The Longshoremen’s Union has been picketing the Seattle tunnel project site since Tuesday, claiming it was promised four jobs removing dirt from the boring machine. The pickets have kept the building trades union workers, who have the contract for removing the dirt, from accessing the site.
Those unions, the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters and the National Construction Alliance, have filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against the longshoremen for blocking them from working.
But there is a time concern here. The ILWU’s action could force tunneling to stop. There is only so much room at Terminal 46 to pile up the dirt being removed by the boring machine.
