May 1, Interview - On this May Day, port workers plan boycott work to protest the war in Iraq. With 24,000 union workers along the US West Coast, against the wishes union leaders, rank and file workers plan to use what they call their biggest leverage, a work stoppage to tell Democratic leaders that the war has gone on long enough.

I spoke with Clarence Thomas, Executive Board Member of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 10 and co-chair of the Port Workers May Day Organizing Committee.

"People in Iraq have been devastated by this war. Thousands of lives lost in the United States, over a million lost in Iraq. Millions displaced.

Billions of dollars that should be diverted to domestic spending, for jobs, infrastructure, Health Care and so forth. So, our members have gotten tired of waiting for the Democrats to solve the problem, and we're taking action in the workplace."

"We believe that it is important for workers to be able to understand the historic struggle and sacrifice that was made in order for us to have the 8 hour work day. And it also ties in to our militancy and social justice activism as working people and trade unionists. So that's the reason we're doing it on May Day.

"When you take action in the workplace, that's where workers can really exercise their political muscle. Because simply by writing resolutions, and adapting them, and being out in the streets, even if there are millions of people out in the streets, that's just a rally.

So in order to really make an impact, where elected officials, and the corporate sector will pay attention, then you need to take action where you work. And we believe that by not working we'll be able to make a very strong statement."

That was Clarence Thomas, Longshore Union member and organizer of the work boycott.

additional related video:

Clarence Thomas announces the intention of a May Day work strike:

Footage from the ILWU May Day strike, and rally: