery oratory on the Council floor and for serving as a mentor to the former Philadelphia Mayor (and Council President) John Street. During his City Council tenure, he was an unsuccessful candidate for mayor of Philadelphia in both 1979 and 1991.

He was elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Second Congress by special election to fill the vacancy and reelected to the succeeding Congress. He was a member of the US House Committee on the Budget and a reliable advocate for President Bill Clinton’s economic policies.

He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination to the One Hundred Fourth Congress in 1994 and served as a lobbyist following his tenure in Congress. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[just2bruce]

ILA stops negotiations with USMX

The labor deal between US East and Gulf Coast ports and the International Longshoreman’s Association (ILA) may be unraveling. The current agreement expires at the end of September. It was a six-year deal. The major issue at present is an Auto Gate system Maersk and APM Terminals are using that processes trucks autonomously, with no ILA labor. The union claims this directly contradicts what was…

[yasbxxgie]

Jerry Lawson, a self-taught engineer, gave us video game cartridges

If you've got fond memories of blowing into video game cartridges, you've got Gerald "Jerry" Lawson to thank. As the head of engineering and marketing for Fairchild Semiconductor's gaming outfit in the mid-'70s, Lawson developed the first home gaming console that utilized interchangeable cartridges, the Fairchild Channel F. That system never saw the heights of popularity of consoles from Atari, Nintendo and Sega, but it was a significant step forward for the entire gaming industry. Prior to the Channel F, games like Pong were built directly into their hardware -- there was no swapping them out to play something else -- and few believed that you could even give a console a microprocessor of its own. Lawson, who passed away at 70 from diabetes complications in 2011, was the first major African-American figure in the game industry. And, just like the tech world today, it still isn't as diverse as it should be.

Only 2 percent of game developers in 2005 were African-American, according to a study by the International Game Developer Association (who also honored Lawson as a game pioneer a month before his death). But things were even worse during Lawson's time: For his first five years at Fairchild, the company and its executives actually thought he was Indian. He was also one of two black members of the Homebrew Computing Club, a group that famously included Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and other Silicon Valley pioneers.

Born on December 1, 1940, Lawson grew up in a Queens, New York, housing project, where his predilection for engineering was on display early on. His father, a longshoreman with a fondness for science, gave him unique gifts like an Irish mail, a handcar typically used by railroad workers. More often than not, Lawson ended up being the only kid that knew how to use them. His mother arranged it so that he could attend a well-regarded elementary school in another part of the city (i.e., one that was predominantly white), and she stayed actively involved in his education throughout his childhood (so much so that she became the president of the PTA). Lawson also credits his first grade teacher as a major inspiration.

"I had a picture of George Washington Carver [a black inventor who was born into slavery] on the wall next to my desk," he told Vintage Computing in an interview. "And she said, 'This could be you.' I mean, I can still remember that picture, still remember where it was."

It's hard to deny Lawson's geek cred: He ran an amateur radio station out of his housing project after building a ham radio on his own (complete with an antenna hanging out of his window and a radio license). He also spent his teenage years repairing electronics all over the city. Most impressively, he taught himself most of what he knew about engineering. Lawson attended Queens College and the City College of New York before working at several firms, including Grumman Electric and Federal Aircraft. After scoring a job with Kaiser Electronics, which focused on military technology, Lawson moved to Silicon Valley.

It's hard to fathom today, but trying to make removable game cartridges was an incredibly new concept in the '70s. Lawson and his team at Fairchild had no clue how the cartridges would fare after being plugged in and out multiple times -- remember, nobody had ever done it before. The company also caught the attention of the FCC, as it was aiming to deliver the first consumer device with its own microprocessor. Lawson's description of meeting the agency's grueling requirements reads like engineering comedy: Fairchild had to encase the console's motherboard in aluminum; it put a metal chute over the cartridge adapter to keep in radiation; and every cartridge it produced had to be approved by the FCC. He was also justifiably apoplectic when, years later, Texas Instruments successfully lobbied to change the laws that determined the FCC's harsh requirements.

As for how race affected his job prospects during the '60s and '70s, Lawson told Vintage Computing it "could be both a plus and a minus." If he did well, it seemed as if he did twice as well, since any accomplishment received instant notoriety. But the idea of a 6-foot-6-inch black man working as an engineer was still surprising to many people. Lawson noted that some people reacted with "total shock" when they saw him for the first time.

