Teamsters and longshoremen join port protest

[DoYouEverWonder]

February 27, 2006



About 200 teamsters and longshoremen joined three U.S. senators at Port Newark to protest the sale of some American port operations to a state-owned company from the United Arab Emirates.

New Jersey's two U.S. senators, Democrats Robert Menendez and Frank Lautenberg, and Charles Schumer D-N.Y., said the deal would compromise the safety of the United States and port workers.
"Our message is very clear, that the ports of the United States are part of the critical infrastructure that are a big part of security and they should not be in the operational hands of a foreign government," Menendez said.

The controversial deal would allow Dubai Ports World to buy major commercial operations at ports in Baltimore, Miami, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York and Philadelphia. But critics _ both Democrats and Republicans _ have questioned whether the deal would endanger domestic security, saying the United Arab Emirates doesn't have a strong record when it comes to the war on terrorism.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/am-port028,0,1417661.story?coll=ny-nyc-bigpix

[IsItJustMe]

1. God bless those Union people.

I know they give a damn about this country.

Seems like * would sell us out for a dollar and then turn us out like a old harlot.

[CountAllVotes]

2. These are our real patriots!

God bless you teamsters & longshoremen of America! I salute you!

:toast:

These are the just some of many true patriots in America! :patriot:

:dem: :kick:

[roguevalley]

3. They will shut this down. Join a picket line if they go out. Support them.

[PhilipShore]

4. Love your country - Join the Union and protest the UAE/Taliban Port Deal

[Rainscents]

5. Love the UNION!

They will shut the port down!

[lovuian]

6. The Union better fight or they will have no jobs

make no mistake the Dubai company will bring in their own people!!! with Visas for everyone sponsored by Bush!!!

[fasttense]

7. Lovuian, you are absolutely correct.

Part of the reason for this sell off is to break the Unions. The UAE has a history of bringing in poor foreign labor and treating them as indentured servants. They take their passports and Visas, charge them unholy amounts for the initial transport to the job site, and frequently make them live in hovels for additional excessive costs. Just like the good old 1800s where you had to live in the "factory" town, buy the factory goods from the only factory store and run up debt for the rest of your life.

[leftchick]

8. this is great news!

:woohoo: