The tense, ongoing union battle at the Port of Portland spilled into Cowlitz County Thursday night when a tugboat captain’s home was picketed by members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.
Between 30 and 60 union members carrying signs picketed a home on the 200 block of Niemi Road in rural Longview. Initially, according to dispatch reports, one of the callers threatened to fire off a gun if the picketers didn’t leave soon. Deputies responded and the picketers left without incident, according to the sheriff’s office.
Friday, a ILWU spokeswoman Jennifer Sargent said the picketers were longshore workers from Longview, Vancouver and Portland. She said they were protesting Foss Maritime of Rainier, whose employees have been piloting tugboats through primary picket lines at Columbia Grain in Portland. Sargent said Foss is setting deck hands represented by the Inland Boatmen’s Union on shore and then using management captains to cross the picket line.