Anti-war protesters joined longshoremen in a May Day shutdown of West Coast ports. Meeting at the Union Hall May 1, they marched to the Embarcadero in support of the workers’ rights movement and to voice opposition to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Hundreds rallied in support of the planned shutdown and marched to Justin Herman Plaza, where dozens of guest speakers addressed the crowd.

The protest was planned by the West Coast port union members as a collaborated event in light of May Day—International Workers’ Day—to voice dissent by shutting down all West Coast ports for the early half of the day, said Craig Merrilees, communications director for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. The ILWU represents 25,000 workers from San Diego to Seattle.

May Day is traditionally designated to celebrate the achievements of the international labor movement and has grown to encompass a wide spectrum of causes affecting the working class, including immigrant rights, access to public education and medicine, and global military conflicts. Numerous movements reflected such diversity throughout the city last Thursday.

Nearly 200 SF State students conducted a walk-out the same day in opposition to possible fee hikes brought on by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed state budget, and in light of May Day to show support for the various working class movements. However, the students continued their rally via Muni to Dolores Park, separate from the Longshoremen’s event.

Nonetheless, allusions to each other’s cause were frequent among individuals at both events.

“The schools that are most vulnerable are being starved,” said Betty Olson-Jones, president of the Oakland Education Association, referring to planned budget cuts to education. “The budget cuts make immigrants and the poor suffer the most.”

Steve Zeltzer, an SF State alumnus and media organizer for labor support groups, likened the current activism to the historic student strikes in 1968 at SF State, which spawned the College of Ethnic Studies by drawing attention to minorities’ struggles in the educational system.

“This union was supportive of the strike in 1968. I was a library worker during the strike and I worked at the ports during that time,” said Steve Zeltzer, who participated in the strikes on campus.

“These principles, these ideals people were fighting for 40 years ago, are needed today.”

Actor Danny Glover, also an SF State alumnus, spoke at the event and voiced his support on stage for the protest and later commented on his role in the strikes at SF State.

“I was one of the leaders of the strike,” said Glover, explaining how he spent time in jail and organized people for the movement.

“We’re talking about 40 years ago, and that’s how my life has been up till today.”

“It would be good to have the students come down,” said Juan Edwards, a protest supporter at the Longshoreman rally.

“It’s going to pave the way for their future to take this stand. This is the best time for them to do their thing.”

Also among speakers at the Longshoremen’s event was anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, who announced that she would soon be a grandmother.

In praising the event’s turnout, she said, “If we keep being militant like this, maybe my grandson Jonah won’t have to be part of a bullshit war.”