According to The Columbian: ”Don Marcus, international president of Masters, Mates & Pilots, said a boat operated by Kadoke Marine has been involved in several questionable incidents. They include an Aug. 20 incident in which the boat collided with ‘a stationary object,’ Marcus said, near United Grain’s facility, causing damage. In another incident, on Sept. 10, Marcus said the same boat failed to maneuver properly to allow company personnel to safely access the boat at Columbia Grain’s facility in North Portland. Marcus said the two maritime unions also believe the boat is supervised by an unfit captain.”
The International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots and the Inlandboatmen’s Union are honoring picket lines maintained by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. That means the maritime unions aren’t moving grain for the companies. In their absence, United Grain and Columbia Grain “have called in a fly-by-night tug and towboat operator using questionable equipment and unqualified tugboat personnel with no prior experience on the Columbia and Willamette rivers,” according to a news release from the maritime unions.
The two maritime unions also say the U.S. Coast Guard is “turning a blind eye” to the situation. The Coast Guard will meet with the two maritime unions early next week to discuss their concerns,.
In their news release, Alan Cote, national president of the Inlandboatmen’s Union, said “accidents are occuring with regularity,” and that the Coast Guard is “taking sides” with United Grain and Columbia Grain by ignoring the incidents.