Lawson also had plenty of insightful advice for young black men and women who were interested in science and engineering careers:

First of all, get them to consider it [technical careers] in the first place. That's key. Even considering the thing. They need to understand that they're in a land by themselves. Don't look for your buddies to be helpful, because they won't be. You've gotta step away from the crowd and go do your own thing. You find a ground; cover it; it's brand-new; you're on your own -- you're an explorer. That's about what it's going to be like. Explore new vistas, new avenues, new ways -- not relying on everyone else's way to tell you which way to go, and how to go, and what you should be doing."

The whole reason I did games was because people said, 'You can't do it,'" Lawson told the San Jose Mercury News in an interview. "I'm one of the guys, if you tell me I can't do something, I'll turn around and do it."

[h/t]

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Light armoured vehicles destined for Saudi Arabia were loaded onto a cargo ship in Saint John on Sunday, a day after longshoremen refused to cross a protest line.

In the rain and fog, protesters gathered near the port entrance at 7 a.m. on Saturday. More than a dozen protesters held signs and passed out pamphlets detailing concerns about the Saudi-led war in Yemen, which the United Nations has called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. They had hoped to prevent the shipment.

Holding placards and illuminated only by the port’s flood lights, they marched back and forth as the longshoreman parked their cars and waited before leaving two hours later, forfeiting their day’s wages.

A day later, however, the LAVs were loaded onto the Bahri Yanbu and the ship left the port. Pat Riley, spokesman for the International Longshoremen’s Association Branch 273, said he was trying to confirm the work was done by the union but didn’t respond before deadline.

Continue Reading.

[gaetanosdenver]

#HappyDannyDay The film chronicles the rise and fall of Danny Greene. He worked as a longshoreman on the Cleveland docks, until being chosen to serve as interim president of the International Longshoremen's Association in 1961. In 1964, he was convicted of embezzling $11,500 of the union's funds. After his conviction, Greene rose through the criminal underworld in Cleveland and waged war on the Mafia for control of the city. After many failed attempts on Greene's life, he was assassinated on October 6, 1977, by contract killer Ray Ferritto. Greene's death ultimately led to the demise of the Cleveland Mafia. https://www.instagram.com/p/Chpot0vrD02/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[atlanticcanada]

Return of Saint John rail link expected to lead to jobs

The return of a rail link in Saint John is expected to increase container business and lead to more jobs at the port. 

There are many days when Saint John’s west side container terminal is already busy. But now, the terminal and the port are being promoted by a big player in the transportation business.

CP Rail is marketing Saint John as their ‘East Coast advantage’, allowing them to provide service from coast-to-coast, and beyond.

In a statement, CP President Keith Creel says: “CP has been without access to a deep-water Atlantic Ocean port for a quarter century, and today I’m pleased to deliver a simple message. We’re back.”

The return is connected to CP Rail’s recent purchase of a section of rail line in Maine that the company last used in the mid-1990’s.

The CP line through Maine links with Southern New Brunswick railway to connect with the port.

That connection rings Saint John 200 miles closer to Montreal.

“We’re closer to those major market places, and it’s a tremendous advantage when you’re out marketing this port because ship owners and cargo owners need a competitive environment in which to operate and we now have that,” says Jim Quinn, CEO of Port Saint John.

With that advantage comes an expected big spike in activity at the terminal.

“We can see on the horizon or container through the port going at least ten fold,” says Pat Riley, Union leader of the International Longshoreman’s Association Local 273.

Riley expects there to be more work on the waterfront in the months to come.

“That’s what makes us the happiest, the fact that we’re going to be able to provide good paying jobs to Saint Johners and New Brunswickers,” adds Riley.

In recent days, political leaders have been calling the new CP line a game changer.

“This will allow Saint John and New Brunswick to have international connections from around the world,” said New Brunswick premier Blaine Higgs on August 8.

CP Rail has also announced plans to spend $90-million upgrading the rail line in Northern Maine, so that it can handle the additional cargo between Saint John and Central Canada. 

