Posted on 02 January 2012 by caitlin
feminist block at December 12th port shutdown
For those who think that Occupy Oakland is losing its steam, take a closer look. Despite the relentless police harassment and vicious arrests at Oscar Grant Plaza and at our recent occupations, the movement is alive and kicking. Here is a roundup of major upcoming direct actions by Occupy Oakland and friends:
Longview blockade of EGT ship, proposal passed by General Assembly. Dec 21st. A major coordinated Occupy action is being planned by various cities at the port of Longview, Washington. As soon as we know when the ship is due to arrive, we will mobilize thousands to prevent EGT from docking and loading its first grain shipment at the Port of Longview. EGT is a subsidiary of Bunge Ltd, a multinational corporation that has enormous control over the production, storage, processing, trading and transporting of agricultural and energy commodities. Bunge Ltd. has committed major abuses worldwide, exacerbating world hunger by fixing world grain prices to increase its profits, forcing Brazilian workers to work in near slave conditions, multiple violations of the Clean Air Act, deforestation of the rainforest, multi-million dollar tax evasion in Argentina, and much much more. Bunge’s company, EGT, is attempting to break the Longshoremen Union by hiring non union workers at the dock, refusing to honor the Longshoremen’s contract with the Port. EGT/Bunge Ltd has done everything in its power – including bringing in scab labor from out of state as well as I members of an Operating Engineer union – to ensure that Local 21 is denied these jobs. The battle against EGT/Bunge is one of the most significant battles of our time, a fight against the 1%. The fate of this grain shipment, and whether it is allowed to be unloaded, could decide the fate of the ILWU and the labor movement in the U.S. Occupy Wall St. NY, just donated $12,000 to help us coordinate this action. For info visit http://westcoastportshutdown.org/. To get involved contact [email protected]
A new home for Occupy Oakland
On January 28th, Occupy Oakland will take a building and create a social center for the movement. . Oakland is full of empty buildings owned by the 1%, it’s time to put them to use for the community. According to the proposal passed at the GA “ The building will have space for committees, an auditorium, and sleeping space. The action will take place on a weekend in daylight, and will begin with a march toward the space. The address of the site will be kept as a surprise, but members of different committees will know where this space is for coordination of this action.” Meetings to organize the event are taking place at OGP 5pm Wed/ 1pm Sun.
Feminist/queer block.
Occupy Oakland’s feminist/queer block is organizing to occupy/decolonize a building and establish a collective space in Oakland (at a location that remains undisclosed). On January 8th the effort will kick off with an event at 19th and Telegraph, noon to 5pm,
The first two points of unity for the occupation group are:
1. This capitalist society is based on a racist, white supremacist, patriarchal order. Our organizing must confront and attack the structural racism and white supremacy in this city and our own spaces.
2. Women, Trans people, Queers, Fags, Dykes, need a space that is OURS. We are marginalized, harassed, and attacked in other spaces all the time.
For info about the January 8th event and how to plug in check out: http://oaklandoccupypatriarchy.wordpress.com/
To involved email: [email protected] and ask to be added to the listserve
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