Laney College Instructor Targeted by Shipping Firm: Won't be silenced!

[aanz@xxxxxxxxxx (anzalone/starbird) (by way of Michael Eisenscher <meisenscher@xxxxxxxxxxx>)]

I got a very nervous call today from one of my students, speaking of
actions on behalf of the Liverpool  Dockers; it seems the school
administration where I work is investigating my participation in the picket
for the Liverpool Dockers at Oakland's port. I may be sending out a shout
for help myself come the 14th of October. Seems in a fit of fury over the
Neptune Jade being turned into the Flying Dutchmen once the Oakland ILWU
refused to unload her, her Bosses are going after myself as a picketer.

It seems that the Laney College Labor Studies Dept. was named as a
plaintiff in their unsuccessful attempt to get an injunction against the
menacing picketline down long enough to unload the cargo in Oakland.

 When the cargo was refused everywhere up the coast and they set sail for
Japan the owners then sent a summons to my boss, Peralta Community College
District in a McCartheyesque attempt to jeopardize my position there as an
instructor. (I'm the advisor for the Laney College Labor Studies Club.)

My direct supervisor is a brick of course (Albert V. Lannon) and he's been
told there's some paperwork (lawsuit for damages against the school?) he
will get copies of shortly that require me to appear in Superior Court
(Oakland) 10/14 at 10 am.

There's no serious legal threat I don't suppose, provided we get a judge
with a working familiarity of the first amendment of the constitution, but
I will be asking the teacher's union to send in a lawyer. The real
motivation seems to be to get the school bureacrats scared enough to give
me a second look before I get offered work next semester. (We teacher part
timers have no job security semester to semester, our teacher's union,
still suffering the legacy of Shanker, has a pretty weak history for the
part timers.)

In the U.S. baseball jargon, we call that a brush back; the pitcher throws
a fastball capable of causing a concusion to the batters head, to move him
away from the plate, and into a position from which scoring is impossible.
Clearly the bosses think that the can persecute the community solidarity
folks and "send a message" that they will retaliate in the future as a way
of keeping others from positioning themselves to score one for the
Liverpool Dockers.

I think this tactic will serve them ill. In fact I intend to make a point
of it. I will be calling on everybody to help of course. I may need others
to show up in court 10/14 if indeed they try to preceed with this farce,
and I cheerfully intend to find a lawyer to countersue for damages, if I
suffer so much as broken toenail. I regret I may also have to ask those of
you who are already overcommitted to write letters of support etc., to the
school. If you have heard of this tactic being employed elsewhere on the
pickets in other areas, please let me know.

At the moment I just want to send the word that I MAY need help. Until I
know more I don't want to causes any panic. But I'll keep you posted as
more is revealed.

Ellen Starbird, Laney College Labor Studies Program (510)
464-3210