Open Letter to Teachers and Parents - Support Alcatraz Ferry Workers !

Ongoing, different public school groups have been going on Hornblower Alcatraz Cruises to Alcatraz since well after the Alcatraz cruises Hornblower boycott started and a union sanctioned picket line was set up at Pier 33 to support affected Inland Boatmen's Union (IBU) and Masters, Mates and Pilots (MMP)and longshore workers (ILWU 10). The teachers are often shocked when they turn up with their students to realize that they will be crossing picket lines to get on the boat to Alcatraz. However by that time it is too far late to cancel the field trip and they all end up crossing the line. This has happened with school group after school group. The word has simply not gotten out to many teachers and schools despite various resolutions at local labor councils. With the holidays over, Alcatraz school cruises could easily be starting up again.

Presumably Hornblower is making money on these school cruises. This needs to stop.

IBU,MMP and ILWU really need the support of the various Bay Area teacher's and their unions and parents to nip this phenomenon in the bud by helping locate the field trip committees and /or mechanisms that get these trips organized in the first place. Are there special events committees? Does Hornblower contact schools or school districts with package deals? Do teachers or administrators contact Hornblower? Is it different from school to school? Classroom to classroom? District to district? We really have no idea.

How can United Educators or AFT and concerned parents locate these mechanisms Bay Area wide and stop them? If possible , can currently scheduled trips be canceled and MacRae told why? What to do to facilitate that?

Do IBU/MMP members need to go to Teachers Union meetings? Are their web sites this information can be displayed? School board meetings? (Which I believe meet one or two Tuesdays a month is SF?). Chapter meetings? PTA meetings? Posting a Boycott list/notice on bulletin boards in Teacher Lounges? All of the above and more? How can this be stopped? Not just in SF but Bay Area wide?

IBU/MMPer and those of us volunteering on the solidarity committee will be asking these same questions tomorrow at the San Francisco labor council and asking for teacher's help, but here is a little advance notice.This is a problem throughout the Bay Area. We hope the issue with be raised in the next Alameda Central Labor council meeting (on the 22nd?) also.

This is a serious problem that really needs teacher expertise. All suggestions and information welcome.

In Solidarity, Francesca Rosa member: SEIU 535; member delegate: SF Labor Council Alacatraz Ferry Worker Support Committee

To contact key members and organizers of the IBU/MMP:

Marina Secchitano ibusf (at) pacbell.net 415-896-1224
Regional Director Inland Boatmen's Union

Ray Shipway rshipway(at)bridgedeck.org 415-543-5694
California Branch Agent International Organization of the Masters, Mates and Pilots.

Robert Irminger bobirm(at)sbcglobal.net
Inland Boatmen's Union