Members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union on the US West Ccoast will stop work briefly Tuesday morning to honour George Floyd, the black man killed two weeks ago by Minneapolis, Minnesota police.
The stoppage will last nine minutes — roughly the amount of time officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck and killing him on 25 May — at 9am (1600 GMT).
"Our union has a long history of confronting racism on the job, in our communities and around the world," said the union's international president Willie Adams. "Today we’re joining millions of people who are demanding justice and fundamental change."
Floyd's death touched off worldwide protests and condemnations of racism, from individuals, activist groups and corporations, including Genco Shipping & Trading, Eagle Bulk Shipping and Dorian LPG.
Others have called for reforms to law enforcement, including greater accountability, transparency and for police budgets to be cut and funds directed elsewhere.
Chauvin, who is white, has since been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The three other officers at the scene with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Chauvin's conditional bail was set at $1m on Monday.
Adams' statement took particular aim at police unions, which some unions have blamed for a lack of accountability for police officers.
"Our responsibility in this moment runs deeper than usual because one part of the system that protects the officers involved in Mr. Floyd’s death is a union: the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis," Adams said.
"There’s no place in the labour movement for any leader who defends the kind of depraved act that murdered Mr Floyd."
The head of the Minneapolis police union president Bob Kroll was reportedly accused of wearing a motorcycle jacket with a "white power" patch in a 2007 lawsuit brought by five black officers, including now-chief Medaria Arradondo.
Local media reports say Kroll, a 31-year veteran of the department, has been the subject of 20 internal affairs complaints, including some for aggressive behavior.
In a statement 1 June, he said Chauvin and the other three officers were terminated without due process and that the union was fighting for their jobs.
