Stevedores on the results of their Go-Slow

James Neal

Also at the press conference today were statements by stevedores themselves, as the ones on the ground absorbing the financial blow of B.S.I.’s move to the Big Creek Port. They describe their decision to engage in a go-slow on the sugar barge as a “sacrifice.” And while it resulted in financial losses, they say the action was the only way for them to get the attention they sought.

James Neal, Stevedore

“The reason why we the tek industrial action is because we try mek it out business to sit down and talk, and nobody come talk to we. We even come to unu already with a press conference. We gawn to the Minista, ASR, Port and nobody come. Deh disrespect the Union. Nobody come. So, we know we wah lose. So we had to tek industrial action to bring the attention to us. Suh that dah weh part we deh.”

Kenton Blanco, Stevedore

Kenton Blanco

“Stevedores do what they do best to get results. But, when we do, we upset people in hierarchy that make that decision that think that they can cramp us. We sacrifice ourselves when we made that decision to go slow. But, we will live with that sacrifice. We live with our decision. But, I wonder how they sleep at night knowing they take that decision to take millions of dollars out of poor people, black men, I hate to use that term black men. But how to they feel? How do they sleep at night what they look at this press conference and see these brothers are speaking for their right?”