Longshore Union Member Threatens News Videographers

[Logical]

Not a good representative of most union members. His union brothers should of pulled his dumb ass inside much earlier. I understand asking them to leave the property, but his verbal abuse and bad language does not help the cause.

This is from "Photography is not a crime" blog which is a great site for exposing harassment of photographers. I read it weekly. Great stuff about police abuse a lot of the time.

===============================================================

A months-long standoff between union members and a grain terminal in Washington turned violent this week with union members storming the terminal, damaging railcars, cutting brake lines, smashing windows and even dragging a security guard from his car before driving it into a ditch.

So it’s not surprising that a union member threatened a KGW television news crew Friday who had come to the union’s headquarters to get their side of the story.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union member threatened to have the journalists arrested on trespassing charges while grabbing one of their cameras and insulting them with a long tirade of profanities.

http://www.pixiq.com/article/longshore-union-member-threatens-news-videographers

[leftstreet]

1. A Longshoreman swearing. I'm shocked

You may not realize it, but the assholes at KGW tv have gone above and beyond to paint the strikers in the worst possible light.

Fuck em

[Logical]

3. And you wonder why people have issues with unions. If you are justifying....

his behavior then I assume you are not in the PR business.

[leftstreet]

33. I wasn't wondering 'why people have issues with unions.' But thx for sharing yours n/t

[white_wolf]

34. Well I guess we know what side you're on.

[Occulus]

53. We don't need PR, dear

We have the ability to just shut shit down.

Do you not get that?

[Claudia Jones]

54. well, they got their shot, didn't they?

KGW has been notoriously inflammatory with their anti-union coverage. We have no idea what all went on that led to them being able to get that footage. I don't see this footage anywhere at the KGW website, so management there must not think that the events were as portrayed in the youtube viral campaign against the workers or they would be doing a story on it. (They may yet - I don't know. But that is the point - we don't know.)

The TV crew may well have provoked this and whoever released it to the Internet may have edited out any evidence of provocation by the news crew.

[readmoreoften]

73. Actually, I'm not in the PR business.

[Starry Messenger]

4. +1

These are workers, not yuppie flacks.

[Logical]

7. So "workers" behave like that? Really. I don't know any at my job.

[Starry Messenger]

8. Do you get filmed while you're on strike a lot?

[Logical]

12. I was on strike as a member of the Communication Workers of America.....

and actually did talk to the local TV press. And did not use the word "Cocksucker" once. Neither did any of my co-workers.
It's called being polite.

[Starry Messenger]

16. Well, you've obviously made up your mind.

The blogger who posted this likes this kind of drama, actually. He's a DUer. People who are anti-union wouldn't support the union even if they were sweet as pie, so the argument "this is why people don't support unions" always sounds fishy to me. People don't support unions because they are brainwashed by media.

[Logical]

24. Well, some people are union bigots, but lets face it......

expecting everyone to support EVERY union action is just plain unrealistic.

I don't support every liberal groups actions. I am pro animal rights but hate PETA and their blood throwing crap.

If you think guys like this, who I am sure was a rouge idiot who walked outside on his own, is a good member to have in front of the press then I disagree with you.

[Starry Messenger]

28. I expect a certain benefit of the doubt for unions from liberals.

I hope you will be just as diligent following up the story to see its basis. The comments on that blog are attracting right wing crap, right on cue.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

30. Some of what Carlos wrote was disappointing, but many of the comments were shocking

May be it was because the cop unions protecting members who are often the stars of events posted there.

[readmoreoften]

72. I find it seriously hard to believe you were ever on strike.

The brother was agitated, but there's no reason to attack a union member on a national public forum in the name of "concern" for unions. Misguided at best.

[Broderick]

74. We all have our moments

They are exploiting to protect big corps. And editing history for the benefit of dollars. It's fucking sick

[white_wolf]

6. +1.

I'm sorry if they don't speak politely enough for some people, I doubt those people have to deal with the conditions the Longshoreman do.

[Logical]

9. There are many workers, from trashmen to roofers who deal with much worse conditions. And do not....

act like that. Don't categorize all union workers with this idiot.

[H2O Man]

45. I agree.

Political/social communications need to be conducted on numerous levels. There is a need for -- for lack of better terms -- speakers who reach "polite" audences, and speakers who reach those who speak a slightly different language.

Another thing: there were people who thought that Martin Luther King, Jr., sounded frightening, until they heard Malcolm. That range of speakers reaches various audiences very differently.

