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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 4th, 2008 In memory of Dr. King, killed this day in 1968 LONGSHORE WORKER KILLED AT LONG BEACH PORT; CARGO OPERATIONS BROUGHT TO A HALT (LONG BEACH, CA) -- Cargo handling at one of the terminals at America's second busiest port ground to a halt on Friday following the dockside death of Carlos Rivera, 73, a longshore worker with more than 40 years experience on the waterfront. "Longshore work is dangerous, but it doesn't have to be deadly," said International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 13 president Joe Cortez. More than a dozen longshore workers have been killed on the west coast during the past six years. This is the second fatality in Southern California since 2005. "This tragedy affects the entire ILWU family," said Cortez. "Carlos came in to the industry with me." Rivera was working against a ship at the California United Terminal (CUT) at the Port of Long Beach when he was struck and killed. Details on the death are being investigated by port authorities. Union leaders met Friday with officials of the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), the port and terminal operator, to announce that the union will halt operation at CUT for a 24-hour grievement period. The ILWU represents 25,000 longshore workers at 29 west coast ports in California, Oregon and Washington. Rivera becomes the twelfth death on the docks coastwide since the current waterfront contract with the PMA was signed in 2002. In southern California, Rivera's death follows that of foreman Matt Petrasich, killed in a workplace accident on Jan. 31, 2005 at the Evergreen terminal in the adjacent Port of Los Angeles. ## End ## |
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From the Long Beach Press-Telegram April 4, 2008 Wilmington longshoreman crushed by forklift in the Port of Long Beach By Kristopher Hanson Staff Writer LONG BEACH - A 73-year-old longshoreman was killed early Friday after being crushed by a forklift while working at California United Terminals in the Port of Long Beach, officials said. The dockworker, Wilmington resident Carlos Rivera, was fatally injured shortly before 11 a.m. when he was hit by forklift carrying rolls of sheet metal across Berth 34 on the Pier D marine terminal. He was pronounced dead at the scene, said Long Beach Fire Battalion Chief Frank Hayes. Rivera, who had more than 40 years experience on the docks, becomes the second longshoreman killed in Long Beach-Los Angeles since January 2005, according to John Showalter with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. Foreman Matt Petrasich, 63, was killed Jan. 31 of that year while supervising a crew unloading a ship at the Evergreen Terminal in the Port of Los Angeles. Petrasich was discovered dead not long after being apparently struck by a container. Rivera's friend Joe Cortez, who also serves as president of ILWU's Local 13, said he and Rivera began working together more than 40 years ago. "This tragedy affects the entire ILWU family," Cortez said Friday afternoon. "Carlos came in to the industry with me. " A portion of the Cal United terminal was closed Friday for an investigation, and terminal operators agreed to a request by the ILWU to close the terminal for 24 hours out of respect for Rivera's family and co-workers. Officers from Long Beach Police and Harbor Patrol are leading the investigation, Hayes said. |