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/3ajpm5L

[allakinwande]

A FORGOTTEN MAN OF PRINCIPLE: The life of Oliver Law. By: Piers Brecher __________________________________________________

A black war hero is a rare sight in American cinema. Even when one does appear, he or she is almost never in the leading role. From Jim Brown’s memorable turn in The Dirty Dozen to Cory Hardrict’s Navy Seal, ‘D’, in American Sniper, black soldiers are often relegated to the role of stoic companion or splash of diversity in an otherwise homogenous unit. Recently, George Lucas spoke of the difficulty in funding Red Tails, his 2012 movie about the all-black Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. This has always been a tragic reality of the Hollywood system, one that robbed us of what might have been one of the greatest war movies ever made.

First proposed in 1937, this movie would have covered the life of Oliver Law, the first black commander of a mixed-race US military unit. Law rose from an unremarkable beginning in West Texas to become a community organizer on Chicago’s South Side, then to a brief but heroic command in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade during the Spanish Civil War. Though little remembered now, the performance of Law’s life story attracted the talents of famed African American actor Paul Robeson, and even the screenwriting talents of Ernest Hemingway.

Born on October 23, 1900, Law left few records during his childhood and adolescence. He first became known to history when he decided to join the 24th Infantry Regiment of the still-segregated United States Army in 1919. His enlistment came at a taut time in the 24th  Regiment’s history. Only two years before, in August 1917, over one hundred of its members had mutinied in Houston, during a race riot over abusive treatment by local law enforcement. Several white civilians and policemen were killed, along with a lesser number of black soldiers. In the ensuing months, 110 of the regiment’s members were convicted of mutiny, and nineteen were executed. Against this background of discontent and tension, Oliver Law would go on to serve six uneventful years on the Mexican border with the unit before leaving the military in search of civilian work. It was 1925, and difficult times lay ahead for both Law and the country.

After a few unhappy years working at a cement factory in Indiana, Law found himself in Chicago in search of lasting employment. Just as he seemed to have found a source of steady money, as a driver with the Yellow Cab Company, the Great Depression hit. Extended periods of unemployment were interrupted only briefly by jobs in the docks and in restaurants. It was during this period that Law emerged as a social and political activist. Gradually becoming more radical, he first joined first the Chicago chapter of the Longshoreman’s Association, followed by International Labor Defense advocacy group and, finally, the Communist Party. To Law, Communism represented a response to the many inequities he had suffered as a black man and as a union worker. As a labour organizer and a Communist, he fought for the rights of Chicago’s working-class residents in housing disputes with both landlords and the government. more-@ http://uchicagogate.com/2015/03/25/a-forgotten-man-of-principle-the-life-of-oliver-law/

Further reading -@ http://www.blackpast.org/aah/law-oliver-1900-1937

[shirlleycoyle]

One of America’s Most Powerful Unions Will Shut Down 29 Ports on Juneteenth

On Friday, 38,000 union dockyard workers will shut down all 29 of the U.S.’s Pacific Coast ports to protest the killing of George Floyd, in the most sweeping action yet taken by a labor union in solidarity with protests against nationwide police brutality this spring.

The work stoppage, staged by members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), who handle billions of dollars of cargo, will be the largest work stoppage that one of the country's most powerful unions has undertaken in more than a decade.

��All the way from Washington [state] to San Diego, the ILWU will be standing by in honor of brother George Floyd and in our quest to end systemic racism and police terror,” Trent Willis, president of ILWU Local 10 in Oakland, told Motherboard. “It’s sad that we’re dealing with the same issue stemming from systemic racism that we were dealing with in the 1930s.”

Known for its demonstrations of political protest, the labor union was one of the first in the United States to desegregate its ranks in the 1930s, at a time when Black workers were used as “scabs,” or replacements for striking dockyard workers.

The work stoppage is planned for Juneteenth, which commemorates the day in 1885 that Texas slaves received news of their freedom, two years after the passage of the emancipation proclamation. Not recognized as an official U.S. holiday, labor unions and racial justice organizations have planned marches and rallies for Friday—and a smattering of major companies, including Uber, Nike, and Mastercard, have declared it a holiday. New York governor Andrew Cuomo has also declared it a state holiday.

