Gregoire "An Angel" in Longview Longshoreman Thuggery

A possible settlement between the #@##!$%$&*&&%$^%$##$@@!^%$ gentlemen of the Longview Longshoremen and the Export Grain Terminal on the banks of the Columbia River may be in the offing. No details of the pact have emerged but reaction seems to be getting in front of reality. For example, take this quote. Please. 

"It brought tears to my eyes. Gov. Gregoire must be an angel. That's the only thing I can figure out. Everybody tried, but she got it done," said Darold Dietz, a Port of Longview commissioner and retired longshoreman. [emph added]

Pass the Tums.

ILWU Sabotaging Tracks

The dispute between the Longshore Union and the port has been pock marked with thuggery, law breaking, vandalism, sabotage and hostage taking. I don't know about you, but that was the part that brought tears to MY eyes.

ILWU's International chief, Bob McEllrath, is quoted in the Longview Daily News:

"This is a win for the ILWU, EGT, and the Longview community."

That's all Bob has to say about the pact. But he's full of stuff to say about stopping the next shipment of grain expected at the Port soon. That shipment will receive extra security from the Coast Guard.

 

The ILWU website is featuring no announcement of an agreement, but instead the site ballyhoos what they plan to do when the next grain ship comes into port (see previous posts here),

The purpose of this letter is to inform and prepare the Longshore Division locals for the action that we will take when that vessel calls at EGT’s facility. ...middle class taxpayer dollars are subsidizing union busting multinational corporate giant EGT’s fight against the ILWU and Longview’s working community.

Meantime, the other union members whose jobs hang in the balance, the Operating Engineers of Oregon's Local 701, don't have much to say about possibly losing their jobs:

"Local 701 members will continue to work for General Construction as we have done for almost 90 years whether at the EGT facility or somewhere else. Our labor contract is with General Construction. We have never had and still don't have a relationship or contract with EGT," said Mark Holliday, Local 701 business manager, in a written statement.

Just remember ILWU may get the jobs at the Port while costing other American union workers their jobs.