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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 5, 2011)
...Port of Longview dispute widens (From Page 1) most no plates were from Washington or Oregon. At one point, Myers said, up to 150 workers from Guatemala were hired for continuous pour construction of the cement grain elevators. The plan was for the facility to be- come operational in time for the fall 2011 U.S. harvest. As construction en- tered its later stages in late 2010, ILWU Local 8 sought a meeting with EGT to discuss terms and conditions of employ- ment. Meeting with Local 21 President Coffman Nov. 23, EGT told him it would have no need of the ILWU’s serv- ices. After Coffman informed Port com- missioners, Port Executive Director O’Halloran e-mailed EGT CEO Larry Clarke Dec. 3 saying that under the lease, EGT must adhere to the Port’s agreement with Local 21 for the types of longshore/ warehousemen jobs which that agreement covers. On Jan. 12, 2011, EGT filed a law- suit against the Port, arguing in the U.S. District Court in Tacoma that it is not bound by the Port’s Working Wage Agreement with the ILWU as spelled out in its lease. In its suit, EGT attor- neys say union labor would increase EGT’s annual costs of operating the el- evator by $1 million. The lawsuit could take years to resolve. On July 18, a fed- eral judge granted ILWU “intervenor” status in the suit. That means ILWU at- torneys may introduce motions and take part in any settlement. EGT continued to meet with ILWU until March, but pushed non-starter pro- posals like 12-hour shifts at straight time pay. As construction neared completion, ILWU geared up to fight to operate the terminal. On June 3, 1,200 ILWU mem- bers from 16 locals rallied at EGT’s downtown Portland headquarters. And the protests began outside the terminal. Then, on July 17, a development took ILWU by surprise: EGT an- nounced that it had signed a five-year deal with Federal Way-based General Construction Co., a subsidiary of Kiewit, to operate the terminal using members of Gladstone, Oregon head- quartered Operating Engineers Local 701. Protests continued at the terminal, but now Local 701 was targeted too. On July 22, about 100 ILWU members and supporters set up a picket line and blocked vehicles from entering the grain facility. On July 24, a powered hang glider flew over the terminal and dropped leaflets. July 27, about 100 ILWU members and a large inflatable rat turned up outside Local 701 head- quarters and blocked the entrance. Local 701 Business Manager Mark Holliday told the Labor Press in an e- mail that the union has had a relation- ship with General Construction for over 90 years. “Our contract is with General Construction. We don’t have an agree- ment with EGT,” he said. ILWU took its case to the Oregon AFL-CIO Executive Board July 29, claiming Local 701 was “aiding and abetting” an employer that the ILWU had a dispute with. “This is a major, major, major battle for us,” ILWU Committeeman Leal Sundet told the Executive Board, ex- plaining that the outcome will have ramifications on future bargaining throughout the West Coast. “We are go- ing all in in this fight.” The Executive Board then passed a resolution submitted by ILWU “strongly condemning” Local 701’s actions. The resolution initially was ruled out of order by President Tom Chamberlain, who de- termined it was a dispute over jurisdic- tion. But the board overturned him and passed it by a wide margin. Holliday is a member of the Oregon AFL-CIO Executive Board, but he did not attend the meeting. Nelda Wilson, assistant to the busi- ness manager of Local 701, told the La- bor Press that the union didn’t know the resolution would be discussed, and was- n’t given a chance to tell its side of the story. “It’s a very complicated issue, and there is a lot of disinformation going around,” Wilson said. “There is a legal process that has to wind its way through the courts. I think we all need to calm down and allow time to sort out the facts here. There is a lot more to come.” The resolution currently is in abeyance until further review by the na- tional AFL-CIO. If the resolution is ruled out of order by the national body it will be nullified. “This is part of EGT’s