Fresh from their beat down of Tacoma's striking teachers, the state [in this case county, state and federal governments] are now aiming their spears at Longview's striking longshoremen.
Longshore Union Protests ‘Police Brutality’ as President Surrenders
After the September 8 action, police began plucking members out of their homes, off the streets, and out of parking lots. Ten days later, about 35 had been arrested, mostly on misdemeanor trespassing charges. All have been released, and the union is paying their $250 to $500 bail.
“They’re rounding us up like we’re murderers,” said Dan Coffman, president of the Longview local. Five police dragged one union official out of his car by his hair, roughed him up, and slammed him into the back of a squad car. Another member was hauled away while caring for his children, two and seven years old, leaving them to fend for themselves in an empty house. Yet another, a part-time minister, was arrested by police wielding assault rifles.
And when they weren't imperiling children and brandishing weapons, they were concocting tendentious stories:
Union members have shown considerable restraint in the face of a tough situation and constant provocations from police and EGT employees. An EGT worker ran his car into two ILWU members without penalty. A longshore worker allegedly kicked a car that followed, dented it, and was charged with a felony.
The union says allegations that workers held six security guards hostage for four hours were a fabrication of the Longview chief of police. Coffman confronted the chief about the lie.
“He denied he said it and tried to modify his story,” said Leal Sundet, one of four ILWU officers on the union’s coast committee.
The mainstream press latched on, publishing inflammatory pieces decrying the violence. “I’d be surprised if it wasn’t set up purposefully by the PR firm hired by EGT,” Sundet said. “Anything that labor does is portrayed as some kind of act of violence.”
EGT has also hired Special Response Corporation, a security firm based in Maryland that specializes in strikebreaking.
http://labornotes.org/2011/09/longshore-union-protests-police-brutality-president-surrenders
The "manhunt" for ILWU's president ends with the "fugitive" turning himself in.
ILWU International President surrenders to law enforcement with support from East and West Coast longshore leaders
LONGVIEW, WA [September 26, 2011] – Robert McEllrath, President of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, added his voice to the growing chorus calling for an end to police brutality and harassment in Longview by surrendering himself today at 11:00 a.m. to authorities, Cowlitz County Sheriff Mark Nelson and Prosecuting Attorney Susan Baur, at the Cowlitz County Hall of Justice in Kelso, WA. McEllrath waited about 20 minutes and was cited on misdemeanor charges of trespassing in the second degree and blocking or delaying a train, both related to a protest in rural Cowlitz County on Sept. 7. He was released after being cited.
http://www.ilwu.org/?p=3091
The Feds, as usual, are trying to bust the strike:
Feds seek to fine ILWU $293,000 for protests
The costs include:
• Nearly $140,000 in damage and compensation to EGT and $13,000 to BNSF. That includes $80,000 in lost grain for the 9,855 bushels spilled during the event. Damage to a railcar was just over $1,000 and damage to a security vehicle was $1,400. It also includes EGT overtime costs and lawyers fees.
• Just over $76,000 in police overtime costs, including the Cowlitz County sheriff's office, the Longview and Kelso police departments and the Washington State Patrol. (The Kelso estimates also include costs from Sept. 9-10; Cowlitz County included costs from protests in July and said more were forthcoming.)
• About $66,000 in NLRB attorney fees to compile the damage and compensation figures.
http://tdn.com/news/local/article_f1b6a668-e8d2-11e0-a986-001cc4c03286.html
The union counterpunches:
ILWU launches recall effort against sheriff as national president turns himself in
Under Nelson's direction, law enforcement officers flashed lights in union members' homes at night, followed them around to arrest them publicly and needlessly racked up about $30,000 in overtime costs to police the protests, union officials contend.
"Cowlitz County has become a battle zone, and Mark Nelson has some of the blame. Citizens depended on law enforcement to decelerate the situation, which Mark Nelson has failed to do. In fact, his officers have contributed to the turmoil and accelerating the atmosphere of violence in what would have been a peaceful protest," ILWU's Longview-based Local 21 President Dan Coffman and local treasurer Byron Jacobs argue in the recall complaint.
Monday's recall petition follows the union's filing last week of a civil rights lawsuit against Nelson and Longview Police Chief Jim Duscha, alleging excessive use of police force against protesters.
http://tdn.com/news/local/article_e635aa96-e86e-11e0-a290-001cc4c002e0.html
The right-wing press is doing what it can to bust the strike. I'm 51, and I've lived on both coasts, and I can tell you that Frank Blethen's Seattle Times is as unconscionably anti-union as any paper in I've read. I lived in Nevada, where the conservative media is boastfully reactionary, frighteningly so, but even there one does'nt find the preternatural, atavistic hatred for working people one encounters at the Seattle Times. Blethen is a plutocrat's plutocrat, and in no ways adverse to stretching journalistic ethics to their breaking point and beyond. Here he comes to the rescue of his fellow billionaire Warren Buffet's train company.
BNSF investigates tampering along line in SW Wash.
The main BNSF rail line is re-open through southwest Washington, after police and inspectors temporarily shut it down Monday to investigate reports of tampering along the line from north of Vancouver to Chehalis.
Spokesman Gus Melonas says officials have determined that it is safe for all operations through the area. He would not specify how the lines were tampered with, but he says it has been eliminated.
Oh yes, fine work this! The paper doesn't know what happened (or doesn't believe anything did), so it publishes this defamatory rumor. The Seattle Times: no lie is too perverse if it serves the interests of capital.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2016326753_apwatraintampering1stld.html
Solidarity from Down Under:
Townsville Community Supports Longview Dockers
“Today we’re gathering in Townsville to show the Longview Dockers that they have the support and solidarity of their brothers and sisters around the world.
“We will not stand idly by and ignore bullying of trade unionists. No one should face threats and intimidation for standing up for basic rights.”
Concerned by EGT’s reluctance to guarantee local jobs, the Dockers were peacefully protesting at railroad tracks in Longview on September 9, blocking a grain train on its way to EGT’s loading facility.
They were then detained by police in riot gear.
The ITF has vowed to support the Longview Dockers in their campaign for justice.
“There’s a crucial principle at stake here. Multinational companies must not feel that they can simply waltz into a community and tear it to pieces,” Mr Summers said.
“We will defend jobs, communities and families wherever and whenever it is necessary.”
Amen!
http://www.mua.org.au/news/townsville-community-supports-longview-dockers/
As one might expect, the strike and the police and company reaction have elicited impassioned responses from locals. Here are some links where you wil find letters to the editor.
http://tdn.com/news/opinion/article_75b4334a-e6f8-11e0-a8fe-001cc4c03286.html
http://tdn.com/news/opinion/article_f8e34c3c-e7cb-11e0-846a-001cc4c002e0.html
http://tdn.com/news/opinion/article_ac70e11e-e890-11e0-aa4a-001cc4c03286.html
The longshoremen are combating the union-busting efforts of EGT, the press, and city, county, state, and federal governments. They deserve our support as if capital wins in Longview, if they succeed in breaking a union with a long and proud history, the future will be pretty bleak for labor. And they may be coming to a workplace near you soon.
