We wish you all a happy, fun and safe Independence Day!
This year, the 4th of July is on Thursday followed by Bloody Thursday on Friday. The terminals in Oakland will be closed both Thursday and Friday in honor of these holidays.
In case you are not familiar with Bloody Thursday, it is an International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) holiday commemorating a waterfront strike during the summer of 1934. After two months of labor unrest, on Thursday, July 5, 1934 violence broke out and three protestors were killed.
These events were the birth of the ILWU, and Bloody Thursday is always recognized on July 5th regardless of the day of week it lands. It is also the only day of the year members of the ILWU will not make themselves available to work.
By the way, we lucked out and avoided another closure this week, which would have been today, July 1st. Organizers planned to protest the war in Gaza at marine and rail facilities across the country today, including the Port of Oakland, of course. Fortunately, they moved the protests to the 4th of July instead.