https://iclfi.org/pubs/wv/2024-ilwu/turnbull
From keeping its members on the job without a contract for over a year to not raising even a peep in protest against the —U.S.-backed genocide of the Palestinians, the leadership of the ILWU has put loyalty to the bosses and their government above the interests of the working class. Last year, Emily Turnbull was elected to the executive board of ILWU Local 10 on a program to make the union a fighting force for longshoremen and all workers. Over the past year, she has sought to put that program into action—fighting against the tier divisions that are ripping the ILWU apart, opposing the local leadership’s support for phony “friend of labor” Democratic Party politicians and pushing to mobilize the ILWU against the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
This year, Turnbull is running for president of Local 10 to further the struggle to strengthen the union. She is pledging to take immediate actions to that end upon being elected. These will lay the basis for the union to fight against the escalating attacks by a ruling class desperate to save its sinking economy and world domination. It’s time to reject the union bureaucracy’s demobilization of union struggle. Vote for Emily Turnbull!
(We reproduce the text of her campaign flyer below)
Emily Turnbull campaign flyer
Vote Emily Turnbull for Local 10 President
The recent strike by ILA longshore workers showed both the power we have and how the union leadership stands in the way of using it. Harold Daggett might look good compared to Willie Adams, who swore off a strike at Biden’s request and then saddled us with far less than we could have gotten. But Daggett simply took a different route to the same end—calling off the ILA strike without having resolved most key issues and then thanking Biden for this outcome.
The U.S.-dominated liberal world order is crumbling around us, and working people desperately need to fight for their interests. To prepare for the battles ahead, we need to begin strengthening our union now. These are the immediate steps I will take if elected Local 10 president:
Get the Local 10 website up and running. Produce a weekly Local 10 bulletin to inform and educate the membership on the issues facing the union.
Hire a sound engineer to improve the acoustics/sound system in the hall.
Amend the constitution to end all fines and other punishments for failure to attend or to get a quorum at union meetings.
Ensure that Local 10 takes control of safety by making the Stewards Council a real, representative body of stewards elected by the dispatch boards, terminal mechanics, steady men, Bs and Casuals.
Fight to get Local 10 to take the measures necessary to bring Bs and Casuals in as full members of the union.
Form a committee to organize non-union workers at the ports, including port truckers.
Demand that the PMA put in a bid to reserve the Howard Terminal for an auxiliary dispatch hall in Oakland to save members who live in the East Bay the wear and tear of the SF commute.
Of course, I will continue to fight for the program I was elected on when I ran for executive board last year.
The ILWU should:
Not have signed the contract and fought for better.
Oppose tiers—bring Bs and Casuals into full union membership and steady men back to the hall—and fight for a shorter workweek with no loss in pay.
Fight for Black Liberation.
Oppose U.S. military operations, whether involving Ukraine, Israel or China.
Oppose the Democrats and the Republicans.
Build a workers party that aims to put working people in charge of the U.S. from top to bottom.
