In the days before a planned Occupy shutdown of West Coast ports last December, you might remember reading a series of articles that all talked about a newly opened rift with organized labor—essentially a turf war over labor-port politics that would chip away a vital piece of Occupy's support bedrock.

In Portland, local International Longshoremen and Warehouse Union boss, Jeff Smith, was quoted as harrumphing about the December 12 shutdown in Willamette Week and the Portland Tribune. His public pronouncements were taken as evidence that labor's honeymoon with Occupy had ended. It was noted that occupiers insisted they were still working closely with rank-and-file union members, but almost as an after-thought.

Today, however, those rank-and-file union members came forward in a statement and publicly thanked Occupy for its help in solving the Longview dispute—which came last month only after occupiers continued to plan for another port blockade. So much for a "rift."

From a joint longshore/Occupy statement:

"This is a victory for Occupy in their involvement in forcing negotiations. Make no mistake — the solidarity and organization between the Occupy Movement and the Longshoremen won this contract," said Jack Mulcahy, ILWU officer with Local 8. "The mobilization of the Occupy Movement across the country, particularly in Oakland, Portland, Seattle, and Longview were a critical element in bringing EGT to the bargaining table and forcing a settlement with ILWU local 21."

"West Coast Occupys had already demonstrated their ability to stage such a blockade by shutting down ports along the West Coast on December 12th, as well as the Port of Oakland on November 2nd," said Anthony Leviege, ILWU Local 10 in Oakland. The Occupy Movement shut down ports in order to express solidarity with port truckers and Local 21, as well as responding to a nationally-coordinated eviction campaign against Occupy.

Jeff Smith, of course, is president of Local 8—Mulcahy's local. If there's really rift, maybe it's within the ILWU itself.

Read the full statement after the cut.

Coordinated action by West Coast Occupys proves effective as ILWU
Local 21 ratifies contract

Longview, WA — On Friday, members of the ILWU and the labor community
named the Occupy Movement as key to the settlement reached Thursday
between ILWU Local 21 and the Export Grain Terminal (EGT). The
contract finally provides for the use of ILWU labor in the grain
terminal at the Port of Longview. After staging the December 12 port
shutdowns in solidarity with Local 21, the West Coast Occupy Movement
planned coordinated action together with labor allies for a land and
water blockade of the EGT ship in Longview, should it attempt to use
scab labor to load. Occupys in states where EGT's parent company Bunge
has its growth and operations were also planning actions against the
company on the day of the arrival of the ship.

"This is a victory for Occupy in their involvement in forcing
negotiations. Make no mistake — the solidarity and organization
between the Occupy Movement and the Longshoremen won this contract,"
said Jack Mulcahy, ILWU officer with Local 8. "The mobilization of the
Occupy Movement across the country, particularly in Oakland, Portland,
Seattle, and Longview were a critical element in bringing EGT to the
bargaining table and forcing a settlement with ILWU local 21."

"West Coast Occupys had already demonstrated their ability to stage
such a blockade by shutting down ports along the West Coast on
December 12th, as well as the Port of Oakland on November 2nd," said
Anthony Leviege, ILWU Local 10 in Oakland. The Occupy Movement shut
down ports in order to express solidarity with port truckers and Local
21, as well as responding to a nationally-coordinated eviction
campaign against Occupy.

Negotiations progressed to the point where Longshore workers began
loading the merchant vessel Full Sources on Tuesday. "When any company
ruptures jurisdiction it is a threat to the entire union. The union
jobs wouldn't be back in Longview if it weren't for Occupy. It's a win
for the entire class of workers in the Occupy Movement in
demonstrating their organizational skills," said Leviege.

"It is clear that the port shutdowns on November 2nd and December
12th, and the impending mobilization in Longview, is what made EGT
come to the table. When Governor Gregoire intervened a year ago
nothing was settled — non-ILWU workers were still working in the port.
It wasn't until rank and file and Occupy planned a mass convergence to
blockade the ship that EGT suddenly had the impetus to negotiate."
said Clarence Thomas, an officer of ILWU Local 10. "Labor can no
longer win victories against the employers without the community. It
must include a broad-based Movement. The strategy and tactics employed
by the occupy Movement in conjunction with rank and file ILWU members
confirm that the past militant traditions of the ILWU are still
effective against the employers today."

EGT itself made evident the company's concern about Occupy's role in
the conflict in the January 27 settlement agreement: "The ILWU
Entities shall issue a written notice to The Daily News and the
general public, including the Occupy Movement, informing them of this
settlement and urging them to cease and desist from any actions[...]."

"The Occupy Movement and rank-and-file unionists both within and
outside of our ranks have forced the company to settle, but this is
not over," says Jess Kincaid of Occupy Portland. "Occupy doesn't sign
contracts. We have not entered into any agreements with EGT, nor do we
intend to do so. EGT and its parent company Bunge bribe the government
for military escorts, use slave labor in Brazil and systematically
avoid contributing anything to our social safety net in the US or
abroad. There is no ethic here beyond putting money back in the pocket
of the 1% at the cost of working people and the sustainability of the
earth."

"It was the brave action of members of Local 21 blocking the train
tracks this past summer that inspired the solidarity of the Occupy
Movement up and down the West Coast and around the country. It was not
until Occupy joined together with Local 21 and its labor allies that
the company returned to the table. Governor Gregoire did nothing but
let EGT raid Longshore Jurisdiction until Occupy responded to the call
for support," said Paul Nipper of Occupy Longview.