ILWU Blocks A Train Shipment Of Grain As It Battles Against Union-Busting At Port Of Longview

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/Channels/Story.aspx?ID=1462380

7/25/2011
By Doug Cunningham

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 21 is fighting to save union jobs at the EGT Development grain terminal at the Port Of Longview, Washington. Hundreds of ILWU workers blocked a mile-long train from moving grain to the anti-union EGT grain terminal July 14th. About a hundred ILWU members were arrested for criminal trespassing. ILWU Local 21 President Dan Coffman says labor is being attacked all over the country with it starting in Wisconsin and now moving to the west coast. Coffman says the union has worked the dock at Longview for 70 years and won’t let a big, rich corporation come in and just say they will no longer honor the legal agreement to hire ILWU members. According to the port EGT is violating its lease with the Port of Longview by ousting ILWU members to replace them with other workers. The ILWU is joining the Port of Longview in a lawsuit against the owners of the EGT Development grain terminal.