The union in late July moved its operations from the old hall in San Francisco to a new facility in nearby Oakland, Calif., where it hosted a ceremonial grand opening Aug. 17. Members didn’t take long to warm up to the new building, located at 1121 7th Street in Oakland.
“This move benefits the members,” said Recertified Bosun Robert Natividad. “It’s a very nice hall and very convenient to the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) and bus systems. It’s outstanding.”
“Everything about it is more efficient, more modern,” said GUDE/Wiper Melvin Ratcliff. “I really like it. I live maybe 10 minutes away.”
AB Peter Koucky immediately noticed one key difference between the Oakland hall and the old building on Fremont Street, which the union had occupied since 1980. “The new hall is well-lit,” he said. “The other one didn’t have much lighting. There’s lots of windows here.
“It’s also much cleaner,” Koucky added. “It seems well laid-out and I think it’s an improvement. So far, so good.”
AB Mohsin Ali said, “The hall is in a good location, easy to get to with BART and the buses. It’s a good convenience for us.”
Other members also noted the Oakland hall’s close proximity to the waterfront—it is located within easy walking distance of the Matson pier.
The Oakland hall contains two stories plus a basement and is roughly 17,000 square feet. The facility is 60 years old but during the past few years has undergone major refurbishment, including structural reinforcements and recent interior construction and upgrades ordered by the SIU.
As previously reported, the hall offers more than 30 parking spaces next to the building, with additional parking nearby. It includes a media room for rank-and-file members featuring a television and high-speed internet hookups; a classroom for off-site training; meeting and conference rooms and other amenities.
Approximately 150 people attended the grand opening, including SIU officials President Mike Sacco, Executive Vice President Augie Tellez and Secretary-Treasurer David Heindel as well as representatives from other maritime unions, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Marine Corps. Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown sent a welcoming proclamation that was read aloud to the audience.
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