The Port of Oakland has spoken out against the planned Occupy blockade due to take place across all west coast seaports next week on 12 December.
The port feels that the previous partial shut down on 2 November by Occupy Oakland protestors created no more than lost work hours, lost shifts, and lost wages for workers and their families. If the proposed blockades take place next week, the port says there will be worse implications.
Isaac Kos-Read, director of External Affairs at the Port of Oakland, said to Port Strategy: “Our educational campaign about the economic importance of the Port of Oakland to the 99% just went public yesterday. We are still building support, but preliminarily - starting on Sunday - the informal feedback we've been receiving from organised labour, the community, our business partners, port users, and our own employees here at the port has all been extremely positive.
He added: “People may agree with the issues raised by Occupy, but they're fed up with destructive and counter-productive tactics. Furthermore, there is tragic misinformation out there that shutting down the port impacts "the 1%", to use the language of the Occupy movement. What it will hurt is the 99%, our local community, and the regional economy.”
For more information on the port’s campaign to stay open visit: www.keeptheportopen.org
