In 1997 then Oakland mayoral candidate Jerry Brown supported and joined the picket line against the Neptune Jade ship from Liverpool. Today as mayor, the mayor supported the police shooting of peaceful picketers and longshoremen as "justified".  So much for principles.

From Chris Bailey chrisbailey@socialrights.org

On Sept 30th 1997, Jerry Brown sent me this message:

"Tonight several dozen activists and members of the ILWU, Local 10 stood out in front of Berth 23 as a ship from Liverpool stood idly in the harbor. The company has tried for three days to get the ship unloaded but without success. The pickets walked in front of the road leading to the ship and the ILWU refused to cross the picket line. An arbiter was called in an ruled that the picket line raised "health and safety" issues and therefore the union members would not be forced to cross the line and go to unload the ship.

The spirits were high and some activists pledge to return early tomorrow morning and the next day to keep the pressure on--all in solidarity with your efforts in Liverpool to get your union jobs back. The management received a court injunction at 5pm today, which was then passed out to the picketers. After awhile the police left and the pickets remained, so the workers were sent home for this shift. It is a bit of a cat and mouse game, but people here in Oakland are up for the battle.

Jerry Brown
Governor of California, 1975-1983"

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On October 21 he sent a message to the ILWU:

The following message was received by the ILWU from Oakland's mayor-elect Democratic and Labor Rights in the Global Economy" on Oct. 21 and 22. The forums are sponsored by ILWU Local 10, the Neptune Jade Defense Committee (formerly the Liverpool Dockers' Defense Committee) and the University of California at Berkeley Center for Research and Education.

To: ILWU
Fr: Jerry Brown
Re: 10/21 meeting
Congratulations on your efforts to advance and protect the right of working people to join in solidarity. Free speech is the cornerstone of a democratic society.

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According to your article in the Opinion section of the Journal of Commerce Oct.8, 1998:Defending workers' rights by Jack Heyman

"PMA even sought, unsuccessfully, to compel Laney College to "name names" of students in its Labor Studies Club, whose banner was seen at one demonstration. Yet Oakland Mayor-elect Jerry Brown, who has stated at public rallies that he picketed, hasn't been sued."

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Neptune Jade Defense Committee Public Announcement
November 30, 1998

"The case gained widespread support from dockworkers' unions the world over, as well as from Oakland mayor-elect Jerry Brown, himself a demonstrator."

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Report of Oakland Rally
Sat, 28 Feb 98

"Speakers included everyone from striking Liverpool Dockers, Spanish Dockworkers, and various ILWU members to Jerry Brown, Alexander Cockburn, and Ignacio De La Fuente (Oakland City Councilman). Speakers and demonstrators urged the PMA to drop its lawsuit against the picketers and to respect the rights of free speech, free assembly, and the right of workers to picket. Demonstrators wore stickers proclaiming, "I picketed the Neptune Jade" and signed letters asking Miniace, head of the PMA to sue them as well. Essentially if Miniace and the PMA want a witch-hunt, they're gonna have to hunt a great many witches."

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No Dispatcher documents for PMA
ILWU wins another round in Neptune Jade case
By Steve Stallone
The Dispatcher, September 1998

"When the judge asked Lynch if he had looked for other sources for the information he wanted or had conducted other depositions to try to find it, Lynch replied that only the ILWU had the information and that he couldn't conduct meaningful depositions without it. Le pointed out the absurdity of this position by simply saying that Oakland Mayor-elect Jerry Brown had walked the picket line and made public statements that he had, and yet PMA had made no attempt to question or subpoena him."