Charlerston 5

By Maritime Union of Australia

Some 7,000 unionists and activists converged on Columbia, South

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The Charleston 5, members of the International Longshoremen's Association are facing felony rioting charges punishable by up to five years in prison. They are Kenneth Jefferson, Elijah Ford, Peter Washington Jr, Ricky Simmons and Jason Edgerton..

With the long-delayed trial now expected to begin in November, protesters assembled in Memorial Park and were warmed up with a few speeches. Then in the steaming heat they marched to the state capitol, led by Charleston Local 1422 President Ken Riley, AFL-CIO Vice President Linda Chavez-Thompson, International Longshoremen's Association President John Bowers and ILWU President Jim Spinosa.

They came from Canada and around the US from New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Savannah, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Detroit, Cleveland and Chicago.

ILWU marchers performed their routines along the parade route, drawing cheers and cameras even though the police confiscated their decorative cargo hooks, claiming they could be used as weapons.

South Carolina AFL-CIO President Donna DeWitt, who organised the rally, welcomed the demonstrators: "We're here to tell Attorney General Charles Condon to free the Charleston Five!" she said. The crowd picked up the chant.

DeWitt then introduced Ken Riley, who offered a message to the Attorney General: "Charlie Condon, take a good look, take a very good look, because we are well connected."

Then, emphasising Riley's point, AFL-CIO Vice President Linda Chavez-Thompson took the microphone and pledged the entire American labour movement's support for the Charleston Five.

She was followed by ILA President John Bowers: "If the shipping companies can get away with it here, it's just the start of destroying the labour movement," he said.

"Shut the ports down!" the crowd chanted

Then came ILWU President Jim Spinosa pledging his union's support of the ILA."

ILWU Vice President Bob McEllrath quickly took the microphone after Spinosa. "Brothers and sisters, my speech will be short, but our fight for the labor movement will go on forever," he said, presenting Riley with a check for the legal defence fund.

Bjorn Borg, president of the Swedish Dockworkers Union, came to represent the International Dockerworkers Council:"If the Charleston Five are not set free, that day will not go unnoticed in ports around the world."

The high point of the rally came when movie star Anne-Marie Johnson, representing the Screen Actors Guild, introduced family members of the Charleston Five. By advice of their attorneys, Elijah Ford, Peter Washington, Kenneth Jefferson, Rich Simmons and John Edgerton did not attend the rally. But on stage family members held up large, poster-size photos of them and gave emotional testimonials to the men who have been enduring the punishment of house arrest for 17 months.

Said Franklin Washington, son of Peter Washington: "He taught me that if I fall, get up and try again."

Ashley Ford, the 13 year-old daughter of Elijah Ford, told how her father is unable to be active in her life, not allowed to attend simple parents' meetings or watch her cheerlead at school basketball games.

Throughout the afternoon activists circulated petitions calling on South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges to intervene.

After the rally many of the ILWU members who flew out to South Carolina took the buses back to Charleston with Local 1422 longshore workers. They spent the evening partying and talking about their work and their unions, connecting in a special way that longshore workers around the world do.

An MUA delegation led by MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin attended the ILWU solidarity conference in LA, USA and pledged support for the Charleston 5. "Whether at Liverpool in 1995, Patrick in 1998 or Charleston 2001, international dockworkers and wharfies must stand shoulder to shoulder against this international offensive against us," Crumlin said.

For petitions, solidarity actions & reports www.ilwu.org, www.labournet.net;