Major Win For Port Community

A Project Labor Agreement covering the Middle Harbor in the Port of Long Beach has been ratified after opposition by the Associated Builders and Contractors imploded. City leaders hailed the new agreement as a model for neighboring communities concerned about cost overruns, project delays and missing out on local hiring opportunities. Retired Organizer Larry Henderson whose efforts lead to the adoption of the land mark agreement was congratulated by the Board Members. His efforts to bring good paying jobs and apprenticeship opportunities to the residents of Long Beach finally materialized. Over 60 members of The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 11 attended the meeting.

Recommended Viewing

If you haven’t already seen the segment shown on KCET, Bill Moyers Journal about the “Hollywood to the Docks March” here is your chance. Go to http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/06132008/watch.html to watch this extraordinary piece on the struggle of American working families highlighted by this march by Los Angeles union members. Sometimes it takes an outsider to be able to explain exactly what is really happening and put it all in focus in a way that the public can understand. They did such a great job this time explaining the complexities of the class-war that’s been ongoing for decades. How the workers have been taken advantage of by corporate interests leaving many with little or no safety net. When CEO’s like Brian Robert’s of Comcast and others are paid just obscene amounts of money and the average employee scrapes by barely keeping up with inflation. It’s great to see someone finally articulating the growing disparity between the super rich and the working poor. You will recognize many familiar faces from the LA labor movement in the video. The march from Hollywood to San Pedro was led by Maria Elena Durazo, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Los Angeles Federation of Labor back in April. Enjoy!