The decision to stop work on Juneteenth was a logical one for the ILWU, given its enduring status as one of the nation’s most militantly anti-racist unions. In the 1940s, the union fought back against the internment of Japanese Americans. And in 1984, in violation of their union contract, longshore workers in the Bay Area refused to unload cargo from a South African ship for 11 days in protest of apartheid. More recently, the union’s members have shut down Pacific ports over the Iraq War in 2008 and the police killing of Oscar Grant at Oakland’s Fruitvale Station in 2010.

“[The ILWU understands] that laws in this country were made to hurt workers, just as laws in the south were made to hurt Blacks. This type of work stoppage is what needs to be done by every union in the country,” Jack Heyman, a former longshoreman and one of the lead organizers of Friday’s shutdown told Motherboard.

In the past, ILWU members have not hesitated to engage in illegal strikes—those prohibited by union contracts—but Friday’s work stoppage will be legal; Juneteenth coincides with the ILWU’s monthly daylong union meeting, which is protected by its union contract.

In March, as a cruise ship with several hundred confirmed COVID-19 cases anchored off the coast of San Francisco, Motherboard reported that ILWU workers threatened to close ports in protest of unsanitary working conditions that threatened workers with unnecessary exposure to Coronavirus.

“At first there was some resistance [to shut down ports among leaders], but there was overwhelming support from the bottom up. After Seattle, Portland, and Los Angeles agreed, all the other unions fell in line,” Heyman continued. “The decision to stop work was unanimous.”

The idea for the Juneteenth work stoppage was spearheaded by ILWU Local 10 in Oakland—a particularly militant local with a membership that is 75 percent black, according to its president. Soon they received support from cities up and down the coast.

Members of the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA), which represents dockyard workers on the East and Gulf coasts, declined informal invitations to join the work stoppage, according to ILWU members.

Friday’s work stoppage will culminate in rallies in the ports of Seattle and Oakland, where activist and scholar Angela Davis and filmmaker Boots Riley will give speeches.

Since George Floyd’s murder, union workers across the country have staged a number of actions in solidarity with Black Lives Matter protesters. Bus drivers in Minneapolis, New York City, and Washington DC refused to transport police officers and arrested protestors. Meanwhile, organized labor groups representing journalists and teachers have pushed labor leaders to sever ties with police unions. The ILWU’s Juneteenth work stoppage has received endorsements from Bay Area teachers, transportation workers, and nurses unions.

One of America’s Most Powerful Unions Will Shut Down 29 Ports on Juneteenth syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.wordpress.com/feed/

[lboogie1906]

Ernest Charles Tanner (Ernie) (June 5, 1889 - 1956) was born in Indianapolis. His father was a trapeze performer, and his mother was a nurse. Moving to Tacoma with his family in 1900, He attended Stadium High School where he emerged as an outstanding athlete in track, basketball, baseball, and football. He attended Whitworth College and according to the Oregonian, was the first African American to play football at the college level in the Pacific Northwest. He helped Whitworth defeat the University of Oregon. He played in the local Negro League where he was captain and manager of the Tacoma “Little Giants.”

He joined the Tacoma chapter of the International Longshoremen’s Association. Generally, Black members were treated as “second class” and, placed into segregated locals.

His defining moment as a longshoreman came in the “Big Strike” of 1934 that shut down every Pacific Coast port. He was the only African American on the Tacoma strike committee and worked with San Francisco leader Harry Bridges to keep Black and white workers united during the strike so that employers could not break the union. He was elected to serve as the chairman of the local publicity committee.

He served as a trustee of Local 38-97 and on its executive board. He insisted that African American dockworkers be paid the same wages and work under the same conditions as white longshoremen.

When longshoremen in other West Coast ports left the ILA and formed the International Longshoremen’s & Warehousemen’s Union, Tacoma remained in the ILA, the only major local not to join the ILWU. They finally joined the ILWU as Local 23.

The Tacoma longshoremen decided to build a new hall and the local’s members elected him to chair the building committee. The building was named the Ernest C. Tanner Labor and Ethnic Studies Center as part of the University of Washington’s Tacoma campus.

