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ILWU Members Pitch in to Help Samoan Tsunami Survivors |
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After the recent tsunami in Samoa and American Samoa, members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) helped provide aid in a big way. When members of the Samoan community in Southern California asked union workers if they would help send a massive shipment of tsunami relief supplies to the two islands, the workers did what union members do best: They came together to help those in need. The Sept. 29 tsunami killed more than 200 people. Thousands of Samoans are homeless and hundreds are injured.
The ILWU members volunteered to donate their time to load 15 containers of supplies for the tsunami victims. Union officials, led by ILWU President Robert McEllrath, worked with industry leaders to secure donated containers and to get the shipping company to waive the $45,000 fee that is ordinarily charged for such a load. The ship left for the islands Oct. 14.
George Malauulu, a member of ILWU Local 13 whose parents live in Samoa, helped organize the volunteer effort. He says that even in these lean times when work at the docks is down by about 20 percent from last year, “We’ve gotten even more help from the longshoremen than we’d asked for.”
The union, the shippers, the community-based groups, volunteers from around the community and the country [responded]—before you knew it, our shared passion turned a little pebble into a big boulder.
The 15 containers have a total capacity of 23,525 cubic feet and each is filled to the brim with nonperishable food, water, clothing, medical supplies, household goods and other items donated from around the country.
If you want to send supplies or make a donation to help the tsunami survivors, visit the Samoa Disaster Relief Coalition for American Samoa and Samoa website here.
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