The continuation of union thug action seen yesterday here escalated in the wee hours of Thursday morning as “Hundreds of Longshoremen stormed the Port of Longview early Thursday, overpowered and held security guards, damaged railroad cars, and dumped grain” out in the yard.
“500 or more Longshoremen broke down gates about 4:30 a.m. and smashed windows in the guard shack,” and union thugs confronted Police with baseball bats it is reported, causing therm to retreat.
Six guards were held hostage (kidnapping?) as brake lines on a rail car were cut by thugs and union vandals. The car was part of a train first blocked in Vancouver, then when it move ahead, blocked again outside of the port in Cowlitz County.
Union members have stated “this is only the start.”
At issue is the Longshoremen feel they have exclusive rights to work the port. Negotiations between the union and EGT broke down months ago, in part due to union demands of $20 per man-hour premium wanted to cover pensions. EGT head Larry Clarke said, “That is a significant figure. EGT did not create the multi-billion dollar shortfall in the ILW’s pension, and should not be responsible for filling that funding gap.”
EGT is operating now through a different union.
Police report no arrests this morning, unlike yesterday when at least 7 union thugs were arrested.
Governor Gregoire, maybe it is time to place the National Guard an alert.