His son Jack, graduated from law school, after working on the docks and became the Pacific Northwest’s first African American federal judge when was named to the Federal District Court for Western Washington. He was survived by his wife, Irene, his son, and his daughter. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[420jobsboard]

Philadelphia ILA rejects remote reefer monitoring plan   JOC.com Full coverage

[we-arnold-lockshin-blog]

Dictatorship USA – A Personal History – Part 18

Madison, Wisconsin – a “hotbed” of phony “radicalism”...

Self-proclaimed “communists,” “revolutionaries” etc. were not a rarity in Madison.  What soon became evident is that when it came to practical political work – for instance, organizing against the War in Vietnam which was raging at the time – these “radicals” by and large were nowhere to be seen.

It has been possible to follow up on some of these “r-r-r-revolutionaries.”  The astute reader will note that their fortunes markedly differ from mine and that none of them were forced out of the US by the American Gestapo.

The “Communist Party” in Madison...

There were repeated rumors of a Madison club of the Communist Party USA, although I was never asked to join it.  Word was that it was headed by Gene Dennis, whom I knew as a (deliberately) lazy and incompetent do-nothing.  Strange, I thought at the time, as his late father and namesake had been head of CP USA: “Eugene Dennis became General Secretary of the Communist Party USA after the expulsion of Earl Browder and was a staunch supporter of the Moscow line.” (Eugene Dennis, Wikipedia)

“Eugene Dennis Jr., son of the former general secretary in the American Communist Party, was a longshoreman* for many years and is now a historian.” (‘Red Diaper Babies�� - Children of Communists, AP, May. 23, 1989)

Eugene Dennis, father and son, were/are stooges of the US secret political police.

Another reputed Madison “communist” was another deadbeat, Donald Bluestone:  

“The new organization...  was named the W.E.B. DuBois Clubs of America and would serve as the youth wing of the Communist Party USA. Those who signed the 'call'...  included Don Bluestone, an Associate Editor of Sanity, Madison, Wisconsin.” (KeyWiki)

Bluestone later obtained a teaching position at Roosevelt University in Chicao, Ill. (A Life's Mosaic: The Autobiography of Phyllis Ntantal)

Yet another known campus “leftist” and reputed Madison “communist” was Jim Hawley.  Who also has gone on to bigger and better things: “James P. Hawley is Professor, School of Economics and Business Administration, and Director of the Elfenworks Center for the Study of Fiduciary Capitalism at Saint Mary’s College. He has held the rotating endowed chair, Transamerica Professor of Business Policy and Strategy, two times. He is the author of two books, the first on international banks and the global monetary system, and (as a co-author with Professor Andrew T. Williams) on U.S. pension funds and the ownership of U.S. corporations...” (Network for Sustainable Financial Markets, 2017)

Among other fake Madison “leftists” at the time...

Frank Emspak, the son of the late Julius Emspak, former secretary-treasurer of the “leftist” United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers (UE) of America. “Frank, a retired labor professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, originally founded the WIN program as a project of the University’s School of Workers.” (laborpress.org/workers-independent-news-off-the-air)

Clark Kissinger retains his FBI-authorized pseudo-left bona fides:

“C. Clark Kissinger (born 1940) was the National Secretary of Students for a Democratic Society in 1964-65.  He visited the People's Republic of China twice during the Cultural Revolution, and is a devoted Maoist...

“In 1968, the Chicago Peace Council hired Kissinger to organize a march against the Vietnam War on April 27. Later in the year, he helped organize demonstrations against the Democratic Party National Convention, and testified at the trial of the Chicago Seven.

“In the early 1970s, Kissinger was a founder and national officer of the US China Peoples Friendship Association.

“In 2002, Kissinger was the coordinator of the Not In Our Name statement of conscience against the impending war on Iraq... Subsequently, he was also the convener of the International Commission of Inquiry on Crimes Against Humanity Committed by the Bush Administration.  When the commission released its findings, he was quoted as saying 'We want this to be a step in the building of mass resistance to war, to torture, to the destruction of the earth.' **

“Kissinger is currently the manager of Revolution Books in New York City.” (C. Clark Kissinger, Wikipedia)

Kissinger's “radicalism” falls into the realm of FBI-organized “movements,” that we have discussed previously (Part 10 of this series):

“It is far, far, far better for the reactionary US (and not only the US!) ruling class to organize a manifold variety of fake movements which the secret political police entirely control.  A great deal of noise and 'furor' can be generated, but nothing permanent or meaningful develops.  And the 'movements' can be turned off when needed.