[socialshockwave]

2. and MANY DU'ers state how they're in solidarity with these vandals.

There's "workers rights" and "worker's solidarity" and then there's banditry and hooliganism.

[white_wolf]

5. Well we know which side your on.

Let me make this clear. There is class warfare. You have to choice, the working class or the ruling class.

[Zywiec]

17. You're either with us, or against us

I wonder where else that black and white thinking has been used.

[white_wolf]

18. I stand with the working class. If that's too extreme then so be it.

"A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice."-Thomas Paine.

[Zywiec]

23. I stand with the working class too,

but that doesn't mean always defending everything we do without question.

[socialist_n_TN]

44. When in doubt, I support the working class

even, maybe ESPECIALLY, when they're not "polite". They're justifiably angry. So am I. But I'm a commie, so there's no DOUBT who's side I'm going to be on.

[Claudia Jones]

57. that is not the point

You are confusing two things here, as are several other posters. Picking and choosing when and if you are going to stand with the union is not support. Supporting the union does not mean that you necessarily personally like everything each member may do or say.

[Claudia Jones]

55. silly

Just because Bush was wrong when he said that, it does not mean that everyone is wrong when they choose sides, does it?

[awoke_in_2003]

19. Unions in this country...

have been getting shafted for 30 years, and people wonder why they might be a bit upset?

[white_wolf]

20. Exactly. They've been polite and taken this crap enough.

[awoke_in_2003]

26. I truly believe...

that if labor had to come back to power today, the average American wouldn't be able to stomach it. People bled and died for a lot of comforts we enjoy in the workplace today. And labor (in those days) gave as well as they took. One day, though, they will have to rise again- eventually Americans will get some sense about them.

[readmoreoften]

70. Are these "vandals" as bad as the feminists you were complaining about earlier?

By the way, this isn't a website for the Fascist Party, in case you were wondering. If you identify with the Democrats, then the Democrats may be turning the corner from politically bankrupt to harboring dangerous thugs in its ranks.

[pintobean]

10. This has been all over

the right wing blogs for days. We don't really need their propaganda here.

I'm just letting you know, without any accusations.

[socialshockwave]

11. I'm not a friggin' right-winger. I know you weren't accusing me

but because I disagree with 90% of this forum doesn't make me a Koch spy or infiltrator.

[white_wolf]

14. When you call workers vandals and hooligans it makes people wonder

because those are right-wing talking points.

[pintobean]

15. That wasn't directed at you

It was a reply to the OP. I certainly don't think he's a right winger.

[Claudia Jones]

59. no, it doesn't

However, if as you say, you "disagree with 90% of this forum," don't then be surprised or complain if you run into some disagreements and get called upon to defend and support your views.

[readmoreoften]

71. First you are anti-feminist, now anti-union. Why are you here exactly?

How exactly are your views to the left of the Tea Party?

[Logical]

13. I posted it based on being from the PINAC site. Sorry if a repost.

[marmar]

21. These poorly disguised anti-union threads are getting tiresome.

:boring:

[Logical]

25. Then report the post. Let's make sure we lock any post that we do not 100% agree with. Very...

liberal of you!

[Luminous Animal]

41. Zero indication that the person you responded to had any intention of reporting your post.

Why the baseless insult?

[Le Taz Hot]

79. Wow!

You disagree with 90% of what is on here but yet you're here. So far, on this thread, you're up to at least 3 right-wing talking points. "How very liberal of you" is an OLD one usually in response to why we're not tolerant of, say, racists.

[boston bean]

22. glad to see it. People finally getting pissed off enough.

hope to see more of it.

No violence, as there was none here.

The railroad strikes at the turn of the century were a lot like this.

let's hope it brings on a new era. It's a fight for decent wage and living.

[WillyT]

27. Oh, It Will Get Much Worse, If It Doesn't Get Better Real Soon...

Like the President Said... "But know this: the next election is fourteen months away. And the people who sent us here – the people who hired us to work for them – they don’t have the luxury of waiting fourteen months."

:shrug:

[ProgressiveProfessor]

29. I saw that as well

Really disappointing, both in what happened and at Carlos' write up and comments

[SnakeEyes]

31. Just an FYI

Some of you dont seem to understand that this battle is between two unions.

[white_wolf]

32. No, this is a struggle between the workers and their employers.

The Operating Engineers involved are acting as scabs, taking jobs that the ruling class offers to pit them against other workers.

[SnakeEyes]

46. Oh I see

So a union is really only a union if you say so.

