'In ports throughout the world, there's very similar situations taking place where longshoremen are fighting for their rights for work that they have historically, traditionally done,' said ILWU International Vice President Ray Familathe. 'We stand behind President McEllrath's statement, that 'fighting for good jobs should not be a crime,' and that's what this is all about.' Text from the Daily News. Photo of Pres. McEllrath by Dawn Des Brisay.
Robert McEllrath of San Francisco, international president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, is charged with obstructing a train Sept. 7. He is accused of standing on rail tracks with about 300 other protesters blocking a train carrying grain from entering the terminal.
McEllrath’s trial is being attended by dockworkers from Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Norway, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom, as well as all over the United States.