“Secondly, such massive fakery serves to entrap unsuspecting honest activists, who find themselves not among comrades-in-struggle, but among disguised enemy...  

“Moreover, a plethora of false 'peoples' or 'progressive' or 'communist' organizations and movements give the abjectly phony perception of the United States of America as a 'democracy.'”  

….............................

* Dennis, Jr. was a member of the reputedly “leftist” International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU).  San Francisco Bay Area ILWU locals 6 and 10 became a repository for many FBI stooges like Dennis, who are/were guaranteed receiving higher than average wages in ILWU-organized enterprises. 

Among other such finks were “communists” Archie Brown, Franklin Alexander, Frank Wilkinson's son Tony...

As I noted previously: “... some millions of collaborators... operate on-call, on a part-time basis.  These people have their own, everyday non-political work and only participate now-and-then 'as required' – to attend meetings and demonstrations, to join parties and organizations  and to 'espouse' the views that they falsely 'support'...  For these 'part-timers'... the US secret political police interfere in the very process of American economic and professional life to provide their collaborators with an improved station in society.” (Dictatorship USA – Part 9)

** Naturally, no such “mass resistance” came into existence in the United States.

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Перед нами сейчас -  коварный и опасный мошенник, расист, лжец и фашист Дональд Трамп, порочный Конгресс, нацистские ФБР - ЦРУ,  кровавые милитаристы США и НАТО >>> а также и лживые, вредоносные американские СМ»И».

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Правительство США жестоко нару��ало мои права человека при проведении кампании террора, которая заставила меня покинуть свою родину и получить политическое убежище в СССР. См. книгу «Безмолвный террор — История политических гонений на семью в США» - "Silent Terror: One family's history of political persecution in the United States» - http://arnoldlockshin.wordpress.com

Правительство США еще нарушает мои права, в течении 14 лет отказывается от выплаты причитающейся мне пенсии по старости.  Властители США воруют пенсию!!  

ФСБ - Федеральная служба «безопасности» России - вслед за позорным, предавшим страну предшественником КГБ, мерзко выполняет приказы секретного, кровавого хозяина (boss) - американского ЦРУ (CIA). Среди таких «задач» -  мне запретить выступать в СМИ и не пропускать большинства отправленных мне комментариев.   А это далеко не всё...

Арнольд Локшин, политэмигрант из США

BANNED – ЗАПРЕЩЕН!!

ЦРУ - ФСБ забанили все мои пост мои посты и комментарии в Вконтакте!

… и в Макспарке!

[environmentalresourcecenter]

OSHA Focusing on Increase in Worker Fatalities

OSHA is seeking to stem a recent increase in workplace fatalities in Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. The Agency has seen an increase in fatalities associated with falls, struck-by objects and vehicles, machine hazards, grain bin engulfment, and burns. In 2017, OSHA launched its “Safe + Sound Campaign,” urging employers to develop and implement a safety and health program that includes management leadership, worker participation, and a systematic approach to finding and fixing hazards. So far, the campaign has received commitments from 198 organizations. “OSHA has investigated 34 fatalities in these three states since Oct. 1, 2017,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Kim Stille. “Working together with employers, unions, and employees, we can reduce these incidents. By implementing and sustaining workplace safety and health programs we can help employees avoid preventable injuries and fatalities. The agency has additional resources available to help employers of all sizes identify workplace hazards and eliminate them.” Safety and health programs help reduce the numbers of workplace injuries and illnesses, and improve the bottom line. OSHA’s “Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs” offers practical advice on how an organization can create and integrate safety and health programs. To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, or file a complaint, call OSHA’s hot-line at 800-321-OSHA (6742). Hazardous Waste Training