[Claudia Jones]

61. so you do know then

From this remark I suspect that you do know the full story and are intentionally misleading people here. Shame on you.

[socialist_n_TN]

65. Here's a primer on this situation

from 6 weeks or so ago.

http://www.workerspower.net/ilwu-battling-back-on-longview-ports

[Claudia Jones]

76. excerpt

Under capitalism militant workers need to realize that just about any serious action they take to benefit themselves to the detriment of the owners will be considered “illegal.” This includes making most strikes illegal (including political ones), to legalizing union busting and the raiding of pensions and plotting health-care plan cuts, all contrary to union contracts. It’s generally legal when the owners act against the workers and, conversely, illegal for the workers to act against the owners. This is the reality of the current system, where both political parties, principal laws, government executive positions, and all of the judiciary are set up to be on the side of capital. All the more reason to take up the struggle in whatever fashion is necessary to win and not rely on the bosses’ government to side with us.

At the same time, workers should never pit battle against one another for the meager jobs on offer from the bosses. The actions of the leadership of the Operating Engineers are disgraceful, and they should immediately retract their collusion with EGT and take up struggle with their brothers and sisters in the ILWU for their rights to work on the ports and for an immediate public-jobs program to provide work for everyone who is looking but cannot find it.

For the unions to truly represent and defend the wider working class (regardless of union affiliation or not) against exploitation and austerity, then they not only have to continue prosecuting such actions on a localized basis but extend and coordinate them all across the country; and they must drop all attempts to pursue their own sectional interests at the expense of our common struggle against capitalism. Militant and, yes, illegal acts will be required to stem the assaults of bosses on the rest of us. The ILWU have shown that they are prepared to take whatever steps are necessary to win; we need more of this from the rest of organized labor today.

[socialist_n_TN]

82. You're welcome to check us out Claudia

:) We're small and not mighty, but at least we know whose side we're on.

[Claudia Jones]

60. no it is not

You may not know the full story, or you may. If not, learn it. If so, shame on you.

Management is playing one union off of the other.

[Generic Other]

35. Here's VIDEO of what happened earlier VERY IMPORTANT to have the whole story

August 29, 2011: This disturbing video shows an unidentified driver plowing a large vehicle through a nonviolent worker demonstration at the EGT grain facility at the Port of Longview, Washington. The car appears to speed up as it strikes two of the workers. One of the workers is pushed several feet as the car continues moving, and the driver doesn't slow down or render aid. The driver of the vehicle has not been arrested for assaulting the workers, for failing to render aid or for leaving the scene of an accident.

EGT is a joint venture of Bunge, STX Pan Ocean, and Itochu. EGT has contracted with General Construction Company, employer of Operating Engineers Local 701, to do the work that is the long-established jurisdiction of the men and women of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 21.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zrK9LL9UyM&feature=related

What you are seeing is a scab or EGT management type purposely ramming into strikers. No arrests. No charges. No investigations.

[Starry Messenger]

36. Knew it.

Thank you. :thumbsup:

[marmar]

38. Ahh, thanks for some context.

nt

[Luminous Animal]

42. Thank you. It should also be pointed out that the news video has been edited.

If we were able to see the full video, we might have some context to that man's vitriol.

[Claudia Jones]

62. yes indeed

That video was clearly edited. I can't find it on the KGW website, which would mean that management did not find this to be "news." I suspect that the union members were provoked until the crew could get the footage they wanted.

[Odin2005]

37. RW anti-Labor propaganda. Unrec.

[sabrina 1]

39. The Multi National Corps who got tax exemptions

to be allowed to operate here, got those breaks with the understanding they would hire the Longshoremen. But as soon as they got their feet on the ground, they betrayed the workers.

Worse, they are bringing in their own 'security' Corps whose job apparently is to track 'terrorists' to 'protect' them from American workers. Where is the outrage?

This is a WAR, no question about it anymore, it's not hyperbole to say so. And it's not just on the Longshoremen, it's on all AMerican workers. It is what they have been doing in third world countries for decades, now they are doing it in America. Like BP. Remember how they would not allow citizens onto their own beaches? They bring their own armies with them.

The Headlines SHOULD be the real story of what caused all of this, but where are those headlines in the MSM?

THIS, a guy finally losing it after how many months of betrayal and his family's livlihood being stolen by a Multi National gang of thugs, THIS is the headline!!!

The MSM strikes again! As always on behalf of the Corporations! Who cares if a guy loses his temper? I wish everyone in America would start waking up and losing theirs.

