Vol. 76/No. 28      July 30, 2012

Below is a message from Byron Jacobs, former secretary-treasurer of International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 21 in Longview, Wash., and leader of an eight-month-long fight against union busting by EGT Development there.

I met James Harris when he came to Longview for the rally during the trial of union president Robert McEllrath. What impressed me about him was first, he is a worker. Also he is very knowledgeable about the issues today and he has many of the same concerns I do. I read the campaign brochure and I also met Maura DeLuca when she was campaigning here. Meeting these candidates who come here and talk with us means a lot more to me than seeing some candidate on TV.

It seems like politics today is about money. You only get to shake Obama’s hand if you won a championship or donated a big campaign money sum. These smaller lesser known candidates are doing what politics was supposed to be when our country started. A grassroots campaign, meeting with real everyday people and finding out their problems and issues and seeing if they can help bring all the little voices to be one big voice. Because of work I can’t be there but I wanted to say good luck in the campaign!

Byron Jacobs
Longview, Wash.
 
 
Related articles:
‘Workers can organize and fight independent of bosses’
SWP candidates join labor, social struggles  
 
 
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