WORKERS SET TO STRIKE AT PORT OF OAKLAND, AIRPORT : OAKLAND AP) — About 200 workers are set to begin a 24-hour strike at the Port of Oakland and Oakland International Airport, but the labor action is not expected to affect holiday travel.
Workers represented by the Service Employees International Union were cheduled to walk off the job at 9:30 p.m. Monday to protest alleged unfair labor practices.
SEIU 1021 represents maintenance and janitorial workers employed by the Port of Oakland at the airport and the shipping harbor.
SEIU spokeswoman Anna Bakalis says workers will picket at the airport but have no plans to disrupt air travel. Union members will start picketing at the harbor at 5 a.m. today and hope other port workers will honor the picket line.
Port officials say they are concerned the strike could disruptions at the harbor.
OAKLAND POLICE UNION CRITICAL OF DEPARTMENT BRASS: OAKLAND (AP) — Oakland's police union is criticizing the department's leadership, as a judge gets ready to decide whether to hand control of the force to federal authorities.
In papers filed this month, lawyers for the Oakland Police Officers Association tell U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson that the department's leadership has been ineffective and failed to implement court-mandated reforms.
The reforms stem from alleged civil rights violations by officers.
Henderson is scheduled to hear arguments next month ahead of a decision on whether federal officials should take the department over. Police and city officials are opposed to a takeover, saying they have made progress on reforms.
Attorneys in favor of a takeover disagree.
Henderson has given both sides until Nov. 29 to come up with some areas of agreement.
ALLEGED COLLEGE SHOOTER'S MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATED: OAKLAND (AP) — A judge is scheduled to get an update from psychiatrists on the mental state of the man accused of killing seven people at a small California Christian college.
Alameda County Superior Court Judge Carrie Panetta is expected to hear testimony on Monday afternoon from two psychiatrists who evaluated 43-year-old One Goh. Panetta ordered the evaluations after Goh's public defender said last month Goh refused to speak to him. David Klaus told Panetta that a mental evaluation was necessary to determine if Goh was fit to stand trial.
Goh is charged with seven counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder in the April 2 attack at Oikos University in Oakland.
Authorities say Goh, a former student, planned the shootings after becoming angry over a tuition dispute with school officials. He has pleaded not guilty.