Union Women in Solidarity come together for third annual luncheon
More than 110 women trade unionists gathered together on March 8th in San Pedro to celebrate International Women’s Day and at the third annual meeting for the group Union Women in Solidarity.
The event was sponsored by ILWU Locals 13, 63 and 94 and was attended by women from more than 10 different unions from up and down the West Coast.
Featured guests included Kathy Bridges, daughter of ILWU co-founder Harry Bridges, Esther Ramirez, an original “Rosie the Riveter,” and Iva Valdase, one of the many pioneering women who worked for NASA during the early days of the space program.
Union Women in Solidarity was founded by local 13 member Valerie Zaks. It started as a group on Facebook to create a place where women who work in primarily male workplaces could come together to talk about common issues. Zaks said she wanted the group to become a launching pad for building community and also as a way to build capacity for collective action.
Zaks said she learned about the importance of worker solidarity when she was a casual. She said she recalls participating in ILWU solidarity actions in 1998 to support of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) during the “Patrick’s dispute.” ILWU members refused to unload Australian ships that had been loaded by non-union workers while MUA members were locked-out.
“With everything that is going on today, it is important that we are active in our unions and in our community,” Zaks said.
The Dipatcher Vol 76, NO 4 * APRIL 2018