(Members of the) IWW Environmental Unionist Caucus protests Koch Bros, Chevron, and Crude by Rail

By Karen Hansen - SF Environmental News Examiner, April 28, 2014

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s.

The Environmental Unionist Caucus announced they will protest the Koch Bros PetCoke Facility today Monday, April 28 in Pittsburg; the Chevron Refinery tomorrow Tuesday, April 29 in Richmond; and Crude by Rail at the Union Pacific’s Ozal Train Yard in St. April 30 Martinez, Calif.

Union organizer and environmental activist Elliot Hughes released a statement this morning that his organization would be taking several direct actions over the next 3 days to orchestrate a general strike of the poor, the unemployed, and the working class. “Our goal is the liberation of the people on the planet that is our home. With the increasing amount of industrial disasters, we cannot wait any longer because the health and safety of all workers of the world is on the line.”

Hughes furthered that, "We must reclaim our lives and the land from the ruling class that oppress us every moment. I call on the workers of the world to form a united front and spend this next year to prepare for a global general strike. We build strike support in the form of self-sufficiency and mutual aid, as well as sharing our skills and trades with all. From guerrilla gardening and land reclamation to wildcat strikes and workplace take overs there are many ways to abolish wage slavery and live in harmony with the earth."

In the picture on the top right is from the protest today where Elliot Hughes blockaded the Koch Carbon LLC petcoke facility by U-Locking his neck to the main entrance.

Twitter: @GlobalBreenBan #EarthDayToMayDay #EcoGeneralStrike

Monday, April 28: Protest against the Koch brother’s petcoke facility.

IWW Environmental Unionist Caucus’s Elliot Hughes says his organization charges the Koch Brothers billionaires “have been a major influence in dismantling workers rights, militarizing our borders, corrupting the media, and the destruction of the environment. They heavily fund organizations and
politicians that deny climate change and bust unions."

Reference: The Kochs and Clean Energy Jobs: Figures on the Billionaire Brothers’ Financing Attacks Against Workers and the Environment -

3:00 PM – Marina Walk Park – Pittsburg, Calif.

Tuesday, April 29: Critical Mass and march for the health and safety of workers, the community, and environment.

IWW Environmental Unionist Caucus’s Elliot Hughes claims that “Chevron and PG&E’s lack of transparency and ignorance are a threat to the health and safety of workers, the community, and the environment.”

Hughes noted the PG&E pipeline explosion in 2010 that killed 8 people and destroyed 38 homes. “It was proven that they spiked gas pipeline pressure 10% over the legal, and only inspected corrosion but not welds. Complete documentation is missing for about a quarter of its 1,800-plus pipeline
miles, and many other health and safety issues. PG&E's neglect was so blatant the state is indicting them on 12 charges.

The caucus has been following the reconstruction of the Chevron plant since the major fire there now almost 2 years ago. “They clearly neglected the pipes corroding ignoring warnings from workers and inspectors for over a decade. This fire almost killed 14 refinery workers and sent 30,000 people to seek medical treatment because of air pollution.

• 12:30 PM – Rally at PG&E
• 1:00  PM – Critical Mass to Richmond BART
• 3:00  PM – March from Richmond BART to Chevron

Wednesday, April 30: Picket against health and safety issues from crude by rail.

IWW Environmental Unionist Caucus’s Elliot Hughes states that, “Union Pacific and other railroad companies have been endangering the workers, the community, and the environment by cutting back on health and safety standards and shipping tons of volatile oil through Martinez and the Bay Area every day. The growing amount of crude oil shipments by rail mixed with major deregulation of federal health and safety standards have caused more derailments in 2013 then the past 4 decades.”

The Lac Megantic Derailment (a train derailment that killed 40 people and blew up half of the town) is a perfect example of how railroad companies endanger the workers, the community, and the environment.

The requests of the caucus are as follows:

• (1) All Bakken crude must be 2x inspected; (every 250 miles);
• (2) All Bakken crude be classified as “key” trains; CFR
• (3) All Bakken crude trains be crewed by 4 railroad workers; with
  the caboose
• (4) All Bakken crude be transported in at least T-112 cars with shelf
  couplers
• (5) Cities must pressure the federal government to reintroduce and enforce
  the best Health and Safety standards.
• (6) all cars must be properly marked with signage, numbers, etc.
• (7) No Hazardous materials through populated areas
• (8) No long and heavy trains

5:30 AM – Union Pacific’s Ozol Train Yard – Martinez