By John Showalter

Reginald Ross was just 39 years old when his life was tragically cut short while working on the deck of a container ship at the Port of Oakland. Ross had been working on the docks for about 3 years and was just a few months away from becoming a registered “B” man when he was fatally injured on the afternoon of Monday, September 24.

Though there were no eyewitnesses, according to Business Agent Frank Gaskin—who was on duty at the time of the accident—Ross was lashing containers on the deck of a Hapag-Lloyd vessel, the Stuttgard Express, at Berth 57 when he was fatally injured as a container was lowered into place. Emergency personnel carefully transported him from the deck of the ship to a waiting ambulance, but he died several hours later of internal injuries at a nearby hospital.

In reaction to Ross’ tragic death, Local 10 longshore workers at the Port of Oakland stood down for 24 hours to mourn their fallen brother and make sure conditions were safe enough to return to work. An investigation of the accident is being conducted by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard. The agencies held an initial conference that started the investigation on September 25. John Castanho, who chairs the Coast Safety Committee, attended the OSHA conference to represent the union and is conducting an independent inquiry into the accident.

“Reggie loved his job and had deep family roots in the union,” Glenda Ross, his sister, said. “He was really looking forward to getting his ‘B’-book.”

Ross came from a proud family of San Francisco longshoremen going back to his grandfather, Luther Ross, who worked the docks in the 1950s. His uncle, Luther, Jr. was also a longshoreman. His father Richard is still an active longshoreman out of Local 10.

Ross, a San Francisco resident, was well-liked by all those who knew him, according to his sister. He enjoyed fishing, playing chess and cooking, especially his much-loved pies and cakes. In addition to his sister and father, Ross is survived by his brother Leonard and four daughters who live in San Francisco: Gloria, 16, RayAnn, 17, Sazion, 8, and Simone who was born last year.

The Ross Family is appealing for funds to help pay the costs of his funeral.
Please send your donations in the form of a check to: Reginald Ross Memorial Fund, c/o Secretary-Treasurer Farless Dailey, ILWU Local 10
400 North Point St San Francisco, CA 94133  (415) 776-8100.