By Bill Orton

The ILWU’s international officers—joined by heavyweights from politics and labor—told nearly 6,000 rank-and-filers gathered  July 10 at the Long Beach Sports Arena that the union’s influence in politics will help to win support for a good contract in 2008.

“Our voice has been loud, but not loud enough,” said Local 13 President Mark Mendoza, who organized the rally with fellow presidents Joe Gasperov, of clerks’ Local 63, and Danny Miranda, of foremen’s Local 94.

“We need to get out, we need to raise money, and we’re going to write the checks,” International Vice President Bob McEllrath said. “But  our candidates are going to stand up and vote for labor in the United States of America.”

America is a very different place for workers than it was just a generation ago, as Republican leaders let corporations call the shots while unions have been shut out.

“For the past ten years, we’ve been struggling to turn our labor movement around,” AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka said. “We’ve been playing the game of catch up while our enemies have been playing a game of finish up.”

Featured at the rally were three politicians who each thanked the ILWU for support in their own races.

Newly-elected Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, in welcoming the crowd, told workers he is proud to have won labor’s endorsement. He talked about his early years as a union tradesman.

Foster carried the COPE endorsement and was the ILWU’s pick early on in his race to run California’s fifth-largest city. Fully one job in eight in Long Beach is tied to trade crossing the docks at the Port of Long Beach.

International President James Spinosa, introducing state Treasurer Phil Angelides, reminded the audience that it was labor who helped Angelides win a tough primary campaign.

“If Bill Clinton was the comeback kid,” Spinosa said, “then you’re looking at Knock Out Phil.”

Angelides thanked the ILWU for its support and vowed victory. “We have to beat the Bush-Schwarzenegger team in November,” said Angelides, attacking the current governor for protecting the wealthy while college tuition rises and millions go without basic health care in the state.

But it was probably a single member of Congress whose fiery speech gave rank-and-file members the message of why political action is important.

“Nobody thought I could get elected, not even the ILWU and they backed me up,” said Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI). “They were thinking, ‘Here’s another loser we’re with.’ And I fooled them all.”

Abercrombie, first elected to the Honolulu City Council in 1974 and later to the Congress, is one of the strongest voices for labor on Capitol Hill.

“I went to people, just like I’m going to you right now,” Abercrombie told the audience. “and I said, ‘Give me a chance.’ And I won that election despite what anyone thought. And that’s what I’m asking. Give the people who are for you a chance to BE for you. They can’t be for you if they’re not in office.”

Giving money is important, Abercrombie said, but voting is just as critical.

“Don’t let anybody tell you their vote doesn’t count,” he said. “After the way the presidential election was stolen the last two elections, how can anyone say that your vote doesn’t count. I’m living, breathing proof that every vote counts.”

The joint stop-work meeting also featured a prolonged standing ovation for outgoing International President James Spinosa, who is finishing his second term as head of the union.