A phone message was sent to dockworkers on Wednesday, reminding them of plans to ignore work schedules to protest the war in Iraq during Thursday’s regular shifts.  Just who made the prerecorded message?  International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 13 president Joe Cortez, who was just this week told by an arbitrator that dockworkers were banned from participating in a walkout.  Read about the full story in the Press-Telegram, here.

The ILWU is not supporting the walkout but is supporting the workers’ rights to choose whether or not they will participate in the peaceful demonstration.  A regularly paced day of traffic is expected (about 15 incoming cargo ships) and all scheduled workers will be needed in order to complete the work.

The union was warned last week that the walkout would not be allowed, but that message was ignored, said the arbitrator.  A spokesman from the Pacific Maritime Association added that the day is being approached as a normal work day, and that the union workers are obligated to fulfill their duties.