It is going to be up to the people to get the truth out. Clearly these Global Corps have enough money and power to control the press.

We don't need an invading army to invade this country. These MultiNational Corps with their own armies of mercenaries are doing it WITH the permission of our elected officials.

If they want to do business here, then they better start respecting the American workiers whose taxes pay for that property they are parking their business on.

This story needs wide publication, I mean the REAL story, not a guy who got a bit upset and rightly so. What is our media doing? Why have they published headlines using inflammatory words, like 'violence' wrt to the Workers but NOTHING about the violence against them, like the ramming of workers with a truck recently which nearly killed two of them.

So sick of this. And the Useful Idiots on the Right, who cannot think beyond 'left bad' 'right good' are as usual on the side of the invaders of this country. They've been waiting for a revolution, well the invaders are here and they are attacking their Fellow Americans and they are SIDING with them. Unbelievable.

[Matariki]

40. I spoke to someone who was there, and as usual the media exaggerated things

specifically the violence and 'holding security guards hostage'.

[DrunkenBoat]

51. +1. The claim that anyone was held hostage has been retracted; it came

from the Longview police chief.

The security people who were supposedly held hostage said they were neither threatened nor held hostage.

But people & media just keep repeating it as though it were Gospel.

[Luminous Animal]

43. Why haven't KGW released the full video? What's in the edited parts?

We get a hint that the union guy may have been threatened at one point but without the full video, it is reckless to make a judgment about this.

[pennylane100]

47. There is an amazing amount of hypocricy in the some of the posts on this thread tonight.

I know this will earn me a lot of insults but here goes.


First I must point that I am now and always have been a strong supporter of unions. I think they are the one thing that ensures the survival of the middle class in this country. I have worked in their "get out the vote" events and always honor picket lines. That being said, I watched the tape of the union guy asking the TV crew to leave their offices and he sounded like a really loud mouth obnoxious bully.


That in itself does not bother me, the world is full of people like that. What I do not understand is why some people here make excuses for such behavior. What is wrong with pointing out the he came across like a total moron. That does not mean people do not support his cause but it does not make his behavior OK. If we think that criticizing him is off limits because we are pro union then we are no better than the freepers or ditto heads.

[DrunkenBoat]

50. It's petty. "Criticize him" -- for what, swearing? Big FUCKING deal.

Bigger fish to fry. Who made you or anyone else the language police, & what is a few "cocksuckers" in the face of the planned impoverishment of the working class? Class struggle isn't a lace tablecloth teaparty.

I have lots of criticisms of the longshore workers, but none as petty as swearing. Regardless, I put my criticisms on hold while they're fighting for their livelihood. And so should anyone who claims to support workers.

[pennylane100]

68. Well you accuse me of acting like the language police

and then proceed to play the part of the the class bully trying telling me how and when I should criticize people according to how worthy you think their cause is. If that had been a member of management talking I would bet my last dollar that you would not have as understanding

It would also help if you worked a little on your comprehension skills. I stated in my post that while I thought the guy was a loud mouthed obnoxious bully but my problem was not with him. It was the double standard that people like you are willing to accept when it suits you. He was trying to intimidate the news team by constantly screaming the word cocksucker over and over. Obviously to compensate for his complete lack of verbal skills. Classical bullying behavior.


Inside most bullies there often beats the heart of a coward. What they feed off is the acceptance of their tactics by their peers. Well you might think that bullying people like the new crew who were trying to do their jobs is NO BIG FUCKING DEAL and, fortunately for me, that is the difference us.

[DrunkenBoat]

78. I don't see any double standard or bullying. The "job" of the "crew" is to defame the longshore

workers, & I saw they're cocksuckers.

Like I said, more to the story.

[Claudia Jones]

63. what?

Salty language and rude behavior - is that what you think we are up against and need to worry about?

No one is making excuses for anything. We are objecting to an anti-union smear campaign. Apparently, "bad manners" is a more important issue to you, though.

[pennylane100]

69. Please read my reply to Drunkenboat

and pay attention. MY PROBLEM WAS NOT WITH THE LOUD OBNOXIOUS BULLY.

[Claudia Jones]

75. I read it

I am paying attention.

You are not objecting to the rude obnoxious person - so you claim. You are objecting to the people here who you claim are refusing to object to the rude obnoxious behavior. You are calling them hypocrites. I am not sure what your reasoning is there - perhaps you believe that they would object to that same behavior if it were a tea party person doing it, or something.

You ask why we don't object to the rude obnoxious behavior. The answer is this: because it advances an anti-Labor agenda.

