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ilwulocal5.bsky.social
ILWU Local 5
@ilwulocal5.bsky.social
370 followers 260 following 49 posts
Infrequent posting on this account. For regular updates: instagram.com/ilwulocal5
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ilwulocal5.bsky.social
📧 community@ilwulocal5.com
How can you tell Powell’s you want them to fight censorship and defend free speech? Email us at community@ilwulocal5.com and we'll relay your message to Powell's leadership. Let Powell’s leadership know that you don’t support censorship of booksellers; that booksellers’ perspectives and opinions are a valuable part of the independent bookstore experience; and that you appreciate seeing bookseller recommendations that highlight diverse voices, racial justice, and human rights. Many customers don’t think to leave feedback unless they’re angry about something — Powell’s leadership could use the positive reinforcement and reminder that our community values the work booksellers are doing. Note: this is not a call for a boycott; it’s a call for solidarity!
October 4, 2025 at 6:29 PM
ilwulocal5.bsky.social
What has Powell’s leadership been doing lately to fight censorship and defend free speech? September 2025: On an internal platform where booksellers are encouraged to post book-related questions and updates, a bookseller raised concerns about Charlie Kirk's upcoming book being featured on the main page of Powells.com as a "Highly Anticipated" title. Other employees weighed in on the thread, seconding that it was troubling to see Powell's actively platforming someone known for hate speech and influencing policies targeting marginalized groups (to which many booksellers belong), and voicing concerns about how this might make customers from marginalized groups feel Powell’s was no longer a safe “third place.” Powell’s leadership’s response to employee concerns was to delete the thread entirely and post a company-wide announcement that political debates and opinions are not appropriate at work.
October 4, 2025 at 6:29 PM
ilwulocal5.bsky.social
What has Powell’s leadership been doing lately to fight censorship and defend free speech? March 2025: At a town-hall style conversation between employees and upper management, an employee asked owner Emily Powell what actions Powell’s would be taking to stand against censorship. Powell said that when the company has taken action on this issue in the past, it has been in our local community (ignoring the company’s previous involvement with, and donations related to, national Banned Books Week), and that if anything comes up in our community, “we'll look into it.” She confirmed that Powell’s has no plans to be involved in anti-censorship work on a national level.
October 4, 2025 at 6:29 PM
ilwulocal5.bsky.social
What has Powell’s leadership been doing lately to fight censorship and defend free speech? October 2024: Gift buyers were told to discontinue buying all items with swear words by Powell’s leadership, and were told to move all remaining items with swear words to less prominent areas of the sales floor. Emily Powell removed the "Ambition Is a Mental Illness" sticker from the sales floor on a rare store visit. The gift buyer who orders stickers was told they were no longer allowed to buy stickers without oversight. Management suggested that purchasing guidelines were to be created, which as of Fall 2025, has yet to happen.
October 4, 2025 at 6:29 PM
ilwulocal5.bsky.social
What has Powell’s leadership been doing lately to fight censorship and defend free speech? September 2024: While in the process of curating the gift items to be carried for Native American Heritage Month, Powell’s leadership questioned whether or not a MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women) sticker belonged on the display. Powell’s leadership instructed gift buyers to begin "toning down" items they purchase for the stores that contain swear words — without concrete direction as to what specifically should be avoided. Workers were also instructed to de-emphasize these items on displays and fixtures. Some managers took it upon themselves to remove items with swear words from the sales floor entirely.
October 4, 2025 at 6:29 PM
ilwulocal5.bsky.social
What has Powell’s leadership been doing lately to fight censorship and defend free speech? August 2024: After initially receiving manager approval, a gift buyer shared a list of gift items intended for Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month displays with workers on an internal platform. Powell’s leadership then reversed course on their decision and told the gift buyer they would not be allowed to purchase "Abolish ICE" stickers for the stores and instructed the worker to remove their post.
October 4, 2025 at 6:29 PM
ilwulocal5.bsky.social
What has Powell’s leadership been doing lately to fight censorship and defend free speech? April 2024: Management removed On Antisemitism from a Jewish American Heritage display without notice or explanation. Two Jewish workers curated the display. When a worker reached out, management referenced customer complaints to explain the choice, claiming that the situation in Gaza and a heightened awareness of antisemitism made the title an inappropriate inclusion in a display on Jewish heritage. Powell’s leadership also banned a book buyer from writing original book blurbs in an employee-only internal newsletter. The buyer in question was reprimanded for their "voice being overly present" in their business books newsletter, and was told that they could only continue posting if they used publisher copy and none of their own writing.
October 4, 2025 at 6:29 PM
ilwulocal5.bsky.social
What has Powell’s leadership been doing lately to fight censorship and defend free speech? January 2024: A Powell's worker wrote a post for the Powell's blog entitled “Windows and Mirrors into Palestine: Talking about Occupation with Children and Young Adults,” and the blog post was featured in Powell’s Instagram Story. Soon after, the Instagram promotion was removed, and the title and content of the post were heavily edited by marketing management (“Talking About Occupation with Children and Young Adults”), without communicating any information to the social media coordinator, managing editor, or writer of the post. When the worker who wrote the post asked about the changes, they were told the post was edited because it had language that went against a company value that "Everyone belongs in a bookstore."
October 4, 2025 at 6:29 PM
ilwulocal5.bsky.social
These reports, submitted by Powell’s workers to the Powell’s Union Anti-Censorship Committee, are just some of the many received over the past two years. For more info, including what you can do to support Powell’s booksellers, visit tinyurl.com/censorship-at-powells
October 4, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Reposted by ILWU Local 5
jwjpdx.bsky.social
Highlights: Cassandra, who works at Wild Lilac, a Preschool for All Pilot site, reads part of a statement she helped draft as part of their teachers union, @ilwulocal5.bsky.social, "if P4A is paused or eliminated, it will have a catastrophic effect on students, families, and teachers."
Cassandra, teacher at Wild Lilac, ILWU Local 5 member
August 21, 2025 at 10:00 PM
ilwulocal5.bsky.social
We also want to extend gratitude to the @ilwu.bsky.social International Executive Board members for allowing our President, Benjamin Ficklin, to address the IEB last week, and speak to the importance of this Statement of Policy for our members and our community. An injury to one is an injury to all.
August 21, 2025 at 5:07 PM
ilwulocal5.bsky.social
Please join us in welcoming the workers of Child Care Providers United (@ccpucalifornia.bsky.social‬) to ILWU Local 5, and congratulate them on their voluntary recognition! Read our joint press release here: drive.google.com/file/d/1Pt4m... 2/2
2025.07.03.CCPU.Press Release.pdf
drive.google.com
July 3, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Reposted by ILWU Local 5
A reminder that @powells.bsky.social tried something similar back in the day -- and ultimately lost -- in their early battles with @ilwulocal5.bsky.social. RIP Mighty Marty Kruse, and solidarity with Randy Foster! djcoregon.com/news/1999/10...
Powell’s employees, union protest firing
Labor tensions continue to rise at Powell’s City of Books. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 5, which represents Powell’s
djcoregon.com
January 30, 2025 at 1:39 AM