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href="http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2017/05/25/noose-discovery-prompts-longshore-walkout-at-port-of-oakland/">http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2017/05/25/noose-discovery-prompts-longshore-walkout-at-port-of-oakland/</a></font>
<h1 class="entry-title"><span class="dfm-title
optimizely-4752668">Noose discovery at Port of Oakland
prompts longshoremen walk-out </span></h1>
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<div id="reader-estimated-time">May 26, 2017<br>
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<p>OAKLAND — Operations at one of the Port of Oakland’s
largest terminals were suspended for several hours
Thursday when longshoremen walked off the job in
response to nooses found on the property in recent
weeks.</p>
<p>They returned to work Thursday afternoon after
negotiations and normal operations resumed, officials
said.</p>
<p>The longshoremen at the Oakland International Container
Terminal left about 9 a.m., an hour after they had
started for the day, under the order of union officials,
officials said.</p>
<p>By late morning, about 100 union longshoremen at the
terminal, 1717 Middle Harbor Road, were on standby
waiting to hear if they would return to work. Container
trucks were backed up all around the port and on
Interstate 880.</p>
<p>Officials with the International Longshore and
Warehouse Union were working to obtain surveillance tape
that could reveal who is responsible for the nooses.
Arbitration on whether the union members will get paid
for their time during the walkout was under way.</p>
<p>An unspecified number of nooses have been discovered at
the terminal in recent weeks, including one found
Thursday morning, union officials said. The nooses have
been left on a fence, the ground, and on trucks.</p>
<p>Derrick Muhammad, the union’s secretary-treasurer, said
a noose had also been found about 10 days ago. In
November, someone spray painted a racial slur against
African Americans on a piece of port equipment, he said.</p>
<p>“We believe it’s a bonafide health and safety issue
because of the history behind the noose and what it
means for black people in America,” Muhammad said. “This
is a dangerous occupation already. This adds something
that totally makes people feel uneasy, makes people feel
unsafe and it’s distracting. We need our people to be as
focused as possible.”</p>
<p>Robert McEllrath, International President,
International Longshore and Warehouse Union, said in an
e-mailed statement that “the ILWU is a progressive and
diverse union, and we reject in the strongest possible
terms racism in all its forms. This matter is being
vigorously investigated.</p>
<p>“The display of a hangmen’s noose for the second time
in two weeks at the work site is inexcusable and
expressly prohibited conduct under the terms of the
ILWU-PMA collective bargaining agreement. The Union is
committed to securing a non-discriminatory work
environment for all individuals working at the ports.”</p>
<p>The terminal, SSA Marine, had no statement Thursday
morning.</p>
<p>Mike Zampa, Communications Director for the Port of
Oakland spokesman confirmed operations had resumed.</p>
<p>He said the port was told a “symbol associated with
racial bigotry was discovered on the terminal property.
The Port of Oakland does not tolerate bigotry or
discrimination of any kind. That is explicit in our
policies and in our day-to-day operations.</p>
<p>Zanka said the port has “been in close contact with the
terminal operator. They are investigating the incident
and taking steps to prevent a reoccurrence. They’ll
apprise us of those next steps.”</p>
<p><em>Staff writer David DeBolt contributed to this
report. </em></p>
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