[pennylane100]

77. Wrong again,

First, what is with the "so you claim" remark. Is that a nice way of saying I might possibly be lying.

I am objecting to the people who CONDONE bullying. I never mentioned the ones who did not object. BIG DIFFERENCE. Bullies are usually cowards and condoning their behavior because it suits your purpose is definitely hypocritical, especially when it would be totally unacceptable if used by your opponents.

Remarks like

" The brother was agitated, but there's no reason to attack a union member on a national public forum in the name of "concern" for
unions, misguided at best.

"When you call workers vandals and hooligans it makes people wonder because those are right-wing talking points."

RW propaganda, unrec.

are some of the statements that were made in defense of a foul mouthed obnoxious bully, simply because he was a union member. Well guess what, it does not help the labor agenda. It maligns the integrity of all the hardworking union members who are fighting for their very survival.
I have many family members and friends who belong to unions and none of would condone the behavior of this bully.

I think that anti social behavior and bad language, when not extreme, definitely make life more interesting. But I cannot tolerate bullies
They feed off making other peoples lives miserable, and I find it very disturbing and self serving when people excuse their bullying tactics.

[Claudia Jones]

80. no one is doing that

No one is condoning bullying.

This is a false statement on your part: "statements that were made in defense of a foul mouthed obnoxious bully, simply because he was a union member." You have turned things upside down.

Bullies are those with power, not those without. The TV station is bullying the union members. One man finally fought back. The TV crew was not being bullied.

[socialist_n_TN]

81. There you go. There's a difference between

violence coming from the elites and violence in self defense AGAINST violence from the elites.

The capitalists are the ones with the power in this country, NOT the working class. I look at this (and other acts like this) as self defense in defense of the working class.

[Better Believe It]

48. Is it time to throw longshore workers under the bus?

[Broderick]

66. Heck no

Absolutely not!

[DrunkenBoat]

49. I enjoyed that. Especially the last one: "Phonies". Exactly.

It's good to see people who don't feel the need to behave obsequiously to the media & put on a happy/politic face.

There is more to the story; check out the Oregonian's reporting.

[Stinky The Clown]

52. Unrec - I am shocked - shocked, I tell you - that a longshoreman acted rough.

Today, on the radio, I heard two anti union ads. One from the Chamber of Commerce and one from the American Manufacturers Association.

And then you post this shit?

[Better Believe It]

56. A longshore worker swore? Why they are as bad as truck drivers and construction workers!

How dare they!

[white_wolf]

58. So I wonder will the people who are throwing the longshore union under the bus for swearing, going

to throw the navy under the bus? After all, no one swears like a sailor.

[Broderick]

Big business with complicity in the media

Is using a faux union to union battle to break the union. I learned a lot the other day what the real story is as I waded through the media slants. This is war. War on working Americans and the middle class. People are pissed and understandable so.

[Broderick]

64. Big business with complicity in the media

Is using a faux union to union battle to break the union. I learned a lot the other day what the real story is as I waded through the media slants. This is war. War on working Americans and the middle class. People are pissed and understandable so.

[MilesColtrane]

67. The gentlemen of the Fourth Estate were directed, in no uncertain terms, to depart from that....

place upon their initial contact.

Since they did not, they were lucky to have only departed with a creative tongue lashing instead of arrest by the local constabulary.

[DrunkenBoat]

83. ILWU leader tells Sheriff Mark Nelson: Stop the abusive, sensationalistic arrests of union members

September 15, 2011

Via first class mail and fax

Sheriff Mark S. Nelson
Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office
312 S.W. 1st Ave.
Kelso, WA 98626

Mr. Nelson:

I am writing to urge you to change your current course of conduct and tactics relative to the handling of the labor dispute between EGT Development (EGT) and International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 21.

Up until very recently, ILWU Local 21 worked with your office to coordinate its efforts to peacefully protest EGT’s repudiation of the parties’ labor agreement and collective bargaining relationship. Now you are making statements in the media and conducting yourself in a way that calls your neutrality into question and is not in keeping with your oath to public office.

For starters, let’s put things in context. The EGT facility is located on Port of Longview property in a rural area far from any commercial centers, private residences, or public areas. In short, any demonstration that takes place near the EGT facility takes place in almost total isolation and represents no threat to public safety in any way.


