...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
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DEADLINE: Friday prior to publication
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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