plan,” Coff- man said. “They want to sit off to the side and let the working classes fight it out. Our fight should be against corpo- rate America that’s taking collective bargaining rights from everybody. They’re sitting back laughing at us. That’s what they want us to do is fight amongst each other.” EE R F BARGAIN COUNTER Free classified ads to subscribers DEADLINE: Friday prior to publication Published 1st and 3rd Fridays Now accepting e-mails Send to: Michael492@comcast.net Mail to: NWLP, PO Box 13150, Portland OR 97213 (Please include union affiliation) • 15-20 words • No commercial or business ads • 1 ad per issue • All lower case (NO CAPITAL LETTERS, PLEASE) • Ads MUST include area code or they will not be published A UTOMOTIVE ‘72 CHEV 3/4-T, 2WD, LWB, 350-8, AT/PS PB/AC, Cheyenne package, straight, runs great, $3,500 cash. 503-568-6159 ‘97 FORD F250, 144k, with Barkow glass rack, runs great, lots of storage, new radio, good tires, clean, $3,000. 541-259-3488 H OUSING YUMA ARIZONA mobile home, 55+ park, $15,000, monthly space rental $300. 360- 256-1449 ROCKAWAY ocean front 503-777-5076 http://home.comcast.net/~rockaway.beach 5 bdrms, 2 bath, best rental on the coast 4-PLEX 4 RENT, 2 bdrm, 1 bath, washer/ dryer hookup, range, dishwasher, fridge, $650/mo. 503-637-5361, avail 8-1 LINCOLN CITY vacation rental, 3 bdrms, 2 bath, $115/night, slps 8, wi-fi, 2 blocks to beach, 4 blocks to casino. 503-804-7976 PINE HOLLOW, 1,780 sq ft, 24x36 car- port, .660 acre, airstrip, lake across the street, $325,000. 541-544-2288 ROCKAWAY BEACH rental, 3 bed, 2 bath, sleeps 10, Jacuzzi, 5 min to beach/shops. Vacationhomerentals.com/43026. M ISCELLANEOUS V-ELECTRIC motor, 5hr BulDor single phase, 3450 RPM, $395. 503-643-6897 (Dale) 5” CAST IRON jointer w/adjustable fence, heavy duty stand, $75. 503-649-5882 2 FIRESTONE TRACTOR tires and 8-lug wheels, 12.4x24, $350; heavy duty ro- totiller, 5’4” wide, $1,200. 1-541-468-2961 S PORTING G OODS ’99 34-FT MOTORHOME, Dutchstar by Newmar, 36,000 mi, exc cond, Ford Triton V motor, $25,000, Medford. 541-773-6882 1995 HARLEY Dyna-Wide Glide and 2002 Harley Dyna-Defender, $7,000 each, obo. Russ, 503-844-9164 NORDIC TRACK CXT 910, reflex-step, excellent condition, used very little, $250 OBO. 503-761-1106 FINBEAR 7MM mag rifle w/2.7 Lepold scope, tooled leather sling, very slight rub in bluing at end of barrel, $1,995. 541-267- 7940 ‘American Made’ in the Northwest 2006 TW 200 Yamaha motorcycle, 4k, $2,600. 541-544-2030 KIMBER MODEL 82C, .22 rifle, 1 of 600 high grade wood, box, manual, rings, everything that goes with it, $1,295. 503- 894-2126 ELECTRIC DOWNRIGGER Cannon digi- troll II w/boat mount and ball, $400. 503- 252-2136 32’ 1967 TOLLYCRAFT, $5,500. 503-774- 5488 W ANTED OLD WOODWORKING tools, planes, lev- els, chisels, handsaws, slicks, adzes, wrenches, folding rulers, leather tools, tool chests. 503-659-0009 COLLECTOR PAYS cash for older toys, older oil paintings and older American art pottery. 503 703-5952 SILVER COINS, US and Canadian, 1964 and older dimes, quarters, half-dollars and dollars for top silver prices. 503-806-6287 MOTORCYCLES, quads, scooters, boats, mini bikes, riding lawn mowers, VWs, gui- tars, cash paid, will pick up. 503-880-8183 COLLECTOR wants German, Japanese & American military items, swords, uni- forms, bayonets, rifles, pistols,etc. 503- 852-6791 DISHWASHER. 503-252-4151 SCRAP LEAD to make fishing weights, re- tired and need something to keep my wife happy – me working again! 503-806-6287 USED 1X8 CEDAR fence board, 5’ to 6’ long. 503-761-0003 F OR T HE H OME BEDROOM SET, French provincial style, twin bed frame, 6-drawer dresser w/tilt mir- ror, night stand, padded chair, $450 obo. 503-753-1714 Industrial/ Commercial Painters needed immediately (OR-SW Washington) We are currently seeking Industrial and Commercial Painters with veri- fiable documentation of 5 years ex- perience. UNION BENEFITS include: · Family Medical & Dental · Pension · Life Insurance · Education/Training Provided Driver’s License w/insurance required. Drug testing Call Bud or Jeff at 503 262-5343 and we will schedule a time to meet with you. Mon-Fri 9:30-7:30 Sat 9:30-5:30 Sun 12-6 PAGE 10 NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS AUGUST 5, 2011
