Defend the Charleston Five

These five men are scheduled to go on trial in South Carolina on November 14th. They face five years on felony charges for picketing in defense of their jobs.

Elijah Ford, Jr

Ricky Simmons

Peter Washington

Jason Edgerton

Kenneth Jefferson
(left to right)

They are the Charleston Five.

For defending their jobs, four members of overwhelmingly African American Local 1422 of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and one member of ILA local 1771 face possible five-year prison sentences on felony charges. Local 1422 is a backbone of the Black community in Charleston, South Carolina – a source of stable, well-paid jobs and an engine of organized political power. The Local played a key role in the historic march to demand removal of the Confederate battle flag from the South Carolina State Capitol.

Days after that march, on January 20, 2000, the State of South Carolina attacked a peaceful Local 1422 picket line, with 600 riot police aided by dogs, horses, armored vehicles and helicopters. In addition to the criminal charges, the company that was picketed is suing Locals 1422 and 1771, along with 29 Union members, for $1. 5 million in financial losses from the incident. For well over a year and half, the Charleston Five were under house arrest, confined to their homes from 7 pm to 7 am unless at work or a Union meeting. Political pressure from an international campaign freed them from this restriction just in time for the trial.

Some 7000 labor and anti-racist activists rallied in the capital of South Carolina on June 9 to demand that all charges be dropped. Dockers and other maritime workers, backed by the AFL-CIO and a host of labor and community groups, have pledged an International Day of Action on the first day of the trial, now set for November 14th, and are asking everyone to join in the mobilization. Legal bills for the longshore workers and their Locals have already been over $350,000.

Puget Sound Charleston Five Defense Committee • c/o ILWU Local 19 • 3440 E Marginal Way S • Seattle, WA • 98134 For information, please call 206-448-1870 ( Please make checks payable to: Dockers Defense Fund)