Annual hazardous waste training is required for anyone who generates, accumulates, stores, transports, or treats hazardous waste. Learn how to manage your hazardous waste in accordance with the latest state and federal regulations. Learn how to complete EPA’s new electronic hazardous waste manifest, and the more than 60 changes in EPA’s new Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule. Environmental Resource Center’s Hazardous Waste Training is available at nationwide locations, and via live webcasts. If you plan to also attend DOT hazardous materials training, call 800-537-2372 to find out how can get your course materials on a new Amazon Fire HD10 tablet at no extra charge. Save the Date: Safe + Sound Week OSHA’s second annual Safe + Sound Week will be held August 13-19, 2018. The event is a nationwide effort to raise awareness of the value of workplace safety and health programs. These programs can help employers and workers identify and manage workplace hazards before they cause injury or illness, improving a company’s financial bottom line. Throughout this week, organizations are encouraged to host events and activities that showcase the core elements of an effective safety and health program, including: management leadership, worker participation, and finding and fixing workplace hazards. For more information and to sign-up for email updates, visit the Safe + Sound Week webpage. Emergency Response Complicated by Social Media Misinformation The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently released a draft white paper to help first responders better understand and counter rumors, misinformation and false information on social media. The white paper details the four types of misinformation, as well as key challenges, case studies, and best practices for emergency responders to consider — some of which relate directly to how officials notify citizens when a crisis strikes. Prevent Heat Illness As summer temperatures rise, so do the dangers of working in high heat. That’s especially true in on hot days in milder climates, where workers tend to be used to working in mild weather and are frequently not accustomed to high temperatures. As a result, Oregon OSHA encourages employers and workers in construction, agriculture, and other labor-intensive activities to learn the signs of heat illness and focus on prevention. “Prevention really comes down to taking several important precautions,” said Penny Wolf-McCormick, health enforcement manager for Oregon OSHA. “They include regularly providing water, rest, and shade; gradually adapting workers to hot environments; and training employees to recognize signs of trouble and to speak up about them.” Exposure to heat can lead to headaches, cramps, dizziness, fatigue, nausea or vomiting, and even seizures or death. From 2012 to 2017, 37 people received benefits through Oregon’s workers’ compensation system for heat-related illnesses. The call to address the hazards of working in high heat is part of a larger effort aimed at preventing heat-related illness. Under an emphasis program run by Oregon OSHA, the agency’s enforcement and consultation activities will include a review of employers’ plans to deal with heat exposure, especially from June 15 through Oct. 1 of each year. The prevention program applies to both outdoor job sites and indoor workplaces where potential heat-related hazards may exist. Oregon OSHA encourages employers to fill out a heat illness prevention plan. The plan outlines everything from risk factors and precautionary steps to locations of water and cooling areas. You can get a sample heat illness prevention plan at http://osha.oregon.gov/OSHAPubs/pubform/heat-sample-program.pdf Here are some tips for preventing a heat-related illness:

Perform the heaviest, most labor-intensive work during the coolest part of the day.

Use the buddy system (work in pairs) to monitor the heat.

Drink plenty of cool water (one small cup every 15 to 20 minutes).

Wear light, loose-fitting, and breathable clothing (such as cotton).

Take frequent short breaks in cool, shaded areas – allow your body to cool down.

Avoid eating large meals before working in hot environments.

Avoid caffeine and alcoholic beverages (these make the body lose water and increase the risk of heat illnesses).

To help those suffering from heat exhaustion:

Move them to a cool, shaded area. Do not leave them alone.

Loosen and remove heavy clothing.

Provide cool water to drink (a small cup every 15 minutes) if they are not feeling sick to their stomach.

Try to cool them by fanning them. Cool the skin with a spray mist of cold water or a wet cloth.

If they do not feel better in a few minutes, call 911 for emergency help.