Abusive tactics against union members in Cowlitz County
Last week, peaceful demonstrations in this isolated area were turned violent unjustifiably by the police. On September 7, 2011, protesters congregated on the Port of Longview railroad tracks, effectively blocking further movement of a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train that was well removed from the main track. Without provocation, police in riot gear charged protestors, including women and children. Police physically and forcefully assaulted ILWU President Robert McEllrath. In addition, police threatened the group of protestors with batons and guns loaded with rubber bullets. Pepper spray was deployed by law enforcement on the protestors. In the end, the protestors dispersed under orders from police. Only a small group of approximately 15 individuals remained and were promptly arrested

As we speak, one week after the above described incident, you are arresting individual union members for standing on the track that day exercising their First Amendment rights. The people who you are currently arresting are the very individuals who dispersed on your orders. You didn’t arrest them last Wednesday. Why are you doing so now?

In contrast, the same type of demonstration occurred last week on the same day in Vancouver, and after two hours the demonstration ended peacefully with no confrontations or arrests.

Shortly after the Longview incident last week, you dishonestly reported to the media that authorities “were rushed by a mob of hundreds of protesters who were resistive and throwing things at the officers.” Resistive or self defense? And you know that the protesters were not throwing things at the police. Authorities also publicly accused union members of pepper spraying officers when in fact it was the other way around. The Longview Police Chief, who we understand was acting as your spokesperson and reading from a prepared statement, publicly accused union members of taking hostages. That was complete fabrication that was later recanted but not until the intended public relations damage was done. Your sensationalized media campaign to mischaracterize union members as lawless criminal aggressor thugs is unprofessional, unwarranted, and inflammatory.

This past weekend, when the Port of Longview agreed to again allow ILWU Local 21 pickets on their property, you nonetheless arrested 16 people. The Port refused to press charges and you protested in a strongly worded email to the Port in which you characterized ILWU members as criminals. How is it, Mr. Nelson, that it is any of your concern whether or not the Port allows access to its isolated properties?

Now, by what can only be explained as your need to function as EGT’s propagandist, you have chosen to make arrests at individuals’ homes or pursuant to traffic stops. Union attorneys have tried to contact you to identify individuals for whom you may have arrest warrants. Contact was made in an effort to coordinate contact between your office and these individuals. You have been unwilling to engage these attorneys choosing instead to continue your dramatic arrests. This type of “law enforcement” is unnecessarily provocative and wastes valuable Cowlitz County taxpayer resources.

In addition to all this, we are seeing disproportionate treatment in law enforcement’s handling of longshore workers. For example, three ILWU officers were arrested and charged with obstruction of a law enforcement officer because they allegedly did not move quickly enough when asked to by police officers. Two were Presidents of sister Locals and were in a crowd outside of the EGT facility when they were singled out for arrest. It is our understanding that they have now been offered a plea deal that requires them to plead guilty to the charge in exchange for a 365 day suspended sentence. After that, if they fail to stay off the picket line, it will result a mandatory 365 day jail sentence. By comparison, an individual was caught on video purposefully driving through and striking with his vehicle, peaceful picketers as he entered EGT’s Longview facility. The driver struck picketers, failed to render aid, and left the scene of the accident. One picketer was taken to the hospital as a result. Cowlitz County officials, who reviewed the video, to date have declined to prosecute the driver, instead arresting a picketer who allegedly dented another vehicle with his knee. He was immediately charged with a felony.

It seems to us, Mr. Nelson, that you have become the lead propagandist for EGT, a multinational corporation with no interest in this community other than to generate profit for its foreign owners. EGT comes into the community, obtains tax breaks, utilizes out-of-state and foreign construction workers, sues the Port of Longview, and looks to upset the balance within an otherwise profitable export grain industry. To the extent that longshoremen protest and it does not interfere with public safety or result in property damage, you should remain neutral. Instead, you are expending County resources to simply ensure the commerce and profitability of EGT. To be sure, your lack of neutrality and unnecessary assault on peaceful picketers and the President of the ILWU on September 7, 2011 is directly responsible for inciting the events that occurred on September 8, 2011.

You and the Prosecuting Attorney are elected to serve the public. You are not elected to serve a huge interloping conglomerate like EGT. EGT can afford to hire its own army. The taxpayers should not subsidize it.

Sincerely,

Leal Sundet

Coast Committeeman

ILWU Coast Longshore Division

cc:

ILWU Local 21

Susan Baur, Cowlitz County Prosecuting Attorney


http://www.longshoreshippingnews.com/2011/09/ilwu-leader-tells-sheriff-mark-nelson-stop-the-abusive-sensationalistic-arrests-of-union-members/