The JC7 truck occupies Frank Ogawa Plaza

Joint Council 7 Joins the Occupy Movement to Fight Corporate Greed

The November 2, 2011 General Strike in Oakland marked an important convergence of the Occupy Wall Street movement and Bay Area organized labor. Nothing highlighted that solidarity like the arrival of Joint Council 7’s new tractortrailer, laden with food and water for the weary occupiers.

The new rig, driven by Local 853’s Doug Radonich, backed all the way down the mall between the city’s high-rises until it sat smack dab in the middle of the occupation at Frank Ogawa Plaza. “Our arrival was cheered wildly by the occupiers,” says Local 853 member Terry Post, who was with Radonich in the truck. “Others came up to us and personally thanked us for coming, stressing the importance of organized labor’s participation in the Occupy Wall Street movement. Reporters corralled Teamsters throughout the day to get our views on the occupation.”

Once the JC7 rig got situated, Teamsters and other union members quickly formed a good old fashioned “bucket brigade,” unloading pallets of food and water in record time, destined for a food tent operated by the Alameda Labor Council. Judging by the line waiting to be fed, the arrival of the Teamsters was greatly appreciated.

When JC7’s rig finally pulled away from the encampment and drove down Broadway amid thousands of demonstrators, the roar from the crowd was impressive. There were endless cheers, raised fists and words of appreciation as the mass of humanity parted to let the rig get through.

Joint Council 7’s decision to officially participate in the Occupy Wall Street movement gave the International Brotherhood of Teamsters tremendous exposure and credibility among the demonstrators and the press. Teamster involvement has helped draw attention to the issues of income inequality, corporate greed, the 99% and the war on workers. Joint Council 7 continues to work with Occupy to identify how the two movements can jointly advance their message.

While the tents have now been removed and the movement determines new ways to mobilize, the Joint Council has worked within the labor movement and with Occupy organizers to keep the focus on the 99% issues and move beyond issues of the camp, the cops, and the City leaders.

At present, the Joint Council is also collaborating with Occupy SF on mobilizing for peaceful protests against corporate greed and assisting in what have been, so far, successful negotiations with Mayor Ed Lee and the City of San Francisco.

In just a few short weeks, Occupy Wall Street sparked a movement that changed the debate in this nation from one that focussed on deficits and cutbacks to instead address jobs, the needs of the working and middle class, and the criminal role played by financial institutions in ruining our economy. Now is the time to ramp up our message about corporate greed and get on the streets against employers we have disputes with.