You can calculate the heat index using the federal OSHA heat stress app for mobile phones: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/heat_index/heat_app.html. North Florida Shipyard Cited for Safety Violations Following Employee Drowning OSHA has cited North Florida Shipyards Inc., a shipbuilding and repair company, after an employee suffered fatal injuries at its Commodores Point facility in Jacksonville, Florida. The shipyard faces $271,061 in proposed penalties. The worker drowned after a pressured air manifold struck him and knocked him into the St. Johns River. OSHA has cited the employer for safety violations, including exposing employees to being struck-by, drowning, amputation, caught-in, and electrical hazards; allowing scuba divers to be unaccompanied by another diver; and failing to ensure machine guarding. “As this case demonstrates, it is important for employers to identify existing hazards, and follow required safety procedures to protect workers from serious injuries,” said OSHA Jacksonville Acting Area Office Director Buddy Underwood. Marine Cargo Handling Company Cited for Fatal Forklift Accident at Port of San Diego Cal/OSHA has issued citations to marine cargo handler SSA Pacific Inc. for willful and serious safety violations following the investigation of a fatal forklift accident at the Port of San Diego. On January 3, a longshoreman was driving a forklift into a transit shed when he collided with a concrete support column and suffered fatal injuries after being thrown from the forklift. Cal/OSHA’s investigation found that the employee was not wearing a seatbelt and that the forklift had multiple safety devices disabled, including a seatbelt warning buzzer and mast interlock system designed to disconnect power from the hydraulic lift when the operator is unseated. “Forklift safety and training of operators must be taken seriously,” said Cal/OSHA Chief Juliann Sum. “Employers must ensure that seat belts are used and that safety devices such as warning systems to ensure seat belt use are not altered.” Cal/OSHA issued six citations totaling $205,235 in proposed penalties to SSA Pacific Inc., a division of Seattle-based international marine cargo handler SSA Marine. The citations issued included four serious violations for the employer’s failure to ensure that forklift operators use seatbelts, properly maintain and inspect forklifts, ensure operators were effectively trained and for improperly altering forklift safety features. A general violation was cited for the employer’s failure to establish and maintain an effective heat illness prevention plan. SSA Pacific was also issued a citation for a willful-serious violation as the employer failed to ensure workers perform a forklift safety check at the beginning of each shift and report unsafe conditions, a violation the company was cited for in 2016 following an accident inspection at the Port of Long Beach. The incident in 2016 occurred when two workers improperly attempted to lift a 15-ton forklift from the hatch of a ship with a crane. One worker was hospitalized overnight for injuries to his ribs and lungs when he was pinned by the mast of the running forklift. A citation is classified as willful when evidence indicates that the employer committed an intentional and knowing violation, or was aware that a hazardous condition existed and made no reasonable effort to eliminate it. A citation is classified as serious when there is a realistic possibility that death or serious harm could result from the actual hazard created by the violation. Forklift safety requirements are summarized on page 65 of Cal/OSHA’s Pocket Guide for the Construction Industry. Safety News Links Worker Safety Rules Are Among Those Under Fire in Trump Era Drinking Coffee Can Make You Live Longer Two Amputations a Week: the Cost of Working in a Meat Plant Open Offices are as Bad as They Seem Senate Votes to Repeal Labor Laws That Safeguarded Vulnerable Workers Walking Drunk Can be Deadly Chemical Spill Reported at FedEx Facility Protect Your Lungs from Wildfire Smoke This post OSHA Focusing on Increase in Worker Fatalities appeared first on Environmental Resource Center.

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[atlanticcanada]

Port of Saint John celebrates frontline workers with harbour-sized salute

On Saturday, New Brunswick's port city lived up to its nickname with a show of solidarity on the Saint John Harbour – making a noisy and joyful salute for the town's ever-essential port workers.

Organized by the International Longshoremen's Association, the spectacle saw cargo ships, trains, trucks and more blaring their horns to show their appreciation for frontline workers involved with the port amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It was an all-out effort for everybody involved with the port; all the users of the port and all the people in the harbour – all to say 'thank you' to the front line workers," says International Longshoremen's Association vice president, Owen Boyle.

The idea began with Pat Riley of the International Longshoreman's Association and was brought to Port Saint John, who agreed to help get the word out.

Port Saint John president, Jim Quinn says DP World – the terminal's provider – provided all of the vehicles for operators to participate in the salute. He notes ports are more important than ever, because of the essential supplies and goods that move through the system – impossible without port workers.

"Everything from the pilots that go on the boat, the tug operators, the longshoremen, the terminal operators, the truck drivers, and the people who work rail," says Quinn. "All those folks are so vitally important in moving goods."

The event was a chance to recognize the hard and often unrecognized work that port workers perform.

"For people that don't work down here, to come out and see all the different aspects of the port, all of the pieces of the jigsaw – it was another way for them to see all the workings of the port," says Boyle.

Quinn, who is also the chair of the Association of Canadian Port Authorities, adds ports in Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Montreal and Halifax have recently become busier as business improves. Meanwhile, activity in Saint John has remained relatively steady.

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